The Traveler Series™: Voyager
20A PWM
Waterproof PWM Controller w/ LCD Display and LED Bar

Important Safety Instructions

Please save these instructions.
This manual contains important safety, installation, and operating instructions for the charge controller. The following symbols are used throughout the manual:

WARNING  Indicates a potentially dangerous condition. Use extreme caution when performing this task
CAUTION Indicates a critical procedure for safe and proper operation of the controller
NOTE Indicates a procedure or function that is important to the safe and proper operation of the controller

General Safety Information
Read all of the instructions and cautions in the manual before beginning the installation.
There are no serviceable parts for this controller. Do NOT disassemble or attempt to repair the controller.
Make sure all connections going into and from the controller are tight. There may be sparks when making connections, therefore, make sure there are not flammable materials or gases near the installation.
Charge Controller Safety

• NEVER connect the solar panel array to the controller without a battery. The battery must be connected first. This may cause a dangerous occurrence where the controller would experience a high open-circuit voltage at the terminals.
• Ensure input voltage does not exceed 25 VDC to prevent permanent damage. Use the Open Circuit (Voc) to make sure the voltage does not exceed this value when connecting panels together in series.

Battery Safety

• Lead-acid, Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO batteries can be dangerous. Ensure no sparks or flames are present when working near batteries. Refer to the battery manufacturer’s specific charging rate setting. Do NOT charge improper battery type.Never attempt to charge a damaged battery, frozen battery, or non-rechargeable battery.
• Do NOT let the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery touch each other.
• Use only sealed lead-acid, flooded, or gel batteries which must be a deep cycle.
• Explosive battery gases may be present while charging. Be certain there is enough ventilation to release the gases.
• Be careful when working with large lead-acid batteries. Wear eye protection and have fresh water available in case there is contact with the battery acid.
• Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and activate material shedding on them. Too high of an equalizing charge or too long of one may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery used in the system.
• If battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water. If acid enters the eye, immediately flush the eye running with cold water for at least 10 minutes and get medical attention immediately.

WARNING Connect battery terminals to the charge controller BEFORE connecting the solar panel(s) to the charge controller. NEVER connect solar panels to the charge controller until the battery is connected.

General Information

The Voyager is an advanced 5-stage PWM charge controller suitable for 12V solar system applications. It features an intuitive LCD displaying information such as charging current and battery voltage, as well as an error code system to quickly diagnose potential faults. The Voyager is completely waterproof and suitable for charging up to 7 different battery types, including lithium-ion.

Key Features

• Smart PWM technology, high efficiency.
• Backlit LCD displaying system operating information and error codes.
• LED Bar for easy to read charge state and battery information.
• 7 Battery Type Compatible: Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO, Gel, AGM, Flooded, and Calcium.
• Waterproof design, suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
• 5 Stage PWM charging: Soft-Start, Bulk, Absorption. Float, and Equalization.
• Protection against: reverse polarity and battery connection, reverse current from battery to solar panel protection at night, over-temperature, and over-voltage.

PWM Technology
The Voyager utilizes Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology for battery charging. Battery charging is a current-based process so controlling the current will control the battery voltage. For the most accurate return of capacity, and for the prevention of excessive gassing pressure, the battery is required to be controlled by specified voltage regulation set points for Absorption, Float, and Equalization charging stages. The charge controller uses automatic duty cycle conversion, creating pulses of current to charge the battery. The duty cycle is proportional to the difference between the sensed battery voltage and the specified voltage regulation set point. Once the battery reached the specified voltage range, pulse current charging mode allows the battery to react and allows for an acceptable rate of charge for the battery level.

Five Charging Stages

The Voyager has a 5-stage battery charging algorithm for rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging. They include Soft Charge, Bulk Charge, Absorption Charge, Float Charge, and Equalization.

Soft Charge:
When batteries suffer an over-discharge, the controller will softly ramp the battery voltage up to 10V.
Bulk Charge:
Maximum battery charging until batteries rise to Absorption Level.
Absorption Charge:
Constant voltage charging and battery is over 85% for lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, and LTO batteries will close fully charging after the absorption stage, the absorption level will reach 12.6V for Lithium-ion, 14.4V for LiFePO4, and 14.0V for LTO batteries.
Equalization:
Only for Flooded or Calcium batteries drained below 11.5V will automatically run this stage and bring the internal cells to an equal state and fully complement the loss of capacity.
Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO, Gel, and AGM do not undergo this stage.
Float Charge:
The battery is fully charged and maintained at a safe level. A fully charged lead-acid battery (Gel, AGM, Flooded) has a voltage of more than 13.6V; if the lead-acid battery drops to 12.8V at float charge, it will return to Bulk Charge. Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, and LTO have NO float charge. If a Lithium-to Bulk Charge. If a LiFePO4 or LTO battery voltage drops to 13.4V after Absorption Charge, it will return to Bulk Charge.

WARNING  Incorrect battery type settings may damage your battery.
WARNING Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and activate material shedding on them. Too high of equalizing charge or for too long may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery used in the system.

Charging Stages

Identification of Parts

Key Parts

1.  Backlit LCD
2.  AMP/VOLT Button
3.  BATTERY TYPE Button
4.  LED Bar
5.  Remote Temperature Sensor Port (optional accessory)
6.  Battery Terminals
7.  Solar Terminals

Installation

WARNING
Connect battery terminal wires to the charge controller FIRST then connect the solar panel(s) to the charge controller. NEVER connect the solar panel to the charge controller before the battery.
CAUTION
Do not over-torque or over-tighten the screw terminals. This could potentially break the piece that holds the wire to the charge controller. Refer to the technical specifications for max wire sizes on the controller and for the maximum amperage going through wires.

