Morningstar SunSaver SS-10-12v Charge Controller 10A 12V

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Price: $51.00    

Product Feature

• Constant voltage pulse width modulation (PWM) charging
• Epoxy encapsulated electronics ensure durability and longevity
• Includes a temperature compensation sensor
• Rated Solar Current: 10A @ 12V
• Rated Load Current: 10A @ 12V

Product Description

A high quality, reliable and economically priced charge controller from Morningstar. Features their advanced PWM pulse charging algorithm.Other features include selectable battery type and temperature compensation.Specifications:Model #: SS-10-12VLVD (low voltage disconnect): NoVdc (voltage direct current): 12VSolar Amps: 10 ALoad Amps: 10 AWeight: 1 lb. / .45 kgDimensions: 5.9" x 2.1" x 1.3" / 149.86 x 53.4 x 33.02 mmWarranty info: 5 year warranty from manufacturer

Morningstar SunSaver SS-10-12v Charge Controller 10A 12V Review

May 19 , 2013 update. Same panels, same batteries, same charger. All is well. Fridge died , but controller is still doing the job.If you battery(s) are worth more than $25 this is probably the best cheapest controller. If you buy a cheap controller, you need to check what is happening with a volt meter. The cheap ebay controllers i tested are not good.
2 years ago-This is an update after 5 months of constant use in Baja california. I run a 12volt refer and the lights to a small house.
Testing with a watt meter:
Watt meter between charger and battery. my panels
( 3- 20 year old 50 watt panels) had at least a peak wattage of 130 (9.5 amps) watt on a sunny day, and hit 200 watts on some partly cloudy days. So the unit was pushed to the max, and held up well. Wattage to a fully charged battery was 5-8 watts. There was no heat coming from the unit. Would up my rating 5 stars. Therefore the following review should be changed in spots, but I'll leave it for now.

How Morningstar Sunsaver ss-10 works and the potential flaw.
Assuming temperature 25 degrees C: the controller will put a voltage of 14.4v into the battery. With no load on the system, and sun, a voltmeter will always read 14.4v no matter what state of charge the battery is in. This is just what my battery type wants- constant voltage. So far great.
But when the battery is fully charged , the float voltage does not go down to around 13.7v. The float voltage is 14.4v. After 2 days of charging, an analog amp meter shows zero current going into the battery. however my 0-25a meter is accurate at best to + - 1 amp. So maybe a float voltage of 14.4v is ok? Provided the current is very low. My batteries (expensive) call for a float votage of 13.2v to 13.7v. I'll know more when I get a digital amp meter.
I can't find any specs from Morningstar on how much current is going into a fully charged battery.
It's just sort of dissapointing that I spent the extra money for a name brand, and may have ended up with an inferior product. If I had known the float voltage was 14.4v, I would not have purchased. Especially with no specs on current at the float voltage. If I hadn't modified the mounting holes , I would return it. Now I'm left with the problem of finding out the current myself, and then babysitting the thing so my batteries don't overcharge.
The temperature sensor works well.

Correction. I started out with an 85% charged battery. I do not know what the initial charging battery voltage would be if I had started out with a more discharged battery. Probably would depend on % battery charge and output of solar panels. Float voltage still 14.4v.

Update. I bought a 10 amp controller that looks identical to the HQRP 10a. Was not purchased from amazon. Was 20 bones delivered.
That controller is way way worse than the sunsaver. It starts the day on a fully charged battery and enters an equilization phase. Battery voltage is brought up to
16 plus volts then shut off until voltage goes down to 14.4v. Then the full power of the panels ( 6 amps in my case)is put into the battery until voltage goes to 16 plus again. This went on for an hour until I pulled its plug. Next day same thing. I'm not sure what kind of battery likes this treatment. Not gel and not my AGM. Would be ok for an old car battery you don't care about. So for under 60 bucks the morningstar may be as good as you can get.
I've put a switch on the morningstar and can lower the float voltage to 14.1v. I think I can live with that. Or maybe go back to the nc25a I was using.
I have no use for the load contols on these controllers. I'm not lighting a street lamp. My main use is running a fridge/freezer, that shuts down when batteries are below 12 volts. I would be happy if the manufacture left out the load feature and just spent the savings to make a charger that correctly charged the battery.

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