Test MPPT controller?

[jfm30204]

I wasn't quite ready to jump into solar yet, although it is on my list to do, but I found a used 40 amp EPEver MPPT controller for cheap so bought it. I hooked it up to a small lead acid 12V battery and used a 30V, 5A DC power supply to simulate the solar panel. Set up this way, the controller was charging the battery at 13.4V and a little over 1A. What should I expect with this setup, and what else can I do to checkout this controller? Thanks.

 

[RCinFLA]

A power supply will not act like PV panels and it depends on particular controller's MPPT algorithm.

PV panels are diode clamped illumination based current sources.

Closest thing is to set power supply current and voltage limiting. Current limit will act like PV panel illumination current (Isc), but voltage limit of power supply is much more abrupt than a normal PV panel. A power supply voltage limiting is like Vmp and Voc at same point. This may confuse MPPT search by controller.

Many MPPT controllers just drop into PWM mode when they get confused trying to find MPPT point.

 

[jfm30204]

A power supply will not act like PV panels and it depends on particular controller's MPPT algorithm.

PV panels are diode clamped illumination based current sources.

Closest thing is to set power supply current and voltage limiting. Current limit will act like PV panel illumination current (Isc), but voltage limit of power supply is much more abrupt than a normal PV panel. A power supply voltage limiting is like Vmp and Voc at same point. This may confuse MPPT search by controller.

Many MPPT controllers just drop into PWM mode when they get confused trying to find MPPT point.

Thanks. Maybe one day I'll understand it .