ROVER
SERIES
20A | 30A | 40A
Version 1.5
Important Safety Instructions
Please save these instructions.
This manual contains important safety, installation, and operating instructions for the charge
controller. The following symbols are used throughout the manual to indicate potentially
dangerous conditions or important safety information.
WARNING
Indicates a potentially dangerous condition. Use extreme caution
when performing this task
CAUTION
NOTE
Indicates a critical procedure for safe and proper operation of the
controller
Indicates a procedure or function that is important to the safe and
proper operation of the controller
General Safety Information
Read all of the instructions and cautions in the manual before beginning the installation.
There are no serviceable parts for this controller. Do NOT disassemble or attempt to repair
the controller.
Do
NOT
allow water to enter the controller.
Make sure all connections going into and from the controller are tight.
Charge Controller Safety
NEVER connect the solar panel array to the controller without a battery. Battery must be
connected first.
Ensure input voltage does not exceed 100 VDC to prevent permanent damage. Use the
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) to make sure the voltage does not exceed this value when
connecting panels together.
01
Battery Safety
Use only sealed lead-acid, flooded, gel or lithium batteries which
must be deep cycle.
Explosive battery gases may be present while charging. Be certain there is enough
ventilation to release the gases.
Be careful when working with large lead acid batteries. Wear eye protection and have
fresh water available in case there is contact with the battery acid.
Carefully read battery manuals before operation.
Do
NOT
let the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery touch each other.
Recycle battery when it is replaced.
Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and
activate material shedding on them. Too high of an equalizing charge or too long of one
may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery
used in the system.
Equalization is carried out only for non-sealed / vented/ flooded / wet cell lead acid
batteries.
Do
NOT
equalize VRLA type AGM / Gel / Lithium cell batteries UNLESS permitted by
battery manufacturer.
Default charging parameters in Li mode are programmed for 12.8V Lithium Iron
Phosphate (LFP) Battery only. Before using Rover to charge other types of lithium
battery, set the parameters according to the suggestions from battery manufacturer.
Please set the correct battery type the first time you use.
WARNING
Connect battery terminals to the charge controller BEFORE connecting
the solar panel(s) to the charge controller. NEVER connect solar panels to
charge controller until the battery is connected.
Do NOT connect any inverters or battery charger into the load terminal of
the charge controller.
Once equalization is active in the battery charging, it will not exit this stage
unless there is adequate charging current from the solar panel. There
should be NO load on the batteries when in equalization charging stage.
02
Table of Contents
General Information
Additional Components
Optional Components
Identification of Parts
Installation
Operation
LED Indicators
Rover Protections
System Status Troubleshooting
Error Codes
Maintenance
Fusing
Technical Specifications
Electrical Parameters
04
08
08
09
10
17
22
24
25
25
26
26
27
27
General
Battery Charging Parameters
ROVER: PV Power – Conversion Efficiency Curves
Dimensions
03
27
28
29
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General Information
The Rover Series charge controllers are intelligent controllers suitable for various off-grid solar
applications. It protects the battery from being over-charged by the solar modules and
over-discharged by the loads. The controller features a smart tracking algorithm that maximizes the
energy from the solar PV module(s) and charge the battery. At the same time, the low voltage
disconnect function (LVD) will prevent the battery from over discharging.
The Rover's charging process has been optimized for long battery life and improved system
performance. The comprehensive self-diagnostics and electronic protection functions can prevent
damage from installation mistakes or system faults.
Key Features
Automatically detect
Innovative MPPT technology with high tracking efficiency up to 99% and peak
conversion efficiency of 98%
Deep cycle Sealed, Gel, Flooded and Lithium (12.8V LFP) battery option ready
Electronic protection: Overcharging, over-discharging, overload, and short circuit
Reverse protection: Any combination of solar module and battery, without causing
damage to any component
Customizable charging voltages
Charges over-discharged lithium batteries
RS232 port to communicate with BT-1 Bluetooth module
12V or 24V DC system voltages
MPPT Technology
The MPPT Charge Controller utilizes Maximum Power Point Tracking technology to extract
maximum power from the solar module(s). The tracking algorithm is fully automatic and
does not require user adjustment. MPPT technology will track the array’smaximum power point
voltage (Vmp) as it varies with weather conditions, ensuring that the maximum power is
harvested from the array throughout the course of the day.
Current Boost
In many cases, the MPPT charge controller will “boost” up the current in the solar system. The
current does not come out of thin air. Instead, the power generated in the solar panels is the
same power that is transmitted into the battery bank. Power is the product of Voltage (V) x
Amperage (A).
04
Therefore, assuming 100% efficiency:
Volts In * Amps In = Volts out * Amps out
Power In = Power Out
Although MPPT controllers are not 100% efficient, they are very close at about 92-95% efficient.
