Redarc PWM Solar Charge Controller - 20 Amp

Video Transcript for Review of Redarc Solar Charge Controller - RED43VR

Hello everybody, this is Jeff for etrailer.com. Today we take a look at the REDARC 20 amp PWM solar charge controller. Now this is a 20 amp PWM solar controller which will regulate the solar output from your solar panels to safely charge your RV batteries. Does use the PWM technology, which stands for pulse with modulation and this will regulate the panel output to provide a consistent charge. This will protect your battery from overcharging, and it does use multi-stage charging which will switch the modes as the battery charges to help extend the battery life. On the very front here if you notice, there's these indicator lights.

These will monitor the battery and the controller status. And what's pretty handy, is if you look at the very top of the regulator, has a little guide here that'll indicate what those different lights mean when they light up. Now the REDARC solar regulators are designed to work with AGM flooded by an acid and calcium batteries. They are ideal for fixed or portable systems and they have multiple levels of protection including over-temperature, overcharge, and reverse polarity. Now, one note I do want to mention is this regulator is set from the factory for just AGM batteries.

So if you need to use it on a different battery, it does require the REDARC remote monitor which we do sell separately on our website. That's part number R-E-B-8-3-V-R. It's usually listed on this product page as a related product, but that remote monitor will plug right into this connection here and allows you to change it to the battery you're going to use it with. If you notice on the front, it uses the Anderson connections. These are very common connections for RV's.

This is where the cables from your solar panels will connect and REDARC does use the industry standard Andersen SB 50 connectors across their whole solar range. These high quality Andersen plugs are very simple and fast to connect with. There's no screw terminals and no risk of poor connections and frayed wires or loose terminals. Basically the cables you just push it in there and lock into place. So for the most part, there's no tools required to connect your solar products together, just plug and play.

This is an IP 55 rating, protects against dust and rain. Few specs on this again, the application is for 12 volt or 24 volt battery and solar systems. We mentioned it works with AGM flooded lead acid and calcium batteries. Now the maximum solar input for 12 volts on this one is 240 Watts, 24 volts is 480 Watts. The output current rating is 20 amps, operating temperature for this regulator is, the range is a negative 31 degrees Fahrenheit up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Does come with this nice manual that'll describe how this all connects and how it operates. And the last thing I want to do is just give you the measurements of this regulator. The length, we're going to measure, including the tabs, the mounting tabs. It's going to be right at six and a quarter inches. The width of it, from the very back to the front of the connector gonna be right at four and a half inches. And the height of this unit is only one and one eighth inches tall. But that should do it for the review on this REDARC 20 amp PWM solar charge controller..