The most common installation for a charge controller is to re-charge a battery. Simply put, charging is the act of refilling the battery with electricity from somewhere else that comes in DC format, and varies in Amperage, Voltage, or Both. You don't want to hurt the batteries with this varied charging, so you install the charge controller to handle it.
The charge controller can take a range of voltages and amperages, and slam that variable power, cleanly back into the box. Batteries are designed to be charged in fairly tight voltage and amperage ranges to protect the materials inside, and the controller does this job. Apply too much power and you cook the inside of the battery. Apply too little power and the battery will not charge. The charge controller takes the power from somewhere (usually a solar panel installation, wind, or solar, and pushes it into the battery at the right levels.
Working example: You buy 24 volt panels, string 4 together, and have 96 volts coming off the roof. If you were to plug this directly into your 24 volt battery bank you would fry it no matter the sun. When the shade hits, the system generates roughly 60 volts, just for reference. The charge controller takes these variable voltages (well within the 12-200 volt range for my model) and pushes the power into the battery bank.
I can add more panels until I max out the Charge Controller amperage rating.
Usually aim for 90% load as OVER FULL, A.K.A. BUY ANOTHER ONE!
Cold days make wires work "REALLY WELL" and can overload the system.
I can add more Charge Controllers when I add too many panels.
Diodes are one way doors for electricity. They stop the flow of electricity going back into a bank of panels, batteries, chargers, etc. Diodes are mandatory for some of the schematics you see here, as well as breakers, fuses, and other safety equipment.
The most common installation for a charge controller is to re-charge a battery. Simply put, charging is the act of refilling the battery with electricity from somewhere else that comes in DC format, and varies in Amperage, Voltage, or Both. You don't want to hurt the batteries with this varied charging, so you install the charge controller to handle it.
