# cheap solar charge controller



## stampee (Jan 31, 2013)

Hi awl: I need a solar charge controller. Currently I have two 70W panels. I plan to expand with 2 more within a year, so presume I need around a 20-30 amp controller.
Are the solar30 controllers on Ebay for around $45 worth anything?
My budget is already in the dumpster. There is no way I can afford a $200 controller. I realize you get what you pay for, but could use some advice, or maybe some other brand that is known to be fair for around $75 maximum.
Thank you to everyone.
-Stampee


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

For a small system like that, I'd suggest this controller. Might cost a few more dollars but it's a good one.. 

http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products.folder/controller-folder/xantrexC12.html

For expanding with more panels later,, I suggest this one. I've been using one for years.. 

http://www.wholesalesolar.com/produ...gle_shopping&gclid=CIPR-5vf2rYCFaZFMgod_BkAfw


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

Zantrex is a good brand. 

Do you use 12 volts DC direct or invert to 120 volts AC? 

Is 300 watts, or so, the biggest array you may have?

It's tempting to think you know how big your system will get but ..... just a few years ago I had to replace to replace my 24 volt C60 so I could move beyond the 60 amps I used to think was a lot. 

More is usually better as the charge controller decides how many panels you can have. 

Better is always better considering a cheap controller can ruin a battery bank costing thousands of dollars.

You may end up finding out that is a cheaper upgrade getting a couple of panels in the 200 - 240 watt range and selling your 70 watt ones. Research it for your application and see if you can get the future controller now.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Yes --- save your nickles and dimes and get the good stuff.
Well worth it in the long run.
Yes there is a lot of cheap imitations of charge controller's out there just waiting to get into your "system" and at the wrong time go *poof^ and die.

The ole C40 Xantrex technology has been around a long while . . .tried and proven.........

Getting a controller that will handle a good bit more current than you are thinking about now is very wise. 
Getting a cheapo and pushing it to its limit is just asking for trouble..............


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Yep.. Buy the good stuff and you will have it for a long time. Might cost a little more but you won't be sorry 5-10 yrs. down the road. Simple and reliable..

Consider your expansion of panels when wiring. Wire to the standards of your goal. (Total Future Wattage) Avoid losses and the need to rewire when you do upgrade. That's a mistake that I did..

I didn't plan ahead and when I replaced my array with about double the wattage, I had to replace all of the wiring that I had going between the panels to the charge controller. A very unexpected cost and lots of extra work. I can promise that it won't happen again..

Had to replace the controller too. (I had already figured that) I still use the smaller one on my outdoor lighting system but it sat here for years. Overkill on the controller is a smart move..

Food for thought..


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## stampee (Jan 31, 2013)

Thank you to everyone for the good advice. I will have to rethink my plans. My intent was only to get my feet wet in solar this season and not spend a fortune on everything.
_Stampee


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Your thinking about it and posting here is a good thing. . . .

I hate to see people "getting their feet wet" get discouraged because of substandard elcheapo equipment which quickly fails.........


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## Ky-Jeeper (Sep 5, 2010)

Morning Star controllers


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## Allen15 (Apr 18, 2013)

It's pretty hard to beat a Midnight Solar Classic 150 for what you get from it, if you had to pick just one to get at an 'entry' level.

Durable, & very well supported by the mfg.


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## stampee (Jan 31, 2013)

Well, I can see where all of this is going. $850 is a far cry from $75, I dont care how good the support is from Midnight solar. It had better last for 15 lifetimes for that kind of a horrific price. This stuff is NOT rocket science and should not be charged as if it were. I am not a rich man who wishes to play with solar, and has thousands of dollars to throw around, so I guess like everything else in life, I will have to do it on my own.
Thank you anyhow.
-Stampee


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

stampee said:


> Well, I can see where all of this is going. $850 is a far cry from $75, I dont care how good the support is from Midnight solar. It had better last for 15 lifetimes for that kind of a horrific price. This stuff is NOT rocket science and should not be charged as if it were. I am not a rich man who wishes to play with solar, and has thousands of dollars to throw around, so I guess like everything else in life, I will have to do it on my own.
> Thank you anyhow.
> -Stampee


There are ALOT of 30amp controllers under $40 that will Work for you, just choose one that has a warranty and order it. As you see most of the guys on here are into Solar for the Long Haul and Use the BETTER equipment so it will Last.

Example, the charge controller that comes with a harbor freight 45 watt solar panel will last a month or two if you are lucky, maybe a little longer if you carry a 4 leaf clover and a rabbit foot in your pocket.

These Guys do not want to recommend a Cheap charge controller to you----to see it quit on you in a few months or a year. I bought a Nice $120 on sale for $90 dollar(worth about $5 I found out) charge controller(do not remember the name) for my 4--80 watt panels----my first set-up. The first week part of one of my digital number display went out, but I could still tell what the number was so I did not UN-wire everything and send it off for warranty repairs and do without it for weeks and weeks. In a couple months some more of the display went out, in a little over a year it quit completely. 


The Trace C60's I have that you can see in the picture in the Powersource 1800 post are not the best, but I bought them used with 1500 watts of panels about 10 years ago and they are Still working!

