Friday 11 March 2016

CHARGE CONTROLLER


Charge controller/ charge regulator: Basically it limits the rate of electric current which is added to or drawn from rechargeable electric batteries. It prevents overcharging and may protect against over voltage, as over voltage instances can reduce the battery performance/ lifespan, and may pose a safety risk. It also prevents completely draining ("deep discharging") a battery, performs controlled discharges, depending on the battery technology, to protect its life. 

The terms "charge controller" or "charge regulator" may refer to either a stand-alone device, or to control circuitry integrated within a battery pack, battery-powered device, or battery charger.

 In solar applications:

A charge controller is basically a voltage and/or current regulator to keep batteries from overcharging. It regulates the voltage and current coming from the solar panels going to the battery.
 Most of the 12 volt panels outputs 16 to 20 volts, so if there is no regulation the batteries will be damaged from overcharging. Most of the 12V batteries need around 14 to 14.5 volts to get fully charged.

The deep-cycle batteries used in renewable energy systems are designed to be discharged by about 80 percent. If they are discharged 100 percent, they are immediately damaged.

The only way to prevent over discharge when all else fails, is to disconnect loads (appliances, lights, etc.), and then to reconnect them only when the voltage has recovered due to some other means of substantial charging. When over discharge is approaching, a 12 volt battery drops below 11 volts (a 24 V battery drops below 22 V). A low voltage disconnect circuit will disconnect loads at that set point. It will reconnect the loads only when the battery voltage has substantially recovered due to the accumulation of some charge. A typical LVD reset point is 13 volts (26 V on a 24 V system).


Charge controller connections


Charge controller types:

Simple 1 or 2 stage controls which rely on relays or shunt transistors to control the voltage in one or two steps. These essentially just short or disconnect the solar panel when a certain voltage is reached. These are the most basic models. The reliability is very high as they use very few components and chance of failure is very less.

2 or 3 stage and/ or PWM based controller: Quite a few charge controls have a "PWM" mode. PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation. PWM is often used as one method of float charging. Instead of a steady output from the controller, it sends out a series of short charging pulses to the battery - a very rapid "on-off" switch. The controller constantly checks the state of the battery to determine how fast to send pulses, and how long (wide) the pulses will be. In a fully charged battery with no load, it may just "tick" every few seconds and send a short pulse to the battery. In a discharged battery, the pulses would be very long and almost continuous, or the controller may go into "full on" mode. The controller checks the state of charge on the battery between pulses and adjusts itself each time.

MPPT charge controller: Controller embed with MPPT technology calculates the maximum power voltage (V) at which the PV module delivers maximum power, and then the MPPT operates the module at a level, which extracts the maximum available power. The Solar Charger Controller continuously recalculates the maximum power voltage according to the changing operating conditions.

PWM VS MPPT charge controller:

Pulse width modulation (PWM) and Maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Both adjust charging rates depending on the battery's charge level to allow charging closer to the battery’s maximum capacity as well as monitor battery temperature to prevent overheating.

If maximizing charging capacity were the only factor considered when specifying a solar controller, everyone would use a MPPT controller. But the two technologies are different, each with it’s own advantages. The decision depends on site conditions, system components, size of array and load, and finally the cost for a particular solar power system. 

Factors determining the selection of controllers:

Temperature Conditions
An MPPT controller is better suited for colder conditions. As solar module operating temperatur
goes down, the Vmp  increases. That’s because the voltage of the solar panels operating at their peak power point at Standard Testing Conditions (STC is 25C°) is about 17V while the battery voltage is about 13.5V. The MPPT controller is able to capture the excess module voltage to charge the batteries.  As a result, a MPPT controller in cool conditions can produce up to 20 – 25% more charging than a PWM controller.

