Best MPPT Solar Charge Controllers Review up to 40A - EPever Vs Outback Vs Renogy Vs Victron

[@kevinbreaux6769]

I have found the Outback Power/ Epever tracerbn to be my favorite controller thus far. Great presentation. Thank you.

[@terryhuybens2500]

Nice works Jase & Marty. We can always trust you guys for an accurate, non bias, researched review.

[@davidpotter9462]

Those massive input terminals sold me. Thats my idea of how to do something right...well Ive been looking for which one to buy...Ive got 390 watts now but getting another 300 watts of panels so Ill give it a good testing...thanks for the great video...

[@TxRiverElf]

This is the BEST straightforward and comprehensive video on mppt controller comparison!!

[@chronobot2001]

Excellent review. It is obvious you put a lot of effort into making a very clear and thoughtful presentation. 100% Thank you for doing this.

[@Chris-ut6eq]

While older video, still good info!

[@pjwlk]

I recently ran into a situation where the SOC shown on my Trimetric 2020 became inaccurate due to repeated deficit charging which we were not aware of. Lessons learned: 1) Don't rely solely on the calculated SOC. 2) Regularly check the Specific Gravity of the battery bank and correct the readings for temperature.

[@nlo114]

I run the EpEver 4210A (40A) controller into a 24V battery, with 1140W of mono panels in parallel. This has worked well for the last 3 years, and provides 50% of my domestic power, using an EpEver STI 1000-230-24 pure sine low frequency conversion 230VAC inverter. It took a lot of reading specs to arrive at this choice before committing to buy. I like this review, it is neat and well set-out, but does not take into account the specifications of the individual units running at their intended power levels: There seems to be a fixation with maximum voltage, rather than conversion efficiency. The statement of maximum panel-voltage is like your car's speedo or tacho - it shows what it can instantaneously do, not what you should stick to all day long. From the performance graphs in the manual of the 'tracer', it can be seen that maximum efficiency happens when the panel/battery voltage differential is lowest, as long as it fits within the spec. My panel's MPP is at 36.6V, which is 8V above the battery voltage; the efficiency of the system tests at between 96.5% with high input voltage, and 98% at the lower input voltage. Higher efficiency = lower losses = less heat = better reliability. 1.5% of 1000W is 15W, enough to raise the temperature of the system significantly in a hot environment. The only reason for high I/P volts is if there is a long run from panels to MPPT unit. My system can run at 70% continuously, with allowance for cloud-edge peaks and temperature drops. For the purpose of the exercise, I'd like to see this review done again, after study of the manufacturer's data is taken into the equation.

[@calvinhobbs89]

Lmao u just told him to redo his review correctly lmao , thanks for your professional insight , an pointing out what actually needs to be discussed an how important it really is

[@wa8khp-468]

EXCELLENT review, testing setup and charts for showing all of the results. I have the Victron 150/35 that U tested and the Victron BMV-712. Both of these items are going into my DIY Solar Generator. Hope to have a video on this project up in the next 6 months. It will use external Battle Born 100A 12v batteries. This project is being designed for my Amateur radio. Looking forward to more of UR great videos.

[@wesleyofficer1237]

I am AMAZED that Outback Power rebranded a Chinese MPPT unit. *That said, I install Outback/Midnite/Schneider equipment, but I use EPEVER equipment myself. I just works, and the price is good.

[@gospower-energy]

Thank you for your comments, Wesley

[@koborkutya7338]

I like it because it brings the lower price while still providing the local support that is often missing for other Chinese brands.

[@raystone4673]

The lower indicated Renogy voltage reading is concerning, especially with only current to power it flowing. Because all your wiring is not visible, putting the voltmeter up on the regulators terminal screws instead of on the battery, would be undeniable proof of a problem. That eliminates any installation suspicions, since you did mention it was hard to get wires in and holes were small.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

That was a good but imperfect review. One comment, you need to draw current roughly equal to how much your are putting out to compare the controllers fairly. As it stands, it could be the SOC of the batteries that determined the performance of the controllers, not the controllers themselves. Regardless, thank you - its not practical to get all four controllers and do this comparison ourselves.

[@AurumFaber]

True, batteries are my limited now. I have 400 watts of panels, but the most power input I have seen was 200w. And that was only after I got a new battery installed. I have the 40amp renogy.

[@richardbennington6289]

The biggest gain using MPPT, IMHO, is when it is cold out, or you have panels with good shaded performance(on panel bypass diodes) and/or you have a high Vmp on your panels. I have observed that magical 25% to 30% improvement over PWM. Your single static setting does not cover those use cases.

[@Kosmonooit]

The Victron is a top quality product - also that VE Bus means it can talk to a Venus ... and now we are talking!

[@SCOTE991]

Good concise review, maybe should have started the test with the battery at a lower SOC than 86% to see how the victron stabilised, likely it calculated the watts incorrectly because it hit the max voltage quickly. I have an Epever AN, was debating between BN and that. Did not think BN was worth the extra cash money. Very happy with AN. I had a Votronic controller before and it had flaws, like draining battery in low light level 1.5A, in the end it failed completely so I don't recommend those.

[@rossawood5075]

I've been using Outback FM 60 and FM 80's for many years now on several differing systems, they are excellent controllers and give the user vast control over many parameters. Interestingly Outback have a fixed price repair or refurbishment service if one does inadvertently disconnect battery bank from system with 65 amps coming in from the solar side. They even paid the return freight from the West Coast USA to East Coast Australia, Far Northern NSW. Very good quality and very reliable units IMO, and worth the higher price, buy well buy once!

[@jacobgreen6939]

i heard they suck since made in India. plus I heard customer service sux. that's why I'm on the fence.

[@MichaelAngeloTech]

@@jacobgreen6939Victron is also made in India.

[@dennisclark8766]

I have watched so many videos and I must say this is the best I've seen. Good camera work, good focus and you sir are a good teacher. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@alanjohnston6722]

Epever now has bluetooth and wifi modules available. There is also a lithium charging software available.

