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Basics of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Charge Controller
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» 25-27/03/2015
Basics of MPPT Solar Charge Controller
Leonics participated in the Electric,
What is MPPT? Power & Renewable Energy
How MPPT works? Malaysia 2015 (EPRE 2015)
Main features of MPPT solar charge controller » 12/01/2015
How to choose MPPT solar charge controller for PV modules Leonics inverter have been
How to set system configuration of MPPT solar charge controller officially approved by SEDA
How to choose MPPT solar charge controller for PV module and battery (Sustainable Energy Development
Authority Malaysia)
» 22/12/2014
Leonics participated Solar Power
What is MPPT? Investment (Solar Farm Solar
MPPT or Maximum Power Point Tracking is algorithm that included in charge controllers used for extracting maximum Roof) Seminar&Exhibition
available power from PV module under certain conditions. The voltage at which PV module can produce maximum power is
called ‘maximum power point’ (or peak power voltage). Maximum power varies with solar radiation, ambient temperature and » 01/05/2014
solar cell temperature. Leonics is now one of HOMER
prefer partner program
Typical PV module produces power with maximum power voltage of around 17 V when measured at a cell temperature of » 20/12/2013
25°C, it can drop to around 15 V on a very hot day and it can also rise to 18 V on a very cold day. Leonics sponsors KMUUT Team in
Solar Decathlon Europe 2014
competition
» 20/11/2013
Seminar on "Solar PV Rooftop in
Thailand" The Big Change for all
and Sustainability Energy
Figure 1 The I-V curves show maximum power from PV modules when exposed
to irradiance 1000 W/m2
Source: The parameters are measured by the IVTracer program by Sandia National Laboratories
Figure 2 The I-V curves show maximum power from PV modules when exposed to irradiance 100 W/m2
Source: The parameters are measured by the IVTracer program by Sandia National Laboratories.
As the graphs in figure 1 and 2, we see that at the different solar radiations, PV modules deliver the variations in parameters
as follows:
(1) Maximum power; Pm
(2) Maximum power voltage; Vpm
(3) Open circuit voltage; Voc
(4) Maximum power current; Ipm
(5) Short circuit current; Isc
How MPPT works?
The major principle of MPPT is to extract the maximum available power from PV module by making them operate at the most
efficient voltage (maximum power point). That is to say:
MPPT checks output of PV module, compares it to battery voltage then fixes what is the best power that PV module can
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produce to charge the battery and converts it to the best voltage to get maximum current into battery. It can also supply
power to a DC load, which is connected directly to the battery.

MPPT is most effective under these conditions:

• Cold weather, cloudy or hazy days: Normally, PV module works better at cold temperatures and MPPT is utilized to
extract maximum power available from them.
• When battery is deeply discharged: MPPT can extract more current and charge the battery if the state of charge in the
battery is lowers.

MPPT solar charge controller

A MPPT solar charge controller is the charge controller embedded with
MPPT algorithm to maximize the amount of current going into the battery from
PV module.

MPPT is DC to DC converter which operates by taking DC input from PV

module, changing it to AC and converting it back to a different DC voltage and
current to exactly match the PV module to the battery.

Examples of DC to DC converter are

• Boost converter is power converter which DC input voltage is less than DC output voltage. That means PV input
voltage is less than the battery voltage in system.
• Buck converter is power converter which DC input voltage is greater than DC output voltage. That means PV input
voltage is greater than the battery voltage in system.

MPPT algorithm can be applied to both of them depending on system design. Normally, for battery system voltage is equal or
less than 48 V, buck converter is useful. On the other hand, if battery system voltage is greater than 48 V, boost converter
should be chosen.

MPPT solar charge controllers are useful for off-grid solar power systems such as stand-alone solar power system, solar
home system and solar water pump system, etc.