In comparison, a PWM controller is unable to capture excess voltage because the pulse width modulation technology charges at the same voltage as the battery.
However, when solar panels are deployed in warm or hot climates, their Vmp decreases, and the peak power point operates at a voltage that is closer to the voltage of a 12V battery. There is no excess voltage to be transferred to the battery making the MPPT controller unnecessary and negating the advantage of an MPPT over a PWM. 
Array to Load Ratio
In a scenario where the solar array is large relative to the power draw from the batteries by the load, the batteries will stay close to a full state of charge. A PWM controller is capable of efficiently maintaining the system without the added expense of an MPPT controller.

Size of the System
Low power systems are better suited to a PWM controller because:

A PWM controller operates at a relatively constant harvesting efficiency regardless of the size of the array

A PWM controller is less expensive that a MPPT, so is a more economical choice for a small system

A MPPT controller is much less efficient in low power applications. Systems 170W or higher will be advantageous if MPPT controller is used.

Type of Solar Module
Stand-alone off-grid solar modules are typically 36-cell modules and are compatible with both PWM and MPPT technologies. Some grid-tie solar modules on the market today are not the traditional 36-cells modules that are used for off-grid power systems. For example, the voltage from a 60-cell 250W panel is too high for 12-Volt battery charging, and too low for 24-Volt battery charging. MPPT technology tracks the maximum power point (thus MPPT) of these less expensive grid-tie modules in order to charge the batteries, whereas PWM does not.

Cost
MPPT controllers are typically more expensive than PWM’s but are more efficient under certain conditions, so they can produce more power with the same number of solar modules than a PWM controller. One must then analyze the site to verify that the MPPT can indeed perform more efficiently when used in that system’s given set of conditions.

When specifying one technology over the other, the cost of the controller becomes less important than the total cost of the system. To specify a controller technology simply based of cost, be sure to perform a close analysis of realized efficiencies, system operation, load and site conditions.
SUMMARY OF COMPARISON:


PWM Charge Controller
MPPT Charge Controller
Array Voltage
PV array & battery voltages  should match
PV array voltage can be higher than battery voltage
Battery Voltage
Operates at battery voltage so it performs well in warm temperatures and when the battery is almost full
Operates above battery voltage so it is can provide “boost” in cold temperatures and when the battery is low.
System Size

Typically recommended for use in smaller systems where MPPT benefits are minimal
≈ 150W – 200W or higher to take advantage of MPPT benefits
Off-Grid or Grid-Tie
Must use off-grid PV modules typically with Vmp ≈ 17 to 18 Volts for every 12V nominal battery voltage
Enables the use of lower cost/grid-tie PV Modules helping bring down the overall PV system cost
Array Sizing Method
PV array sized in Amps (based on current produced when PV array is operating at battery voltage)
PV array sized in Watts (based on the Controller Max. Charging Current x Battery Voltage)



























Important functions of Charge controller:

Blocking Reverse Current:
Photovoltaic panels work by pumping current through your battery in one direction. At night, the panels may pass a bit of current in the reverse direction, causing a slight discharge from the battery. The potential loss is minor, but it is easy to prevent. In most controllers, charge current passes through a semiconductor (a transistor) which acts like a valve to control the current. It allows current to passé only in one direction. It prevents reverse current without any extra effort or cost.

Preventing overcharge:
When a battery reaches full charge, it will no longer store incoming energy. If energy continues to be applied at the full rate, the battery voltage gets too high. There is excessive loss of water, and a chance that the gasses can ignite and cause a small explosion. The battery will also degrade rapidly and may possibly overheat.

Preventing overcharge is done by reducing the flow of energy to the battery when the battery reaches a specific voltage (full rated voltage). When the battery voltage drops due to discharge or an increase in electrical load, the controller again allows the maximum possible charge to the battery. This is called "voltage regulating." It is the most essential function of all charge controllers. The controller "looks at" the voltage and in response regulates the battery charging.

