How-to Choose a Solar Charge Controller for a DIY Camper Van Electrical System. Victron solar setup * KYOKUSHO.COM

How-to Choose a Solar Charge Controller for a DIY Camper Van Electrical System

The Charge Controller takes the power made by the solar panels and transform the ‘solar panel power’ into a form of power that the batteries can use. Quick note before we get started. This is just one part of a overarching “How to Install a DIY Camper Van Electrical System” series. If you’ve just stumbled on this article directly without seeing that, there are likely some things we’ve already covered. If you want to check out that step by step guide, you can do that here: https://www.explorist.life/diy-campervan-solar Also, we have interactive solar wiring diagrams that are a complete. A to Z solution for teaching you exactly what parts go where, what size wires to use, fuse size recommendations, wire lug sizes, and all kind of other stuff to help save you time and frustration. You can check that out here: https://www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams/ Finally, for this blog post you’re reading right now, we have a calculator that will help you choose a charge controller. I HIGHLY recommend reading this post to truly learn how a charge controller works, but if all you need is the calculator, here that is:

How does the Charge Controller Work?

Solar panels typically put out a voltage that is too high for batteries to use. If you have your solar panels wired in series like I recommend, you could possibly have over 100 volts coming out of the solar panels. If you connected your 100 volts from the solar panels directly to the battery, it’s not going to work. The Charge Controller regulates the voltage from the solar panels back down to the 12.6 – 14.6 volts that the batteries can store/use.

MPPT vs PWM CHARGE CONTROLLERS

There are two main types of charge controllers. They are MPPT and PWM. This blog post is a crash course in solar design and getting into the specifics of the differences is out of the scope of this blog post. Here’s what you need to know regarding MPPT vs PWM charge controllers MPPT is the newer, more efficient technology. From here on out, any time I talk about charge controllers, I will only be talking about MPPT charge controllers as I want to guide you to build a high-end, expandable solar setup.

HOW TO MATCH SOLAR PANELS TO A CHARGE CONTROLLER

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS MEAN.

Lets use the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 for example. The 1st number, 100 means the maximum input voltage the controller can handle. In other words, the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 can handle a max of 100 volts coming from the solar panels into the charge controller. The 2nd number, 30, represents the max amount of amps the controller can output going INTO THE BATTERIES.

Let’s say, for example, you have 4 x 100 watt solar panels with the following stats.

EACH 100w solar panel has an Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc) of 21.6 volts. and an Optimum Operating Current of 6.72 Amps. Those are the only two numbers we are concerned about for now. I generally recommend just wiring all of your solar panels in series for simplicity and efficiency sake. Which means: Those 4 x 100 watt solar panels get wired together like this:

Since they are wired in series, the voltages get ADDED together for a total of 86.4 volts. (Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc) of 21.6 x 4 panels) The amps on the “upstream” side of the 100w solar panels remains 6.72 since in series, the voltages get added and the amps stay the same.

So, the 86.4 volts is under the safe threshold of the 100 max volts of the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 solar controller.

100 is the first number. What about the 2nd number, 30?

The 30 in the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 is the MAX resulting amps AFTER the solar controller has worked it’s magic. We need to do some math to determine the amperage. Here are the things we know:

We have 4×100 watts of solar panels totaling 400 watts of solar.
Assume batteries are 12.6v
Amps = Watts / Volts

This means, that at 400 watts and 12.6v we can expect up to 31.74 amps coming out of the solar controller.

Now, we are talking about that Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30, we have to compare that 2nd number, 30.

31.74 amps is a bit over the 30 amp threshold. BUT…

Solar panels rarely put out their full wattage. AND…

In the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 manual, they say their controller is good for solar arrays up to 440 watts:

AND… If you happen to go ‘over’ on your Amperage, it’s not that big of a deal in terms of damage. It’ll just be lost power that the controller won’t convert.

So, basically, the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 30 is pretty perfect for those 4 x 100 solar panels.

But what if you like playing it safe? What if you want some wiggle room? Great! Size up to the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100 | 50. Sure, it’s a little more money, but if it’s worth your piece of mind to have an extra 20 amps available to you, go for it.

Now, Why would you want wiggle room or safety margin? Let’s talk about temperature

Solar Controller vs Temperature

DID YOU KNOW… As temperatures drop, solar panels actually put out MORE power.

Totally honest though, the math gets messy, SO I made a calculator that you can input all of the values for your setup so YOU can see how temperature affects your solar panel setup AS WELL AS will give you a recommendation on what solar controller you need taking solar panel temperature into account.

