For many people who want to live off the grid, a charge controller is a valuable piece of equipment for solar panel or wind turbine power systems. What it does is regulate the amount of DC electricity flowing from the power source to the back up batteries. When you are using alternative energy sources, you will get fluctuations in power. A charge controller will monitor that incoming voltage and and will turn off the circuit when the batteries are fully charged. A diversion load charge controller will even send the extra voltage to another load, like the grid, after your batteries are charged. This protects your back up system from damage because it does not allow your batteries to be over-charged which will lower the life of your expensive batteries.
You do not have to buy a charge controller, because you can get the "DIY" 0r "Do-It-Yourself" plans and schematics to build one. These plans come with everything you need including a detailed diagram for the DIY charge controller circuit and a list of the materials and tools you will need for the job. It will also give the websites you will need to order the different parts from, since some of these will not be readily available locally. A good DIY plan will also have detailed, step-by-step instructions with full color photos, and for more technical steps, full diagrams and other information to make building your own charge controller quickly and easily. For an example, it could make suggestions where to install the controller for the best effectiveness or how to do all of the electrical hook ups for the system.
A good DIY charge controller plan should also include options to make just the basic controller, or include all the fancy diodes and specialized circuits if you want. A good plan should also be able to upgrade as new technology comes out so you do not have to start all over. It can also include other helpful tips and information to get the most out of your controller. You should be able to follow the instructions well, and still have a bit of the DIY challenge.
Everyone wants to save money; otherwise you would just pay the expense of buying a charge controller that was already assembled. A charge controller plan, including all the necessary parts should not cost more that just buying an already assembled one. The plans themselves should not be more that $ 20, and all the parts you need under $ 20. The only big expense would be buying a tool like a soldering iron which you may not already have. It is not a huge piece of equipment, so it should not cost an arm and a leg.
Can the find : many You different websites That offer DIY charge controller plans. It is a good idea to shop around in order to find the right plans at the right price. Make sure that if you are looking for one of these, that you choose websites that are geared towards alternative energy sources. They will have the most expertise in the field and will sell you a plan that is tried and true. One of these websites is also ideal because you will have access to more alternative power ideas.