Control Set Points vs. Temperature:
The ideal set points for charge control vary with a battery's temperature. Some controllers have a feature called "temperature compensation." When the controller senses a low battery temperature, it will raise the set points. Otherwise when the battery is cold, it will reduce the charge too soon. If your batteries are exposed to temperature swings greater than about 30° F (17° C), compensation is essential.

Some controllers have a temperature sensor built in. Such a controller must be mounted in a place where the temperature is close to that of the batteries. Better controllers have a remote temperature probe, on a small cable. The probe should be attached directly to a battery in order to report its temperature to the controller.

An alternative to automatic temperature compensation is to manually adjust the set points (if possible) according to the seasons. It may be sufficient to do this only twice a year, in spring and fall.
Control Set Points vs. Battery Type:
The ideal set points for charge controlling depend on the design of the battery. The vast majority of RE systems use deep-cycle lead-acid batteries of either the flooded type or the sealed type. Flooded batteries are filled with liquid. These are the standard, economical deep cycle batteries.

Sealed batteries use saturated pads between the plates. They are also called "valve-regulated" or "absorbed glass mat," or simply "maintenance-free." They need to be regulated to a slightly lower voltage than flooded batteries or they will dry out and be ruined. Some controllers have a means to select the type of battery. One should never use a controller that is not intended for your type of battery.

Eg: Typical set points for 12 V lead-acid batteries at 77° F (25° C)
(These are typical, presented here only for example.)
High limit (flooded battery): 14.4 V
High limit (sealed battery): 14.0 V
Resume full charge: 13.0 V
Low voltage disconnect: 10.8 V
Reconnect: 12.5 V
Temperature compensation for 12V battery:
-.03 V per ° C deviation from standard 25° C

Overload Protection:
A circuit is overloaded when the current flowing in it is higher than its capacity. This can cause overheating and can even be a fire hazard. Overload can be caused by a fault (short circuit) in the wiring, or by a faulty load like a water pump. Some charge controllers have overload protection built in, usually with a push-button reset. Built-in overload protection can be useful, but most systems require additional protection in the form of fuses or circuit breakers.

Displays:
Charge controllers include a variety of possible displays, ranging from a single led light to digital displays of voltage and current. These indicators are important and useful. A display system can indicate the flow of power into and out of the system, the approximate state of charge of your battery, and when various limits are reached.

Important parameters:

Charge Current rating (A): It is the rated charge current of the controller for which the operation is meant.

Battery voltage (V):  It is the voltage of the battery for which the controller is designed.

Maximum PV power (KW): It is the maximum power that the controller can operate perfectly.

Peak efficiency (%): It is the max. efficiency of the controller.

Self consumption: It is the current consumed by the controller in the process of its functioning.

Automatic load disconnect: It is the protective feature includes the disconnection of load in case of low voltage, over discharge (abnormal conditions).

PV open circuit voltage: The maximum voltage that the controller can withstand.

Absorption voltage: It is the range or point of voltage for which the charge of battery is normal.

Float voltage: It is the point of voltage for a given battery rating, the charging process is float (Pulse form).

Charge algorithm:  Type (3/4 stage) of algorithm included in the controller.

Peak current (A): Maximum current that the controller can withstand.
Temperature compensation (mV/oC): It is the drop of voltage per degree rise of temperature.

Low voltage disconnection (V): It is the set point voltage for which the load gets disconnected.

Low voltage reconnection (V): It is the set point voltage for which the load gets reconnected.

Protection: Protection against over voltage, deep discharge, short circuit faults.

Display and metering: Displays details like voltage level, charge percentage, discharge time etc. Also indicators to indicate faulty conditions like overvoltage, under voltage, short circuit faults.

Equalization:  It attempts to equalize - or make all cells in the battery or battery bank of exactly equal charge.

Essentially it is a period of overcharge, usually in the 15 to 15.5 volt range. If you have some cells in the string lower than others, it will bring them all up to full capacity. In flooded batteries, it also serves the important function of stirring up the liquid in the batteries by causing gas bubbles.