There’s a video below the calculator you can check out if you need additional instructions on how to use it:

Now that you know what kind of charge controller is compatible with your solar panels, it’s time to learn how to choose an inverter for your DIY Camper setup. Check that out here:

Everything that you are learning here is put to use in our FREE Interactive Solar Wiring Diagrams. If you haven’t yet, check them out as they are a complete solution for a camper van electrical system. Check them out here: https://www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams/

Remember, this is just one part of a full camper van electrical educational series. To see all of the individual guides, click here: https://www.explorist.life/diy-campervan-solar

Finally, If you found this guide helpful, It’d truly mean the world to us if you’d share it with somebody who can use it, pin it to for later reference, or share it to a group when somebody has a question about this subject. Click the bubble in the lower right corner to subscribe to be notified of future updates and as always, leave any questions you’ve got in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев below.

Victron MPPT Charge Controller Review

Just so you know, this page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one, at no extra cost to you I may earn a small commission.

This is my hands-on review of the Victron SmartSolar MPPT Charge Controller.

I spent a total of 3 weeks testing it on its own as well as alongside other top MPPT charge controllers. I installed it in a solar power system and tested its ease of use, power output and voltage accuracy.

After all that, I think the Victron SmartSolar MPPT is the best MPPT charge controller on the market. It’s pricey, but it’s built-in Bluetooth, free mobile app and ease of setup make it the most plug-and-play MPPT I tested. For experienced users, it’s also got plenty of customization and advanced features.

The best MPPT solar charge controller

The Victron SmartSolar MPPT was the most “plug-and-play” MPPT I tested. It has plenty of battery presets for all the most common solar batteries. And the built-in Bluetooth lets you use Victron’s free mobile app to remotely monitor your solar power system from your phone.

Rated charge current:	30A	Max. PV open circuit voltage (Voc):	100V
Battery voltage:	12/24V	Battery types:	LiFePO4, sealed (AGM), gel, flooded, custom
Max. PV input power:	440W @ 12V, 880W @ 24V	Max. wire size:	6 AWG (16 mm2)
Bluetooth monitoring:	Yes (built-in)	Temperature sensor:	Yes (built-in)

Victron SmartSolar MPPT Review

First Impressions

After taking it out of the box, I first noticed the Victron SmartSolar is small and light for an MPPT.

Beyond that, the controller doesn’t have a screen — just a few LED indicators to let you know what charging stage the controller is in.

Normally that’s limiting, but the Victron SmartSolar’s built-in Bluetooth gets rid of the need for a screen. With Bluetooth, you can easily monitor everything from your phone. I like that better because it gives you more information and enables remote monitoring. I could be in my kitchen and check on the status of my controller in my basement.

Installation

I immediately went to my basement to install the Victron in a test solar power system. Four screws are all you need to mount it.

After mounting, I connected the controller to a LiFePO4 battery and a 100 watt solar panel. The Victron’s wire terminals are just okay. The screws themselves feel strong and durable, but the terminals are a little too shallow and close together for my taste.

Once installed, though, I tend to forget about the wire terminals altogether. And I never had a problem with wires slipping out during setup or use.

Bluetooth

Once you’ve connected your Victron to your battery and solar panels, the next thing you’ll want to do is download the VictronConnect app.

To pair your phone to your Victron, simply open the Victron app and select your charge controller from the devices list. Here’s a quick video of me doing it:

Note: You may need to enter a pin code the first time you pair your phone. The default Victron pin code is 000000 (six zeroes).

You don’t pair it by going to your phone’s Bluetooth settings. It’s a different process than most Bluetooth devices.

Now you can monitor your solar power system from your phone. The Victron app is powerful and gives you all sorts of information about how much energy your solar panels are producing as well as your battery voltage and charging current.

For instance, when I paired mine, it told me my 100 watt panel was producing around 45 watts (due to some mild Cloud coverage).

As a simple test of the Victron’s Bluetooth range, I went to the second story of my house and tested if the Bluetooth would still connect. I estimate I was about 30-35 feet from the Victron controller, and my phone still connected just fine. In fact, it showed up as having 2-3 bars of Bluetooth ‘service.’

Voltage Accuracy

After trying out the Victron by itself, I wanted to test it alongside other top MPPT charge controllers. In addition to testing usability and build quality, I tested each controller’s voltage accuracy against a multimeter connected to the battery terminals.

The Victron placed first in my test with an average voltage discrepancy of only 0.075 volts. Most of the other models had an average discrepancy of 0.1-0.2 volts.

Power Output

Next, I tested the max power output of all the MPPTs when connected to a 200 watt solar array. I measured power output with the Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor.

The Victron placed first, by just a hair. It output a max of 146 watts. That was 1 watt more than the EPEver Tracer BN which came in second, and 4 watts more than the Renogy Rover which placed last.

I don’t put too much stock in these results because of the variables I couldn’t account for, such as fluctuations in solar irradiance and solar panel temperature. Regardless, it was nice to see a first-place finish from the Victron, given its price tag.

Key Specs

Note: These specs are for the model I tested, the SmartSolar MPPT 100/30. Victron has a whole SmartSolar product lineup with different PV voltage limits, charge current ratings and compatible battery voltages should you need a different size.

