12V/24V 100A PWM Solar Charge Controller - Digital LCD Battery Regulator with Dual USB

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is the absolute correct order to wire this controller? CRITICAL: 1) Connect the Battery first. 2) Connect the Solar Panel second. 3) Connect the DC Load third.

2. Why do I have to connect the battery first? The controller needs the battery power to wake up its microprocessor and auto-detect whether it is regulating a 12V or 24V system. Connecting the solar panel first can send unregulated high voltage into the dead brain and fry the controller.

3. What types of batteries are compatible? These PWM controllers are primarily designed for standard 12V/24V Lead-Acid batteries (OPEN, AGM, GEL).

4. Can I use this with Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries? You should check the manual's specific "b01/b02/b03" battery type settings. While some generic PWMs have a lithium setting, standard lead-acid profiles will not charge LiFePO4 batteries correctly and may trigger their internal BMS.

5. What does "100A" mean on the label? It denotes the maximum peak charging current rating of the product line. Note for DIYers: A compact controller of this physical size cannot sustain 100 Amps of continuous current without overheating. It is highly recommended to keep continuous solar input to a fraction of this rating (e.g., 20A-30A max) for safe, long-term reliability.

6. Can I connect an AC Power Inverter to the "Load" terminals? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Power inverters draw massive surges of current that will instantly melt the controller's load circuit. Inverters must always be wired directly to the battery terminals with heavy-gauge wire and an inline fuse.

7. What are the "Load" terminals actually for then? The right-most screw terminals (with the lightbulb icon) are for low-draw 12V DC accessories, like 12V LED light strips, small 12V DC fans, or 12V Wi-Fi routers.

8. Can I charge my iPhone with this? Yes! The front panel features two USB ports that output a standard 5V, perfect for charging phones, power banks, and tablets.

9. What do the three buttons do? The left button (MENU) cycles through the display screens (Voltage, Timer, Battery Type). The middle and right buttons (UP/DOWN) change values in the settings menu and can manually turn the "Load" output on or off.

10. How do I turn the Load terminals on and off manually? On the main home screen, simply press the right-most button (Down/Arrow) once to toggle the load power on or off.

11. Can this controller turn my lights on automatically at night? Yes! The "Load" output has a timer setting. You can set it to turn on automatically when the solar panel stops producing voltage (dusk) and run for a specific number of hours.

12. What is the maximum solar panel voltage I can connect? If you have a 12V battery, the maximum solar panel input voltage (Voc) should be under 25V. If you have a 24V battery, the maximum solar input should be under 50V.

13. Can I use a 24V solar panel to charge a 12V battery with this? No. Because this is a PWM controller (not MPPT), the solar panel's nominal voltage must match the battery's nominal voltage. Use a 12V panel for a 12V battery, and a 24V panel for a 24V battery.

14. Is this controller waterproof? No. It is designed for indoor use or to be mounted inside a weather-proof enclosure. Do not expose it to rain or extreme humidity.

15. What size wire should I use? The screw terminals generally accept up to 10 AWG or 8 AWG wire. Always size your wire based on the actual amperage your solar panels are generating.

16. Why is the screen showing a flashing battery icon? A flashing battery frame usually indicates the battery is fully charged and the controller has entered "Float" charging mode to maintain the voltage.

17. Why did my Load output turn off by itself? The controller has Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD). If your battery voltage drops too low (usually around 10.7V), it shuts off the load terminals to prevent destroying your battery. It will turn back on when the battery recharges.

18. Can I connect two of these controllers to one battery bank? Yes, you can have multiple separate solar arrays, each with their own controller, feeding into a single large battery bank. They will read the voltage and work independently.

19. What are the physical dimensions? The controller measures 135mm long, 70mm tall, and roughly 35mm thick.

20. How do I mount it? The black plastic backplate has four pre-drilled mounting holes in the corners. The spacing between the holes is 126mm horizontally and 50mm vertically. Simply use four wood or machine screws to secure it to a flat surface.