Technical data sheet:

The following links directs to the data sheet of charge controller



Manufacturers:




Name of the company Address
Sunmatrix Solar Power Systems #50 | 40feet road( K.T.G College road) | 3rd Cross 
Madduramma Layout  | Hegganahalli Cross | Bangalore 560 091 | INDIA.
Ph: +91 9740900350 | email: devaraj@sunmatrixsolar.com
Greensol Renewable Power Private Limited No. 28 A , 2nd Phase, Peenya Industrial Area
Bengaluru - 560058
Karnataka, India
Alfa power solution East krishna nagar, Delhi - 54, India, Mob: +91 9810271172, info@dspsinewaveinverterscardsindia.com
Systellar Innovations  Shankar Chowk,Delhi Road,Meerut - 250002,Uttar Pradesh, INDIA, Contact No: 0121-2400394,E-Mail:info@systellar.in
Kavita solar energy pvt. Ltd. No. 231, New Defence Colony, Near Railway Station Railway Road, Muradnagar,Ghaziabad - 201206, Uttar Pradesh, India, Call Us:  (+91)-8447556942, Mobile:+(91)-9837261007,+(91)-9012147484
Alpha Impex (solar Division) R264, TTC, MIDC, Rabale, Navi Mumbai 400701, Maharashtra. India
Protonics Systems India Private Limited Anil Bhushan (Director)
C- 45, Sector- 81, Phase- 2
Noida - 201305, Uttar Pradesh, India
Easy Photovoltech Private Limited No. 406, Vikasdeep Building, Lakshmi Nagar District Center, Laksmi Nagar,Delhi (India) - 110092,+(91) - 9311112551
Haryana International 206, 2nd Floor, Vardhman Fortune Mall, GT Karnal Road, Near Hans Cinema
New Delhi - 110009, Delhi, India
Suntek Energy Systems Private Limited Sy.No. 240/242, Ground Floor,
Chinna Thokatta,
New Bowenpally, Main Road,
Secunderabad - 500011,
Telangana, India.
Pulsar Electronics Private Limited No. 127/128, Sonal Link Industrial Estate, No. 2, Link Road, Opposite Movie, Time Cinema, Malad West
Mumbai - 400064, Maharashtra, India
Rishabh Enterprises 41, A-13, First Floor, Car Market, Opposite Jhilmil Metro, Dilshad Garden
Delhi- 110095, India
Leelavati Automation Pvt Ltd D-11, Block No. 4, Mira Mansion, Third Floor, Sion Circle, Sion West, Near Indra Market
Mumbai - 400022, Maharashtra, India
Mainframe Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd. 1E/5, Ground Floor, Jhandewalan Extension
New Delhi - 110055, Delhi, India
Kavita Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd.,  Muradnagar, 231, New Defence Colony, Railway Road
Muradnagar - 201206, Uttar Pradesh, India
Ashish Verma  303, Pragati Deep Tower, District Center, Laxmi Nagar
Delhi- 110092, India
Call Us:
  (+91)-8588804251
SIKCO Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd B-97, Sector-12, Kharghar, Near Shivaji Chowk, Durga Mandir
Navi Mumbai - 410210, Maharashtra, India
Rockforest No. 110, 4th Main, Akshayanagar, St Anns School Road, Begur Hobli, Bengaluru - 560068, Karnataka, India, Call Us: (+91)-8048413186, Mobile: +(91)-9986670254,  +(91)-449038387
Speedex Batteries No. 4810, Gali Mitra, Roshanara Road
New Delhi - 110007, Delhi, India
Green Field Solar Solution Pvt. Ltd New No. 29, First Main Road, Shenoy Nagar East
Chennai - 600030, Tamil Nadu, India
Procorp Enertech Pvt. Ltd. Shed No. 109/4, Lane 17, Phase 2nd, IDA, Cherlapally, Rangareddy
