MPPT Solar Controller

The MPPT controller could be considered to be a “smart DC-DC converter”, i.e. it drops the panel voltage (hence “house panels” could be used) down to the voltage required to charge the battery. The current is increased in the same ratio as the voltage is dropped (ignoring heating losses in the electronics), just like a conventional step-down DC-DC converter.

The “smart” element in the DC-DC converter is the monitoring of the maximum power point of the panel which will vary during the day with the sun strength and angle, panel temperature, shading and panel(s) health.

MPPT Solar Charge Controllers
The MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) solar charge controller is the shining star of today's solar systems. These controllers actually detect the optimum operating voltage and amperage of the solar panel array and match that with the battery bank. The result is additional 15-30% more power out of your solar array versus a PWM solar controller. Although the MPPT solar charge controller is more expensive than its PWM counterpart, it is generally worth the investment for any solar electric system over 200 watts.