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pmuller99 asked

Combining SmartSolar charge controller MPPT with Blue Smart IP22 Charger

I’m quite new into this area. I’m doing a pro bona project in Gambia building an ISP- and Wifi-network to support a local school and health clinic.

Hope you can help me out with some few questions.


Electrical grid is unstable and very expensive (one old generator ship from Turkey in the harbor).


The system runs on 24 VDC and 48 VDC.


Solar panels and batteries must be bought locally due to custom rules and freight. But I can have smaller items such as solar charger delivered with group of tourists. Today they have solar panel and a battery for 12 VDC.


So, my thoughts on power design:

  • 12 VDC Batteries and Solar panel (easiest type to get hand on)
  • Orion-TR DC/DC Converter 12v-24v 10A (24,2v output)
  • Orion-TR DC/DC Converter 24v-48v 2,5A (48,2v output)
  • SmartSolar charge controller MPPT
  • Blue Smart IP22 Charger 12/20 (1), 12VDC/20A


Purpose of Blue Smart IP22 Charger is to charge batteries after prolonged days with rain (rain season) and to provide power if battery power is too low.


Question 1:

  • As I understand Blue Smart IP22 Charger must be connected in parallel with Smart Solar Charge Controller to battery. Is that correct?
  • Will load still be through Load Connectors on Smart Solar Charge Controller? Or should load be taken directly from battery?


Question 2:

  • How can Smart Solar Charge Controller measure state of battery, if Blue Smart IP22 Charger is on?


Question 3:

  • Is it possible to have Smart Solar Charge Controller switch off Blue Smart IP22 Charger if Solar panels are active or battery fully charged?
  • Using VE.Smart Networking?
MPPT SmartSolarbluesmart ip22
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1 Answer
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kevgermany answered ·

Not clear if you're running your batteries at 12V or not.

Q1 MPPT and IP22 can be connected in parallel to batteries. Need same settings.

Load can come from MPPT load or battery. If from battery you lose the protection provided by the MPPT against over discharge. Make sure the MPPT load capacity is sufficient. (Check datasheet, download from product page).

Q2 State of battery... The chargers work on battery voltage. And turn from bulk to absorption to float based on this. Hence the need for same settings on each.

Q3 No. But you can fake it by having differing voltage settings on the IP22 than the MPPT. For instance if the battery has an absorption voltage range of 14.2 to 14.6V, set solar to the higher value and IP22 to the lower value. Same applies to float. It won't be a complete override, but will get you most of the way. Beware of night time. IP22 will be fully active. May not be what you want. You may be able to do a better control job with a raspberry pi running Venus OS and Node-red, but I know nothing about them. Might be worth posting this question in the modifications space.



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