Good Luck on what ever you Choose. Maybe your Luck is better than mine!


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

No body here--in their right mind--is going to tell you that so and so's $15 dollar controller is "good" . . . . 

Yes the venerable ole Trace C40 and C60's are long time proven products.............worth it......

I have known for many years the guy who designed the Midnight Classic controller. It was several years in development and beta testing.
It is top dog as far as charge controllers are concerned ........
I did not mention it because of the price tag........

Say what you might but those elcheapo controllers will end up backfireing on you . . 
.Just believe all those who have gone through that experience.......................


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

So don't have a charge controller. Depending on the size of your battery bank, hours of sun, and loads, with only 140 watts you may never fully charge the batteries anyway. (Not a good thing but......)


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## Allen15 (Apr 18, 2013)

I guess you should revisit your goals? What exactly are you trying to accomplish for the $75 budget you're allotting to this, and/or what were you wanting to do with the total setup?

The main reason for using a charge controller is to get the most from both your solar panels, and your batteries, so you could always do without one as Gray Wolf has suggested...

Without such, you won't get the most from your panels, which I guess isn't really a huge loss if you're not committed to getting the most from solar power, but the most likely expense that isn't immediately visible, will be the reduced life you get from your batteries. If you don't have much invested in your batteries, or don't care if they last, you could do without a charge controller.

I've even seen some YouTube videos where someone just manually disconnected/connected their panels, based upon the voltage of the battery bank, though he wouldn't leave them connected when he wasn't home to avoid boiling them when he couldn't reach the switches... He did comment that an automatic charge controller was to be his next purchase, though.


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## ralph perrello (Mar 8, 2013)

You get what you pay for. With a cheap solar controler a lot of the power stays up on the roof and can not get to your batteries where you want it to go.
Wiring that is too small will do the same thing. 200 watts of panels requires at least a #6 wire. A #4 wire would be even better. Copper wire.


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## lyns (Apr 28, 2013)

I know what he means though. I have a couple of the harbor freight specials. They've lasted two years. Now one of my marine batteries is dead and also one of the controllers. So I'm planning to rewire the system and replacing the batteries. Want to put them together but need a better controller to do so. I'm looking for one that'll last another couple of years. Hopefully at that point I'll be better able to afford a better system. Until then... Well I'm off grid and need to be able to run my couple of 12v fans during the summer. 

Anyhow, I too am looking for a cheap controller.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

As for cheap..

I use one of these on a remote controlled lighting system that I have in my dog run. (30 watt panel, 7aHr. SLA battery) 

I needed a fast replacement for my C-12 on my other major outdoor lighting system and used it for almost a year on 98 watts of panel and 2 Marine deep cycle batteries. (C-12 was damaged by a lightning strike) This controller has been in service for almost 2 yrs. and does a good job. It regulates to 13.6v. and is a good match for small SLA batteries.. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-solar-charge-regulator-96728.html

The power connections to it sucks but one of these makes it easy. Match the colors of the wires at each plug and Wala..

http://www.hosfelt.com/contents/en-us/d374.html (52-108) *Rad Shack sells them too..*

Note that I did replace my major lighting controller with a better quality controller, being that's what I had there from the start. (C-12) The dog run system is just an experiment.. (Although it works just fine..)

Just my experience with an ElCheepo controller..


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I am looking to get into solar so I have been checking out what's available. I think I have a good slant on it but I could be wrong.

There are two different ways to go. You can have 12 volt panels and a really cheap charge controller or you can have an MPPT charge controller and higher voltage panels. The 12 volt panels I have seen all cost $2 a watt and up. The 24 volt panels cost less than $1 a watt and up. If you go with the 12 volt panels and cheap charge controller, you will spend enough so that you could have got the MPPT charge controller and a 24 volt panel. You can save more money with the 24 volt panel because the higher voltage means you can use a smaller wire from the panel to the charge controller.

I have decided on the Blue Sky MPPT 2512ix-HV. The HV is important because it stands for high voltage so this controller can handle up to 50 watts Voc from the panels. It is replacing one that doesn't have the HV designation and only works with the 12 volt panels so you have to be sure of what you are getting. The controller is also available without the x in the model number and you lose the equalization charge, the load control, a battery temperature sensor port, and a connectivity function. The best prices I have found.

http://www.thesolarbiz.com/Blue-Sky...t-25Amp-MPPT-Charge-Controller_2#.UZJN0sqU_1s

http://www.thesolarbiz.com/Blue-Sky-SolarBoost-2512i-HV-MPPT-Charge-Controller_2#.UZJN7cqU_1s 

I am putting on one 250-270 watt panel with a Voc of 37 volts for a cost of $200. This matches the charge controller and gives 20 amps of charge if the sun is bright enough. 

I know you don't want to spend even $161 for a controller but you can use your 70 watt panels and, when the budget allows, sell them and buy a 250 watt with the proceeds plus a bit more. You will probably spend $280 if you buy 2 more 70 watt panels in the future. 

The only downside I see is that one 260 watt panel maxes out the charge controller so it can't get bigger unless you want to add a second controller. This is OK for me since I have a couple of uses for this system even when I build a house and put in a bigger system there.


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