Theory and Applications of the NCP1294, Switching Controller, and Associated Circuits for Lead Acid Battery Charging from a Solar Panel with Maximum Peak Power Tracking (MPPT)

Introduction The following paper describes in detail the principle operation of the NCP1294, switching controller, and associated circuits for lead acid battery charging with MPPT. A design example and test data are included. The NCP1294 solar controller is a flexible solution used in Module Level Power Management (MLPM) solutions. Background and System Requirements Most of the solar controller battery chargers on the market today have a large digital content namely to manage maximum power point tracking and battery charging. The manipulation of the power stage, MPPT, and battery management can be controlled with analog circuitry in a cost effective manner. The solar controller parameters for the NCP1294 design are listed below in tabular form.