[@legendfpv]

China vs NL what more do you need to know

[@MTechOver9000]

@@legendfpvlol, Victron is made in India

[@getubelogin]

Its true to say the Victron unit doesn't have a display, but thats not surprising as its designed to be used in conjunction with bluetooth and a mobile phone!

[@cjoth]

As a solar charge controller newbie, this helped a bunch! Thanks, going with Victron for quality and accuracy, along with the very advanced app and minimalism (don't need load control or a display so I don't see it as a con for me).

[@bobby1970]

MorningStar is also a good controller.

[@nigelshindler6334]

There's no excuse for lack of at least a minimal display on a controller of this cost, you can't always rely on apps/bluetooth etc and it's not always convenient to get out your mobile and fire up a special app anyway.

[@veysher3756]

@@nigelshindler6334 Honestly Victron setups generally encompass a display unit elsewhere anyhow, makes no sense to have a display on every part of a system.

[@nigelshindler6334]

@@veysher3756 indeed, and that is part of their master plan, why just sell one stand alone item when you can sell a whole set of things! But most canal boats, for example, don't have space for four different boxes to do one job so we like to have at least a minimal display on a solar controller. If there is Bluetooth as well that's a bonus.

[@veysher3756]

@@nigelshindler6334 Although that's fair, the amount of information the Victron setups provide in my opinion is worth all the parts an extra work involved.

[@kristopher2651]

Good info however, for clarification, the Renogy Rover does not always come with the Bluetooth dongle. You got the kit. The dongle must otherwise be purchased separately.

[@vasaoz]

you are an excellent bloke, I wish you a great time and hope to see many of your videos in near future. Thanks for your work, its a beautiful and well displayed/ analysed review.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Thank you kindly. Much appreciated

[@VirtualPapercuts]

Good video. Also, the Renogy has 12 months data logging built in. The Victron SmartSolar only has 30 days; and you need a separate logger (eLog01) if you have the EPEver Tracer AN/BN or Triron. Makes a difference if you want to see how much power you are producing over the year.

[@wesleyofficer1237]

I have a Tracer AN (30a) and it logs more than a years (average production) data internally, and it can be viewed through the MT-50 display. But it's just the average as far as I know.

[@VirtualPapercuts]

@@wesleyofficer1237 Thanks, handy to know about the functionality in the MT-50 display. I never purchased one for my Triron. I've since moved to an all Victron system but I'll keep the MT-50 in mind if I even need to switch back.

[@mnambio66]

@@wesleyofficer1237 my victron 100/50 has a data stored since day one 7 months ago, happy to see the lifetime total of over 200kWh so far and also all the monitoring history and trends

[@MyKRAIT]

Hi, Thank you for this video-test. It was very usefull for me when I was wondering to choose between epever and victron. :)

[@drdiesel1]

I have two Victrons and an Epever. No question the Victron is of much higher quality, tons of options and a 5 year warranty.

[@serious-rc933]

And cost tons more money

[@Ropetangler]

@Citizen Smith and Serious-RC Yes the Victron costs more but over its lifetime it could well be cheaper, and in the meantime you have more capability and more reliability and in Australia at least they have a great attitude to keeping the customer happy.

[@fratermus5502]

I like the option where they screwed up auto-absorption duration feature for over a year, under-absorbing lead batts due to intermittent shade confusing the algorithm, couldn't resolve the issue with patches, and caused sulfation / battery damage. See their own forum for discussions and evidence. I hope they have it under control with new firmware. If not, take manual control of Absorption duration.

[@jimmybonifacio6734]

THanks for the great no frills comparison.

[@darrenmoore5620]

Thanks for all that information it was great I have already bought a VictronConnect 100/50 for my boat and it turns out I made the right choice thank you very much

[@NclsVer]

Victron all the way. Have two thin film panels on the roof of my Land Cruiser with a Victron charge controller , lithium battery and inverter (Victron as well). The MPPT is uuuuultra fast. I observe the output while driving and see how quickly it adjusts going below bridges or in shaded areas of trees etc. Tested in Mozambique with 45 deg C outside and in Lesotho at 2500 m or in winter at -3, also had one day water coming in the box, everything was wet: still working like a charm!

[@noguardrails47]

I was thinking of getting the 150/35 Victron , but do you know what they meant in this video where it showed the list of "cons" and listed "no load control" please? I don't know what that means ?

[@petertomas3665]

@@noguardrails47 Hi Kevin. The no load control is completly faulse. As a matter of fact the controller has the most sophisticated and advanced control on load port as well as to the rest of parameters too. I link you a video i found to see how the load controls are on even the smaller controler 75/15. They all use the same software. I believe the producer of this video here said by mistake it has no control on load port or maybe i didint understand well because english isnt my first language. Anyhow i link you this video in case it might help you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/enKVimOHqbqfiNk

[@stuartdavies8388]

Epever Tracer AN is by far the best of this bunch, especially when used in conjunction with the PC Monitoring Software. Cost, features and build quality are great and the reason I use 3 of them myself..

[@cleanenergyreviews]

They are very good value for money I must agree. Great for small systems but the 40A model used here is not suitable for larger systems with Voc over 100V, or if you want to use a modern 48V battery system.

[@stuartdavies8388]

@@cleanenergyreviews I have a 48v, 100A Tracer 10420AN 200V PV Charge Controller that has been working flawlessly for the past 3 years in my home.I also have a 12v 30A in my RV and a 24v 40A in my cabin, both working flawlessly for almost 5 years. They are excellent controllers considering their cost.

[@gospower-energy]

@@stuartdavies8388 Thanks for supporting EPever, yes, You are right, we have Tracer AN 50-100amps,12/24/36/48VDC, 150V and 200V for a big system, also support parallel up to 6 units

[@piconano]

Superb comparison videos. You made my decision easy. Went with a Victron 100/20 for my bike camper trailer. Only $25 more compared to Rover+ optional BT module, but the app and small size is worth it. Thanks.

[@travisb.8005]

After I put you on pause to make sure I didn't have a low battery chirp on a CO/Fire Alarm all was good. It took a second to confirm it was you.

