The performance of photovoltaic street light controllers is related to various factors, including:
- Quality of hardware components
Performance of microprocessor: The microprocessor is the core component of the controller, and its processing capability determines the speed and accuracy of the controller in processing various data. For example, high-performance microprocessors can more quickly sample and analyze the output voltage and current of photovoltaic panels, thereby more accurately controlling the charging process.
Electronic component quality: including capacitors, resistors, diodes, etc. High quality capacitors can provide more stable power filtering and reduce the impact of voltage fluctuations on the controller; High precision resistors can make current detection in circuits more accurate, ensuring the control accuracy of charging and discharging currents. - Charging control strategy
Charging modes: Common ones include constant current charging, constant voltage charging, and staged charging. Constant current charging can quickly charge the battery with a stable current when the battery level is low, but improper control may lead to overcharging of the battery; Constant voltage charging can effectively avoid overcharging, but the current will gradually decrease and the charging speed will slow down in the later stage of charging. Staged charging combines the advantages of both. By using a constant current and then constant voltage charging method, the charging parameters can be flexibly adjusted according to the characteristics and battery state of the battery, extending the battery life. This reflects the importance of charging control strategy for controller performance.
Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Function: Controllers with MPPT function can track the maximum power point of photovoltaic panels in real time, allowing the panels to always operate at maximum power output. For example, under different lighting intensities and temperature conditions, the maximum power point of photovoltaic panels will change. The MPPT controller can dynamically adjust the operating voltage and current of the panels, enabling the street light system to maximize the use of solar energy and improve power generation efficiency. - Discharge control function
Load control accuracy: For street lamp loads, the controller needs to accurately control the discharge process. For example, it can accurately turn on and off street lights at set times, and provide stable and appropriate voltage and current during the operation of the street lights to ensure stable brightness. If the accuracy of load control is poor, it may lead to uneven brightness of street lamps or premature battery over discharge.
Over discharge protection: When the battery level is too low, the controller should be able to promptly cut off the load to prevent excessive discharge of the battery. This not only protects the battery and extends its lifespan, but also ensures the reliability of the streetlight system. Some advanced controllers can set different over discharge protection thresholds based on the characteristics of the battery, and automatically restore power supply after the battery level is restored to a certain extent. - Environmental adaptability
Temperature adaptability: Photovoltaic street lights usually work in outdoor environments with a wide range of temperature changes. The electronic components of the controller may experience performance degradation in high-temperature environments, such as an increase in the on resistance of semiconductor devices, leading to increased power loss; In low-temperature environments, the charging and discharging performance of batteries can also be affected. A high-performance controller can operate normally over a wide temperature range, for example, by adjusting charging parameters through a temperature compensation circuit to ensure reasonable charging of the battery at different temperatures.
Protection level: Due to factors such as dust and rain in outdoor environments, the protection level of the controller (such as IP65, IP67, etc.) determines its ability to resist these external factors. A high protection level controller can effectively prevent dust from entering the internal circuit and causing short circuits, as well as prevent rainwater from soaking and damaging electronic components, thereby ensuring long-term stable operation of the controller in harsh outdoor environments. - Battery compatibility
Battery type support: Different types of batteries (such as lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries, etc.) have different charging and discharging characteristics. The controller needs to adopt appropriate charging and discharging control algorithms for different battery types. For example, lithium batteries require high accuracy in charging voltage and current, and overcharging or overdischarging can easily damage the battery; Lead acid batteries, on the other hand, are relatively more tolerant, but they also require a suitable charging mode to prevent issues such as plate vulcanization.
Battery capacity adaptation: The charging and discharging current parameters of the controller should match the battery capacity. If the charging current is too high, it may cause overcharging for small capacity batteries; Excessive discharge current can cause the battery to over discharge and shorten its lifespan. Appropriate battery capacity adaptation can fully utilize the performance of the battery while ensuring effective control of the controller.