Solar battery charger

Using solar cells to charge batteries is a very popular application.

However, solar cells also face many challenges due to the high variability of their output voltage, which depends on the solar energy, temperature and load received by the solar panels.

Taking advantage of the ISL81601 lift-voltage controller, the design can be used to charge batteries at various voltages, even if the solar panel output voltage is well below its nominal output voltage.

The solution adds a Renesas RL78/G14 MCU to ensure the battery does not overcharge and to monitor the battery status.

Thanks to the new MPPT firmware, the RL78/G14 controls the ISL81601 to maximize the efficiency of the solar panels.

According to the voltage of the solar array used, an optional DC/DC was added to improve the efficiency of higher voltage applications.

The main features

Even if the solar panel's voltage is lower than the battery's, the rise-and-fall architecture can charge the battery

Programmable charge rate to support various modes such as quick charge and trickle charge

The input voltage is up to 60V, and the adjustable output voltage ranges from 0.8V to 60V

Monitor battery status to prevent battery damage due to overcharging.

System chart

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