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Solar Photovoltaic charge controller
By danny, Section Remote Living Posted on Tue Dec 30, 2003 at 08:20:42 AM MST
Hi!<p> I am very interested in solar photovoltaic based power generating units and am a hobbyist but without formal electronics training.

I have a couple of circuits of solar charge controllers designed to work for 12/24 volts DC. Is there any electronic expert who could kindly do me a favour and care to advise me of modifications required to convert this 12/24volt charge controller to work on 48/60V dc input so that four 12v batteries in series can be charged?
I would appreciate any offer of help. My email: aaditis@iqara.net
thanks!
danny

Solar Photovoltaic charge controller | 7 comments (7 topical)

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#1)
by jubalearly on Tue Dec 30, 2003 at 01:01:38 PM MST

If you have 2 24v controllers, Then you can probably use them in series for 48v, just like the batteries. If you want more details, you will have to provide some specific information about the particular charge controllers that you have.

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#4)
by danny on Sun Jan 04, 2004 at 07:27:23 AM MST

Thank you for taking the trouble to write in.

As a matter of fact I have not yet built the charge controller. I was planning to use Forest Cook's charge controller featured in http://www.solorb.com/elec/solarcirc/scc2/index.html
which however works for 12/24 volts whereas I actually have a system where output DC from SPV panels array is 100V(at present driving a DC water pump) and I need to charge 4x12v batteries connected in series and charge current would be 12-15A from this 100V source.

[ Parent ]

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#2)
by VermontMaple on Tue Dec 30, 2003 at 01:34:01 PM MST

If your circuits are of a switching regulator nature (ie buck, boost or flyback)it should be possible to change the coils/tranformer configuation to produce a higher charging voltage. Can you post the circuits so we may have a better look at what you are attemping?
I am currently working on a 12 to 48 volt switching design myself, so I can charge my 48 battery bank from more common 12 volt equipment. It seems most everything out there is geared at 12 volt systems.

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#5)
by danny on Sun Jan 04, 2004 at 07:33:40 AM MST

Good to know someone is working along the same lines. I had the circuit of
Forest Cook posted on http://www.solorb.com/elec/solarcirc/scc2/index.html
in mind and if this could be modified? I wonder if it is possible and could anyone please help out?

My current array of spv panels gives 100V dc and I have a power inverter running on 4x12v batteries connected in series and my plan is to charge the batteries from the spv panels without disturbing their present configuration as this source is used to run a water pump.

[ Parent ]

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#7)
by VermontMaple on Wed Feb 11, 2004 at 06:28:44 PM MST

Danny,
Your 100 volt configuration could charge a 48 volt bank with a fairly simple buck convertor. Because your input voltage is higher than your output the startup and feedback circuit is fairly easy, however because you are at a high voltage (100+dc) most standard IC regulators can't be used directly. With a dropping resistor and a Zener to protect the LMXXX 3 terminal regulator I think the standard cookbook down convertor would work. What is the current rating of your Solar bank?

[ Parent ]

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#3)
by charged on Wed Dec 31, 2003 at 01:53:57 PM MST

Here's a DC-to-DC conversion tutorial page. It explains all the basic configurations for building switching regulators.

http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/710/ln/en

Figure 6, the "flyback" method is probably the best for what you want to do.

Re: Solar Photovoltaic charge controller (none / 0) (#6)
by danny on Sun Jan 04, 2004 at 08:14:27 AM MST

Thanks!

[ Parent ]

Solar Photovoltaic charge controller | 7 comments (7 topical)

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