[@richardsandwell2285]

One really BIG TURN OFF for me is when they are starting to link these units via APPs to smartphones. I am happy with my two old Tracer units which merely display information and can be programmed manually.

[@koborkutya7338]

agreed, I don't like that in Victron at all.

[@Marley-ii6ls]

Yes Keep it simple

[@johnthompson3643]

Lol, more control and data visibility is a turn off for you?!? 😅

[@FTVG_inc]

Complete opposite for me, I need to monitor my solar from work a couple times per day to make sure everything is running smoothly.

[@mojavegold-]

I had very good success with the Renogy Tracer MPPT units as well - but switched over to the 40A Rover units when I upgraded my battery bank, as the Tracers aren't compatible with LiFePo4 batteries. As mentioned in the video, I also noticed an offset from the Rover display to actual measured battery voltage.

[@timburge7087]

A few points to note with the Rover MPPT controller: 1. With all loads going out of the devices load terminals the SOC feature could theoretically be somewhat accurate for this MPPT if it calculated the data it has access to, as it could be calculating all incoming and all outgoing power, the output load terminals are rated 20 amps he states, so if you were wanting a decent size inverter or other load/s you could not have it on those terminals. 2. when the Rover had a reading of 12.5volts (0.2 volts below the others) it would have been correct to measure the voltage to the MPPT at the terminals of the device itself to rule out voltage drop in the cable and or cable terminations, not measure at the battery. Another helpful test would be to calculate the MPPTs running power consumptions. I personally recommend the Victron battery monitors, especially when you have invested a lot in your battery bank. My background: I live off-grid, I design and install small solar systems, and I am a Registered Electrician. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Thanks for your comment. Yes, we did double check all connections and measure the voltage at the controller terminals as well. The measurement was always 0.2V below the others (there is another commenter here who also said they found the same problem with a Rover MPPT, so it isn't an isolated incident). All controllers had the roughly the same length of cable and no loads were present.

[@jeanie52]

When testing mppt controlers they should also test them for radio interference. My Epever 10a wipes out radio reception with in 100 feet of it.

[@DupczacyBawol]

Use a shield. A shield may be of aluminium foil or ask a fellow specialist ;)

[@schwellenzaehler4587]

@@DupczacyBawol, it should come shielded by the builder, but electrical rules cares in China not. You cover a solar charger with aluminium foil ??? Thats a idiotic a solution........ 😱 Then the charger will die very quick, at overtemperature, thats for shure.

[@TheFlyingPlectrum]

Shame the batteries were charged before the victron could show it's capabilities. In the yachting world there are lots of discussions about charge controllers and often it comes down to the battery being full! Ive heard people calling their panels or controller faulty because they aren't seeing the full label values.

[@Wallabynge]

I wish there was an ideal one. The Victron 100/50 gets bouncy under 6A, also confused by clouds under 36W, confused by clouds fooling it into float. The Outback, EPEver is very robust, but often gets confused by high temperature panels, and ends up doing MPPT just above battery voltage. It's infuriating to lose half your power. But its slowwwwness means it's not confused by cloudy weather.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Just so you know, when the panel temperature increase the Vmp drops, this is normal. If you only have panels connected in parallel then on a very hot day the panel voltage (Vmp) might drop close or even below to the battery absorption voltage. If this happens often then it might be worth rearranging the panels into series then parallel (depending on the Max Voc of the MPPT)

[@headsandtailsheadsandtails4313]

Going to buy a Renogy in a couple of weeks based on different reviews they seem a good unit,hoping that one was just slightly calibrated wrong,and anyhows been using solar for a good 15yrs now so not worried about that slight difference, and will be running 400watts at 100v for winter so won't affect me..buying Renogy on price and the fact one reviewer opened unit up and inside was quality build..all best

[@VirtualPapercuts]

Good choice. The Renogy has 12 months data logging built in. The Victron SmartSolar only has 30 days; and you'd need an entirely separate logger (eLog01) if you want any history for the EPEver Tracer AN/BN or Triron. Makes a difference if you want to see how much power you are producing over the year.

[@bover86]

Did you buy the renogy? If so, what's the quality and performance like?

[@jefftucker9225]

I'm very new to solar, I bought the smaller 10 amp tracer to go with a 50w panel, mainly due to price and reviews, once I feel more comfortable about solar and learn the in's and out's I will probably upgrade to a victron with more panels, but for a starter learning I think the Tracer is the way to go before investing to much money

[@nickgood8166]

too

[@maryalobo1287]

I use renology with no complaints

[@AurumFaber]

Other than the almost non-existent "equalizer" mode. I have only seen it twice in two years.

[@andrewradford3953]

Ran over my Victron with a 7.5 ton excavator. Warped but still works!

[@samnr2723]

Amazing😂

[@gabrielmartinez3171]

I snugged up my wire on those cheap tiny inputs and broke my victron. Went with a rich solar renogy clone much better input terminals.

[@bobbywright8431]

Wow!

[@Schmitz3]

@@gabrielmartinez3171 So you downgraded

[@gabrielmartinez3171]

@@Schmitz3 less expensive for sure but its been working great plus I technically getting more amps 30 amp vs 40 amp amp I did oversize my PV system a little on the victron the rich solar handles it great. The rich solar also using the bluetooth BT-1 adapter connects quickly let's me check pv production daily, weekly, monthly let's me set all battery perameters. Will it last as long as the victron I dont know in my case the victron didn't last even getting connected. If your happy with your victron good for you.

[@dshack4689]

LOL - I thought one of my smoke alarms was 'chirping' a low battery - and then I realised that audio was coming from this video! =) 10:20 and 10:55

[@easydiy224]

New subbie. That Renogy Rover Li 40 gives out inaccurate voltage readings for LiFePO4 batteries. I'm using it without a shunt and it's a hassel trying to figure out the SOC. I really need a shunt. Great video 👍

[@photog1529]

Lots of good information. Since I have limited space in my vehicle's battery compartment, I decided to go with the Victron unit due to its small footprint as well as its performance.

