Translations:Charge controller/55/en

The different charging phases of a charge controller with current (I), voltage (V) and state of charge (battery icon): (1) Bulk phase (2) Absorption phase (3) Float phase (4) Equalization charge

All battery chargers for lead acid batteries, not just charge controllers for PV systems, follow the same basic three stage charging pattern: bulk, absorption, and float. A charge controller moves through these different stages based upon programmed voltage set points and the ambient battery temperature or ambient temperature. Smaller capacity and lower cost charge controllers may not offer the capability to program the voltage set points and will rely on values set by the manufacturer. If the charge controller does enable the programming of the voltage set points, the user manual for that specific battery should be consulted as the voltage set points vary based upon manufacturer and battery type (FLA, AGM, gel).