Mounting Recommendations:

WARNING Never install the controller in a sealed enclosure with flooded batteries. Gas can accumulate and there is a risk of explosion.
The Voyager is designed for vertical mounting on a wall.

1. Choose Mounting Location—place the controller on a vertical surface protected from direct sunlight, high temperatures, and water. Make sure there is good ventilation.
2. Check for Clearance—verify that there is sufficient room to run wires, as well as clearance above and below the controller for ventilation. The clearance should be at least 6 inches (150mm).
3. Mark Holes
4. Drill Holes
5. Secure the charge controller

Wiring
The Voyager has 4 terminals which are clearly labeled as “solar” or “battery”.
NOTE The solar controller should be installed as near the battery as possible to avoid efficiency loss.
NOTE When the connections are completed correctly, the solar controller will turn on and begin working automatically.

NOTE The solar controller should be installed as near the battery as possible to avoid efficiency loss.
NOTE When the connections are completed correctly, the solar controller will turn on and begin working automatically.

Operation

When the controller powers on, the Voyager will run a self-quality check mode and automatically display the figures on LCD before going into auto work.

	Self-test starts, digital meter segments test
	Software version test
	Rated voltage Test
	Rated Current Test
	External battery temperature sensor test (if connected)

Selecting Battery Type
WARNING Incorrect battery type settings may damage your battery. Please check your battery manufacturer’s specifications when selecting battery type.
The Voyager provides 7 battery types for selection: Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO, Gel, AGM, Flooded, and Calcium Battery.
Press and hold the BATTERY TYPE Button for 3 seconds to go into battery selection mode. Press the BATTERY TYPE Button until the desired battery is displayed. After a few seconds, the highlighted battery type will automatically be selected.
NOTE Lithium-ion batteries shown in the LCD indicate different types shown below:
Lithium Cobalt Oxide LiCoO2 (LCO) battery
Lithium Manganese Oxide LiMn2O4 (LMQ) battery
Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) battery
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide LiNiCoAlo2 (NCA) battery
LiFePO4 battery indicates Lithium-iron Phosphate or LFP Battery
LTO Battery indicates Lithium Titanate Oxidized, Li4Ti5O12 Battery
AMP/VOLT Button
Pressing the AMP/VOLT Button will sequence through the following display parameters:
Battery Voltage, Charging Current, Charged Capacity (Amp-hour), and Battery Temperature (if external temperature sensor connected)
Normal Sequencing Display

The following is an alternative display voltage for when the battery is fully charged

LED Behavior
LED Indicators

LED Color	RED	BLUE	RED	ORANGE	GREEN	GREEN
Soft-start charging	ON	LASH	ON	OFF	OFF	OFF
Bulk charging cpv < 11.5V1	ON	ON	ON	OFF	OFF	OFF
Bulk charging (11.5V<BV<12.5V)	ON	ON	OFF	ON	OFF	OFF
Bulk charging ( BV > 12.5V )	ON	ON	OFF	OFF	ON	OFF
Absorption charging	ON	ON	OFF	OFF	ON	OFF
Float charging	ON	OFF	OFF	OFF	OFF	ON
Solar weak ( Dawn or Dusk )	FLASH	OFF		According to BV		OFF
In the night	OFF	OFF				I OFF

NOTE BV = Battery Voltage
LED Error Behavior
LED Indicators

							Error Code	Screen
LED Color	RED	BLUE	RED	ORANGE	GREEN	GREEN
‘Solar good, BV <3V	‘ ON	OFF	FLASH	OFF	OFF	OFF	‘b01’	FLASH
Solar good battery reversed	ON	OFF	FLASH	OFF	OFF	OFF	‘b02’	FLASH
Solar good, battery over-voltage	ON	OFF	FLASH	FLASH	6 FLASH	OFF	‘b03’	FLASH
Solar off, battery over-voltage	OFF	OFF	FLASH	FLASH	FLASH	OFF	‘b03’	FLASH
Solar good, battery over 65°C	ON	OFF	FLASH	FLASH	FLASH	OFF	‘b04’	FLASH
Battery good, solar reversed	FLASH	OFF	According to BV			OFF	‘PO1’	FLASH
Battery good, solar over-voltage	FLASH	OFF				OFF	‘PO2’	FLASH
r Over Temperature							‘otP’	_FLASH

Protection
System Status Troubleshooting

Maintenance

For best controller performance, it is recommended that these tasks be performed from time to time.

1. Check wiring going into the charge controller and make sure there is no wire damage or wear.
2. Tighten all terminals and inspect any loose, broken, or burnt up connections
3. Occasionally clean the case using a damp cloth

Fusing

Fusing is a recommendation in PV systems to provide a safety measure for connections going from panel to controller and controller to battery. Remember to always use the recommended wire gauge size based on the PV system and the controller.

Technical Specifications

Electrical Parameters

Dimensions

2775 E. Philadelphia St., Ontario, CA 91761
1-800-330-8678
Renogy reserves the right to change the contents of this manual without notice.

Documents / Resources

Voyager 20A PWM Waterproof PWM Controller [pdf] Instructions 20A PWM, Waterproof PWM Controller

References

• User Manual