[@ReviewsandTech]

Amazing video and comparison truly, now does the Victron support LifePo4 as well? Thank you so much as you have put so much into this video, Excellent.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Thanks. Yes, Victron supports LifePo4 battery systems and has multiple charging options suited to different LFP batteries.

[@ReviewsandTech]

@@cleanenergyreviews Excellent, thank you so much as I am building my own 12v 100AH off grid power station, I am probably going to get the Victron as I have heard a lot of good things about it for a while, cheers buddy.

[@IlBuono1990]

Another advantage of the victron is his size compared to the others, in my installation i could not have fitted a bigger mppt

[@GroovyVideo2]

Ive been using a Victron for 4 yrs - works Great - Very adjustable and app is awesome - wire clamps kind of small tho

[@MrJohnyfalco]

GroovyVideo2 I agree about the wire clamps. Too small

[@bradsmall4125]

One things for certain, you will find plenty of people all over the internet who’ve changed from any number of these units to a Victron after the failures they have had, you will be hard pressed finding it go the other way. I switched to Victron after my “great value” Epever started smoking up in the camper after about 12 months of use. I think you will find most people that eventually land on Victron do so after bad experiences with the cheaper ones.

[@John-gm8ty]

the BN series also has a wireless and bluetooth adaptor options for data collection direct to pc, tablet and mac.

[@fratermus5502]

Works with the A-series, too.

[@passion-camping-car]

a big thank you for your video. 👍👍👍👍 finally a comparison video on a real test bench and a good final comparison.

[@ejdd3442]

Great Video, I purchased this controller (60 AMP Rover essentially ) for my boat and am OK with it. I use it to keep 400 AH lithium batteries charged, monitor with the BT2. My energy consumers use relatively low amperage except for the 12 volt fridge and that is somewhat low. My only issue is the Load terminals, they do not output voltage they are in the off mode all the time. It seems like the design is to output voltage when the panels are not powered (night), this makes no sense to me, unless you are simply using it for a timer after the panels stop producing. I thought the purpose of load is to use surplus energy when the batteries are topped off, that would be a great idea since the solar panels would not have any use for the solar energy after the batteries are at 100%+.

[@DO5MZ]

EPEVER has a slow MPPT in the morning ist the battery current under 1.5A runs in PWM mode and need maximum 1h to jump in MPPT mode, is the battery current again under 1.5A runs in PWM again. My setup was a Tracer 3210 and a 235W from Mage Solar loging with Arduino to Thinverse

[@Spoonfed78]

Interesting comparison. It would be great to see partially shaded performance. In my experience this is where some fall flat on their face, especially with a high voltage panel setup.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Yes, we planned to do a partially shaded comparison but unfortunately ran out of time and the weather turned. This is where MPPT tracking speed and accuracy will make a big difference. (I'd expect Victron to perform the best out of this group under partially shaded conditions)

[@niccatipay]

Rule of thumb: More series = More voltage Do not use series if you expect shading.

[@colosistvan]

So 12V panels are less less sensitive to shading caused MPPT fluctuation vs 48V or higher?

[@Spoonfed78]

My comment related to a single high voltage panel LG panel and direct comparison Victron to Enerdrive where the Victron was far superior with partial shading to the Enerdrive, which tell me it's more about the MPPT's ability not high vs low voltage panels etc. Maybe Enerdrive is better on 12v panels but given Victron does exceptionally well on a high voltage, simply means they did more R&D and built a superior product in that regard.

[@jamiemitchell9804]

The maximum solar input for all these controllers is also a very good feature as some of these are designed current limiting features which mean you can use more solar than what they are rated at great feature for cloudy weather or when there is shade

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Yes, oversizing the solar is very common these days. Generally, 20% oversize is considered safe However, only a few models, such as those Victron, allow oversizing without affecting the warranty. Other models which don't specifically approve oversizing solar may be damaged, so be careful and check the spec sheets.

[@fc436]

@@cleanenergyreviews epever says that with their controller you can oversize PV until to 1.5x the rated power of controller. This is in alla epever manual. In old tracer-A models until 2x the rated power!

[@lvstreeter]

Thanks for the info good video I ended up buying the Epever 30a I'm a beginner at solar and this one seems the most practical and I've seen it in other videos

[@william38022]

LV Streeter How do you like it???I believe that’s a tracer???I’m still using an old 40 amp 4210 mppt tracer probably five or six years old now or more ??? I had it in a box in the cupboard,,,I bought two of them years ago from Renorgy solar,,,I used one until it went out and then I decided to try a Renorgy commander 60 amp didn’t last very long,,,and when my Renorgy commander 60 amp went out after only about a year(and Renorgy solar would not make it right they said it was barely out of warranty but it was out of warranty and they would not do anything I even offered to pay half the cost on another new one or send it in and have it fixed at my expense and they were not interested in the least they did not.) so I used my old tracer 4210,,, it was a few years old by then however it was still new it had been in the box in the cupboard and I pressed it into service and it still works good however I know I’m going to have to replace it sooner or later and they stopped making that particular model,,,soooo,,,I have looked at the EP ever tracers and wonder if there as good as my old 4210????

[@CosmicSeeker69]

@@william38022 no

[@gospower-energy]

@@william38022 Thanks for your comments, we would like to recommend XTRA 40 amps for you.

[@pup1008]

I have a slightly older model Rover 20A PG & the operation of it is causing me a near nervous breakdown! To explain.... I'm using the controller with a 100W Renogy panel & an inverter. Everything seems to work like a dream but.... The company has told me that I shouldn't be drawing power from the unit whilst it is being charged from the panel. This effectively stops all use during the day & I'm now wondering what, if any, is a safe amount of charge to be coming down from the panel to allow me to take power from the battery? Should I only use it at night or after 7.... 😵‍💫 I think the problem(s,) which I've been told could damage my battery, lies in the charging cycles which I now think are not designed/expecting an inverter to be using the system. The company have told me to put in a circuit breaker for whenever I want to draw power. I'm coming round to thinking that the MPPT is really not designed to work with a setup that uses an inverter? Any views/help?

