Before buying a Solar Charge Controller, make sure to consider the following factors:
Maximum Current: With different solar charge controllers, you get a different current rating, which tells you about the maximum electrical load it can handle. While some solar charge controllers might support up to 20A of current, better models might support 40A of maximum current. Voltage Rating: There are primarily two types of solar charge controllers out there, including 12V ones and 24V ones. There are other voltage systems but these two are the majority. This is also true for the batteries that you will use to store electricity. Hence, make sure that your solar charge controller also supports both 12V and 24V Batteries for high versatility and compatibility. Warranty: Solar panels are considered to be highly reliable since they keep working for a very, very long time. Hence, you would also expect its companion accessories like a solar charge controller to last for a long time as well. Thankfully, most solar charge controllers come with a 1-year long warranty or longer.
Even though all of these factors are quite important when you are talking about solar charge controllers, there is still much more to learn. Hence, we have mentioned all of the details, like the features and options of the various solar charge controllers present here. You can also find a detailed “Buying Guide” later on in this article to buy the perfect solar charge controller by following this article until the end.
8 Best Solar Charge Controllers In 2023
8 Best Solar Charge Controllers In 2023 Reviews
1. Renogy Solar Charge Controller
Even though there are many brands of solar charge controllers out there, Renogy is one of the most popular ones since it is able to offer various handy features at a low price tag. The Renogy Wanderer Solar Charge Controller is the 1st product in this article and it is one of the cheapest options out there, which comes with a Bluetooth module. Thanks to its Bluetooth module, you can easily monitor your solar panel configuration. Although, its maximum current rating is quite low at just 10A. Thankfully, this budget-oriented solar charge controller can still be a great option for many, as it supports both 12V and 24V solar systems (panels and batteries). A great thing about this solar charge controller is that it also has inbuilt USB ports for charging your mobile devices quite easily. Unfortunately, as it is a budget solar charge controller, you do not get any warranty with it. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 10A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Inbuilt 5V 2A USB ports
Pros:
Budget-friendly solar charge controller Comes with an inbuilt Bluetooth module Offers two USB ports for charging mobile devices
Cons:
Not the most powerful solar charge controllers
2. Victron Energy Solar Charge Controller
Despite being a premium brand of solar charge controllers, Victron Energy and its products can be a great option for many because of their high reliability while offering various features. The Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT Solar Charge Controller is the 2nd product in this article and it is the most reliable option present in this article. Not only that, but it also happens to offer Bluetooth connectivity just like the previous one. But unlike the previous one, this one also offers a very high maximum current rating of 30A. This current rating is combined along with a voltage rating of 12V or 24V, which allows you to use this solar charge controller with virtually any solar panel. Coming to the best feature about this solar charge controller is that it offers an excellent build quality along with a 3-year long warranty, which is to be expected at its premium price tag. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 30A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with a 3-year long warranty
Pros:
Highly reliable and durable solar charge controller Comes with an inbuilt Bluetooth module Offers a pretty high maximum current rating
Cons:
Quite an expensive solar charge controller
3. Allpowers Solar Charger Controller
In case that you are on a budget, then you should consider going with the Allpowers solar charge controller as its products are known to offer various handy features to the user. This Allpowers Solar Charge Controller is the 3rd product in this article and it is one of the cheapest options out there. Despite having a low price tag, it comes with an inbuilt display, which can be useful for checking info related to your solar panels. You also get a decent maximum current rating of 20A with this one. To make sure that you can use this solar charge controller with almost any solar panel of your choice, Allpowers has support for both 12V and 24V systems. Even though this solar charge controller offers a pretty good warranty period of 1.5 years, its build quality is quite average, which might be an issue for some. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 20A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with a 1.5-year long warranty
Pros:
Affordable solar charge controller Includes an inbuilt display Comes with a long warranty period
Cons:
Average build quality solar charge controller
4. Solarepic Solar Charge Controller
Those of you who are interested in getting a high-performance solar controller can consider Epever and its products because they offer excellent performance and various features to the user. Even though the Epever MPPT Solar Charge Controller is a bit on the expensive side, it is one of the most powerful options in this article. You can connect this solar charge controller to your computer using an included cable for easy monitoring. But the best thing about this solar charge controller is that it offers a very high maximum current rating of 40A. Since this is a high-performance solar charge controller, it supports both 12V and 24V solar panels for high flexibility. Another thing to be expected with this high-end solar charge controller is its 2-year long warranty and a great build quality, which means that you can expect it to last for a long time with ease. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 40A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with a 2-year long warranty
Pros:
Offers excellent performance Comes with a PC connection cable Highly reliable and durable solar charge controller
Cons:
Expensive solar charge controller compared to others
5. Powmr Solar Charge Controller
Unlike the previous solar charge controller mentioned in this article, PowMr and its solar charge controller offering is quite different and is more viable for buyers on a budget. While there might be many entry-level solar charge controllers in this article, the PowMr Solar Charge Controller is the cheapest option mentioned here. Even though it is an affordable option, it still comes with an inbuilt display that offers LED backlighting to the user. You also get a decent maximum current rating of 20A along with it. Just like most other solar charge controllers mentioned in this article, this PowMr solar charge controller also supports both 12V and 24V solar panels. A great thing about this solar charge controller is that it has inbuilt USB ports for charging small mobile devices. You also get a 1-year long warranty with this budget solar charge controller. Unfortunately, its build quality is a bit on the cheapest side, which is to be expected at this price. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 20A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with a 1-year long warranty
Pros:
Affordable price tag for a high value for money Supports a backlit inbuilt display Features two USB ports for charging mobile devices
Cons:
Average build quality
6. Rich Solar Solar Charge Controller
