Review: Victron Energy SmartSolar 50-amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller

With my recent move to lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, I decided it was also time to upgrade to a Victron Energy SmartSolar charge controller. For two years, I had relied on a Renogy Rover 40A MPPT charge controller to keep a bank of flooded lead acid batteries healthy. It did a great job, boosting and equalizing at the proper voltage and when expected. Moving from lead acid to LiFePO4, however, was not handled very well by the Renogy Rover, even after adding a Bluetooth module for access to additional charging parameters.

After fussing with the Renogy for several days, tweaking voltages here and there, I could not get an adequate charge without overcharging. Part of the problem is the lack of precise control in the settings. Renogy adjusts voltage in 200mv increments, whereas the Victron allows 10mv increments. After discussions with a few local hams, and hearing a lot of positive feedback, I decided to go with Victron Energy.

Once I had made the decision, it was a simple matter of selecting the model I wanted. It was not simple. Once I dug in, I found that Victron offers a wide selection of products with varying and sometimes overlapping features made it a challenge to zero in on exactly what I wanted. My ultimate goal was to find something more accurate and predictable than what I had, add a little capacity, and stay within budget. Unfortunately, I’m one who’s always drawn to the model that “does everything” or checks all the boxes on the product comparison chart. In this instance, I was able to maintain some self control and bought just what I needed to get the job done.

Victron Energy SmartSolar: Compact Unit with 50-amp Output

After careful consideration, I went with the Victron Energy SmartSolar 100 | 50 with 100-volt input capacity and 50-amp charge current output. Yes, it’s only 10 amps greater output than the Renogy Rover it’s replacing, but I didn’t want to pay too much for features I didn’t need and I’m pretty well maxed out on solar input right now based on limited physical space. I purchased this item from Amazon.

The Victron is a very sturdy device built on a massive heat sink. The solid heft of the package alone is a good clue that there’s a chunk of serious hardware inside. Opening the box does not disappoint. The entire thing screams quality construction. From the heavy duty heat sink, bright LED indicators and hardened terminal screws, to the bright blue molded ABS cover, it’s apparent Victron means business when they engineer a product. Their industry-leading 5-year warranty alone should tell you that this is not a toy. This is a reliable, commercial-grade charge controller and Victron knows it.

The switch was fairly seamless, other than Victron and Renogy laying out their wiring terminals differently, which forced me to adjust some wire routing. I do like that Victron keeps the negative terminals next to one another and pushes the positive terminals out to the edges (+ – – +), whereas Renogy does an alternating + – + – layout for its solar and battery connections. There is more space between the terminals on the Renogy but the overall size of the unit is more than twice that of the Victron, so they have plenty of room to work with.

Managing the Victron SmartSolar Charge Controller

Management of these charge controllers differs considerably. The Renogy with its integrated multi-function display and control pad is really nice, although it does limit you to certain setup variables. For total control of the Renogy Rover, you’ll need an optional Bluetooth module and access to their smartphone app. Victron, on the other hand, relies entirely on Bluetooth and builds it into the unit. This means you must use a phone app for configuration and reporting unless you opt for optional equipment that connects a display/control over serial.

In terms of its ability to fully charge my batteries without going over, I did tweak it a little bit from the default settings. I lowered the absorption voltage to 14.2 and I’m now seeing a more controlled charge and less tendency to overshoot setpoint. Enabling expert mode unlocks several additional features, including the ability to adjust absorption time. I lowered it from two hours to one hour, which seems more than enough time to get down to less than .05C charge rate, which I consider a full tank.

Even set at 14.2 volts absorption, I’ve been seeing battery max voltage up around 14.45 to 14.48 when it’s finished a full bulk-through-absorption charge cycle. That’s why I think it’s vital to monitor your setup and keep track of max battery voltage. This is especially important the first few times you charge so you can get your system dialed in to ensure you don’t go over. Even with Victron’s obvious level of quality control, I doubt if these are individually calibrated at the factory. That’s why there is some natural variance that needs to be monitored and adjusted by the end user.

Victron Beats Renogy in Watts Delivered to Battery

At this early stage, all I have is anecdotal evidence but it is pretty convincing. The Victron charge controller starts putting power into the batteries earlier and keeps charging later each day than I was seeing with Renogy, even as the days grow shorter.

By the time Renogy wakes up, Victron has a significant head start on harvest totals for the day. I think Victron does a better job at MPPT tracking and overall energy harvest due to the fact it arrives at absorption voltage 30 to 40 minutes sooner than Renogy in similar conditions.

Most importantly, however, the overcharging problem I had with Renogy has not been an issue with the Victron controller so I consider a major plus for moving to Victron Energy. It’s just more precise and that’s important when we’re talking fractions of a volt between charged and overcharged.

Comparison Data Coming Next

After just a few days with the Victron Energy SmartSolar I’m pretty confident that it does a better job of capturing available energy and putting it into my batteries. I know this is all subjective observation at this point, and that’s why I’ve decided to take this review one step further.

In an upcoming post, I will do a side-by-side comparison of the Renogy Rover 40A MPPT against the Victron Energy SmartSolar 100 | 50 solar charge controller. I’ll feed them both with 400 watts solar input and load them with identical LiFePO4 batteries equally discharged. I’ve ordered new solar panels for this investigation and will commence testing as soon as they arrive.

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