Therefore, when the user has a solar system whose Vmp is greater than the battery bank
voltage, then that potential difference is proportional to the current boost. The voltage generated
at the solar module needs to be stepped down to a rate that could charge the battery in a stable
fashion by which the amperage is boosted accordingly to the drop. It is entirely possible to have
a solar module generate 8 amps going into the charge controller and likewise have the charge
controller send 10 amps to the battery bank. This is the essence of the MPPT charge controllers
and their advantage over traditional charge controllers. In traditional charge controllers, that
stepped down voltage amount is wasted because the controller algorithm can only dissipate it
as heat. The following demonstrates a graphical point regarding the output of MPPT technology.
Current vs. Voltage (12V System) Output Power(12V System)
Typical Battery
Voltage Range
CURRENT
10 15 17
Maximum
Power Point
VOLTAGE
Maximum
Traditional
Controller
Operating
Range
CURRENT
10 15 17
Power Point
VOLTAGE
Limiting Effectiveness
Temperature is a huge enemy of solar modules. As the environmental temperature
increases, the operating voltage (Vmp
) is reduced and limits the power generation of the solar
module. Despite the effectiveness of MPPT technology, the charging algorithm will
not have much to work with and therefore there is an inevitable decrease in
In this scenario, it would be preferred to have modules with higher nominal
despite the drop in performance of the panel, the battery is still receiving
performance.
voltage, so that
a current boost
because of the proportional drop in module voltage.
05
possibly
Four Charging Stages
The Rover MPPT charge controller has a 4-stage battery charging algorithm for a rapid,
efficient, and safe battery charging. They include: Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge,
and Equalization.
Battery
Voltage
Equalize
Boost
Float
Recharge
Battery
Current
A B C
Bulk Charge
Max Current
Constant charging
Duration Time:2h
(Range:10-180min)
Cumulative Time:3h
Float Charge
Boost
Bulk
Time
Time
Bulk Charge: This algorithm is used for day to day charging. It uses 100% of available solar
power to recharge the battery and is equivalent to constant current. In this stage the battery
voltage has not yet reached constant voltage (Equalize or Boost), the controller operates in
constant current mode, delivering its maximum current to the batteries (MPPT Charging) .
Constant Charging: When the battery reaches the constant voltage set point, the controller
will start to operate in constant charging mode, where it is no longer MPPT charging. The current
will drop gradually. This has two stages, equalize and boost and they are not carried out
constantly in a full charge process to avoid too much gas precipitation or overheating of the
battery.
Boost Charge: Boost stage maintains a charge for 2 hours by default. The user
can adjust the constant time and preset value of boost per their demand.
Float Charge: After the constant voltage stage, the controller will reduce the battery voltage
to a float voltage set point. Once the battery is fully charged, there will be no more chemical
reactions and all the charge current would turn into heat or gas. Because of this,
06
The charge controller will reduce the voltage charge to smaller quantity, while lightly charging
the battery. The purpose for this is to offset the power consumption while maintaining a full
battery storage capacity. In the event that a load drawn from the battery exceeds the charge
current, the controller will no longer be able to maintain the battery to a Float set point and the
controller will end the float charge stage and refer back to bulk charging.
Equalization: Is carried out every 28 days of the month. It is intentional overcharging of
the battery for a controlled period of time. Certain types of batteries benefit from periodic
equalizing charge, which can stir the electrolyte, balance battery voltage and complete
chemical reaction. Equalizing charge increases the battery voltage, higher than the standard
complement voltage, which gasifies the battery electrolyte.
WARNING
Once equalization is active in the battery charging, it will not exit this stage unless
there is adequate charging current from the solar panel. There should be NO load
on the batteries when in equalization charging stage.
WARNING
Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates
and activate material shedding on them. Too high of equalizing charge or for too
long may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the
battery used in the system.
WARNING
Equalization may increase battery voltage to a level damaging to sensitive DC
loads. Ensure that all load allowable input voltages are greater than the equalizing
charging set point voltage.
Lithium Battery Activation
The Rover MPPT charge controller has a reactivation feature to awaken a sleeping lithium
battery. The protection circuit of lithium battery will typically turn the battery off and make it
unusable if over-discharged. This can happen when storing a lithium battery pack in a
discharged state for any length of time as self-discharge would gradually deplete the remaining
charge. Without the wake-up feature to reactivate and recharge batteries, these batteries would
become unserviceable and the packs would be discarded. The Rover will apply a small charge
current to activate the protection circuit and if a correct cell voltage can be reached, it starts a
normal charge.
CAUTION
When using the Rover to charge a 24V lithium battery bank, set the system
voltage to 24V instead of auto recognition. If auto recognition is accidently
selected the Rover will allow you to change it to 24V when the lithium battery
activation. In the activation interface press and hold the enter button to
trigger the system voltage selector. To change the system voltage, press the
Up or Down buttons then long press Enter to save the selected system voltage.
07
Additional Components
Additional components included in the package:
Remote Temperature Sensor:
This sensor measures the temperature at the battery and uses this
data for very accurate temperature compensation.The sensor is
supplied with a 9.8ft cable length that connects to the charge
controller.Simply connect the cable and adhere the sensor on top
or the side of the battery to record ambient temperature around the
battery.
