MPPT 10A, 60v Tracer 1206AN

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) solar charge controllers are significantly more efficient than the cheaper Pulse Wave Modulation (PWM) solar charge controllers.  Please be very careful when buying this type of MPPT charge controller as there are charge controllers on the market which have model numbers such as MPPT T40 which are only PWM charge controllers.  A true MPPT solar charge controller needs a large transformer coil and capacitors inside, it is a bigger heavier unit and will usually takes at least  100V-150V input.

An MPPT solar charge controller in cool conditions can produce 25-30% more battery charging power than a simple PWM controller and you can connect high voltage panels to lower voltage battery banks. By using higher voltage on the panel side will also benefit by less volt drop and can use thinner cables.  On large arrays we run everything at 100V – 150V.

EPSolar charge controllers have established themselves for almost 10 years.  We are offering their latest EPEver range of excellent value Tracer A series and iTracer MPPT solar charge controllers.  Epsolar/ EpEver has passed ISO9001. All products have CGC-solar, CE, ROHS,  FCC and ETL certificates and are sold in over 120 countries worldwide

Cheaper PWM charge controllers are a good low cost solution for small systems only.  To fully exploit the potential of MPPT charge controllers, the solar panel array voltage should be substantially higher than the battery voltage and is generally recommended for systems of 100-150W and upwards. The MPPT controller enables higher PV system voltages which can then reduce cabling costs by allowing for smaller cable cross sectional areas. The MPPT controller will also harvest substantially more power when the solar cell temperature is low (below 45°C), or very high (above 75°C).

To calculate which size controller you need, take the peak solar panel watts and divide by the / battery voltage to give the MPPT rated charge current in Amps, for example 150W/12V = 12.5A, therefore a 20A rated charge controller is recommended.

Tracer AN Series – product features

• Advanced maximum Power point tracking (MPPT) technology, with efficiency no less than 99.5%
• high quality components with maximum conversion efficiency of 98%
• Ultra fast tracking speed and guaranteed tracking efficiency
• reliable automatic limit function of maximum PV input power, ensuring no overload risk.
• Wide maximum PowerPoint operating voltage range
• 12/24V DC automatic battery detection
• LCD panel display providing operating data and working conditions
• supports 3 pre-programmed charging options, sealed, gel and flooded batteries
• battery temperature compensation function
• includes RS-485 communication bus interface and mod bus communication protocol
• RS-485 plug socket port can be used for PC monitoring via USB connection, this socket can also be used for connecting the MT50 external display unit to show real-time data and parameter settings.
• Remote temperature sensor connection port, to remotely detect battery temperature allowing and MPPT technology to adjust parameters.
• The controller has a three stage battery charging algorithm (bulk charging, constant charging and flow charging) for rapid, efficient and safe battery charging.

Technical – Tracer AN Series 1206AN

• Nominal System Voltage 12/24V Auto
• Battery Input Voltage Range 8V ~ 32V
• Max Charge/ Discharge Current 10A
• Max. PV Open Circuit Voltage 60V (At minimum operating environment temperature)
• Max. PV Open Circuit Voltage 46V (At 25 DegC  operating environment temperature)
• MPPT Voltage Range +2V ~ 36V
• Max Rated Charging Power (10A), 130W (12V), 260W (24V)
• Max. PV Array Input Power 195W (12V), 390W (24V)
• Wiring Connections, Solar +/-, Battery +/-, Power Output +/-, Temp Sensor, COM RJ45
• Working Environment Temperature Range – 25  to +45 DegC
• Humidity Range <95%
• Enclosure IP30
• Dimensions 172mm x 139mm x 44mm
• Power Terminals 12AWH (4mm sq)
• Weight 0.6Kg

Maximum PV Array input power

When the PV array is connected to the charge controller with correct polarity, the Max. PV Array Power must not exceed three times the Rate Charge Power.

These MPPT controllers have a limiting function on charging current to protect the components and circuits.  They will charge the battery(s) within the rated charging power even if PV input power exceeds this range, for example

1, If the PV array output power is less than or equal to the rated charge power above, the controller will charge the battery(s) at the actual maximum power point;

2, If the PV array output power is greater than the rated charge power above, the controller will charge the battery(s) at the maximum rated power.

This should be taken into account when designing the PV array power output which may peak during summer months causing some surplus generation in off-grid systems.  For larger PV arrays, this solar charge controller may only form part of the overall system where some of the power generation is channelled into battery storage and the remainder of power generation may have real time usage/ consumption.