Solbian SL80L x2 or x3, Genasun vs. Morningstar controller

[marujo.sortudo]

I am looking at installing 2 or even 3 Solbian SL80L panels to provide solar for my 220 Ah Concorde AGM house bank. Daily loads are often around 50 Ah. Right now I have a Morningstar Sunsaver MPPT 15L controller which looks like it should be up to the task and even has some features that the Genasun GV-10 lacks and would certainly be less expensive and less installation space, wiring, etc. than the multiple Genasun controllers that are recommended. The Morningstar literature claims that the controller has "recognition of multiple power peaks during shading or mixed PV arrays." With my limited knowledge, the Morningstar seems like a better match for the SL80L panels and has interesting features like equalization support for my AGMs. Is there something that I might be missing as to why this controller isn't as good of a match, or are there experiences that question the claims of good performance with shading? We will certainly have shading to deal with on this sailboat, and the panels will be located to minimize it, but shaded performance will be paramount.

 

[Maine Sail]

I am looking at installing 2 or even 3 Solbian SL80L panels to provide solar for my 220 Ah Concorde AGM house bank. Daily loads are often around 50 Ah. Right now I have a Morningstar Sunsaver MPPT 15L controller which looks like it should be up to the task and even has some features that the Genasun GV-10 lacks and would certainly be less expensive and less installation space, wiring, etc. than the multiple Genasun controllers that are recommended. The Morningstar literature claims that the controller has "recognition of multiple power peaks during shading or mixed PV arrays." With my limited knowledge, the Morningstar seems like a better match for the SL80L panels and has interesting features like equalization support for my AGMs. Is there something that I might be missing as to why this controller isn't as good of a match, or are there experiences that question the claims of good performance with shading? We will certainly have shading to deal with on this sailboat, and the panels will be located to minimize it, but shaded performance will be paramount.

You've already got an excellent controller. Just wire the panels in parallel, set your voltages and go.

DO NOT use the equalization feature with solar or alternator regulators. If it has an "automatic" EQ feature do yourself a favor and turn it off.

These EQ features are a joke in the real world but probably help sell product. Wait until you can plug in and do a proper EQ with steady voltage & current... Lifeline is very specific that these EQ's be done properly and it must be temp compensated. You simply can not do a good EQ on a sailboat with solar panels...

No MPPT can "compensate" for shading. Got shade, you lose performance. Compared to PWM you might do better when shaded but the performance is still compromised. This is why parallel works better than series on a sail boat. In series one shaded panel hurts the performance of all the panels. In parallel only the shaded panel is compromised..

 

[marujo.sortudo]

Thanks for the advice! What you say about the EQ makes perfect sense, but I never thought about it that way. I have a BatteryMINDer for tending to the batteries when they can be plugged in (one a year or so.)