Victron - SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 Solar Charge Controller (12/24/48V, Bluetooth) - SCC110020160R
SCC110020160R
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Product Description
The Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 is a 20A solar charge controller with Bluetooth built in. It runs 290W of panel at 12V, 580W at 24V and 1160W at 48V, tracks the array's maximum power point continuously, and lets you watch and configure the whole thing from your phone in the VictronConnect app.
It is the one to fit when you want a controller you can actually see inside - state of charge, yield today, history for the last 30 days - rather than guessing from a row of LEDs.
Will my panels fit it?
Two numbers decide it, and people usually only check one.
- Panel wattage - up to 290W on a 12V battery, 580W on 24V, 1160W on 48V. Over that and the controller simply limits its output, it does not fail.
- Panel voltage - the array's open circuit voltage must stay under 100V, and that is the one that kills controllers. Panel voltage rises as it gets colder, so check the Voc on your panel's label in the coldest conditions you will see, not on a warm day.
One more thing worth knowing: the PV voltage has to be at least 5V above battery voltage for the controller to start up, and 1V above to keep running. That is why a panel in weak light sometimes shows nothing at all.
The bit no one explains: VE.Smart Networking
This is the reason to buy Victron rather than a generic MPPT, and almost nobody selling these describes it.
A Smart Battery Sense, SmartShunt or BMV-712 measures voltage and temperature at the battery and broadcasts it over Bluetooth. The MPPT listens and re-tunes its charge voltage off that reading instead of its own terminals. It matters because the controller is at the end of a cable - it always reads slightly high, so it always stops charging slightly early. Feed it a real battery-side reading and the battery actually reaches full.
Run more than one MPPT and they synchronise their charge stages over the same network, so they move through bulk, absorption and float together rather than fighting each other.
Key features
- Bluetooth built in - no dongle to buy, set up and monitor from the VictronConnect app
- 98% peak efficiency, natural cooling, no fan
- Automatic battery voltage detection - 12V, 24V or 48V
- Load output with BatteryLife - run lights or a fridge straight off the controller and it disconnects them before the battery is damaged, then adapts the cut-off point to protect battery life
- Adaptive multi-stage charging with presets for lithium (LiFePO4), AGM, gel and flooded, or a fully user-defined algorithm
- VE.Direct port for a GX device and the VRM remote portal
- Protected against PV reverse polarity, output short circuit and over-temperature
- 5 year warranty
Mounting it - read this before you pick a spot
Victron rate this unit IP43 on the electronics and IP22 on the connection area. That is an indoor rating. It is not a sealed or waterproof unit and it must not be mounted where it will see rain, road spray or dust - so not in an engine bay, and not exposed under a canopy floor.
Mount it vertically with the terminals facing down, on a non-flammable surface, with clear air above and below it. It sheds heat by convection, and a controller boxed in tight will quietly reduce its own output on a hot day.
Victron also offer a WireBox for this model, which covers the terminals and turns the connection area into a tidy, finished install. Worth having if the controller is anywhere a hand or a stray tool can reach it.
Full specifications
- Battery voltage: 12V, 24V or 48V, auto select
- Maximum battery current: 20A
- Nominal PV power: 290W at 12V, 580W at 24V, 1160W at 48V
- Maximum PV open circuit voltage: 100V
- Maximum PV short circuit current: 20A
- Peak efficiency: 98%
- Self consumption: 12V 25mA, 24V and 48V 15mA
- Charge voltage absorption: 14.4V / 28.8V / 57.6V (adjustable)
- Charge voltage float: 13.8V / 27.6V / 55.2V (adjustable)
- Charge algorithm: multi-stage adaptive or user defined
- Temperature compensation: -16mV/C at 12V, -32mV/C at 24V, -64mV/C at 48V
- Continuous load output current: 20A at 12V and 24V, 1A at 48V
- Automatic load disconnect: Yes, with BatteryLife
- Protection: PV reverse polarity, output short circuit, over temperature
- Operating temperature: -30C to +60C (full rated output up to 40C)
- Humidity: 100%, non-condensing
- Protection category: IP43 electronics, IP22 connection area
- Power terminals: 6mm2 / AWG10
- Data communication: VE.Direct port and Bluetooth
- Dimensions (h x w x d): 100 x 131 x 60 mm
- Weight: 0.65kg
- SKU: SCC110020160R
- Warranty: 5 years
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts of solar can the 100/20 handle?
290W on a 12V battery, 580W on 24V and 1160W on 48V. If you connect more than that the controller limits its output rather than failing. The harder limit is voltage - the array's open circuit voltage must stay below 100V, including in cold weather when panel voltage rises.
Is the SmartSolar MPPT waterproof?
No. Victron rate it IP43 on the electronics and IP22 on the connection area, which is an indoor rating. It must be mounted somewhere dry and protected - inside the vehicle, in a canopy or in a battery box. Do not mount it in an engine bay or anywhere exposed to rain or road spray.
Do I need a dongle for the Bluetooth?
No. Bluetooth is built into every SmartSolar model. Install the free VictronConnect app and it will find the controller. The older BlueSolar range is the one that needs a separate VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle.
What is the load output for?
It lets you run DC loads such as lights or a fridge directly from the controller, with low-voltage disconnect built in so the battery does not get flattened. The BatteryLife algorithm adjusts the disconnect point automatically to protect the battery over time. It carries 20A at 12V and 24V, but only 1A at 48V.
Why does my controller show nothing in low light?
The PV voltage has to be at least 5V above battery voltage for the controller to start, and stay 1V above to keep running. In weak light the panel does not reach that threshold, so the controller stays off. It is normal behaviour, not a fault.
Will it charge lithium?
Yes. VictronConnect has presets for lithium (LiFePO4), AGM, gel and flooded lead acid, and you can define your own charge algorithm if your battery manufacturer specifies something different.
What size cable do the terminals take?
The power terminals accept up to 6mm2 (AWG10). Size the cable for your actual current and run length - and keep the run between the controller and the battery as short as practical, because voltage drop there means the battery never sees the charge voltage the controller thinks it is delivering.
Shipping and support
- Dispatched from our Queensland warehouse, with tracking
- Genuine Victron stock, backed by the full 5 year warranty
- Australian owned and operated. Questions before you buy? Call us on 07 5211 0841
Smaller array? See the SmartSolar MPPT 100/15. Bigger? The 100/30 or 100/50. Browse the full Victron range.
