It’s time to power up with the best MPPT solar charge controllers. Keep your solar panel system efficient and running smoothly so you can keep on powering on!
When you generate alternative electricity through solar energy, the raw current generated by the solar panels is potentially dangerous for your battery banks. To make the energy safer for your battery banks, you’ll need solar charge controllers to help regulate the current.
Most solar charge controllers available in the market today are somewhat expensive, which adds to the overall cost of the solar panel system. But that doesn’t mean you should be overwhelmed. The extra price you’d spend on a high-quality solar charge controller is justified with damage prevention for your system.
Why You Should Consider a MPPT Solar Charge Controller
All in all, getting a high-quality MPPT solar charge controller could prolong the life of your solar panels as well as all the components in the system.
With that said, there are hundreds of solar charge controllers available in the market. If you’re still new to alternative energy, the sheer number of options alone could discourage you from setting up your first system.
We’ve compiled all the best solar charge controllers to help you narrow down your options. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to find the best solar charge controller for your specific needs.
Find the Best MPPT Solar Charge Controller
Best Overall MPPT Solar Charge Controller: Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT
- Build quality: 9/10
- Ease of use: 8/10
- Performance: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Efficiency: 9/10
Victron Energy is one of the most well-known players in the alternative energy scene who has produced top-notch products over the years – and the SmartSolar is not an exception. The SmartSolar MPPT charge controller features top-shelf components to ensure its longevity and durability for various system setups.
The SmartSolar charge controller also features a wireless Bluetooth management system, which allows you to adjust various settings through your smart devices. But if you’re not at home, there’s also the Victron Remote Management Portal that you can use to set up, update, and monitor your system remotely.
There are several varieties of this MPPT solar charge controller that you can choose, including 12V, 24V, and 48V models. The SmartSolar charge controller also supports a wide range of operating temperatures at up to 60oC.
Victron also offers a five-year warranty for the SmartSolar charge controller, which speaks volumes about their confidence in this product.
Pros and Cons of the Victron Energy Charge Controller
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Best Value Product: Renogy Rover Solar Charge Controller
- Build quality: 8/10
- Ease of use: 8/10
- Performance: 7/10
- Value: 8/10
- Efficiency: 7/10
The Renogy Rover is one of the best bang-for-the-buck solar charge controllers that you can get on the market right now. It offers various electrical currents that you can select to match your batteries and solar panels set up.
From the lower end, you’ll find a 10A MPPT charge controller. But if you’re looking to build a high-powered solar panel system, Renogy offers up to a 40 amp solar charge controller with a Bluetooth control system at a super competitive price.
This solar charge controller promises up to 99% tracking efficiency that will ensure your battery bank gets the most out of your solar panels. There’s also a self-diagnostic capability to highlight system errors using Renogy’s refined advanced-fault targeting technology.
The Renogy Rover also uses 4-stage charging (bulk, absorption, float, and equalization) through comprehensive electronic functions to prevent reverse current, over-charging, and deep discharge.
As with other products on this list, the Renogy Rover can work with and automatically detect 12/24V solar panels right out of the box. If you’re new to the solar panel scene and unsure what panels you have, this MPPT charger will do that for you.
The Renogy Rover also has a die-cast aluminum design that provides excellent heat dissipation complete with a remote temperature sensor for additional safety measures during hot days. The built-in thermal sensor provides highly accurate temperature compensation to ensure stable and constant charging.
With its super affordable price point, there is a caveat for the Renogy Rover. It only has a 1-year warranty out of the box, which might be a consideration if you’re looking for longevity.
Pros and Cons of the Renogy Rover MPPT Controller
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Best High-Performance – Outback Flexmax 80 Amp Charge Controller
- Build quality: 8/10
- Ease of use: 7/10
- Performance: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Efficiency: 9/10
If you’re looking to set up a high-performance solar panel system, the Outback Flexmax may just be the right MPPT solar charge controller for you. This solar charge controller can handle up to 80 amp of current at 12V.
Outback packs their solar charge controller with active cooling and intelligent thermal management to ensure that the heat generated by the 80 amp of current is properly dissipated during operation.
This solar charge controller is rated to operate at up to 104oF (40oC) – so you won’t have to worry too much about it overheating. While there are certainly solar charge controllers with higher operating temperatures, this one has just about average.
The Outback Flexmax also has an 80-character display right at the front for easier stats monitoring. However, the display quality isn’t really up to par with higher-end charge controllers in the market.
Depending on the solar panels, you may need to configure the settings differently. But if you have other Outback devices, the compatibility is just there out of the box. However, the overall setup process is relatively straightforward for anyone keen enough to read the manual.
