SMP100 Manual
4
Introduction
Congratulations on choosing a photovoltaic electric system. When well-planned and properly
installed it will give you decades of trouble free service. The Analytic Systems SMP100
SolarMax MPPT Charge Controller is a key component of your system. SolarMax accepts a wide
range of input voltages from 30-230 volts, and support a similarly wide range of battery voltages
from 24 to 72 Volts nominal (battery voltage must be equal to or less than solar panel voltage).
SolarMax features a patented MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm allowing you to
maximize the energy harvested from your solar array.
SolarMax allows you to use a higher voltage PV array than the batteries you are charging as it
is designed to step down the array voltage, allowing greater exibility in the choice of array for
your system.
A PC communications port and software allow viewing and programming SolarMax parameters
as well as data logging. A battery temperature sensor (supplied) allows programmable
compensation of the charging voltage.
Chargeable battery types
This charger is designed to charge both types of lead acid batteries (starting and deep cycle)
and all versions: wet cell (ooded), gel cell and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM). See manufacturers’
recommendations for bulk absorption and oat voltage levels.
Other battery types such as Lithium Ion will be support in the future by rmware update.
How the charger operates
The SolarMax is a smart DC to DC battery charger that has been optimized to harvest maximum
energy from the PV (Photo-Voltaic) array in battery based solar electric systems by using a
maximum power point tracking (MPPT) strategy. The controller’s secondary objective is to ensure
that the batteries receive a full charge without becoming overcharged. This is accomplished
through a three stage charging process. The result is that you can safely maintain your energy
storage system while getting the maximum benet of your solar array.
The DC to DC converter feature of the SolarMax allows for a wide variety of PV array inputs
and battery voltage congurations. Batteries may be congured from 24 to 72 volts nominal. PV
arrays may be wired up to maximum allowable Voc (Open Circuit Voltage) of 230 volts at worse
case conditions.
Overview of SolarMax MPPT Charge Controller