Cheap PWM SCCs?

[fafrd]

As I consider my equipment needs to charge a 24V LiFePO4 battery from a 1S string with Vmp of 30.2V, I’m coming to the conclusion that PWM will be better than MPPT (because more voltage margin).

So I’m looking at the PWMs out there seeking models capable of LiFePO4 charging parameters.

There are many very inexpensive PWMs and I may be ready to take a flyer on a cheapo unit if I can find a model anyone here has experience with and can say anything the least but good about.

So has anyone had a non-disasterous experience with any of these cheap PWM SCCs (30A) charging 12V or 24V LiFePO4 batteries?

A PWM SCC is about as simple as you can imagine when in bulk charge mode (direct charging) so I am even considering DIYing my own simple bulk-charge SCC by using a relay: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/diy-pseudo-pwm-scc-using-relay.53361/

 

[fafrd]

There are obviously even cheaper models, but here’s an example of the class of PWM SCC I’m considering: https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Control...cphy=9032083&hvtargid=pla-1599278327182&psc=1

And here is the manual: https://hqsolarpower.com/content/HQST-CTRL-PWM30N-Manual.pdf

$40 currently on sale for $32 for a 30A PWM SCC with LiFePO4 settings (fixed).

Just a 30A relay will cost me almost this much so if anyone has non-negative experience with SCCs at this pricepoint, I’d love to hear more…