Renogy Rover 30 Amp MPPT Controller Charges Twice As Fast!

I switched out my old PWM controller for the Renogy 30 Amp MPPT controller it is charging my batteries twice as fast. Works with LIFEPO4 and 12 or 24 volt systems. On Amazon: amzn.to/40LQUKr
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#solarpower #offgrid #offgridliving

[@solarcabin]

I switched out my old PWM controller for the Renogy 30 Amp MPPT controller it is charging my batteries twice as fast. Works with LIFEPO4 and 12 04 24 volt systems. On Amazon: amzn.to/40LQUKr #solarpower #offgrid #offgridliving

[@philipjean1086]

Good Job quick, concise got all the info and didn’t have to listen to anybody personal problems dog or cat

[@74dartman13]

It seems the quality of solar equipment is going up and the prices are coming down. That's awesome!👍😎

[@solarcabin]

Yep, these new offgridders have it way too easy, lol!

[@74dartman13]

@@solarcabin lol, yep!😁

[@dennisjoiner3717]

Thanks for the video. You shed light on my question about the Enter button, and I'm glad to hear the improved recharge rate as well which was one of my goals.

[@solarcabin]

Glad I could help!

[@elusiveeskimo3013]

I live in an area with lots of trees, limiting daily sunlight no matter where panels are placed. 12 volt system with 460 Ah of flooded lead acid golf cart batteries cause they tolerate our cold winters better then LIFEPO4 would, and a 2000w inverter. Went from a Renogy 30 Amp PWM controller to the Renogy 30 Amp MPPT controller and yes it charged my batteries faster. Then I switched my panels from being connected in parallel, which was best for the PWM controller, to being connected in series. This was where the MPPT controller really proved it's worth. The increased voltage of panels connected in series allowed my batteries to start charging earlier in the day, continue receiving a charge when panels were partially shaded, lasting later while sun slowly set. And the over voltage now created during full sun conditions was converted to more usable Amps rather then being lost. So my batteries charged even faster plus I had more usable panel power during daylight hours. So when switching to an MPPT controller, check how your panels are configured. The more voltage you can give your MPPT controller without going over it's rated limit, the happier you both will be.

[@solarcabin]

If you get good direct sunlight with no shading then series is the way to go.

[@elusiveeskimo3013]

@@solarcabin Even with shading series is often the best way to go. 2 shaded panels, each producing only 8V of power, is totally useless in parallel setup. But the combined output of 16V when in series setup means you are charging your 12V system battery. Same panels, same shade conditions, world of difference. It's all about knowing how to best use what you have to work with. Upgrading when and where you're able.

[@mcnab2059]

Agreed, the Renogy rover series are a budget friendly, DIY MPPT charge controller. I have one 40A and bought three 60A models when I expanded my system. Only complaint is that the 60A models will overheat and go into a thermal protection mode when running at full 60A output (reduced output to 45A). I had to add a fan to each one and now they can run all day at 60A output. So I would still recommend them.

[@solarcabin]

Thanks, good to know!

[@AnnsTinyLife]

Hmmm good info. I've experienced something similar and may have to implement fans.

[@shrugger1]

I'm still at the early learning stage. Does the 30A, 40A and 60A correlate to the number of solar panels i.e. wattage input? How much can you input at at each amperage level? I'm only powering my shed, thinking two 200w panels. If I can run the lights and either a drill press, small compressor or an inverter welder. That's all I need.

[@kimmer6]

@@shrugger1 Yes. Each chage controller has its own specified solar input wattage limit. The solar voltage input is specified as well. I believe its 100 volts for each model. I put the 40 amp Rover Elite (smaller, less functions, no load terminals, cheaper cost, already on my shelf) in my camper van with 4X100 watt panels, 300AH lithium battery and 2000 watt inverter. I ran a 120 volt outlet to the right rear quarter panel and have used the vehicle as a mobile power source. I built a wooden gate for an elderly lady and used the van to power my worm drive saw, pancake air compressor and air nailer, recharge battery drill, and it ran my Harbor Freight wire feed welder and angle grinder to make custom hinges and the lock bolt. As it sits, there is a 120 volt 3.1 cu foot 2 door fridge freezer in the van with food in it that runs unattended for a week at a time on solar in put only. It uses 6 amp hours a night before the Rover gets the battery to 100%. I think this would make an ideal work shed like the one you want. My favorite device is the Renogy 500 amp shunt battery monitor. It shows the time needed to get fully charged or discharged. $85 well spent.

