curious as to what kind of solar controller you use

IrishCamper74

What make do you have installed?
Tried one make over another?
Any you would not recommend?
Thanks all in advance for your input!
Happy Camping!

Sharon_is_SAM

Renogy 30 amp PWM Wanderer for 200 watts portable
Have only used this controlller
This was our initial foray into solar and paired with the Victron battery monitor, it has been fine.  

ChanW

Victron SmartSolar Charge Controller with Built-In Bluetooth - MPPT 75/15, with the Victron Bluetooth Battery Monitor

Haven't tried any other (modern) controller.

I am very happy with it. I like that the battery monitor and controller communicate with each other (via bluetooth) to optimize the charge cycle.

The company seems to stay on top of firmware updates, which gives me confidence in the company and the devices.

MuttonChops

Am using some cheap 20A PWM that was < $20.  Is limited to flooded battery.  Works fine to maintain battery with a 10W tickle charge panel and has also worked well while boondocking to daily recharge Group-24 battery when 175W portable panels are connected & sun is out.

If I upgrade to two batteries or a lithium-ion will then change to a more high performance controller.

ScottG

I use the same cheap 10A PWM controller that was attached to my Renogy 100W suitcase when I purchased it four years ago. I did eventually remove it from the suitcase and set it up in the tub where it could be better protected and closer to the battery (a group-27 wet cell).

While there have been many discussions about the technical minutia regarding controllers and other solar components, I don't recall anyone saying a particular controller just didn't work.

For me, the far bigger challenge is usually finding a good patch of sun in which to place the panels.  :-/

pthomas745

I still have the cheap PWM that came with my Renogy kit from 2012.  Beaten and battered, it still works. (I keep it as a spare). 

I have a Windy Nation P20L PWM controller from two years ago.  Has adjustable float settings for most battery types, but I've only used it with lead acid so far. 

On an Amazon Prime Day deal three years ago I bought a cheap MPPT on sale:  a "Tracer 1210 RN".  It was only 50 bucks or so.  Has a metal body and an easy to handle form factor, and that is the one I use the most.

These are just inexpensive controllers that I use for my basic portable panels and my stock battery, and they have all performed decently. 

When I look at controllers online, I see a basic sameness across all of them, which leads me to believe the circuit boards inside are probably all made in the same place with the same specs. 

The Victrons are popular because of the good capabilities of their controllers, especially the Bluetooth features.  (I bought a Victron 712 last year).  Their service after the sale is excellent, which is important because they Victron equipment is a bit more complex than the inexpensive run of the mill controllers.

DougH

@IrishCamper74 ; I purchased a Victron 100/20 after consulting this fine forum:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/9403/im-greedy-fastest-charge-controller-answer-victron/p1

IrishCamper74

Thanks all, I'm seeing a trend with Victron after researching & asking others' opinions. I have a Renogy 100w panel and want to set it up for this years camping trips. After also reading about inverters, i seems that they aren't necessary if one doesn't plan on drawing a ton of power for energy gobbling devices, or am I understanding that incorrectly?

Side note, are controllers relatively easy to install ?

Thanks again everyone for your input!

Sharon_is_SAM

Controller set up is very easy.  Best to locate it close to the battery.  Victron has manuals that will guide you.  

Regarding the inverter, they are useful for running appliances that require ac (coffee pot, hair dryer, microwave) when you do not have an ac connection.  Inverters come in different powers and depending on what you want to run, you may need a larger battery capacity.

IrishCamper74

Sharon_is_SAM said:

Controller set up is very easy.  Best to locate it close to the battery.  Victron has manuals that will guide you.  

Regarding the inverter, they are useful for running appliances that require ac (coffee pot, hair dryer, microwave) when you do not have an ac connection.  Inverters come in different powers and depending on what you want to run, you may need a larger battery capacity.

Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM, that's what I was thinking, we don't run any of those while camping so I'm assuming I don't have the need for one. 
(we boil water for french press coffee, I'm all about camping hair, dry shampoo and baseball hats and I don't need a microwave lol)

pthomas745

There are small (300 watts or less) inverters that can plug directly into the 12v plugs inside the trailer.  I have a 125 watt and a 300 watt inverter for the small jobs inside the trailer that want real plugs:  my camera battery chargers, turbo phone chargers, etc.  I can also run a laptop with them.  Small jobs would mean items that use "about" 150 watts or less of power.

I carry a 1000 watt inverter with alligator clips that go directly to the battery.  I've used a hair dryer and Insta pot this way after testing how much power each one uses, which came out to 700 watts or so.  "DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY:  NOT TO A 12V PLUG!"  700 watts uses about one amp a minute from the battery, so complete attention is important.

Some owners, without the newer factory installed inverters, have installed their own larger inverters directly from the battery into the trailer.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;sxsrf=ACYBGNQTJtT5MZhqzkIuI2JeF8nl7nt6qg:1580064996413&amp;ei=5OAtXsH2GMPb-wSR5KnYCQ&amp;q=inverter+install+site:tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com&amp;oq=inverter+install+site:tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com&amp;gs_l=psy-ab.3...1944.8509..9304...1.0..1.225.3493.1j24j1......0....1..gws-wiz.9wYzjyFSQgc&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjB-NTm-KHnAhXD7Z4KHRFyCpsQ4dUDCAo&amp;uact=5

Verna

I also use a 200 watt Pure Sine Wave for my DISH satellite receiver, or to recharge my laptop.  Its energy draw from the batteries is negligible. 

When boondocking, the built-in 1000/2000 inverter in the 400 uses around 50 watts just by being turned on. This is something to keep in mind when you need to watch your battery voltage. 

DesertDweller

I have factory solar with my 320 S BDL.  I switched out the cheap PWM controller that was OEM for the same unit @ChanW has - the Victron SmartSolar Charge Controller with Built-In Bluetooth - MPPT 75/15.  Had it for close to a year now. No issues and my dealer-supplied battery stays charged even with a Classic Accessories RV cover (thin, light-colored material).  

Cbusguy

Been doing solar for more than a few years.....  I have used a number of PWM controllers the big bonus with them is size and they are super cheap,  the down side is they are not as efficent as an MPPT controler and you are stuck with only a parallel panel array for the most part........basically a 12 volt system.

I have had few MPPT panels controlling 12, 24 and 36 volt systems,  all charging  12 volt deep cycle battery banks on my workshop.   

The best I have owned is the victron, mppt controler. and I believe it is the best because of the speed of the power point tracking.    My test method while far from scientific is proven over the years of usage.    

my previous controller was a renogy and typically when I would get home from work and pass it it would always still be in absorption state of charge and sometime after dinner it would switch to float charge.     The victron on the other hand would be in float charge....and looking at the app I could see it had been in float charge for 4 or 5 hours.    The previous controllers never came out of absorption except when I turned absolutely everything off in the shop.   

The victron with the same solar array, same battery and a Heavier load finished charging 3 hours sooner than the the renogy,  I could leave my tool chargers plugged in without worry of depleting the battery bank.


@IrishCamper74 the problem is AC inverters,  they are very power hungry.    You can accomplish most tasks with either propane or 12 v dc.....the only exception I have found is run the Air Conditioner and a hair dryer.....   You are much further a head charging cell  phones and computers with the appropriate DC charger.

COHiker06

I use a Grape Solar 165w PWM with two 50 watt panels. Nothing cosmic, just straight forward simplicity to a Anderson connector, switch, to the battery and a pair of 24" LED red automotive strip lights. Had it for four years with no issues.