At the last option in this article, we have Rich Solar, which is known to offer some of the best performing products, which also means that its solar charge controller can be a great pick if you want a high-performance model. This Rich Solar Charge Controller is one of the best performing options in this article while not charging a premium for it. Although, unlike other high-performance models, this one does not come with any kind of remote monitoring. However, you do get an excellent maximum current rating of 40A. As you would expect from a high-performance solar charge controller, it supports both 12V and 24V solar panels. To check any of its details, you have to use the display present on its front. Apart from being a high-performance model, it is also a highly reliable one thanks to its 2-year long warranty. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 40A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with a 2-year long warranty
Pros:
Excellent performance rating with high current support Quite a reliable and durable solar charge controllers Works with most solar panel voltage ratings
Cons:
Lacks Bluetooth and PC connectivity
7. Mohoo Solar Charge Controller
Mohoo and its products related to solar panel systems can be another great option for all those of you who are on a budget as its offerings are usually quite affordable, including its solar charge controller mentioned here. The Mohoo Solar Charge Controller can be another great option if you are on a budget. Just like many other budget offerings, this one also comes with an inbuilt display. But unlike other budget offerings, this one has a very high maximum current rating of 30A, which makes it a high value for money pick. You also get the support for both 12V as well as 24V systems so that it can be used in most cases. If you are not using that, you can use its inbuilt USB ports to power your mobile devices. Unfortunately, this budget solar charge controller lacks any kind of warranty, which can be an issue for many. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 30A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Includes an inbuilt display
Pros:
Come with a high current rating for the price Budget-friendly solar charge controller Offers inbuilt USB ports for charging mobile devices
Cons:
Average build quality
8. Binwn Solar Charge Controller
You can also consider Binen and its solar products if you happen to be in the market for a new solar charge controller that can offer decent performance at a low price tag. The Binen Solar Charge Controller is one of the cheapest options present in this article, making it a great pick for many. Despite the low price tag, it still comes with an inbuilt display so that you can check all details of your solar panel system. With its high maximum current rating of 30A, you can also expect it to offer great performance. Apart from being a high-performance option, it is also a versatile one since it supports both 12V and 24V solar panel systems. As you have seen with many other solar charge controllers, this one also offers inbuilt USB ports. Even though the build quality of this solar charge controller is quite decent, you do not get any warranty with it, which makes it less reliable compared to others. Highlights
Offers a maximum current rating of 30A Works with both 12V and 24V solar panels Comes with inbuilt USB ports
Pros:
Features a display on the front Offers a very high current rating for the price Highly versatile solar charge controller
Cons:
Lacks any kind of any warranty
Buying Guide For The Best Solar Charge Controller
Solar panels can be a great way to get clean and green electricity for your homes and offices, which can reduce your carbon footprint by quite a lot. Solar panels can also help you in reducing your power bills by quite a lot. But before you can start using a solar panel, you also need other companion devices and accessories like a solar charge controller. Thus, we have mentioned the best solar charge controllers earlier in this article. Even though we have mentioned all of their major features and options, some of you might still be confused. In that case, this solar charge controllers buying guide is just for you. It will take you through the following points so that you can buy the right one:
1. Maximum Current
If you want to know more about the performance of your solar charge controller and want to make sure that it can handle high load appliances, then you should check its maximum current rating. As you would expect, it tells you about the maximum current your solar charge controller can handle. While basic models only support 10 or 20 amps of maximum current, better models can even handle 30 amps or even up to 40 amps of electricity without any issues.
2. Voltage Rating
While it does not affect the performance, the voltage rating of your solar charge controller is highly important to check. It is important to check to ensure that you are getting a versatile and compatible solar charge controller. Different solar panels and battery setups out there use different current voltages. This primarily includes 12 volt and 24-volt solar panel setups that are not compatible with each other. Thankfully, all of the solar charge controllers mentioned in this article are compatible with both 12 volt and 24 volt systems making them highly versatile.
3. Warranty
A great thing about solar panels is that once you have installed them on the roof of your home or office, they can keep working for almost forever. This allows you to get a lot of green energy for completely free. Although this can only happen if the rest of the connecting devices made for your solar panel are also equally reliable. In other words, make sure to check the warranty offered by your solar charge controller to make sure that it is a reliable one. While most of them offer a 1-year long warranty, better ones might even offer a 2 year long or even a 3-year long warranty in some cases for high reliability and longevity.
Conclusion
Those of you who already have one or are planning to get a solar panel system would know that there are a lot of devices that you have to pair with them before using it. This can include things like batteries, inverters, cables, and much more. But all of these cannot work together unless you also have a solar charge controller. Because these are so important, we have mentioned the best solar charge controllers up above in this article. All of them have been mentioned, along with their major features and options. You can also find a detailed buying guide related to these solar charge controllers. And after going through all of these details, here are our favorite solar charge controller recommendations:
Since solar panels are known to be highly reliable, the Victron Energy solar charge controller can be a great option since it is the most durable and reliable option in this article. Not only do you get a great build quality with it, but it also offers a 3-year long warranty. When combined with its high maximum current rating of 30A, you can expect great results from it. Speaking of the maximum current rating, if you are looking for a high-performance solar charge controller, you should go with the Rich solar charge controller. This one offers the highest maximum current rating of 40A, which is more than enough for most users. You also get a 2-year long warranty with it for your peace of mind. Those of you who are on a budget should consider the PowMr solar charge controller. Even though it is among the cheapest options present in this article, it still offers a 1-year long warranty. You also get a decent 20A maximum current rating with this solar charge controller. And just like more expensive options, this one also supports both 12V and 24V solar panel systems.
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