Features:

  • HQST 20A Amp solar charge controller is an intelligent and multifunctional solar charge controller with a dual USB ports design to charge electronic devices.
  • 12V/24V system voltages are automatically recognized. With temperature compensation employed, charging parameters can be automatically adjusted. A wide range of load working modes facilitate the product's application to different types of load. All of the controlling parameters can be reset flexibly to satisfy the user's particular needs.
  • It provides a dot matrix graphic LCD screen and a human-machine interface with a key, which makes operation on the interface rather convenient.
  • The product provides overcharge, over-discharge, overload protection, as well as short-circuit protection.
  • Light control: When daylight begins the light source will turn off; meanwhile, the solar panels will charge the batteries. When there is no sunlight the garden light will switch on.
By far the best PWM controller I have ever used! It actually has a brain.

This little device has completely changed my entire battery management system. It knows about all the phases of charging, and adjusts itself accordingly between regular morning charging, to Boost when necessary, then to Float. All I have to do is make sure I keep water in the batteries. It helps to have the correct battery-filling tool, available here on Amazon. It is like watering a garden in shape, but it has a nozzle that makes sure the levels are correct, with no spillage. After using so many different types of charge controllers, including MPPT (unnecessary for me), this little guy is a gem. It seems to be the only PWM controller with a brain. As for the load output, I had intended to use it to turn on my inverter at a certain voltage, then off again when the voltage got too low, but this unit does not do that. For some reason it thinks the load is just for lights that come on when it is dark. So for me the load output is useless. I now run the inverter directly from the batteries and turn it on and off manually. But that is a small price to pay for having my batteries fully charged and ready to rock and roll when the sun goes down.

Works great for those building a small solar setup.

Purchased as a replacement for the Harbor Freight 100w kit charge controller. I had a backfeed on that one that blew the internal soldered fuse which i was able to repair, but ultimately decided i didn't trust any longer. This controller fit my budget and the bill. Installation was simple, connections were simple and the instructions are easy to follow. Currently charging two 35ah 12v batteries with no issues. One thing i like about this one over the Harbor Freight is that it shows battery charge percentage vs just voltage remaining. I may have misread the product description but i thought that this controller allowed switching between battery types but this is a non issue as the AGM sealed batteries i have are working fine with this. The only real nitpick i have with this is that the display is hard to read at an angle.

Inexpensive - good for small solar projects.

I needed a small charge controller for a gazebo lighting project using a 15W panel and a 5 Amp 12V battery. I used a 48 LED string light set from Costco which, while it runs from 120V - it uses a 120V->5V DC adapter in it. I connected the panel directly to the controller, the battery as well. I used a small 12V/5V buck converter I got on Amazon as well to connect directly to the Costco LED set (sans the adapter). I've got it set to come on at sundown for three hours (thats a nice feature of the controller). Works well - has been working for nearly a month. Perfect for what I wanted. Haven't used the USB port, but good to know its there if needed. Wife wishes the temperature display was in F vs C, thats about the only issue with it.

I like it and good value.

Installed it today. 01/21/17. Purchased for $20. It work well for me and I didn't find the instruction too difficult. If I had to say something negative about it, it would the temperature is only displayed in Celsius and it doesn't display the solar panel's incoming voltage. However, it does show the amps. Was glad of that.

Ease of setup

Off grid 50watt single panel with a agm 12 volt battery running 6 strands of led lights. I love all the system checks, setups, choices, ease of use...i read reviews that stated how difficult it was to set up. The reason the directions are vague is, its sooo simple to set up, that why waste the time printing them out, just read them while standing by the controller. Use a finger to push buttons. Read. Repeat. Orrrrrrr, i got updated instructions. Im stupid as hell with solar, i get ohms law and dc voltage tho. This controller is cool. And fun to set up.

Finally...The One

Been solar charging for about fifteen years, this controller does everything. Settings for all batteries and voltages, turns programable lights on at dark. Reads AMPS from solar panel, four stage charging. I'm ordering another as a backup, can't go wrong with this controller!

