This reference design is a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) solar charge controller for 12V and 24V batteries that can be used as a power optimizer in the future. This compact reference design targets small- and medium-power solar charger designs and is capable of operating with 15V to 60V solar panel modules, 12V or 24V batteries, and providing upwards of 16A output current. The design uses a buck converter to step down the panel voltage to the battery voltage. The half-bridge power stage with internal integrated drivers is controlled by a microcontroller unit (MCU), which calculates the maximum power point using the perturb and observe method. The solar MPPT charge controller is created with real-world considerations, including reverse battery protection, software programmable alarms and indications, and surge and ESD protection.
| Output voltage options | TIDA-010042.1 |
|---|---|
| Vin (Min) (V) | 16 |
| Vin (Max) (V) | 60 |
| Vout (Nom) (V) | 12 |
| Iout (Max) (A) | 33 |
| Output Power (W) | 396 |
| Isolated/Non-Isolated | Non-Isolated |
| Input Type | DC |
| Topology |
A fully assembled board has been developed for testing and performance validation only, and is not available for sale.
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Reference design overview and verified performance test data
Detailed overview of design layout for component placement
Complete listing of design components, reference designators, and manufacturers/part numbers
Files used for 3D models or 2D drawings of IC components
Design file that contains information on physical board layer of design PCB
PCB layer plot file used for generating PCB design layout
Detailed schematic diagram for design layout and components
Includes TI products in the design and potential alternatives.
| Top documentation | Type | Title | Format options | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | Design guide | 400W GaN based MPPT Charge Controller and Power Optimizer Reference Design (Rev. C) | PDF | HTML | May 8, 2024 |
| Technical article | Design considerations of a 10kW single-phase string inverter based on TI GaN FETs | PDF | HTML | Mar 21, 2025 | |
| Application brief | How GaN Improves Solar Charge Controllers | PDF | HTML | Jun 26, 2024 |
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