Renogy Rover 40amp MPPT Controller

[TheKarmaVan]

Here's my setup:

2 100w Renogy Monocrystalline Solar Panels in Series wired into the 40amp MPPT Renogy Rover charge controller which is connected to my 200ah AGM Mighty Max 12v battery bank. Directly attached to the terminals is a Deep Blue Sea DC fuse panel. This has my DC appliances attached to it...the MaxxFan Deluxe 7000k, Max Burton 37q Fridge/Freezer and a string of LED lights. Also directly connected to the terminals is a 1000w/2000w pure sine wave inverter which is used very rarely. 

So here is my dilemma:

I know that I can't get a perfectly accurate read of my battery's capacity unless it's rested and I'm happy with simply using the voltage for now and keeping it above a 12.6 or 12.7. We don't use much power in the van, only at night to keep it cool and of course the fridg being in constant use. What I'd like to know is: Does the Renogy charge controller protect the battery to such an extent that I'll never fully charge my battery bank? Is it automatically going into float mode too early? If so, what can I do to change the settings and override this? Should I just suck it up and buy a battery charger so I can plug in occasionally to get a full charge?

 

[Wabbit]

Looking at the Renogy Rover 40a CC product page, I don't see where you can configure the charging rate to a user custom setting. I would call their 800 number and ask if they had something like the MT-50 meter to set up a "user" setting. The number is 1 (800) 330-8678. Not familiar with that CC at all, but the product page didn't mention custom user settings which is what my MT-50 meter allows me to do with my Tracer MPPT CC. Hopefully that's understandable. Best of luck.

 

[TheKarmaVan]

I think you've got the right idea. We'd like to be able to manipulate the amp boosting and other states of charge. We don't want to kill the battery early on with under charging.

 

[Wabbit]

The following is a review of your unit. Copy\Pasta from Amazon.

"My 9 year old Xantrex C35, 35 Amp charge controller failed just as I was starting an extended vacation on my 50 foot solar powered houseboat (read my article in Houseboat Magazine, The Joys Of Free Power) so I replaced it. But then I realized that maybe I should have bought an MPPT controller, so I tried the Rover. On a sunny day my 500AH bank hits Bulk (14.4V) around 10AM, and by 11PM I have completed the absorption phase and the C35 takes me to 13.5V. This Renogy unit never got me to the full Bulk voltage, and I spent all day cooking my batteries at 14.4 Volts, just below the default Bulk setting for flooded batteries of 14.8V. Then I used the menu option to set it to Sealed batteries but then it cooked my batteries all day at 14.2V, never getting high enough to satisfy the controller that I was in the absorption phase. Speaking of Menus, the menu options never let me get to any other options, and I tried the included USB-RS232 cable and downloaded their software and could not get into the unit with my PC. The Renogy software required a password, which I could never figure out and I never got a reply from Renogy Customer Service despite opening a ticket with them. Either the firmware isn't fully implemented or it's just a really bad design. Never using these guys again."

So the bad news is this user is unsatisfied. The good news? is that as I read it and I get the understanding that with a laptop\computer and their software you might be able to do the user config with the software. Call them directly to see if this is the case.

The link below is what you would prob want if you wanted the ability to "control" the CC itself with user config. It is not Renogy, but it has good reviews. If you scroll down you will see the "add ons" which is the MT50 meter and I believe temp sensor. Approx $230.

https://www.amazon.com/SolarEpic-Ch...0YCI48F4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

Renogy has this same basic setup but rebranded Renogy. It does not include the temp sensor and is approx $30 more.

https://www.renogy.com/renogy-40-amp-commander-mppt-solar-charge-controller-w-mt-50/

If you call Renogy, they may tell you that you don't need the meter to "user config" and can do it with a laptop and software. If you can return your Rover version for credit towards the Renogy Commander series with the MT-50 meter, that would be prob good. If you could talk them into also throwing in the temp sensor, better yet. Using that MT-50 meter is easy and you don't need to mess with a laptop and software. Hopefully this is coherent enough for you to understand what I'm trying to say. I have the EpicSolar setup(20a) with MT-50 meter and sensor and am very happy with it. Saying all this, maybe when you call Renogy they will surprise you with an easy return for the commander series+MT-50 meter w\temp sensor thrown in or give you full refund so you can buy the EpicSolar 40a w\addons for $30 less and the temp sensor. Any questions please ask. Not an expert, just a guy up late drinking his beer with a few minutes to try and help...

