[bennelson]

I took a look at the BZ solar charge controllers. They seem to be the cheapest with MPPT on them.

The high-voltage version is listed as 100Voc max input. I wonder how specific that is. I was hitting 97Voc on a 15 degree F. day. I bet my panels could break 100Voc when it's colder.

I noticed that the Xantrex and Outback MPPT chargers list 150Voc as the max input. Even though those controllers are more expensive, they do have some nice features, including remote monitoring, aux out, and built in displays listing amperage, voltage, etc.

Any of the cheaper chargers will really still need some ammeters, volt meters, etc added to the system. Lots of those things can be salvaged or had cheap, but since this is for a detached garage, being able to read all those things from inside the house sounds appealing.

There is still the possibility of some sort of DC/DC conversion to allow me to use all the panels in series, and then convert the high voltage DC to low voltage DC, and run it through a less expensive charge controller.