[@kimmer6]

I replaced a 60 amp Growatt with a pair of 60 amp Rovers a few days ago. What an improvement. The Renogy units still show charge going into the battery at dusk, a full 4 hours longer than the Growatt unit did. I already ordered a pair of 24 volt 120mm muffin fans to help cool these units. I watched these units throttle back when the battery was at full charge voltage and cut to zero amps even in full sun. That took the worry out of the new charge system. I might put a thermo disk on the cooling fins to turn the fans off at night.

[@anthonyjohnsonjr8865]

Excellent explanation !!! I love the renogy charge controllers they a very reliable and easy to use

[@solarcabin]

Thanks friend!

[@ajblunt1156]

Good info thank you Lamar

[@solarcabin]

No problem 👍

[@DengarTime]

Huh, cool on the review, i remember many many moons ago you running a Blue Sky unit!

[@solarcabin]

Yep ad I still use the Bluesky on my main system. It is not made for these new LIFEPO4 and I still have the Vmax tank AGM on that system. When I replace those batts I will probably go with this Rover.

[@DengarTime]

Awesome had figured they had a sad downside, watched those triple in price over the years. Friend found the Renology Rover himself and has done VERY well with it at his off grid location eyeing em quite seriously myself.

[@AnnsTinyLife]

I have the 40 amp. It works great!

[@AnnsTinyLife]

Ps when I switched from a pwm to the renogy Rover, my battery's which are lifepo 200ah a piece, would charge to complete fullness after a couple hours of good sunlight. Renogy rocks!

[@solarcabin]

MPPT are improving all the time and some close to 100% efficiency. They get every last drop out of the panels now.

[@bntravelin2]

Hi Lamar, i rarely use an inverter prefer to use 12 v fuse panel and turn on /off the itemes i need the set up u have is great

[@solarcabin]

Hi Terry, I use both and need the inverter for cooking appliances but I also use 12 volt and some USB gadget charging. Fridge is 12 volt.

[@1981dasimpson]

with some of the mppt controller you can over panel them and the controller will allow max ampage and ramp it back the bonus of doing this is you get a more constant current and less fluctuation i used to do this with my epever at 12v if i recall max current or normal panel setup would be 520w but you could put upto 1560 watts in and the controller would ramp it back to stay just below 40 amp with been in the uk and very little sun i set my panels for best winter production and over panelled i was using lead acid couldn't afford lifepo4 think it was juts coming to the market then and it managed to to have my battery fully charged by the time i was home for work in the dead of winter i was also using grid tie panels so the voltage was higher this was most revealing when the lower voltage 100 w panel had not even started tp produce battery voltage to start charging the grid panels had already been charging for awhile

[@georgeshotrodbarn2113]

Good video

[@solarcabin]

Thanks

[@InVinoVeritas.]

Great video! Re: connections on the far right of the Renogy for load, is that to wire up to a breaker box? Thanks!!

[@solarcabin]

That is for a small load from the controller. For a breaker box you want to wire from the battery.

[@1981dasimpson]

mppt always do battery as they stay in the most power efficent range of the panel unlike pwm that as soon as it connects the panel the batterys pulls the panel down to the same voltage thus pulling the panel out of its most efficient range effectively making a 100w panel more like a 60 to 65 watt panel i did have some good results with buck converters with the cc /cv control the idea was with these if a battery has a max charge current of 40amp you pick a 40 amp mppt charge controller use lets say 10 solar panels at 255w each ampage is way over what the controller could handle but if the buck converter is set wide open on voltage but limits the current this would feed the right amount of amps into the controller and because the ampage is held back so panel can pruduce more then it is allowed they is way more stable as the panel should be able to always put more then 4 amps out for each panel if needed more panels and more buck converters maybe over complicated but when it is the only power you have i think any option can be tried to get the most from the system and grid tie panels are far cheaper to get then 2nd hand then a 100w panel and even if 10 year old it would still produce more then the 100w panel

[@jpmo82]

Hi, great video, i understand that rover 40a have a maximum 100v pv input, but how many amps in the input? Thanks

[@solarcabin]

You can have up to 40 amps and 100 volts. In parallel the volts stay the same but amps are additive and in serial the volts are additive but the amps stay the same for your solar panels.

[@ukjose1]

Thanks for the video. Could you tell me please what size of fuse/ breaker do you use between the solar panel and the Renogy Rover 30 Amp MPPT Controller, and between Renogy Rover 30 Amp MPPT Controller and the battery? Many thanks. Jose

[@solarcabin]

No breaker or fuse needed between the panels and controller. 30 amp fuse between controller and battery.

[@31869]

Can you set charging range?

[@HughJass-jv5ip]

Your display is illuminated ?… mine isn’t…..