[@leoclarkin5944]

Very helpful, especially comparing price point and product quality , thx

[@clivestamp1891]

Guarantees and actual costs would have helped also global availability thanks

[@stephensang2588]

Thank you for making this video. This is exactly what I was looking for as I was thinking of buying one of these units.

[@stevesidare2493]

Looks like you went through some trouble to present this video. Thank you and well done! This data was helpful!

[@toolate6971]

Good test setup. Were those solar panels in the background used for the test?

[@ralph9987]

Great . Can you please now do a review of all charge controllers that are suitable for marine use

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Love my Outback Solar 80 amp flexmax MPPT 😃

[@davidb.5544]

Should be noted that if you want to install most/all in the USA in a residence including the Victron it is not NEC compliant and requires you to add a Ground Fault Protection Device which adds to the cost and complexity.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Good point. We are about to release a new video comparing the leading professional 60A+ charge controllers which will take GFP into account

[@wesleyblake8552]

Great explanation I have a victron 100/50 and 2 x350w solar panels, but only 1 on my caravan roof so far, the max watts it has gone to is only 190watts which I thought it would have been more, so I am going to put the second panel up. My question to you is over 5 meters what size cable I need to join and run the cable to the controller from the panels, as the controller might not fit the diameter of the cable that is needed for the 500watts all though it handles 500 watts? thanks Wes

[@william38022]

I have looked at some Victron energy charge controllers they are quite expensive however I have heard good reviews

[@dyslectische]

victron have more mppt trackers the cheap one is 180 euro model victron mppt 100/30 (you have the smartsolar and the bluesolar one model have Bluetooth

[@william38022]

sebastiaan suijkerbuijk what Victron energy MPPT charge controller should I choose for about 700 to 800 Watts of solar panels?

[@dyslectische]

@@william38022 for 800 watt solar panel it's about 66amp on 12 volt and 33amp on 24 volt or 17amp on 48volt battery packs . So really only on model will do it www.victronenergy.nl/solar-charge-controllers/smartsolar mppt ve.can It's a Dutch company victron lol.

[@william38022]

sebastiaan suijkerbuijk thanks

[@checkingoutgypsymike2075]

Why didn't you use the epever in your 150/60 review? I'm looking into mppt cc and i see a lot of support for the epever for those on a budget, is the epever just not a good enoug controller in the bigger size.... I can afford the victron, but i like the tracer because of it's wire connections. Can't find it in a 60a though lol. So when it comes down to the victron wire connections being just as poor as the epever, im wondering if the price being doubled for the victron is worth it? Also on amazon the promote buying a victron battery protector? Is that not part of epevers unit but built into victron? I'll research and see if i can find my answers but thought id ask and see if you know. Watched both videos, really great easy to understand content. Much appreciated, God bless!!

[@OverlandTheAmericas]

Excellent! Very helpful thank you. 👍🏼

[@johanna.browne]

Question, being 5 days into portable solar, we have 2 x 100ah deep cycle batteries (not lithium.), connected in parallel. Using the victron smart shunt, battery 1 minus to tje bat minus on the shunt and all system loads connected after it on the system minus Positive from bat 1 to pos bat 2 and system loads connected via bat 2 pos. Also the smart shut pos connected to bat 2 In the Victron app, I set the bat capacity to 200ah Do I need to configure the aux to the value of mid point or leave it as none? I'm assuming using this setting is for when 2 batteries are connected in series maybe? Victron isn't clear on this in their instructions When I set it to mid, I got a high-voltage alarm. Do I need to connect the aux pos to the pos of outgoing positive load on bat 2, or bat 1 pos, or not use the aux monitoring at all?

[@UKsystems]

Victron with their whole ecosystem worth it for me if you want another charge controller depending on the type you can simply program them to work together instead of replacing equipment which I think is worth it

[@TerrydeAlaska]

It would be interesting if you showed the difference between a PWM and NPPT charge controller in your set up sometime....thanks

[@mr.c4u274]

I am putting together a solar well pump system to feed a pond. I have a 305 watt, 9.28 A, short-circuit current 9.85 A good(Max overcurrent reading 20 amp), 32.9 V rated current, 40 volt open circuit mono panel and plan on getting a 280W 24V/48V Solar Powered Deep Well Submersible Pump 60M Lift Water Pump with a 12V/24V/48V MPPT Controller, I don't intend to use batteries but run directly off this panel during daylight hours. Question being should I get the 24 V or 48 V pump and will these 3 components all work together?

[@dogdooish]

Is the Fangsun/Victron cheaper than the Victron?? Sounds stupid, but Fansun now builds Blue Solar ie Victron. Good report!! :)

[@kbuff15]

..VS Midnite (KID) would of been nice also, regardless great video!

[@gravelrash68]

i noticed you put peak power of the victron up there - as the end power wattage - even though it only hit that mark for a second - and not constant power . and it only settled between 306 to 310 after

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Yes, we explained why this happened in the video. This was the last test and the battery reached the adsorption voltage which means the MPPT starts to derate the power output to maintain a constant voltage. It was just bad timing

[@moestrei]

Are they all with a fan? I prefer fanless. Got 3 cheapos with fans even running in cloudy weather and one failing already. Same for inverters. Fan only in overload but not for regular operation.

[@Sabumnim666]

I understand that current is certainly an important factor but it is only the result of the voltage and the load.