 

[regis101]

I'm chiming in here as a noob.  Reading the above posts makes me ask a question.  
Can the battery(ies) ever obtain a full charge, solar and/or shore,  while there is a load on them.?
I'm using the Rover 20a with 110 Ah AGM.  The LCD readout shows 100% battery.  There is no load.
I have 60 watts of panel tending the batteries and step up to 200 watts when large draw is needed.
I use the array in series since the Rover is an MPPT
Today, I'll disconnect the batt and take voltage readings after a rest period.
Question to the OP, are you using the battery temp sensor?
And, the,  Copy\Pasta from Amazon, guy doesn't state if his panels are parallel or series.
This link shows it as a PWM, three stage, unless I hastily missed something.  Maybe his array is parallel and the Rover isn't being utilized to its fullest?
https://www.altestore.com/store/cha...-35a-12-or-24v-solar-charge-controller-p2069/
Dunno.  This is why I ask.  Sorry if it appears to drift or hijack

 

[regis101]

I stand corrected.  I think.  It's just before dawn now so I went out to look at the screen.  
The battery is 12.9 at 91%.  Hmmm.

 

[Wabbit]

 
...Can the battery(ies) ever obtain a full charge, solar and/or shore,  while there is a load on them.?...

This isn't a 100% answer, but from my basic learning\experience, sure they can. I have 2 meters reading the power input into the battery and then another meter reading the power draw out. Find that in the link below. Anyways, after an hour or 2 in great sunlight, the CC blinks its idiot light that the battery is charged(prob 80-85% full?). However, I have that MT-50 meter configured to hold it in absorption phase for 3 hours @14.8v. I can tell my battery is "full" (@100% or close) when the amps going into the battery are around .4a and there's still a ton of sun hitting my solar. If that makes sense, and that could be wrong info, but I think its more right than wrong. When I apply loads at this time, whatever load comes out of battery(say 3a), the input then goes from .4 or .5a in to 3.5a in. The CC sees that power is being drawn out and replaces it immediately with what is available to it...hopefully that's comprehensible and secondly, close to correct.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013PKYILS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[regis101]

 I can tell my battery is "full" (@100% or close) when the amps going into the battery are around .4a and there's still a ton of sun hitting my solar. When I apply loads at this time, whatever load comes out of battery(say 3a), the input then goes from .4 or .5a in to 3.5a in. The CC sees that power is being drawn out and replaces it immediately with what is available to it...hopefully that's comprehensible and secondly, close to correct.

I indeed noticed the same thing come to think of it. It is prolly true on most accounts if the panels produce more than the load going out.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . . What I'd like to know is: Does the Renogy charge controller protect the battery to such an extent that I'll never fully charge my battery bank? Is it automatically going into float mode too early? If so, what can I do to change the settings and override this? Should I just suck it up and buy a battery charger so I can plug in occasionally to get a full charge?

You will have to check with Mighty Max to see what set points your charger should be set to and compare to the set points on the Rover.  If you cannot modify your charge controller to these set points then you are going to have to get a charger that you can set or get a plug in charger that has the settings recommended to get a full charge.  Your batteries should be fully charged when they accept less than 4 amps (2% of AH) in absorption mode.

I would strongly recommend temperature sensing on a charge controller that will modify the charge voltages to keep from under or overcharging. 

Can the battery(ies) ever obtain a full charge, solar and/or shore,  while there is a load on them.?

My battery bank (2 X GC2, 210AH) is charged by solar only.  My big load is a refrigerator (< 4 amps) that runs 30% - 50% of the time.  My batteries almost always gets to 100% by the end of the day.  This is reported by a Trimetric 2030 calibrated every 4 - 6 weeks with a specific gravity check.

A battery should get back to fully charged if there are more amps available from your charge source (at the proper voltages) than you take out in a 24 hour period.

 -- Spiff

 

[TheKarmaVan]

I'm chiming in here as a noob.  Reading the above posts makes me ask a question.  
Can the battery(ies) ever obtain a full charge, solar and/or shore,  while there is a load on them.?
I'm using the Rover 20a with 110 Ah AGM.  The LCD readout shows 100% battery.  There is no load.
I have 60 watts of panel tending the batteries and step up to 200 watts when large draw is needed.
I use the array in series since the Rover is an MPPT
Today, I'll disconnect the batt and take voltage readings after a rest period.
Question to the OP, are you using the battery temp sensor?
And, the,  Copy\Pasta from Amazon, guy doesn't state if his panels are parallel or series.
This link shows it as a PWM, three stage, unless I hastily missed something.  Maybe his array is parallel and the Rover isn't being utilized to its fullest?
https://www.altestore.com/store/cha...-35a-12-or-24v-solar-charge-controller-p2069/
Dunno.  This is why I ask.  Sorry if it appears to drift or hijack

The screen with the 100% is not the battery capacity indicator it actually just informs you of the percentage of panel that is actively taking in energy. AKA full sun vs. partial.

