12 Volt 20 Amp Solar Charge Controller

This circuit regulates the power flowing from a photovoltaic panel into a rechargeable battery.

Device:

It features easy setup with one potentiometer for the float voltage adjustment, an equalize function for periodic overcharging, and automatic temperature compensation for better battery charging over a wide range of temperatures.

The design goals of this circuit were efficiency, simplicity, reliability, and the use of field replaceable parts. A medium power solar system can be built with the SCC3, a 12V solar panel that is rated from 100 milliamps to 20 amps, and a lead acid or other rechargeable battery that is rated from 500 milliamp hours to 400 amp hours of capacity.

It is advisable to match the solar panel's maximum current to the battery's amp-hour rating (C), a typical battery charging current is C/20, so a 100 amp hour battery should have a solar panel rating of around 5 amps. Consult the battery manufacturer's data sheets for the best rating

Specifications:

Maximum solar charging current: 20 Amps
Nominal battery voltage: 12V.
Night time battery current drain: 1.3ma

You can find the full specifications and a diagram at Solorb.com