Solar "MPPT" lithium cell charge module

I wonder how many Chinese IC designers and manufacturers do watch Big Clive videos now? He effectively is giving them free product development consultancy!

If I see a chips coming out of China with “FOR CLIVE” written on the back I won’t be surprised.

Videos on modules like this are so useful, Clive 👍 There are so many cheap electronic modules like this for anything and everything these days, but it's so hard to find reviews to work out if they'll be any good 🤷‍♂️

The tricky thing about what you propose is that often on chip resistors match each other quite well, but their absolute value is all over the map (+- 20% variation isn't unheard of). The internal resistor divider can be quite accurate without any additional trim since a divider is a ratio of resistors. But as soon as you do what you propose, the internal R values have to be 0 tc (many on chip resistors have significant TC) and trimmed to value. That's alot harder.

I'm so glad you did a video on these little modules, I love them, I've bought several from Aliexpress. I've been buying cheap solar lights from Dollarama that have 18650's in them (yes a full size 18650 in a dollar store solar lamp!), but their charge controller just overcharges the battery eventually frying it. I just use these boards as a drop in replacement for their charge controller and it fixes them. I have graphed all the values using an ESP32 - the battery voltage goes up until it gets pegged perfectly at 4.16v every time, which is within the 1% threshold they claim in the datasheet. The current on my solar boards goes up to 250mA, but once it reaches 4.16v you can see the current graph curve downwards until it levels off at roughly the amount of current the ESP32 draws. Then it will also deliver a few milliamps in non-full sun as well. It seems to have two modes, and when it goes into full charging mode, the voltage measurement of the solar panel suddenly drops and gets pegged to 4.2v. I think these charge controllers are great, they have all the features, but you're right it would have been nice to continue using them when I eventually make the switch to LifePo, whose low voltage eliminates the need for a voltage regulator in my ESP32 projects.

Electronic components have evolved from the cell level to the organ level.

The solution is to go the other way around - use a LiFePo4 charging IC and boost its voltage. I got inspired by your previous video using a diode, and searched around to find CN3058E to fit the bill - it is mostly pin-compatible and the hack is pretty easy - I've done it on several of my boards: 1. Desolder the TP4056 using hot air (or hot plate). 2. Solder a thin wire to pad 8 on the PCB, let it cool, rip the pad out (just to be sure) 3. Bend the CN3058E pin 8 upwards, again to avoid accidental contact with leftover copper on pad 8 4. Solder the CN3058E to the PCB using hot air 5. Solder a 100K resistor between pin 8 and pin 5 (or battery terminal directly) - according to the datasheet, this boosts the 3.6V to 3.96V. I use a small 0603 resistor placed flat on top of the CN3058E plastic package + tiny enamel wire, but a good old leaded resistor will work. 6. Profit! Getting genuine CN3058E might be a slight problem (unless you're used to buying parts from LCSC), but I got mine for $1.77 / 10pcs from Aliexpress (look for positive ratings/reviews to avoid fakes) and they indeed charge to ~3.92V given this mod.

I’ve recently received the same module via eBay. Your video explained the workings of this module better than the seller did. Of course I knew it wasn’t MPPT. But it is a nice charging unit and works quite well. Note: it gets very hot when the load is 500 mA or higher…

Interesting to see the instruction (!) 'Make in China' printed on the back!!

the plastic welder video left it's mark... that's certain at least

I had a go at making my own solar mppt controller at one point last year. Was going well until I melted the breadboard I was using, turned out the current event from a little 25w panel was too much. It's actually a really interesting circuit because it involves using a high side n-channel MOSFET switch rather than the normal way of switching on the ground.

I am using this device connected to a solar panel and feeding a lithium with its own protection. It's the best solar charging solution I found. It keeps the solar panels providing power when the sun light diminish.

Clive, as to your comment about the TP4056, you can directly use a solar panel, as the input voltage (max. 8Vdc) is more compatible with 5-6Vdc panels. And, the TP5100 (designed for 1-2S configuration) is even more so: 5-18Vdc. If the panel's voltage drops, then it just lowers, & drops out. When it gets to about 3-4Vdc (from memory) then it just shuts down. Then will restart once the voltage is high enough. nb. I use the version 2 modules, which have extra componentry for current protection.

When did you break the 1 million followers? Well done!!! Have you shown your million subscribers plaque on your live show? Sorry havnt been watching for a couple if weeks,will do a catch up session soon!! Well done again clive🙏❤️

I made a design 2 years ago using this little chip, it's been working really well. It's a wireless pot watering system that measures the water humidity and has a little pump to water the soil. They have survived even through the winter. It is capable of charging a tiny amount even in low light. You can hook up ISET to an ADC on your MCU to get the charge current.

Mr Clive, I'm a long time viewer and have learned so very much from you videos. Thank you. I have a video suggestion for you to make. I would love to see a video describing your education and knowledge path that lead you to where you are today. I think it would be valuable to the youth and anyone along the path learning about electronics. Thanks again, mate.

I bought some of the same chip on a different board. I should have realized there can be no MPPT without an inductor, signifying a switching voltage converter, on the board. Also, the boards I bought, with 3 JST connectors and a micro-USB, were all over the place with the charge current when they were advertised as 1 amp. So I was had two ways!

Slightly misleading description on AliExpress?? I guess it makes a change from totally incorrect ones. 🤣🤣 Still not a bad product and we can even have a tinker with it. Cheers Clive 2x👍

Hey Big Clive, ahead of moving into my new house, I'm sorting through 19 years of accumulated $h1t, and I've got gazillions of AC power adaptors, figure of eight mains leads, and audio and video cables! ... It's like a bloody e-waste mountain! ... But, the moment you throw anything away, you immediately have to buy a new one, because you need it again! ... I'm gonna end up on a hoarder TV show, buried under a mountain of scart leads!

Nice Big Clive. Thanks. Agree. It would be nice with the other tap so you could cater to LiFePO4 cells. I'd like to build something with a couple of these Headway cells I have that are rated at 8 amps. They're beefcakes but finding the protection circuits for them wasn't easy.