Hyderabad - 500051, Telangana, India
Signet No. 201/202, Champaklal Industrial Estate, No. 105, Sion East
Mumbai - 400022, Maharashtra, India
Eminent Devices & Technologies No. 6/201, 2nd Floor, North Usman Road, T. Nagar
Chennai - 600017, Tamil Nadu, India
Powermax Energies Pvt Ltd 202, Matoshree, Mithagar Road, Mulund East
Mumbai - 421201, Maharashtra, India
Senratech No. 502-A, Golden Complex, Avinashi Road
Tiruppur - 641602, Tamil Nadu, India
Hi-tec Power Controls No. 8, Ground Floor, Surya Complex, Near Swastik Cross Road, C. G. Road, Navrangpura
Ahmedabad - 380009, Gujarat, India
Computronix No. 10, Electronic Plaza, No. 6, P. R. Lane, S. P. Road, 3rd Cross, Ground Floor
Bengaluru - 560002, Karnataka, India
Solar Powertech Solutions TS- 33, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Kurichi, Coimbatore - 641021, Tamil Nadu, India, Call Us: (+91)-8377808381
Prolux Technology S.N. 75/2/2, Ashok Nagar, Nawale Wasti, Tathawade
Pune - 411033, Maharashtra, India
Geie Solar Products India Pvt Ltd 80G, Rajendra Nagar Industrial Area, Sahibabad
Ghaziabad - 201007, Uttar Pradesh, India
Shyama Packaging No. 43, Suvarna Laghu Udyog Yojana, MIDC, Hingna
Nagpur - 440016, Maharashtra, India
Airkom Agencies (i) Pvt Ltd 111, Amit Industrial Estate, Dr. S.S. Rao Road, Near Gandhi Hospital, Parel
Mumbai - 400012, Maharashtra, India
Urja Unlimited Plot- 783, Sector- 17
Faridabad - 121002, Haryana, India
Finetech Systems No. 3/177, Devampalayam, Palangarai, Avinashi TK, Tiruppur District, NH 544, Salem- Coimbatore Highway
Tiruppur - 641654, Tamil Nadu, India
Diamond Engineering Enterprises 122-D, Kummalamman Koil Street, Tondiarpet, Near Tondiarpet Market
Chennai - 600081, Tamil Nadu, India
Sangam Electronics Co. No. 8, Parekh Wadi, Opposite Kasa Nagar, Near Bada Ganesh Mandir, Sumul Dairy Road, Katargam G.I.D.C. Old
Surat - 395004, Gujarat, India
Saffron Engineering Plot No. 1, Ashirwad Industrial Society - 2, Opposite Bharat Petrol Pump, 120 Feet Bamroli Road
Surat - 395017, Gujarat, India
Crystal Corporation, Akurdi Jay Ganesh Vision, BR 1, 315, B. Wing, Near Dalvinagar Rail Bridge, Akurdi
Pune - 411035, Maharashtra, India
Monarck Electronik Industry No. 2, Chapru Nagar Square, C. A. Road, Nagpur - 440008, Maharashtra, India
Sun Urja No. 314 & 315, Krishna Mall, Sector-12, Dwarka New Delhi - 110075, Delhi, India, moblie:
  +(91)-9650381148, +(91)-9871409881
Key Operation & Electrocomponents Pvt. Ltd Plot No. 48, 1st Floor, Street No. 3, Rajasthan Udyog Nagar
New Delhi - 110033, Delhi, India
Purevolt Products Private Limited D- 9/6, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase- 1
New Delhi - 110020, Delhi, India
Ujak Solar Energy & Technology Private Limited A-205, Sheraton Classic, Dr. Charat Singh Colony, Off Andheri-Kurla Road, Near Old Airtel Gallery, Chakala, Andheri East
Mumbai - 400093, Maharashtra, India
Suryodaya Energies H-2, Textile Colony Industrial Area- A, Opposite OM Dyeing
Ludhiana - 141008, Punjab, India
Adithya Solar Energy Systems No. 209, 1st Floor, Meghana Complex, Opposite Andhra Bank, Balanagar