Great product and wonderful support!

I waited to do a review on this item to see how it held up. I'm using it for our gate opener 1,000ft from the house. I purchased it back in Feb 2018 and it has worked great. Last week we went to open the gate and nothing. Checked the display and it was not working. I thought that the batteries had died due to all the cloudy days we have had for the last 2 weeks. Metered the batteries and they were fine. Contacted HQST through Amazon and they responded within the hour. I told them that I had opened the controller and double checked the 2 fuses inside which checked good. Didn't see any sign of moisture or burnt components. They had me take a picture of the display not working and the volt's off the batteries. All in all, they replaced the item free of charge within 2 days. I can't say enough about the level of support from this company. Thanks HQST

Terminals not holding the cable...(UPDATE-SOLVED!!!), Now Five Stars...

I did a Negative, Two-Star Review on this Controller when I first got it due to the adjustable Terminals not squishing the inserted wires correctly. I have now corrected/updated my Review to Five-Stars since I was inserting the wires incorrectly. Note that the Instructions with these Controllers are horrible and I've indicated that to the manufacturer. For me, it appeared that you insert the wires into the Terminal holes and screw the adjustment screw counter clockwise until the moving plate comes down on top of the wire against the bottom of the Terminal hole. That's the way that it looked like to me. Wrong... You screw the adjustment screw counter clockwise until the plates moves down just a bit and then insert the wire into the new opening between the plate and the "top" of the Terminal hole, not under it. Then you screw the adjuster clockwise and the plate will move upwards thereby squishing the wire in the Terminal hole. Someone else on this Review thread did exactly the same as me, therefore there should be a better description in the product instructions. (I've been in the PV business for 30 years and didn't figure this out correctly...) One more item that is not apparent is the "Load Setting". My Load +/- output was not working. I contacted the supplier. They mentioned (not apparently in the instructions), check the "Load Setting". Once the Battery and the Solar Panel wires are hooked up to the Controller and the LCD Display lights up, tap the left side red button until "Load Setting" show. (Just after the Temperature number). When the term "Load Settings" appears, push the left red button down for about two seconds until the number begins to flash. Mine was set at "16" from the factory which is one of the automatic light settings. If you want the Load to always be ON, such as powering fans, lights or any other 12 volt device or devices, you need to change that number to "17". While it is flashing, use the red button on the right to change the number. Easy once you figure all that out. So, I now like this Controller, very good read-outs and information on the LCD screen...

Nice solar charge controller. Happy with purchase.

2 camping trips so far and works very well. Though I have lead acid batteries, I chose the Lithium Ion setting and set voltage for 14.7 since I want max charge on batteries for short periods while my use is fairly heavy. I found more amp hours going in this way and since I'm using slightly more than is being replenished, it seems to be more effective. I do wish is would show the amps in on the main screen. You have to toggle the menu to see the amps metric. But I can live with that. Instructions were easy to read even if you could tell it was translated and not perfect English. It's easily understood in my opinion.

Easily reaplces existing charge regulators!

I purchased this to replace the regulator that came with my Harbor Freight solar system, after the regulator died. My system was one of the original ones, which came with a well built metal regulator. It lasted several years before giving out. This regulator is half the cost and far superior - plus it was a drop in replacement. It allowed me to connect my two sheds together and run from one battery. Very nice when getting in the sheds at night! I cut up a set of string lights and used 12V LED bulbs in the sockets, and just used two bulbs in each shed. This regulator keeps them burning brightly for as long as I need. It is quite "smart" and can figure out your load and battery type automatically. I use a small 12V AGM alarm type battery, which works great for my simple lighting application. If I forget to turn off a light, it will shut the load off when the battery gets low. My old regulator would just let the battery die, requiring me to replace the battery. It has now survived a Colorado summer and a winter in a very hot and cold shed, and is still running perfectly almost a year later. I couldn't be happier with this purchase.

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