Product Link: https://www.xantrex.com/power-products/solar/pwmchargecontroller.aspx
Meaning of display information #
| Display Catergory | Meaning | Min Value | Max Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PV (kWh) | Total accrued Kilo Watts since last reset | 0 | no max | Reset through the Xantrex menu |
| PV (V) | Solar Panel Voltage | 0 | 30 | Voltage from the panel. The Xantrex only allows appox 14v to the Battery |
| PV (A) | Solar Panel Amps | 0 | 9 | Amps coming from the Solar Panel |
| BATT (V) | Battery Voltage | 0 | 14.4 | Battery Voltage (When charging it should be >13v depending on source.) |
| BATT (C) | Battery Temp | n/a | n/a | Only needed for Lead Acid batteries, not hooked up |
Battery Voltage #
This is the most complicated of the number on the Xantrex panel. Essentially the only time that the actual battery stored voltage can be seen is after the battery has “rested” for an hour or more. Resting means that the battery hasn’t been exposed to high voltage or high power draw for an amount of time. For example, when chraging from the van alternator, the Xantrex will show approx 14.2v and after the van is turned off it will slowly come down to whatever the actual battery voltage. The 14.2 voltage is actually simplifying it a lot. The voltage is a % above the actual battery voltage. If the battery was low, the charging voltage from the van may be 13.5 or less. All of these numbers have a margin for variables that can’t be underestimated.
Limitaions #
While the solar panel can produce (24.6v*9a) 220w, the Xantrax PWM Solar Controller utilizes an approx maximum of (15v * 9a) 135w. This limitation is due to the way PWM controllers work.
On the average sunny day, the Solar System can produce approximately 135w * 5 hours = 675Watts of power or 56ah of charging.
With an MPPT charger the solar panel should be able to produce (24.6v*9a) 220w * 5 hours = 1100w of power or 92ah of charging.
In the real world, the differences aren’t quite as drastic, but an MPPT controller should provide a substantial boost in solar power.
Site Disclaimer #
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