Hyderabad - 500037, Telangana, India
SLM Energy Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Plot No. 160, Scheme No. 4, Rajendra Nagar Alwar - 301001, Rajasthan, India, Mobile:+(91)9899525616
Surat Exim Private Limited No. 2030, Jash Textile Market, Ring Road
Surat - 395002, Gujarat, India
Usha General Industrial Corporation J- 2949, Narela Industrial Area
Delhi - 110040, India
Decent Plastic Industries A- 103, Flatted Factory Complex, Jhandewalan
New Delhi - 110055, Delhi, India
Orient Traders F- 55, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase- 1,Delhi- 110020, India
Zillion Enterprises Plot No. 50, Door No. 111, Taluk Office Road, Venkatapuram, Saidapet,Chennai - 600015, Tamil Nadu, India, Mobile:  +(91)-9840072834, +(91)-9841072834
KS Plastic Group F-33, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1
New Delhi - 110020, Delhi, India
Jai Sunlight Systems No. A6, Mullai Nagar, Damodar Swamy Layout, Neelikonampalayam Post
Coimbatore - 641033, Tamil Nadu, India
Electrical Consultants & Engineers 319-320, 1st Floor, Shivaji Commercial Complex, Ravi Nagar Square, Amravati - 444605, Maharashtra, India, Mobile:  +(91)-9225700821, +(91)-9225700238
Ultron Electronics Plot No. 1-9-423/22, Opposite Road To Mandala Laxmamma Garden Function Hall, Parimala Nagar, ECIL Post, Hyderabad - 500062, Mobile: +(91)-8377800736
Telangana, India
Raman Power Solutions Pvt Ltd 16-2-227/190, Sardharpatel Nagar, Opposite Nizampet Cross Road, Kukatpally
Hyderabad - 500072, Telangana, India
Tapashwi Power Controls Plot No. 32, Prashanthi Nagar, Kapra, ECIL Post
Hyderabad - 500062, Telangana, India
Sanvi Electronics Plot No. 16, 1-9-323/16/1B, Hanuman Nagar, Kushaiguda, Hyderabad - 500062, Telangana, India, Call Us:  (+91)-8048022275, Mobile: +(91)-8978900919, +(91)-9494439050
Asthra Projects LIG- B, 329, HMTV Road, Dr. A. S. Rao Nagar, ECIL Post, Hyderabad - 500062, Telangana, India,  +(91)-8008822555, +(91)-8686363068
V2 solar No. 7-4-97, Opposite BBR Hospital, Above Andhra Bank ATM, Balanagar, Hyderabad - 500011, Telangana, India, Call Us: (+91)-8048429698, Mobile: +(91)-9848754313, +(91)-01000155
Universal Mega Solar Private Limited No. 8-2-270/1, 2nd Floor, Banjara Hills, Road No. 2, Opposite Brand Factory , Hyderabad - 500034, Telangana, India, Call Us: (+91)-9643203341, Mobile: +(91)-9848199369, +(91)-9032702727
Sree Vaishnavi Solar Energy Systems H.No. 155, 1st Floor, Netaji Nagar, 'X' Roads, HI-Tension Road, Kapra, Hyderabad - 500062, Telangana, India,Call Us: (+91)-8048557383, Mobile: +(91)-9912760934, +(91)-95269991
Solar Idea Pvt. Ltd. No. 8-2-277/A/7, Plot No. 126, Road No. 2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500034, Telangana, India, Call Us: (+91)-8048083199, Mobile: +(91)-7032660066, +(91)-9866987719, Telephone:+(91)-(40)-49464332

*Note: The above information (manufacturer's list) may subject to change without any notice and we are not responsible for such happenings.
However the source for Manufacturers list is indiamart.com




















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