BRAVO 50 DC - 50 Amp DC-DC Solar Charge Controller with MPPT

This is a dual-input charger rather than a plain solar controller. It takes an alternator feed and a solar array at the same time and charges a 12 volt house bank from either or both, which is what a van or motorhome needs if it is going to top up while driving and while parked. Rich Solar sells a separate BRAVO 50 MPPT that is solar-only; the two are different products and easy to confuse by name.

Why this charger

• Charges from solar and the vehicle alternator, simultaneously or independently, with a selectable priority between the two sources.
• Works with both traditional and smart alternators, using buck-boost regulation on the alternator side and buck MPPT on the solar side.
• Fifty amps of charge current, with two-stage charging for lithium packs that carry their own BMS and three-stage bulk, boost and float for lead-acid.
• Bluetooth, RS485, TTL and CAN using the RV-C protocol are all built in. Nothing extra to buy to monitor it, and RV-C means it can talk to a compliant coach system.
• Wide operating range of -31°F to +149°F, useful for an engine bay or a hot underfloor locker.
• Protection covers overcharge, overcurrent, over-temperature and reverse polarity.

Installation and limits

• The battery output is 12 volts only, with a 9 to 16 volt working range. Rich Solar's own product title says 12V/24V, but that refers to the alternator it can accept, not the bank it can charge. If you are building a 24 volt house system, this is not the right unit.
• Solar input is capped at 55 V and 50 A, with 800 watts of array recommended, and the MPPT window is 17 to 36 V. A single 12 volt panel may sit below that window in poor light; two in series is the usual arrangement.
• Alternator input can draw up to 65 amps. That is a serious load on a vehicle charging system and needs its own fusing and cable sizing. Check what your alternator can sustain before wiring it in.
• Conversion efficiency is quoted at up to 96 percent, lower than the 98 percent claimed for the solar-only MPPT controllers. Buck-boost conversion costs something.
• Rich Solar's claim of up to 20 percent more harvest than a PWM controller is a best-case comparison. The real gain depends on panel temperature, string voltage and how far above battery voltage the array is running.
• The manufacturer title calls this the number one ranked DC to DC solar controller. No ranking body, publication or basis is given anywhere on the page, so treat it as advertising rather than a finding.
• Rated IP32, so dripping water only. It is not sealed against spray or road wash.
• The unit is 8.70 x 6.92 x 3.64 inches and weighs 5.16 lb.

Warranty

• Rich Solar lists a two-year warranty for MPPT controllers, which is the category this unit falls under.
• The term is prorated: full replacement in year one, then 50 percent coverage in year two.
• Because this is a dual-purpose alternator charger rather than a straightforward solar controller, it is worth confirming the applicable term with Rich Solar before relying on it.