What a charge controller does
It sits between panels and batteries and feeds power in safely. At house size it's usually built into the all-in-one inverter; in vans it's a separate box.
| MPPT | PWM | |
|---|---|---|
| Power harvested | More, often up to ~30% more in cold or mismatched conditions | Less |
| Works with | Big, higher-voltage panels | Panels matched to battery voltage |
| Price | Higher | Very cheap |
| Best for | Almost everything | A single small panel on a 12V battery |
What to buy
- Houses and cabins: it's inside the inverter (e.g. the EG4 6000XP).
- Vans and RVs: a Victron SmartSolar MPPT with a MultiPlus-II, sized for all the panels you might add.
Get the exact setup
A few taps and you'll know exactly what to buy for your situation.