The Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 is a 50A solar charge controller with Bluetooth built in. It runs 700W of panel at 12V and 1400W at 24V, tracks the array's maximum power point continuously, and lets you watch and configure the whole thing from your phone in the VictronConnect app.
This is the largest controller in the 100V range - the one for a full roof of panels on a caravan, a big canopy build or an off-grid setup that has to charge a serious lithium bank in a single day.
Will my panels fit it?
Two numbers decide it, and people usually only check one.
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Panel wattage - up to 700W on a 12V battery or 1400W on 24V. Over that and the controller simply limits its output, it does not fail.
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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. With 700W of panel you are likely wiring in series, which is exactly where people exceed 100V without realising.
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.
Two real differences from the 100/15 and 100/20
These are worth knowing before you buy, because no one mentions them:
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There is no load output on the 100/50. The smaller 100/15 and 100/20 have physical load output terminals you can run lights or a fridge from. This model does not - it has a virtual load output that switches an external relay instead. If you were planning to power loads directly off the controller, that is a real difference.
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Bigger terminals. 16mm2 (AWG6) rather than 6mm2, because it is carrying 50A. Size your cable accordingly - and note it is a physically larger unit at 130 x 186 x 70mm and 1.3kg.
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. At 50A through a long run that error is bigger, not smaller, so on this model it is worth doing properly.
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
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Bluetooth built in - no dongle to buy, set up and monitor from the VictronConnect app
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98% maximum efficiency, natural cooling, no fan
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Automatic battery voltage detection - 12V or 24V
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Eight pre-programmed charge algorithms plus a fully user-defined option, covering lithium (LiFePO4), AGM, gel and flooded
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Rotary switch on the unit for setting the charge profile without a phone, if you prefer
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VE.Direct port for a GX device and the VRM remote portal
- Protected against 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 output is only fully rated up to 40C ambient - above that the controller reduces its own current to protect itself. This matters more on the 50A than any other model in the range: it is the one making the most heat, and a 50A controller in a hot sealed box is not a 50A controller.
Full specifications
- Battery voltage: 12V or 24V, auto select
- Rated charge current: 50A
- Nominal PV power: 700W at 12V, 1400W at 24V
- Maximum PV open circuit voltage: 100V
- Maximum PV short circuit current: 60A
- Maximum efficiency: 98%
- Self consumption: 12V 30mA, 24V 20mA
- Charge voltage absorption: 14.4V / 28.8V (adjustable)
- Charge voltage float: 13.8V / 27.6V (adjustable)
- Charge algorithm: multi-stage adaptive, eight pre-programmed or user defined
- Temperature compensation: -16mV/C at 12V, -32mV/C at 24V
- Load output: virtual only - no physical load terminals
- Protection: output short circuit, over temperature
- Operating temperature: -30C to +60C (full rated output up to 40C)
- Humidity: 95%, non-condensing
- Protection category: IP43 electronics, IP22 connection area
- Power terminals: 16mm2 / AWG6
- Data communication: VE.Direct port and Bluetooth
- Dimensions (h x w x d): 130 x 186 x 70 mm
- Weight: 1.3kg
- SKU: SCC110050210
- Warranty: 5 years
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts of solar can the 100/50 handle?
700W on a 12V battery and 1400W on 24V. 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. With an array this size you are likely wiring panels in series, which is where that limit gets exceeded.
Does the 100/50 have a load output?
Not a physical one. The 100/30 and 100/50 have a virtual load output, which switches an external relay rather than powering loads through the controller itself. If you want to run a fridge or lights directly from the controller's own terminals, you need the 100/15 or 100/20, which have physical load output terminals.
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.
100/30 or 100/50 - which do I need?
They are the same physical size, same terminals and same features - the difference is capacity. The 100/30 takes 440W at 12V, the 100/50 takes 700W. Pick on the size of your array, and leave headroom if you plan to add panels later, because the controller is the cheaper thing to oversize.
What size cable do the terminals take?
Up to 16mm2 (AWG6). At 50A, cable size and run length matter more than on any other model in the range. Keep the run between the controller and the battery as short as practical - voltage drop there means the battery never sees the charge voltage the controller thinks it is delivering.
Will it really deliver 50A in summer?
Output is fully rated up to 40C ambient. Above that the controller derates its own current to protect itself. That is why mounting matters - vertical, terminals down, with clear air above and below. This is the hottest-running model in the range, so give it room.
Will it charge lithium?
Yes. There are eight pre-programmed charge algorithms including lithium (LiFePO4), AGM, gel and flooded lead acid, and you can define your own if your battery manufacturer specifies something different. Settings can be changed in VictronConnect or with the rotary switch on the unit.
Shipping and support
- Dispatched from our Queensland warehouse, with tracking
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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 100/30, 100/20 or 100/15. Browse the full Victron range.