Rated charge current: 30A
Maximum PV open circuit voltage (Voc): 100V
Battery voltage: 12/24V
Battery types: LiFePO4, sealed (AGM), gel, flooded, custom
Maximum PV input power: 440W @ 12V, 880W @ 24V
Maximum wire size: 6 AWG (16 mm2)
Bluetooth monitoring: Yes (built-in)
Temperature sensor: Yes (built-in)
Power consumption: 30mA @ 12V, 20mA @ 24V
Operating temperature:.30 to 60°C (-22 to 140°F)

What I Don’t Like

Who This Charge Controller Isn’t for

Which Victron SmartSolar Model Is Right for You?

The SmartSolar MPPT product line has plenty of options of differing PV voltage and charge current ratings. Here’s a quick comparison table of some of the more popular models on Amazon:

Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/15Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50

Max. PV Voltage	75V	100V	100V	100V
Rated Charge Current	15A	20A	30A	50A
Battery Voltage	12/24V	12/24/48V	12/24V	12/24V
Max. PV Input Power	220W @ 12V, 440W @ 24V	290W @ 12V, 580W @ 24V, 1160W @ 48V	440W @ 12V, 880W @ 24V	700W @ 12V, 1400W @ 24V
Buy Link	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon

Top Alternatives

If the Victron SmartSolar MPPT isn’t right for you, here are my top alternatives:

Victron BlueSolar MPPT 100/30. The Victron BlueSolar is like the Victron SmartSolar but without Bluetooth built in. As a result, it’s quite a bit cheaper. And you can always add Bluetooth later on by buying the Victron VE.Direct Smart Dongle.
Renogy Rover 40A. I think the Rover 40A is the MPPT controller with the best bang for your buck. If you don’t want to pay top dollar for the Victron, this is the one I’d recommend next. It has presets for all the most common types of solar batteries and lets you create custom charging profiles. It doesn’t have Bluetooth built in, but you can add it by getting the Renogy BT-1 Bluetooth Module. Renogy’s mobile app was my second favorite. Read my full Renogy Rover MPPT Review.
EPEver Tracer 4215BN. The Tracer BN had my favorite hardware of the MPPTs I tested. It’s built like a tank and has my favorite wire terminals of any solar controller I’ve ever used. It has presets for lead acid batteries, but not LiFePO4 batteries. It lets you create custom charging profiles, though, so it can work with lithium batteries if you spend a little time setting it up properly.

The Bottom Line

The Victron SmartSolar MPPT charge controller was my favorite of the 5 MPPTs I tested. It had the best voltage accuracy and power output.

Bluetooth comes built in to all Victron SmartSolar controllers. This lets you check on your system from your phone using the VictronConnect app. Pairing your phone takes all of 15 seconds and, once paired, you can monitor your system in real time and edit system settings such as battery type.

If you want an MPPT that’s easy to set up and works great out of the box, the Victron is the one I’d recommend.

The only real drawback to the Victron is its price. It’s a premium product and is priced like one. If you don’t want to spend all that money, look at a cheaper MPPT such as the Renogy Rover 40A.

A small ask: If you found my Victron SmartSolar MPPT review helpful and are planning to buy one, please consider buying through one of my affiliate links below — I’ll get a small commission which will help fund more reviews like this one. Thank you!

Victron Smart Solar and Smart Charger Installation Instructions

Open Smartphone and Download the “Victron Connect” app

Open the “Victron Connect App” on your smartphone.
Hit the “connect “circle in (bottom right on Apple) and the Victron devices should all appear. including any chargers and Smart Battery Protect devices.
Pair to each device. There is no passcode to start with. When it asks you for one, just select “pair”

Open the Smart Battery Sense device first.

Go to Setup which is the “cog” in top right hand corner.
Select “VE Smart Networking”
Select “Create Network
Give it a name you recognise. No spaces or special characters limit is 8 characters
Select OK

Open the Smart Solar device.

Open Smart Solar device in VE Connect
Go to Setup which is the “cog” in top right hand corner.
Select “VE Smart Networking” (last item on list)
Select “Join Existing” and then select your network you have named.

Now the Smart Solar is connected to the Battery by Bluetooth

Then in the Smart Solar Setup, select “Battery” (top line)
Check it is on 12V
Select Charger Settings as “user defined”
Select Absorbtion Voltage as 14.58V
Select max absorbtion time as 6 hours
Select Float voltage as 13.80
Set Equalisation voltage as 14.58V
Automatic equalisation is to be disabled.
Select Low temp cut off as disabled.
Once Running Take a screen shot of first page with settings and then email page with history to our email address (not listed here for anti-spame reasons) for checking.

Now the Smart Battery Charger

Go to Setup which is the “cog” in top right hand corner.
Select Li-ion
Select 30A

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