The solar charge controller is one of the main components of a photovoltaic installation. Its role is to improve the charging process of the batteries.
There are two different technologies of charge controllers:
- The PWM controller available at a more affordable price (from €28) is reserved for small installations of up to 150Wc and only regulates the voltage supplied to the battery bank.
- The MPPT controller continuously scans the voltage (V) and current (A) supplied by the photovoltaic solar panel(s) and automatically adjusts them to charge the batteries with maximum efficiency and minimal losses. It offers an efficiency approximately 30% higher than the PWM controller.