Pros and Cons of the Outback FlexMax MPPT Controller
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Honorable Mention – Rich Solar 20 AMP MPPT Solar Charge Controller
- Build quality: 8/10
- Ease of use: 8/10
- Performance: 7/10
- Value: 7/10
- Efficiency: 8/10
The last product in our lineup is the Rich Solar 20 AMP MPPT solar charge controller. It features a 99% tracking efficiency with 98% peak conversion efficiency. While this product doesn’t have a specific aspect that stands out, the Rich Solar is a solid all-rounder suitable for virtually any solar panel configuration.
Rich Solar uses a sleek orange-on-black design that may be a deciding factor if you’re someone who cares about the aesthetics of your solar panel setup. It has a built-in temperature sensor and Bluetooth remote compatibility, which will come in handy to monitor and adjust the configuration.
If you’re the hands-on type, the Rich Solar charge controller also has an LCD screen and multiple LED indicators that you can use to monitor system operation information, status, error codes, and many more.
There’s also an automatic voltage recognition system that will save you some time worrying about whether you got the right type of solar charge controller. Other than the 20A variant, there are also 30A and 40A charge controllers with the same model if you wish to run a more demanding system.
Pros and Cons of the Rich Solar MPPT Charge Controller
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What to Consider When Buying MPPT Solar Charge Controller
Solar charge controllers are one of the most important solar system components. Its primary function is to stop your battery from overcharging and prolong its life span.
It also ensures that you get the maximum amount of power from your panels and, in turn, reduces the risk of panel overheating and premature failure.
MPPT solar charge controllers can increase your electricity production by up to 30% – but that number still varies significantly with each product.
To help you pick the best products for you, here are several things to consider when buying MPPT solar charge controllers.
1. Input Terminals Quality
While the technical specs are important, the physical input terminals used to transfer power from the solar panels, and the batteries are often overlooked. Low-quality terminals for gauge cables simply mean you will feel the wear and tear damage sooner than later.
What’s even worse is that when the input terminals break, there’s nothing you can do but get a new MPPT charge controller. It’s certainly in your best interest to invest and buy a more well-built product instead of getting a cheap charge controller only to have it stop working a few weeks later.
2. Build Quality and Materials
The majority of budget-oriented MPPT solar charge controllers are made from hollow plastics. But when you’re willing to reach a little deeper into your pocket, you’ll find more robust products with nylon material like the Victron Energy SmartSolar.
Higher-end MPPT charge controllers are also covered from top to bottom with die-cast aluminum that also acts as a heatsink. With solar charge controllers, it’s often the case that you get what you paid for. The more you spend, the more use and longevity you’ll get from the product.
3. Built-in Display and LEDs
Having a built-in readout screen is especially useful to monitor the performance and condition of your entire system. With a built-in screen, you can see how much power is running through your system, change charge profile parameters, log data, and monitor the operational temperature.
While having a built-in screen is excellent, its absence doesn’t mean that it’s a bad product. Higher-end solar charge controllers typically bypass the screen to allow for better cooling, but they make it up by having a companion app that you can connect via Bluetooth. Most MPPT charge controllers also have dedicated ports to connect to an external display.
4. Ease of Use
You should also consider how easy or complicated it is to set up an MPPT charge controller. Depending on your expertise or familiarity with solar technology, you may find some products way too complex to program. Conversely, if you’ve had years of experience with solar technology, some entry-level products will not have all the features you want for your system.
There are also convenience features like Bluetooth connectivity and companion apps that you should consider. If you’re not someone who can always stay home and monitor how your solar panel system is doing, having a way to check on it remotely will be a lifesaver.
5. Price
As mentioned earlier, you should view MPPT solar chargers as investments for your system. Getting a poorly made charge controller could result in a reverse charge that could cause a short throughout your entire system.
It’s always worth noting that despite the notion that more expensive equals better quality, you should consult product reviews and other customers’ testimonials before getting an MPPT solar charge controller.
6. Overall Performance
You should adjust the solar charge selection to the rest of the system’s voltage and amperage. Picking the wrong solar charge controller could result in a system malfunction that permanently damages other components.
The first thing to do before getting an MPPT solar charge controller is to consult the detailed technical specifications of your solar panels and batteries. Then – and only then – should you decide which product matches your system’s technical specifications.
Our Verdict – Finding the Best MPPT Solar Charge Controllers
MPPT solar charge controllers are a vital part of any off-grid solar panel system that can help you store the majority of generated energy into your batteries. Compared to the other type of solar charge controller (PWM), an MPPT charge controller is far more efficient at getting the most out of the sunlight your panels receive.
There’s a learning curve to the whole alternative energy scene, and getting MPPT solar charge controllers is one of the best ways to help you generate more renewable energy. Getting the right product can be a little tricky – especially if you’re still learning the ropes of renewable energy generators such as solar panels.
Whether for you plan to use it at home or to power your remote cabins or RVs, having your batteries always topped up is never a bad thing. We hope that this article can help you pick the best MPPT solar charge controller for your system.
