Installation and configuration

The charge controller is the essential component of autonomous solar installations (remote sites, motorhomes, boats). It protects your batteries against overcharging and deep discharge, while optimising charging via an MPPT algorithm.

This sub-category details all the installation steps: secure wiring of panels → regulator → battery, choice of cable sections, setting charge curves according to battery type (Gel, AGM, LiFePO4), and system voltage configuration (12V, 24V, 48V).

Correct wiring: the imperative order. Always connect the battery to the regulator first, then the panels. Reversing this order can destroy the regulator! Use cable cross-sections suitable for the current: minimum 16mm² for 30A over 3m, 25mm² for 50A, 35mm² for 80A. Install DC fuses (class T gPV) no more than 30cm from the battery.

Setting the charge curves. Each type of battery requires specific charging voltages. LiFePO4 batteries require 14.4V (4x3.6V) in bulk, 13.8V in float for 12V systems. Gel batteries charge at 14.1V max, AGM batteries at 14.4V. Our guides detail the optimal settings for each technology, with summary tables.

Discover advanced features too: temperature compensation (crucial for battery longevity), lithium cell balancing, charge history, and Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring (Victron VE.Direct, Renogy, Epever).