Yahoo group charge-controller · Open Source MPPT Charge Controller

[Boss]

Pretty nice group over there designing charge controllers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/charge-controller/

Finished controller (Full Size)

here as well http://www.freechargecontroller.org/
"Welcome to the main website for the open source Free Charge Controller project. The goal of this project is to design a charge controller with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Maximum power point tracking allows a solar panel, wind turbine, etc to achieve maximum efficiency and deliver maximum power to a load. In this case, a load can be a battery, inverter, or the grid."


um boss just exactly how many times have i told you we have photo posting rules on this board??? 650KB photo is pushing it a little don't you think??? please go read the photo posting sticky in site news.
Kurt

[oztules]

Nice looking board, and would be interested in giving it a shot..... but I would need  three magnifying glasses and 4 pairs of tweezers to even begin making it..... the old eyes aint what they  used to be.



........oztules

[naveenck]

Hello,

I was looking at your schematic V 2.01 for the charge controller. I have a question on Page 1 of the schematic.

D1 and D2 are connected in series with the Solar Panel Input and Battery Output. Wouldn't D1 oppose the current flowing to it from the Solar Panel Input after D2 ? If so, how will the charging current reach the battery to charge the same ?

May be I am missing something basic here; kindly explain to enable me to understand the circuit.

Thanks,
Naveen

[Boss]

Um, actually Kurt I pay strict attention to size limits, always, have so you must have me mixed up with someone else, I merely missed one, let me fix it
 

[Boss]

I guess the edit function isn't turned on, so I can't fix that booboo on the image size sorry.
Here is the image shrunk,

If one of the moderators can swap it or delete the other image that would be great, again sorry for the mixup.
Speaking of mixups, I posted this group info, it isn't me, although I have learned a lot about MPPT from them.

[ghurd]

Hello,

I was looking at your schematic V 2.01 for the charge controller. I have a question on Page 1 of the schematic.

D1 and D2 are connected in series with the Solar Panel Input and Battery Output. Wouldn't D1 oppose the current flowing to it from the Solar Panel Input after D2 ? If so, how will the charging current reach the battery to charge the same ?

May be I am missing something basic here; kindly explain to enable me to understand the circuit.

Thanks,
Naveen

Page 1 only shows the 5.0V and 3.3V power supply.
12 nominal only goes into that circuit.
Only 5.0V and 3.3V come out.

The later ICs, such as on pages 3 through 6, require 5.0 or 3.3V to operate.

D1 and D2 separate the battery and panel.
The power supply gets its amps from whichever is at a higher voltage.

G-

[naveenck]

Hey Ghurd,

Thank you the clarification.

I am trying to understand the whole circuit to build something similar of my own. I am trying to locate the interface where the Solar Panel output voltage is used to charge the battery. A High Level block diagram could be of use here which can help me trace the schematic.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks much !
Naveen

[Boss]

Update: this group is moving along and now has a SourceForge page here you can download files and contribute to the open source project  http://sourceforge.net/projects/freechargecontr/
I'm thinking of trying this as a way to get back into electronics and learn about MPPT at the same time.
Brian