30 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller

A 30 amp MPPT controller for arrays up to about 400 watts on a 12 volt bank or 800 watts at 24 volts. It sets its own system voltage at startup and drives a lithium, AGM, gel or flooded battery without a chemistry jumper.

One thing to know before you buy: this is the previous generation. Rich Solar has replaced it with the BRAVO 30, which we also stock and which currently sells here for less than this unit. The older controller is a solid piece of hardware, but unless you specifically want to match an existing installation, compare the two before ordering.

Why this controller

• Maximum power point tracking rather than PWM regulation, so the extra panel voltage available on cold, bright days gets converted into charge current instead of being discarded.
• Rich Solar quotes tracking efficiency above 99 percent and conversion efficiency up to 98 percent. Both are peak numbers; the daily average in a real system will be lower.
• Handles 12V and 24V banks automatically and accepts battery voltages from 9 V to 35 V.
• No-load draw is only 0.7 to 1.2 watts, which matters on a system that sits unattended for weeks.
• Recovers over-discharged lithium batteries rather than simply refusing to charge them.
• Cast aluminium housing, cooled by convection with no fan.

Installation and limits

• The charge rating and the load rating are not the same. It will push 30 amps into the battery but the load output is rated 20 amps. Size any DC circuit you run off the load terminals against 20 amps, not 30.
• Maximum solar input is 100 V at 25°C but drops to 90 V at -25°C. Panel open-circuit voltage rises as temperature falls, so string sizing has to be checked against the coldest morning you expect, not a mild day.
• Rated IP32, meaning dripping water only. Mount it indoors or in a sealed compartment; it is not a weatherproof controller.
• Operating range is -35°C to +45°C. Rated to 3000 m altitude.
• Wiring is sized for 6 mm² on the battery side and 5 mm² on the load side.
• The unit measures 9.37 x 6.81 x 2.85 inches and weighs 4.41 lb. Leave air space above and below.
• Bluetooth monitoring works through the RS232 port but requires the separate BT-1 module.

Warranty

• Rich Solar covers MPPT controllers for two years.
• The term is prorated: full replacement in year one, 50 percent coverage in year two with the customer paying the remainder.
• Coverage is limited to the original purchaser and does not transfer.