# question about a solar controller



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Hi
Hey when a charge controller is 40 amp does mean that you can only pull 40 amps out of the controller or
does that mean that you can only put 40 amps in?


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Only 40 amps in. Over 40 & controller will shut down & reset.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I have the same research and questions going on right now I am looking at putting out 18 to 24 panels each 285 watts of production and if you add amps up its way over any single charge controller on the market except for one that I can find a magnum pt100however there are no Magnum pt100 available for sale right now so it leaves you in a position using two different Outback 152 control somewhere between 5000 6000 watts of panels just goes to show that the technology in the panels is way out pacing the technology in the charge controllers and the battery banks to receive the charge


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

budget, have you considered doing two systems? I've run my 520watt system for three years & now time to expand. I'm adding a separate 600watt system with its own controller, batteries, & inverter. A huge advantage is I will not have to replace all my batteries at one time.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

BTW, if you over amperage a controller there is a good chance it will never work again.


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## graynomad (Nov 21, 2014)

The controller is in charge of the process, if it's a 40A controller (and it's made correctly) it will only allow 40 amps to flow, doesn't matter if you have a 1000 amps available.



> ...24 panels each 285 watts ...


Approx 7000W, a big system but not unduly so. If you string the panels to get 48 or even 96 volts that's only 72A @ 96V, Morningstar (and many others I guess) make regulators that can be wired in parallel and I'm pretty sure they can handle the 96V although I haven't looked for a while.

EDIT: Just looked, this one

TriStar MPPT 600V » Morningstar Corporation

Might to the job by itself, although I can't find it's max wattage. Or maybe two of these

TriStar MPPT » Morningstar Corporation

I didn't look real close at the specs but they should be in the ball park.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

the last time I up graded put the new panels on a separate controller but they both feed into the same battery bank


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