+1 on Midnite Solar's 'The Kid' Marine Unit. I have one operating on my 100% solar electric boat since June.
The key downfall for me is you pay more for the Marine version, but the enclosure is still only rated at IP 50. That means it can't handle rain, splashing, etc., and should be mounted under a cover or well inside a cabin. I left it uncovered during one rainfall (under my pontoon's solar canopy) and the next morning there was visible moisture on the inside of the display glass. Luckily I was able to dry it out (opened the circuits, removed back plate) and it has functioned well ever since. 'Marine' version just means it comes with a few extra components like swivel mounting bracket, battery temp sensor, etc. So I find the marketing a little misleading and buyer beware. I intend to make a plexi box with ventilation holes to set over it.
The programming was flexible and straightforward (I easily customized the voltage setpoints for my 48V Li battery pack) and the readouts are great - I love seeing in realtime the solar contribution in Wh and I can dial through to see battery pack external temp, etc. It smoothly transitions from bulk to float and when the batteries are full and my 1000W array is in full sun, the heat sink does not get too hot. The cost in $/Wh goes up the lower charging voltage you use, since the same unit can handle 12-48V but the charging current is capped at 30A in each case. So the best bang for the buck is using it at 48Vdc.
I can't speak from experience for the other equipment providers, but in my design research I turned up quite a few other 48V marine-ready providers like Outback (very well respected in the off grid solar industry), Morningstar, Victron (who offers a wide range of configurations - their naming convention is 'BlueSolar X/Y 48V' where 'X' is your solar input VOC and 'Y' is your required battery charging current, allowing you to most closely 'right-size' for the application), and Genasun. For me the design decision came to the best combination of value, functionality, and the enclosure rating. The runner-up in my search was Victron's BlueSolar 150/35 (48V) unit and their marketing is aimed at marine users. I would probably try this one in my next project.
Finally, if you are relying in any meaningful way on the solar generation, and I assume you are, it goes without saying that you MUST get one with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). This algorithm will dramatically increase your solar contribution vs. the cheaper, simple Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). You can throw out anything without MPPT unless this is a small toy project or you have infinite free solar modules.
I am attaching my charge controller comparison list including pricing that I put together about 6 months ago.
Good luck!
Matt
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Posted by: proteanslip@yahoo.com
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