[@casodejrevue7626]

So many comments and everyone settles for a bad reaction! Thanks so much for your work with the test, but it's all inaccurate and pretty superficial. Sorry! Sorry! (1) First su must realize that besides speed, the main job of the inverter is to find the OPTIMAL MPPT POINT, which it will do better or worse. (2) Now it depends on the electronics how much W the inverter's CONTRACT will be, ideally as high as possible (and this is the number Victron showed as 352 for a small moment). (3) However, EFFICIENCY is whether the battery output will be 97 or 98 or 98.5%. Here we must pause. If the MPPT converter finds the wrong optimum power point, then even an efficiency (effectiveness) of 100% will not help. It is only BOTH FEATURES, i.e. finding the optimal point on the panel power production curve + EFFICIENCY (efficiency) together that make up the total benefit. I took the trouble to put together a table: Otherwise the data from the displays is often inaccurate, so the only relevant comparison is ACTUAL PERFORMANCE PER BATTERY RETURN. Otherwise, the data from the displays is often inaccurate, so the only relevant comparison is the ACTUAL BATTERY PERFORMANCE. - 𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥, 𝟯𝟰𝟯 𝗪 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆, calculated power (57 V x 6.1 A = 𝗰𝗰𝗮 𝟯𝟰𝟴 𝗪) = efficiency cca 98.6 % - 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗘𝗣 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿, 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝟯𝟯𝟳 𝗪 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆, power input (56 V x 6.1 A = cca 342 W) = efficiency cca 98.65% (otherwise there is no point in calculating to 4 decimal places, it is practically the same and grossly above the measurement error) - 𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗚𝗬, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟯𝟯𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝟯𝟰𝟬 𝗪, power input approx. 53.9 × 6.05 A = 344 W = real efficiency about 98.5 % (it is not possible to have a lower power input than power output, therefore it shows underestimation, we have to rely on the meter of the actual battery charging !!! watch out for that ! - 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗡 - and here beware, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟱𝟮 𝗪 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, which is only 4 W more than EPEVER, but it does not manage to show how much is recharging the battery. And then it starts limiting amps and charging current so that the voltage is not over 14.0 V. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝟯𝟱𝟮 𝗪 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀!!! 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗣𝗨𝗧 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗣𝗨𝗧 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 !!! 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟰 𝗼𝗿 𝟳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝟭-𝟮% 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲. So the only thing that can be done, since there is no longer an anis shot at the Victron meter, is a calculation, and here I am getting the EFFECTIVENESS of the Victron (just from its readings, which may be wrong) at only 97.28%. Calculation: power input = 62.81 V × 4.9 Amps = cca 307.8 W, but it supposedly delivers 13.99 V × 21.4 Amps = cca 299.4 W to the battery - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗖𝗖𝗔 𝟵𝟳.𝟯% ! So so much work and the main point nowhere. Because I have to SHOW HOW MUCH WATT VICTRON ADDS TO THE BATTERY. And not some number on a cell phone. Anyone can write whatever they want on there. But thanks anyway for the comparison! I think Victrons are also excellent, they give at least some low light performance. The Epever I tested wasn't even able to find the optimum point. Thanks and have a nice day! // Sorry... Too bad about the war in Ukraine... Too bad people don't understand that Russia is not threatening the world, and that Gorbachev was promised that NATO would not advance towards Russia! See Professor Cohen, advisor to President Bush, see Chancellor Genscher, see Kohl, etc. Greetings from the Czech Republic, where we are watching the US arms companies now 'merrily' increasing their profits. :-( Thanks again for the work! Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ________________ Tolik komentářů a všichni s spokojí se špatnou reakcí! Díky moc za práci s testem, ale je to vše nepřesné a dost povrchní. Pardon! Omluva! (1) Nejprve su musíme uvědomit, že kromě rychlosti je hlavní prací měniče najít OPTIMÁLNÍ BOD MPPT, což se podaří lépe či hůře. (2) Nyní závisí na elektronice, kolik W bude PŘÍKON měniče, ideálně tedy co nejvyšší (a právě toto číslo ukázal Victron jako 352 na malý okamžik). (3) Nicméně EFEKTIVITA je, zda bude na výstupui na baterii 97, nebo 98 nebo 98,5 %. Zde se musíme pozastavit. Pokud najde MPPT měnič špatně optimální bod výkonu, tak pak mu nepomůže ani účinnost (efektivita) 100 %. Teprve OBĚ VLASTNOSTI, tedy nalezení optimálního bodu na křivce výroby energie z panelu + ÚČINNOST (efektivita) dohromady tvoří celkový užitek. Dal jsem si tu práci a sestavil tabulku: Jinak údaje z displejů jsou často nepřesné, takže jediné relevantní srovnání je SKUTEČNÝ VÝKON NA DOBÍJENÍ BATERIE. - EPEVER, 343 W do baterie, příkon vypočítaný (57 V x 6,1 A = 347,7 W) = reálná účinnost 98,64 % - OutBack EP Solar, až 337 W do baterie, příkon (56 Vx 6,1 A = 341,6 W) = reálná účinnost 98,65 % (jinak nemá smysl počítat na 4 desetinná místa, je to prakticky stejné a hrubě nad chybou měření) - RENOGY, do baterie 339 až 340 W, příkon cca 53,9 × 6,05 A = 344 W = reálná účinnost 98,47 % (není možné, aby měl nižší příkon, než výkon, tedy ukazuje podhodnoceně, musíme vycházet z měřiče aktuálního dobíjení baterie !!! na to pozor! - VICTRON - a zde pozor, jen a pouze na displeji se na chvíli mihne číslo 352 W, což je pouze o 4 W více než EPEVER, ale nestihne se ukázat, kolik se dobíjí do baterie. A pak už začne omezovat ampéry a dobíjecí proud, aby napětí nebylo přes 14,0 V. NELZE SROVNÁVAT 352 W a ta čísla z měření dobíjení baterie!!! Jedno je příkon na vstupu a druhé je reálně odebraný výkon !!! Celkově jsou všechny velmi dobré a rozdíl 4 nebo 7 Wattů lze v praxi zanedbat. Je to kolem 1-2 % rozdílu. To někdy záleží na tlustším kabelu a správném spoji. Takže jediné, co lze udělat, protože už není aní zábět na měřič Victron je výpočet a zde se dostávám na EFEKTIVITU Victronu (jen z jeho údajů, což může být chybně), jen na 97,28 %. Výpočet: Příkon = 62,81 V × 4,9 Ampéru = 307,77 W, ale do baterie údajně dodává 13,99 V × 21,4 A 299,39 W. A to je právě těch 97,28 %). Takže tolik práce a to hlavní, pointa nikde. Protože musím UKÁZAT, KOLIK W DODAL VICTRON DO BATERIE. A ne nějaké číslo na mobilu. Tam si může napsat, kdo chce co chce. Ale i tak díky za srovnání! Já myslím, že Victrony jsou také výborné, že dávají aspoň nějaký výkon při malém světle. Epever, co jsem já testoval nebyl schopen najít ani ten optimální bod. Díky a pěkný den! Škoda, že je ta válka na Ukrajině... Škoda, že lidé nechápou, že Rusko neohrožuje svět, a že Gorbačovovi bylo slíbeno, že NATO nebude postupovat směrem k Rusku! Viz profesor Cohen, poradce prezidenta Bushe, viz kancléř Genscher, viz Kohl atd. Zdravím z České republiky, kde sledujeme, jak americké zbrojovky navyšují nyní "vesele" své zisky. :-( Ještě jednou díky za tu práci!