NOTE
Do Not use this sensor when charging lithium battery.
Mounting Brackets
These brackets can be used to mount the Rover charge
controller on any flat surface. The screws to mount the
brackets to the charge controller are included, screws to
mount charge controller to surface are not included.
Mounting Oval:7.66 x 4.70mm (0.30 x 0.18in)
Optional Components
Optional components that require a separate purchase:
Renogy BT-1 Bluetooth Module:
The BT-1 Bluetooth module is a great addition to any Renogy charge
controllers with a RS232 port and is used to pair charge controllers with the
Renogy DC Home App. After pairing is done you can monitor your system
and change parameters directly from you cell phone or tablet. No more
wondering how your system is performing, now you can see performance
in real time without the need of checking on the controller’s LCD.
Renogy DM-1 4G Data Module:
The DM-1 4G Module is capable of connecting to select Renogy charge
controllers through an RS232, and is used to pair charge controllers with
Renogy 4G monitoring app. This app allows you to conveniently monitor
your system and charge syeters parameters remotely from anywhere 4G
LTE network service is available.
08
1
2
3
4
5
6
Identification of Parts
9 10 11
8
Key Parts
7
12
1. PV LED Indicator
2. Battery LED Indicator
3. Load LED Indicator
4. System Error LED Indicator
5. LCD Screen
6. Operating Keys
7. Mounting Holes
8. Remote Temperature Sensor Port (optional accessory)
9. PV Terminals
10. Battery Terminals
11. Load Terminals
12. RS-232 Port (optional accessory)
09
Installation
CHARGER
HIGH AMP
DRAWING DEVICE
Recommended tools to have before installation:
WARNING
WARNING
Screwdriver
Multi-Meter
Connect battery terminal wires to the charge controller FIRST then connect the
solar panel(s) to the charge controller. NEVER connect solar panel to charge
controller before the battery.
Do NOT connect any inverters or battery chargers into the LOAD TERMINAL of
the charge controller.
INVERTER
BATTERY
CAUTION
CAUTION
Do not over tighten the screw terminals. This could potentially break the
piece that holds the wire to the charge controller.
Refer to the technical specifications for max wire sizes on the controller and
for the maximum amperage going through wires.
You are now ready to begin connecting your battery to your charge controller.
10
Battery
1 2
3
11
Load (optional)
1 2
Solar Panels
1 2
12
Bluetooth Module communication (optional)
1 2
Temperature Sensor (optional, not polarity sensitive)
1 2
3
Place the sensor close to the battery
NOTE
Do NOT place the Temperature Sensor lug inside the battery cell.
Mounting Recommendations
WARNING
Never install the controller in a sealed enclosure with flooded batteries. Gas can accumulate
and there is a risk of explosion.
1. Choose Mounting Location—place the controller on a vertical surface protected from
direct sunlight, high temperatures, and water. Make sure there is good ventilation.
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2. Check for Clearance—verify that there is sufficient room to run wires, as well as clearance
above and below the controller for ventilation. The clearance should be at least 6 inches (150mm).
3. Mark Holes
4. Drill Holes
5. Secure the charge controller.
6 inches
(150mm)
warm air
6 inches
(150mm)
Mounting Methods
The controller can be mounted using the existing mounting holes or using the included mounting
brackets.
cool air
14
Using Mounting Hole
Step 1.
Measure the distance between each
mounting hole on the Rover. Using that
distance drill 4 screws onto desired surface.
Step 2.
Align the Rovers mounting holes with the
screws
Step 3.
Verify all screw heads are inside the
mounting holes. Release controller and
check if mounting feels secure.
15
Using Mounting Brackets
Step 1.
Install the brackets using the provided
components
Step 2.
Align the mounting brackets to desired
surface and use the appropriate screws to drill
into surface (screws not included)
Step 3.
Verify mounting is secure
16
Operation
Rover is very simple to use. Simply connect the batteries, and the controller will automatically
determine the battery voltage. The controller comes equipped with an LCD screen and 4
buttons to maneuver though the menus.
NOTE：Please set the correct battery type the first time you use.
Startup Interface
Main Display
NOTE
The Battery Capacity (SOC%) is estimated based on the charging voltage.
Error Code
Load mode
Main Screen
Solar Panel Voltage
Battery Voltage
Load Current
Controller
Temperature
Charging Current
Accumulated AH
Battery Capacity
Discharged AH
17
/
/ -
Page Up/ Increase parameter value
Page Down/ Decrease parameter value
Return to the previous menu
ENTER/
Enter sub menu/ save parameter value/
turn load on or off in manual mode
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Programming Battery Type
To enter the battery programming settings hover over the Battery Voltage screen and press
down the Enter button .When the battery type starts to flash press the Select button to cycle
through the battery types and press Enter to finalize selection .When selecting the Lithium
setting the user can change battery voltage from 12V to 24V and select the charging voltage.
Li
12V
SLD
GEL
FLD
USE
24V
12V / 24V
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