From bigclivedotcom.
This is a very common charge control system that allows 12/24V lead acid or lithium batteries to be charged by a solar panel. Although rated for 12 or 24V use I don’t recommend using it for more than a 12V system.
It can accommodate lead acid, 3-cell lithium ion or 4 cell LiFePO4 batteries.
The output has under-voltage shut off if the battery voltage drops too low, and it can also provide timed functions based on sensing dusk via the solar panel output. That could be useful for remote lighting and signage applications.
There’s no obvious way of regulating charge current or using fancy MPPT techniques as implied by many listings. It looks like all output from the solar panel will be diverted to the battery until it is fully charged. So the solar panel output will need chosen to be within a sensible output current range for the battery.
Here’s how it’s programmed. The display defaults to showing the current battery voltage and whether the solar panel is charging it and if the output load is turned on. Pressing the menu button toggles through the following settings:-
Float voltage. The maximum voltage the battery will be charged to.
Voltage threshold for enabling power to the load.
Under-voltage threshold where the power to the load will be turned off.
Time function from 0-24 for the duration in hours that the load will be powered when dusk is detected. 24 is continuous and zero is dusk to dawn.
Battery type. B1 is lead acid, B2 is standard lithium and B3 is LiFePO4.
While viewing a setting you can press and hold the menu button for about 5 seconds to enter adjustment mode. You can then use the up/down buttons to change the setting and then exit by pressing and holding the menu button again. The unit does exit out of setting and menu modes after a short delay of non activity.
To reset to factory defaults go to any mode except the default display and then press and hold the up button until the display changes.
Pressing the down button from the default display toggles the output on and off.
I really don’t recommend using the USB ports. Above 500mA the 5V supply will cut off and that will turn the microcontroller off too. It’s barely enough to charge a modern head-light, and definitely not enough to charge a phone.
Although this unit is rated 10A I tend to recommend using stuff like this at half its rating for safety and reliability. Higher power versions may just gang MOSFETs and use lower on-state resistance versions. Also use a fuse in line with the battery and in the case of using lithium batteries, make sure they have integrated overcharge and over-discharge protection independent from this unit.
This unit is often shown in listings with small solar panels with greatly exaggerated power ratings.
I got this unit from AliExpress (not a sponsor):-
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006944736292.html
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