Main features of MPPT solar charge controller

• In any applications which PV module is energy source, MPPT solar charge controller is used to correct for detecting
the variations in the current-voltage characteristics of solar cell and shown by I-V curve.
• MPPT solar charge controller is necessary for any solar power systems need to extract maximum power from PV
module; it forces PV module to operate at voltage close to maximum power point to draw maximum available power.
• MPPT solar charge controller allows users to use PV module with a higher voltage output than operating voltage of
battery system.
For example, if PV module has to be placed far away from charge controller and battery, its wire size must be very large
to reduce voltage drop. With a MPPT solar charge controller, users can wire PV module for 24 or 48 V (depending on
charge controller and PV modules) and bring power into 12 or 24 V battery system. This means it reduces the wire size
needed while retaining full output of PV module.
• MPPT solar charge controller reduces complexity of system while output of system is high efficiency. Additionally, it can
be applied to use with more energy sources. Since PV output power is used to control DC-DC converter directly.
• MPPT solar charge controller can be applied to other renewable energy sources such as small water turbines, wind-
power turbines, etc.

How to choose MPPT solar charge controller for PV module

Table 1 Specifications of PV modules separated by manufacturers

PV Manufactures Model Wp Vpm Ipm Isc Voc

SHARP NE-78T1 78 17.1 4.57 5.08 21.4
[View Specifications] ND-130T1 130 17.4 7.48 8.09 22
Kaneka GPA 64 68 0.94 1.17 92
[View Specifications]
SANYO HIP-180B2 190 54 3.33 3.15 66.4
[ View Specifications]
Bangkok Solar BS 40 40 44.8 0.9 1.16 62.2
[View Specifications]
2
Standard Test Condition: Irradiance = 1000 W/m , Cell temperature = 25°C, Air mass = 1.5

How to set system configuration of MPPT solar charge controller

Figure 3 General configuration of the MPPT solar charge controller

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4/23/2019 Basics of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Charge Controller
Basics of Maximum
SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER Power Point Tracking
WITH MPPT AND (MPPT) Solar Charge
DC LOAD TIMER 10A Controller
Advance microprocessor control
Buck regulator wide input range
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)
Solar charge controller with DC load control
Reverse polarities protection of PV and battery
Battery overcharge and overdischarge protection
Temperature compensation (-3 to -7mV/Cell/Celsius) Basics of Maximum
Lighting surge protection (TVSS) Power Point Tracking
3-step charging to provide quick and safe charging for battery
Automatic cooling fan (outside enclosure) (MPPT) Solar Charge
7 modes timer control (ON/OFF DC load) selectable Controller

Table 2 Specifications of the SOLARCON SPT-series MPPT solar charge controller

click to enlarge

How to choose MPPT solar charge controller for PV module and battery
Steps to consider for choosing MPPT solar charge controller
• SPT-XXYY (XX is nominal battery voltage, YY is maximum charge current)
• Find out what is nominal battery voltage that charge controller will charge and select XX
• Find out what is Wp of PV module and
• Select the suitable charge current (CC) = (Wp) / XX
• Find out YY by multiply CC by safety factor (NEC requirement) = (CC) x 1.2
• Select SOLARCON SPT-series model that covers YY
• Check that Vpm(system) is in range that SPT-XXYY can handle (MPPT voltage range)
• If PV modules are in series, need to check that Vpm(system) = Vpm(module) x Module in series
• If PV modules are in parallel, need to check that Vpm(system) = Vpm(module)
• Check that Voc(system) is not more than SPT-XXYY range (Maximum open circuit voltage)
• If PV modules are in series, need to check that Voc(system) = Voc(module) x Module in series
• If PV modules are in parallel, need to check that Voc(system) = Voc(module)

Examples of MPPT solar charge controller selection and calculation

Example 1: When Kaneka GPA PV modules are used for a 128 Wp solar home system
Example 2: When SHARP NE-78T1 (type 1) or ND-130T1J (type 2) PV modules are used for a 150-260 Wp solar home
system
Example 3: When BSC BS 40 PV modules are used for a 120 Wp solar home system
Example 4: When BSC BS 40 PV modules are used for a 800 Wp stand-alone solar system

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