 

[frater secessus]

Looking at the Renogy Rover 40a CC product page, I don't see where you can configure the charging rate to a user custom setting.

The user can configure the settings from the front panel (page 15 of the manual), or from the PC cable and free software (page 8).

 

[frater secessus]

Can the battery(ies) ever obtain a full charge, solar and/or shore,  while there is a load on them.?
I'm using the Rover 20a with 110 Ah AGM.  The LCD readout shows 100% battery.  There is no load.
I use the array in series since the Rover is an MPPT

yes, they can be fully charged even with a load.  The easiest example of this is that the controller itself imposes a load to run itself.
Loads during Bulk will slow down overall charging, all other things being equal.  During Absorption/Float there will be no disturbance in charging as long as the panels have the excess capacity over what is required for charging.

The battery graphic is notoriously useless on prior models, and perhaps on this one too.  You may want to ignore it.

You can use the array in series with MPPT but there is no requirement to do so under normal circumstances.  When in series there will likely be a bit more power in low light conditions or high heat and less power than parallel in partial shading.  Might want to try it both ways and see what works better for you.

 

[regis101]

You can use the array in series with MPPT but there is no requirement to do so under normal circumstances.  When in series there will likely be a bit more power in low light conditions or high heat and less power than parallel in partial shading.  Might want to try it both ways and see what works better for you.

Yes.  I concur.  I'll be spending the next year or so playing with the panels under different weather and daylight conditions.  The learning curve will be across the board with panel wiring setup(s) depending on ambient conditions.  All that in between cold beers and turkey legs of course.

Wait.  Whose thread is this anyway??  Sorry.

 

[TheKarmaVan]

Yes.  I concur.  I'll be spending the next year or so playing with the panels under different weather and daylight conditions.  The learning curve will be across the board with panel wiring setup(s) depending on ambient conditions.  All that in between cold beers and turkey legs of course.

Wait.  Whose thread is this anyway??  Sorry.

This is my thread. I was originally inquiring about my renogy charge controller but this is all good info I'm taking in.

 

[regis101]

Did you find answer(s) to your question(s)?

 

[TheKarmaVan]

Did you find answer(s) to your question(s)?

For the most part. I still am a bit nervous about using the inverter for long durations of time. I don't really have a way of knowing how charged the battery truly is. I've noticed that it almost immediately goes into float stage. I can't tell if it's getting a full charge or not.

 

[regis101]

Whelp. I believe that an AGM true reading can prolly only be accurately done when disconnected from any loads , charging equipment and then rested for a few hours or overnight.

 

[jonyjoe303]

If it's going into float mode right away, its not getting a full charge. It needs to spend several hours at 14.4 volts.

My ecoworthy 20 amp mppt does the same thing, it would charge my agm up to 14.4 volts then immediately go to float. I thought I had a bad mppt, the workaround I did was set the float voltage to 14.3 volts. Now the battery is at 14 volts all day long, in 3 years the higher float voltage hasnt damaged the battery. It got damage from me taking it down below 11 volts more than 3 times.

But one thing I did notice about my mppt controller, when I hooked it up to my 94ah 11.1 volt lithium battery, the mppt actually went into absorb mode and stayed there for hours, like its suppose to do. Also with the 240 watt panel, it was charging at 15 amps. With lead acid I rarely see more than 12 amps of charge power. 

It got me thinking that mppt, works much better when the battery is at a lower voltage. Then you get the maximun capability the mppt can produce, once I actually saw the panel putting out 17 amps for few minutes when connected to my 11.1 volt lithium. That was over 240 watts (about 245 watts as per the ecoworthy lcd) of what the panel is rated.  
I also have a 12.8 volt 110 ah lifepo4 and that behaves like a lead acid, since the voltage on that is always over 13 volts, it is treated like a full battery and doesnt see absorb. 

Something I never tried but I'm thinking might affect all this, is if the bulk/absorb voltage is raised above the 14.4 volts that the agm requires? maybe that will allow the battery to go into absorb mode? maybe there is too much voltage drop between the controller and the battery and thats affecting what the mppt needs to properly charge the battery. 

With both my lithium and lifepo4, I did notice the higher I raised the bulk/absorb voltage the more amps the battery was recieving. I been using this knowledge to either slow or fast charge those type of batteries.

 

[John61CT]

Get a better quality charger that lets you not only set V but really tune the Absorb time algorithm, so you never go to float until the bank is full.

Your "tricking" the SC to do what it should is inaccurate and will just waste time better spent on other things.

Especially with a LFP bank why skimp on cheap controllers?

 

[TheKarmaVan]

Just so I can get some feedback on what my actual read outs are, here are the screens on my charge controller as I flip through:




https://ibb.co/i2Bk1khttps://ibb.co/b3pAZ5