Sunforce 12 Volt 10 Amp Controller

[tomperanteau]

Anyone used one of these? Any opinions?

[hellosailor]

My impression was that it is cheap stuff, just a regulator to prevent overcharging. No three-stage, no change from bulk to float, just a cheap brute-force regulator.

If that's all you want, great. OTOH Genasun makes some MPPT charge controllers, real controllers with 3-stage charging, about $100. You'll get more power out of the panel AND more life from your batteries. Downside is, it will cost a bit more.

[bassviking]

If you have under around 140 watts of solar panel the Genasun 10 amp mppt controller might be your best bet to ge the max out of them. If you have between 140 and 240+ or so watts you should probably look towards a 15 amp mppt controller such as the Moringstar Sun Saver 15a MPPT or the Blue Sky Energy 15-25a offerings. Those are around $200-$250.