ZHC Solar Charge Controller 20A/30A for Lithium Battery with USB, LCD (20A, 12V / 24V)

Excellent and versatile controller, allows both 'float' and 'absorb' voltages to be set.Mind you, they should be set much differently if you're using a Lithium battery type than if you are using a Lead Acid battery, but since there aren't any limitations as far as the parameters other than being between 9 35 volts, it can work for almost any battery type, provided you're careful to set the voltages correctly.It's very useful that it has a low voltage load cutoff for the load terminals, it saved me from having to add another component.Pros:Customizable voltage settings.Can be used for multiple battery types. (Both different Lithium and Lead Acid types.)Has a low voltage shutoff for the 'Load' terminals. Helpful as a last-ditch effort to save the battery from being flattened in the case of an extended period without sun.Very tolerant of having a larger (higher voltage) panel connected. Even if your battery is nominally ~14.4 volts, a 24-volt nominal panel can be used, even if it is a bit inefficient as this is a PWM (not MPPT) controller.Cons:No heatsink on back. Just a metal (flat) plate. The picture shown isn't actually how it comes. Minus one star for inaccurate description. This didn't affect my use of it, as my use is very low power. If your application is higher power, I'd suggest you modify the heat dissipation by replacing or modifying the back plate to ensure proper cooling.Could have bigger wiring terminals, for a 20 amp controller I found them to be a bit small if you were going to actually use this for 20 amps.Other thoughts:The first unit I received was defective, and had a bug that it would (through overheat or other failure) stop charging the battery every few seconds, and then start again. It would repeat this no matter what I did.The seller was happy to end a replacement though, excellent customer service.Replacement unit I received seemed to work well, and I ordered another as well which also seems fine.Doesn't seem to like charging at very low (<0.2 Amps) available current, as would be typical at morning and dusk from a medium to small sized panel, but I'm not surprised that an inexpensive PWM controller lacks this capability since it is designed to handle ~20 amps.

If you're building your own solar PV array from components, YOU NEED THIS DEVICE. Works best with 255 watt, 24 volt panels (Renogy and other popular brands) because this device is made to work with 10 gauge wire. Connect a maximum of two 255w panels or three 100w panels in parallel to one controller, and attach it to a wall using #4 screws. My housemate and I converted my home to PV starting in August '17 and completed it in January '18, with 4 of these controllers regulating our array. These controllers are very easy to install and program.

at first this worked like a charm but out of the blue its no longer charging nor detecting solar panels. troubleshooted the system and solar panels are correctly wired and generating energy. also unit restarts itself randomly

none of the membrane buttons work at all! don't waste your money!

I was able to adjust the parameters to work with my bms and lithium battery pack without having to wait for a delivery from China. Thanks.

Pro. Worked exactly as advertised.Con. only worked for 2 days and carped out.

I bought this to use with a offgrid communication setup. My HF radio was plugged into the load section. I could not keep the load side to stay on but for brief moments. When it would stay on it produces a RF that interfered with my radio. This is not a good charge controller for a comms setup.

The output worked one time ans smoke was releasted from unit. It still charges the batteries and functions as needed except for the output.Dave