Solar Charge Controller as Battery Charger only

[burraak]

I have ep solar LS2024b 20A Solar charge controller, I want to use it as battery charger without using solar cell,So what kind of power supply i need to attach with this charger to simulate solar cells?
My battery is Flooded lead acid 135AH (20 Hr).

I can source MeanWell 24V 14.6A 350W can this be used as power source to my 20amp charge controller?
specs are attached

Thankyou

[Sunking]

I am not going to do your homework, you can do that. It will take a DC Power supply that matches your a Solar Panel Maximum Power Point Voltage and Current. Something on the order or as small as 18 volts @ 17 amps, or 36 volts @ 8.5 amps. (300 watt Power Supply). Good luck finding such a thing.

[jflorey2]

I have ep solar LS2024b 20A Solar charge controller, I want to use it as battery charger without using solar cell,So what kind of power supply i need to attach with this charger to simulate solar cells?
My battery is Flooded lead acid 135AH (20 Hr).

I can source MeanWell 24V 14.6A 350W can this be used as power source to my 20amp charge controller?
specs are attached

Why? Get a 15V Meanwell supply and set it to 13.8 volts. (Also have to test it to make sure it current limits cleanly.) No need for a charge controller.

[Logan005]

Get a proper smart battery charger. You can not feed an MPPT CC with a basic power supply. I have tried and had to repair my power supply. I love the Samlex line of power supplies. I have a 24 volt 15 amp unit that handles my constant loads and maintains my deep cells flawlessly. $200

[Sunking]

Get a proper smart battery charger. You can not feed an MPPT CC with a basic power supply. I have tried and had to repair my power supply. I love the Samlex line of power supplies. I have a 24 volt 15 amp unit that handles my constant loads and maintains my deep cells flawlessly. $200

Yes you can. Set the voltage to just slightly above MPPT. That is how you test them.

[Sunking]

Why? Get a 15V Meanwell supply and set it to 13.8 volts.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Any power supply with a variable voltage will work as a battery charger.

[Logan005]

Yes you can. Set the voltage to just slightly above MPPT. That is how you test them.

ok then, I will leave further testing to this guy.

[Sunking]

ok then, I will leave further testing to this guy.

Did not mean to bust your chops. But you can test a MPPT controller, but it takes special equipment which he will never find.

1. You must find a power supply compatible with the controller MPPT Voltage, Current, and Power. Example say a Morningstar Sun Saver 12/24 volt 15 amp charger. You would need a Power Supply with a power output of 200 watts as low as 17 volts @ 12 amps and as high as 50 volts @ 4 amps. Trick is it must limit and equal 200 watts. Good luck finding such a beast. But it can be done or built. It would be a simple 17 volt 12 amp DC power supply. Try finding one.

2. You also really need to build a Constant Voltage current sink to mimic a battery, or use a heavily discharged battery for testing. Example a battery simulator that holds the output of the controller to say 12 volts and capable of sinking up to 15 amps of current. This will look like a discharged battery to the controller and turn it on to Constant Current or Bulk Mode. Again good luck finding one.

Really kind of pointless anyway. Just buy an AC powered DC Power Supply or Battery Charger of appropriate voltage and current.

[burraak]

Why? Get a 15V Meanwell supply and set it to 13.8 volts. (Also have to test it to make sure it current limits cleanly.) No need for a charge controller.

I only have 24V Meanwell 350W 14amp supply , The PWM change controller LS2024B which I have provide automatic 3 stage charging (and voltage can be set by user) that is why i want to use it

[burraak]

Get a proper smart battery charger. You can not feed an MPPT CC with a basic power supply. I have tried and had to repair my power supply. I love the Samlex line of power supplies. I have a 24 volt 15 amp unit that handles my constant loads and maintains my deep cells flawlessly. $200

Most smart battery charger donot come with user configurable parameters,My PWM LS2024B has 3 stage charging and voltage can be set by user that is what I like. And pls note my 20amp solar charge controller LS2024B is PWM not MPPT
and one reason why I'm asking for the solution is because I already have equipment in hand I just want to confirm if it is OK to connect 24V 350W 14amp power supply to a 20amp Solar charge controller .

[Logan005]

Most smart battery charger donot come with user configurable parameters,My PWM LS2024B has 3 stage charging and voltage can be set by user that is what I like. And pls note my 20amp solar charge controller LS2024B is PWM not MPPT
and one reason why I'm asking for the solution is because I already have equipment in hand I just want to confirm if it is OK to connect 24V 350W 14amp power supply to a 20amp Solar charge controller .

go ahead and give it a shot then. But before you do, go to e-bay and order the transistor and the cap that are on the end stage of your PS, they will likely both blow, or at least they did in mine.

[jflorey2]

I only have 24V Meanwell 350W 14amp supply

And a new 15V 23A Meanwell 350W supply is about $40. That is a better choice.

I already have equipment in hand I just want to confirm if it is OK to connect 24V 350W 14amp power supply to a 20amp Solar charge controller .

Not a great idea. 14 amps is its rated power. Meanwells typically hit current limit between 10% and 40% above that. So not only will you be overloading your supply, you may be overloading your charge controller. It might work depending on tolerances and margins.

But it sounds like you are going to do it anyway because it's cheap, so go for it. Do it on a concrete floor so that if it blows you don't risk a fire. Odds of a fire are low; most likely it will just smoke a bit if that. Then if/when it blows, buy the other Meanwell.

[burraak]

And a new 15V 23A Meanwell 350W supply is about $40. That is a better choice.

Not a great idea. 14 amps is its rated power. Meanwells typically hit current limit between 10% and 40% above that. So not only will you be overloading your supply, you may be overloading your charge controller. It might work depending on tolerances and margins.

But it sounds like you are going to do it anyway because it's cheap, so go for it. Do it on a concrete floor so that if it blows you don't risk a fire. Odds of a fire are low; most likely it will just smoke a bit if that. Then if/when it blows, buy the other Meanwell.

thank you so much this is exactly the info I was looking for i.e the risks involved.... No I'm not going to do it ...... thank you again

[Logan005]

Is the mean well power supply, also a charger? if it is why not just charge two 12 volt batteries in series? If it's just a power supply, not sure what to do with that.

[burraak]

Is the mean well power supply, also a charger? if it is why not just charge two 12 volt batteries in series? If it's just a power supply, not sure what to do with that.

I think what separates a Power supply from a charger is functions like cutoff voltage, charging stages etc and I don't see anything like that in Meanwell Power supply specs .... However Meanwell does manufacture chargers but those are diffrent items