[@robertmathis5707]

My question is, if you're running a 24v system, shouldn't that be reading over 24v and not 13v? Also, even your 12v readings should be higher if you're not under load. Wouldn't it float at 14.4v?

[@solarcabin]

That system is 12 volt. It goes to float and 14.4 when batteries reach full nd then will read 13.2-13.5 SOC.

[@elusiveeskimo3013]

It's been 3 months so hopefully you already found this out but in case you didn't... If your system is 24v and the charge controller is using 12v system values, I'm guessing you're using lithium batteries. These charge controllers can't auto recognize the system voltage of lithium battery systems so you must manually program your system's values into the controller before it will work right. Instructions for how to do this is in the User Manual and also available online. Once programmed correctly, I think you'll be very happy with how it works. Also FYI, if your controller is a MPPT type check the configuration of your solar panels. You'll want them wired to give the maximum voltage possible without going over the controllers rated voltage limit, to get the most out of your system. Online videos that compare panels in series vs parallel can help explain how this is done if you don't already know.how. Good luck.

[@jah6269]

Can I adjust the load say I use a 24 volt battery can I have a 12 volt load

[@solarcabin]

You would need a step down transformer for that. You can run small 12 volt load directly from the controller.

[@jah6269]

@@solarcabin thanks for your response

[@jhonatasantoslima4537]

Hey buddy, do i need to disconnect the battery if it is full charged?

[@solarcabin]

Shouldn't need to? The controller will take care of that.

[@jhonatasantoslima4537]

@@solarcabin thanks

[@lawrencedavidson6195]

Actually its bad to disconnect it when fully charged.

[@jpmo82]

Hi friends, my mppt rover 40a is not giving accurate battery percentage, it is propperly configured in 12v and lifepo4 battery, battery is new and mppt too, any other setting to make or help? thanks, regards.

[@solarcabin]

Set to USR & set: High Voltage Disconnect 14.5v Charge Limit Voltage14.1v Equalization Charge Voltage 14.0v Boost Charge Voltage 14.0v Float Charge Volt 13.6v Boost Char Return Volt 13.3v Over Disc Return Volt 11.0v Low voltage Alarm 10.9v Over Discharge Volt 10.5v Discharge Limit Volt 10v Over Disc Delay Time 5s Equalization Charge Time 0 Min Boost Time 10 Min Equalize Charge Interval 185 (Note this value cannot be 0 because controller will get stuck in boost mode) Temp Comp 0A Unplug temp sensor from the Renogy 40 amp Solar Charge Controller. It is for lead acid and not Lifepo4.

[@thaddiusthedark576]

Hey just a quick question for you man. So I noticed mine was also on sealed I had to set it to flooded. I was just curious does that affect the charge of efficiency or how charged up the battery gets at all if it's selected on the incorrect one??

[@solarcabin]

For LIFEPO# you want it set to LI. LIFEPO4 can charge faster at a higher rate of volts than sealed or flooded. If you use those settings the controller will slow down charging when the battery starts reaching full.

[@thaddiusthedark576]

Okay sounds great! I'll give it a try! As long as it's safe for me to do it on my flooded battery.

[@terenceswitzer5947]

Do u know what the settings would be for a lead acid gel renogy battery

[@solarcabin]

It should have a GEL setting or you can use AGM setting.

[@AdvantureRoad]

Anyone have an issue with the controller always showing 100% no matter what?

[@solarcabin]

Disconnect the panels and battery from the controller and then reconnect battery first and let t read the battery before connecting the panels. See if that corrects it.

[@--press]

Can anyone here give me a detailed answer to my question I have two 12V car batteries ... I have a 100 watt solar panel that is hooked up to a 7 watt harbor freight control box ( I charge each battery separately ) I need to know what size control box I need to have & what size inverter box needed to charge my cell phone my portable charger and a light for night time & a fan only Wir die Leute 💯❤️🇺🇸

[@solarcabin]

A 100 watt panel will produce 8 amps so you want probably a 10 amp controller. You can use a PWM or MPPT controller. The MPPT will charge faster: amzn.to/3MdvgKz For an inverter I would recommend a 500 watt like this: amzn.to/3Kc528B

[@--press]

@@solarcabin Thank you kind sir it is highly appreciated

[@DeepCycle9]

Car batteries are not a good idea, use marine deep cell instead.

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

You sound like you know what you're talking about.

[@solarcabin]

I have taught that controller lesson a time or two, lol!

[@InVinoVeritas.]

Great review! Think Renogy is pronounced differently though. See how in their video...kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaXZnYiEf9Stf80