[@sol.green.energy9515]

Great review. Where do you get those switches you have on the solar panels coming in?

[@cleanenergyreviews]

They are 2 pole DC circuit breakers (20A rating). These are quite easy to source in Australia from a number of suppliers. Noark are the best known manufacturer. www.noark-electric.eu/en/products/Installation_devices/DC_Miniature_Circuit_Breakers_Ex9BD

[@jamiemitchell9804]

We have single pole DC rated circuit breakers in ax DC voltage 250 don't use the ones 500cdc max not suitable for low voltage system www.jgmdirect.com

[@PeterMilanovski]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention if they are LiFePo4 compatible since you are using lithium yourself! I know that the Renogy has the two stage charge profile for lithium but how about the others? Lead acid batteries are done for, my charge controller died just yesterday and put a short across the batteries, lucky for me they are LiFePo4 and stopped outputting by disconnecting themselves.. had they been lead acid, there would have been a fire 🔥. I'm never going to lead acid, LiFePo4 only seems more expensive until you start using them, hardly any voltage drop, protected against everything and size for size they will provide more energy than lead acid, let alone the weight difference! Also, have you had a look at Redarck? Australian designed and made! Not cheap but build tough as nails! I reckon they could use your support... I'm surprised that the company is still going after all these years... I have been using one of their DC to DC 24 to 12V converters in my truck for as long as I can remember, you could cook eggs on it during summer and it's still humming along. That's the difference between good engineering and design. Maybe you should check out what they have to offer!

[@fratermus5502]

> I'm surprised that you didn't mention if they are LiFePo4 compatible There is nothing magic about LFP. Just configure the setpoints to what the battery manufacturer recommends.

[@gatecrasher1970]

Such an expert but failed to notice the victron does have load out connectors

[@berns1853]

Nice video. Better cover your panels when u connect/disconnect. I have 3 different tracers including the new tirion. They all make a light high pitch sound when there is no charge. Annoying when there is 1 in the garden house

[@AH-wn6dw]

Awesome test. Very clear & informative

[@HDXFH]

I use renogy 60 amp and 100 amp units, great units, both support lifePo4 too

[@juanantoniocarrascodelgado3491]

Epever and victron my favorite.

[@gospower-energy]

Thank you for your comments, enjoy both

[@arturogalindo4430]

Good video, but curious if anyone has tested which unit has the least RFI noise.

[@frans_d7989]

I had the same problems with RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) generated by Chinese equipment. It just blanked out my shortwave radio that I used to communicate in emergencies. I had to replace the charge controller, the DC to DC converter and the 230V inverter to Victron as they were the only ones that abided by the RFI rules and regulations set by the telecommunication authority.

[@wadethomason8820]

Hi mate. Thanks for a great vid. Can you tell me if the outback tracer is compatable with lithium batterys. And where can I purchase 1 in Australia? cheers

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Cheers, most of the new tracer models have lithium battery options and settings. In Australia, most people purchase Epever products through online stores like eBay.

[@tucoremirez4859]

Derudover er det temmeligt useriøs at sammenligne power output testresultater når samtlige controller har ladet på det samme batteri. Naturlig fremgår det ikke umiddelbart af testen hvor lang tid der er i mellem ladningerne. Men useriøst er det.

[@crunchied8]

with this testing wonder who would do good mppt vs pwm

[@stevemcgowan3017]

hi.i have 290 watts solar on my camper van roof.i use 100watt fixed panel connected to epever mppt 10amp to mt50.then 30watt x3 panels to renogy rover 20amp mppt connected bluetooth and just bought epever mppt tracer 10amp will connect to another mt50..I have been using the renogy bluetooth app to read battery voltages .its not far off on readings.you said your renogy was reading low.?steve

[@Farmer2492]

Hi i was going to buy a Victron 30amp contoller but the Electronics place said there are other controllers on the market equally as good if not better for the same price and cheaper but he wouldn't say what brands

[@Retiredkiwi]

are you aware yo can get a wifi option for epever - Model: eBox-WiFi-01, and a bluetooth one as well - eBox-BLE-01, really you should have compared all using the same method. Also surprised you did not test them all for performance and operating temperature near full input current, as i am thinking the tiny size heat sink on the victron, compared to the ones on all the other 3, could well be an issue. Seems unlikely to me, that the other 3 had large ones for no reason.

[@Lo7q7le7guste7mrtf]

@11:46 To be fair. Victron was the most inaccurate with the wattage calculation (352). The rest were much closer to 340w. But then again it also really depends on how it's being measured. Before or after the device. Input or output wattage. Because the device itself uses some of the power.

[@fc436]

Victronenergy is not inaccurate. It ake a peak of 352watt because find a better Mpp voltage at 59volt. And the others at 56v. Than, victron stabilize to lower power to keep battery voltage at 14.00 v. These is a error of the person that make the test, to set in these way the victron controller

[@einfelder8262]

Great review. I have a 4WD with start batteries (2 in parallel to support winching) and an AGM house battery. The vehicle is infrequently used and I need a solar system to charge the house battery but also maintain the start batteries. Can you do a review comparing Epever DuoRacer and CTEK D250SE . Both can do this, with the CTEK also able to accept alternator charge to the hose battery. The Epever does not specify that it can accept alternator charge; maybe it can't as it's half the price of the CTEK. Edit: EPEVER tech support confirmed it can't but have passed on my suggestion to enhance it so it can to their developers.

