Anyone know of a settable solar charge controller under $500

Dr. Dickie said:
Victron has them backwards compared to all the other solar charge controllers
I probably hooked it up backwards (yes, it is clearly marked).
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Actually everyone has it backwards and Victron has it right!:p
Was Alcohol involved? I used to do those things........... before I quit.🤣
Wolf
 
Dr. Dickie said:
1) I am getting into lithium iron phosphate (which was always my ultimate goal)

2) I have a 7s 20p 18650 (24V) battery I made for the fan in my solar shed

Currently I have a couple or 6 cheap 20-40 amp solar charge controllers, they work fine for lead acid. However, not so great for 18650 or LiFePO4
I was looking for a controller that I could set the voltages for (bulk, adsorb, float). I thought I found one, but no it is the same old crap where you can set voltages only up to 15V, which is no good for the 24 V battery I have. The current charge controllers I have (like most cheap ones) want to charge the cells to 4.1 V, I don't want to charge them that far, as the battery get very little to no use and does not need to be charged over 3.9 V.
Does anyone know of a decent solar charge controller that is under $500 (so not a Midnite solar--which I have and love, Outback, etc) that will allow me to set the voltages that I want.
I have looked high and low and cannot find one, so perhaps they do not exist. If I have to pull the trigger on another Midnite for my LiFePO4 so be in, but before I dive all in (I am only getting 8 280 Ah cells to start) I would like to do it on the cheap and scale up after I move and build the large LiFePO4 system.
Thanks
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I know you said not midnite/outback, but Outback fm60 and fm80 are both under $500 and both have adjustable parameters.
 
Wolf said:
Actually everyone has it backwards and Victron has it right!:p
Was Alcohol involved? I used to do those things........... before I quit.🤣
Wolf
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No alcohol, I make sure I am always done with any wiring or what not before I imbibe.
Just muscle memory and not paying attention.🤣
Victron does have it right in that they label PV and Batt on the front (not that that dissuaded me from doing it wrong). It drives me crazy that most of these small SCCs have the wire entrance and labels of what is what on the underside. I understand the wires coming in like that, as it is designed to me mounted on the wall, but dang, it is not easy for an old goat like myself with glasses to get down twist my head around and get the wire in the slot and see which is which.
 
I have three new in the box Morningstar TS MPPT 60 charge controllers that are usually used for commercial applications. They are programable for lithium batteries and have free monitoring software. They are still registerable for warrantee and the customer service is very good (i know this from experience because they sent me a new one when I had a failure. Since the software updates the new one has been perfect. I run at 48 volts on a large bank of NFP cells.
 
floydR said:
Nanophosphate® lithium iron phosphate?or something else?
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Got to be a typo I think. Should be "NPF"
I'm thinking Sony NPF batteries. It is more of a case design that fits a multitude of devices mostly interchangeable with video cameras I think.
The packs come with 2 or 4 18650 cells I think.
If @Solexx X can verify that would be great.

Wolf
 
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Wolf said:
Got to be a typo I think. Should be "NPF"
I'm thinking Sony NPF batteries. It is more of a case design that fits a multitude of devices mostly interchangeable with video cameras I think.
The packs come with 2 or 4 18650 cells I think.
If @Solexx X can verify that would be great.

Wolf
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NMC SPIM08HP cells. Not sure what I was thinking when I typed NPF. lol
 
Solexx X said:
I have three new in the box Morningstar TS MPPT 60 charge controllers that are usually used for commercial applications. They are programable for lithium batteries and have free monitoring software. They are still registerable for warrantee and the customer service is very good (i know this from experience because they sent me a new one when I had a failure. Since the software updates the new one has been perfect. I run at 48 volts on a large bank of NFP cells.
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I run the morningstars as well, completely programable in the custom settings menu, just need a laptop and a serial to USB cable. I currently run four of the TS MPPT60 for my cabin, and one TS MPPT45 for my camper. they can run 12/24/48 battery packs and you can set all charge parameters.
 
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