The cable from the solar panel is connected to the charge controller. The charge controller is then connected to the battery bank.

Its main function is to take care of the batteries.

The following is a list of 4 benefits of using a charge controller with a home solar power system.

1) Regulate the power from the solar panel before going to the batteries.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells can generate a good amount of power when exposed to direct sunlight. The problem is, sometimes we don’ get consistent sun light. This may due to cloud cover, rain or haze.

Therefore the power output from the solar cells also fluctuates. One of the functions of the charge controller is to regulate the voltage output of a consistent voltage level so it will not damage the battery units.

2) Prevent backflow of current back to the solar panel.

Solar cells produce power on the day time, but what does it do at night time?

As a matter of fact, the PV cells will consume energy!

The power generated the whole day will flow back into the solar cells.

One way of preventing this is with the charge controller. Charge controller usually has a current backflow resistor that prevents any current from the battery bank from flow back to the solar panel.

3) Protect the battery from complete discharge.

Even though when you are using a deep cycle battery, it is best not to discharge it more than 50 percent or you will weaken its life.

When we are using the power generated from the solar panel, we seldom check on the discharge level of the batteries. The charge controller with a LVD (low voltage disconnect) is used to protect the battery from complete discharge.

4) Maximum power point tracking.

A more sophisticated charge controller unit uses a pulse width modulation (PWM) or maximum power point tracking (MPPT).

The function is to assure the battery is being fully charged. The process of charging a battery is quite a complicated task. The first 70 – 80 percent of a battery capacity is easily replaced.

However, the last 20 – 30 percent requires more attention and therefore more complexity.

The charge controller uses PWM to track the battery charged level and changes the power output to meet the battery power requirement at high charged level.

It’s pretty confusing, but the charge controller does all the thinking for us.

DIY Home Solar Power System

Are you planning to setup your own home solar power system to cut down on your home energy bill? If you are, you may be a good DIY home solar guide.

For an easy to follow home solar manual, check out Michael Harvey’s Earth 4 Energy program. The program comes with a step by step e-book together with 7 High Definition (HD) instructional video.

For more information, read the Earth 4 Energy review post on this blog.

==> Click here to visit Earth 4 Energy now!

Related web pages:
1) Earth4 Energy Scam – Is Michael Harvey’s Earth4Energy A Fraud?

2) GreenDIYEnergy Review – Reviewing the Green DIY Energy Program

What does a charge controller do?

In essence it is a regulator of the energy coming from the solar panel. It is a customizable unit that regulates the flow of energy to the battery and determines how much energy is being pulled from the batteries at nighttime or in cloudy weather.

Connecting To The Solar Module

Last month, I did a blog post on how to build a DIY solar panel for under $100. As you can see from the post, constructing an inexpensive solar panel is possible if you are willing to spend the time to source for inexpensive Photovoltaic (PV) cell.

Now that you have to solar panel, what’s next?

The next step is to hook it up to the charge controller.

If you are planning to keep your budget down, check out the versatile and yet inexpensive charge controller from Sunsei, the CC 25000.

Sunsei CC-25000 Charge Controller Review

Firstly, the CC-25000 is designed for 12 volts to 24 volts battery bank. It is perfect for a conventional DIY solar panel which produces 18 volts of electricity under a clear sunny day.

The unit functional temperature ranges between -40 to 50” Celsius. (-40 to 122 degree Fahrenheit). It is pretty durable which means the unit will function properly either in winter or summer time.

Size wise, Sunsei CC-25000 is relatively small. Its dimension is 3.1” x 3.9” x 1.3” and the entire unit weights only 0.4 lbs. You can mount it on a panel or on a dry wall.

Best of all, the CC-25000 charge controller comes with 2 years manufacturer warranty.

One of the ways to reduce your home solar system Return On Investment (ROI) time is to have a good manufacturer warranty on all the components. In case the parts are faulty, you do not incur additional cost.

How much does the Sunsei CC-25000 charge controller cost? If you were to buy it from Amazon.com, you can get it for only $79.99 inclusive of shipping.

If you are looking for a reliable and inexpensive charge controller for your DIY solar panel, get the CC 25000 from Sunsei. It will worth your investment.

Click on read more about Sunsei CC-25000 on Amazon.com