[@rawiridixon4430]

Get a dc to DC charger for the aux crank and get a battery link switch for starting. And get a dcdc for the rear aux . Both with solar , solar panels for each charger

[@einfelder8262]

@@rawiridixon4430 I now habe built my solution. My 2 crank batteries are in parallel. A Redarc duo Solar controller charges the starter batteries 90% and house batteries 10% from the solar panel. Then, when the ignition is on/engine running, a relay disconnects the solar panel and the alternator charges the crank batteries, and the house batteries via a DC- DC charger. Working perfectly.

[@rawiridixon4430]

@@einfelder8262 when you say the solar controller charges all 3 batteries , first of all are all the batteries the exact same? Or Is the rear aux an AGM sealed

[@rawiridixon4430]

All of them the same ah and chemistry because it won't charge the agm well

[@einfelder8262]

@@rawiridixon4430 Start batteries are calcium, use the same profile as AGM, so all batteries charge properly, or near enough.

[@cutweldngrind]

My panels have a VOC or 37 but are all testing at 33V lately. I have a 2kw array so looking into controllers.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

How old are the panels? The Voc will depend on the local solar irradiance levels. This can vary throughout the year and will reduce when the panels are hot or if there is a lot of smoke or haze in the area.

[@cutweldngrind]

@@cleanenergyreviews Thanks. The Voc seemed lower that the ones my friends bought but it was cooler and 4 months earlier. I'm in South Texas and I ran some test using some watt meters, I registered about 220 to 230 watts on them. The VOC was 33 and when I applied water to cool the panel it rose to 35v. The age of panels is unknown but I should get a good amount of power from them.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Good article. Do all 4 charge lifepo4 batteries please?

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Yes, all four should be ok for charging Lifepo4 batteries. Victron is the best choice for lithium. For the other three, be sure you check the specifications (datasheets).

[@waynehobbs5175]

@@cleanenergyreviews hi, Victron is too expensive znd doesn't run the load feature I want. I don't have datasheets so hoping you could confirm if the affordable ones can run lifepo4 profiles. I searched and found Renogy can but hoped the other two would also. Its 2021 and lifepo4 is on the edge of replacing the old lead tech batteries so am unsure why you didn't validate that during the test. Clean energy is efficency and lifepo4 batteries are longer lasting faster charging and cheaper to have over their lifetime.

[@tastiger91]

Nice experiment. Where might these be best found at the moment?

[@jasonsvarc4424]

Try solar equipment wholesalers, eBay, Amazon, and many online stores.

[@headsandtailsheadsandtails4313]

Ebay, Amazon..

[@nlo114]

Interesting, but I'd like to see a retest with the following alterations: 1. Read the EpEver manual, and study the optimum panel-connection table! I run 6x180W 36vMpp panels in parallel, converting down to 24V battery via a 4210A. From the table it gives the optimum number of panels and how they should be connected. From the efficiency graphs, it can be seen that max eff. is obtained by lowest differential between panel and battery voltage, with a minimum limit on panel voltage. Higher differential = higher losses = more heat = lower reliability. Running panels in series reduces the power available to the battery and wastes it as heat. 2. The MPPT in the EpEver takes a while to settle, then continually adjusts itself. 3. The more current you draw from the panels, the hotter they get; current drops with temperature rise, the panel temp will rise between the first and last panel tested. 4. The battery needs to be initially at probably 50% SOC in order to take maximum current available from the MPPT; if it is close to fully charged, each MPPT will be different in their efforts to stuff further amps into a nearly full battery. A reasonable test that proves the functionality, but misses out several important factors.

[@mondotv4216]

1. RTFM? You got to be kidding! LOL - as long as the number of panels stays equal for each charger then it is a fair test. The EpEver is limited to 100V which limits the way you can set up panels and means you need heavier duty wire to carry the increased amps compared to the others which all went up to 150V. Also every charger there has recommended optimisations for panels that weren't followed. So I think on that count it's a fair test with no way to make it better without favouring one system over another. 2. They all do - that's the point of an MPPT. The faster they track the more efficient they are, so speed and accuracy are the determining factors. He tested speed from cold but I'd have also liked to see some simulated shading and unshading to show speed of actual tracking. 3. The panels were already at 45 degC when the test started and ambient temp was only about 27. I very much doubt the increased resistance due to temp coefficient had any effect at all. And in any case the most efficient was the last one tested - which wouldn't make much sense if the panels were getting hotter. It's an uncontrolled test anyway because the sun is moving in the sky between tests. It was however an excellent approximation. 4. You're 100% right that they should have started off with a lower SOC to see max watts. However - he got near identical results (barring speed) from every charger except the Victron, so I'd call that a success. Bottom line - they all worked. To me the Victron was the best value, because it's the only one there capable of stepping up to 48V system which makes it more flexible. It's also the highest quality and the longest warranty. The EpEver probably the best choice for those on a tighter budget. You get what you pay for.

[@jay-rus4437]

My epever (same as the outback) has started having some issues. Bought it because of its “heaviness”, but seems after only a few months it is on the downhill. Connected to only 5 renogy 100w panels, and supplies charge to 2 SOK 100ah LiFePo4 batteries in parallel, that then supplies power to a dc distribution block for some simple ham radio equipment. My point being that this controller has not been abused in any form. Very disappointing

[@cleanenergyreviews]

That is disappointing, but what exactly are the issues? Could they also be due to problems with the batteries or solar array? Check all connections first. Also, note that no manufacture has ever produced 100% perfect products. Can you make a warranty claim and get a replacement?

[@Chris-by8eh]

I would love to see a review of fixed vs flexible solar panels.

[@69indigoblue]

Thanks for this great video comparison. In the end, they are all very similar in terms of perfomance. Would go with victron due to its massive positive reviews on the net.

[@cleanenergyreviews]

Yes, personally I would consider Victron to be the best quality out of the 4 options. It also has a 5-year warranty and by far the best app-based setup and monitoring platform.

[@JaredFranzenTheLyes]

I got a kings solar blanket and it came with an MPPT controller. Came back and my battery was bubbling. Throwing the MPPT and battery in the bin.