Phocos CML Charge Regulator

dadi popovic (arkadij.popovic AT popovic DOT si)   09/04/2006

Well, my experiance with Phocos CML 15A is that it never fully charges my new 250 Ah lead batery using 200W panels. Fact is that soon (2 hours) after voltage reaches 14.3 Volts the regulator interupts charging (voltage drops to 13.3V) leaving batery about 3/4 charged (acid test proved it). I do not believe the charger works correctly. My experiance is also bad with thechnical support. What is worse, I never got an answer from link below.
http://www3.westfalia.de/kontakt/frage

PedroGC (pedrogasca77 AT pedrogasca77 DOT com)   07/22/2007

I've bought three of these regulators (40 us dollars each) because that brand/model is the only available here. In the box says that these things are made in Bolivia (!?) but designed in germany (really?). The plastic case is real cheap and ordinary, held only by a single screw.

All units were shipped with some of its terminal screws very tight and the screw holes in the plastic cover are so small that I had to remove the cover to be able to use a large enough screwdriver. Sadly once the regulator is installed you can't remove the cover because its only screw is in the back of the unit. I think that bigger holes for its terminal screws are a must. As I opened all three units I realized that it had configuration jumpers that were set differently in each unit, so I had to read the manual to properly set and verify each unit. The jumpers were glued with some enamel (that covers all the circuit board) and also was coating some of the contact pins for the jumpers, so it was necessary to clean that.

I have installed one unit with a 50W system to power a cb radio set and a 100W system for illumination. I'm keeping one unit as backup.

I don't know if this thing can be safely installed in a car due to its positive to ground configuration, I would end up with a negative voltage system I guess. Also, the whole circuit is exposed by its side vent openings so it does not seem to be suitable for a rough environment.

After 3 months, the regulators are working fine. Only time will really tell if these are good enough, as I think that the lead-acid batteries life will be the real indicator. The discharge protection seems to be working fine.

I have used other regulators that weren't microcomputer controlled as this one claims, but had a metal case and a circuit dipped in resin. It lasted 5 years and wasn't as cumbersome to install as the cml.

If they fix the plastic case and those other minor quality gremlins that give a bad initial impression this could be a nice regulator.

Art Jackson (G_Jackson AT G_Jackson DOT net)   12/31/2008

Have had the 20 A controller in my motorhome for 8 months. It was installed by n RV dealer/service shop with 2 80watt solar panels. 4 group 27 12v "marine deep cycle" batteries (yeah, I know!) were already in the MH. Also installed by the same dealer at the same time was a Xantrex Prosine 2 2000 Watt pure sine wave inverter. We now have battery issues which may or may not be related. We were not given an owners manual, had to look on line. The beeping of the alarms drove us nuts. It wasn't until many months when I downloaded the manual and discovered it could be turned off!!
The Xantrex doesn't like the 15.5 volts that show up every morning when the panels are in full sun, we get a high battery notice in the Xantrex display panel.

The controller was installed under an interior kitchen drawer, not close to the batteries as in the manual.

Besides the installation errors, not the fault of the controller of course, I find that it is not going to be that simple to turn off the alarm. The controller will have to be "in-installed" and removed. I would also like to be able to manually select the equalize function. It sees to go into this routine every day.

When we get back to the dealer in the spring I am going to try to get him to supply and install as different controller

S.VENU (venu_rsdp AT venu_rsdp DOT in)   06/02/2009

i have one phocos cml 05 charging control unit , but i have 30wt solar pannels and 90 ah battries cml o5 is used corret

geoff (violetaustinsprite AT violetaustinsprite DOT au)   02/01/2010

bought phocos cml 08-2nl used with 80 watt solar panel battery disconnect feature cut in and battery ended up totally flat am clueless any ideas

kenneth keen (kennethkeen AT kennethkeen DOT de)   03/17/2010

I was using a Sunset controller with my 2 x 55 Watt panels until it seemed to no longer deliver the charge. Found to be corroded due to being outside too much. No other controller available in Algarve PT, and so had to take 89Euro Phocos 20 amp unit designed in Germany, made in China. It likewise delivered not enough current to power a macbook laptop. Found I could change a jumper by taking the single screw out on the back. That only delivered enough power to keep the laptop on standby. Thus I had to go direct to the battery to get enough power to start my computer. This made the Fockus just slightly redundant and since the shops here have higher standards than the designers I can get my cash back. If I could manually set the current then this item would be of use, but I can get as much benefit out of this now as I can from the "damaged" Sunset device. Keep up those reviews, it is only for our OWN benefit. If it is useless, let the rest of us know! This thing may be of benefit to some but for me it has no application.
Geoff, you should check the jumpers, they can be changed but you need to download the manual to see if this could help you.

ggeck (geckolerx_05 AT geckolerx_05 DOT com)   06/20/2010

These Phocos regulators are of very low quality. Their sales pitch is "German engineering" and "sophistication", but it is nothing more than a PIC microcontroller based circuit with a crappy algorithm designed for ultimate cheapness. I have seen too many of these fail in many different ways.

My advise is that you try to find Atersa and Isofoton charge controllers, those spanish made devices, even though more expensive, are of much higher build quality and operation reliability.

I particularly like the models with metal cases. I have used many other brands that use and don't use microcontrollers, and it always looked like metal cased ones lasted longer.

kris (kris_tielemans AT kris_tielemans DOT com)   09/12/2010

I have a phocos cml 15, the performances are good, but the acoustic warning is really annoying. I would like to turn it off. does somebody knows how to do this? I presume i have to cut a wire... kris_tielemans@hotmail.com
thanks

Dean Waters (deanwaters1 AT deanwaters1 DOT uk)   01/05/2011

Im not using this model but the CA type. It wasnt as cheap as its looks suggest but im finding it difficult to get more tech info than that in the owners booklet. I have a flashing green fault code that is not described, also the low battery light stays on all the time. Should i return it for replacement or an upgrade?.

Marion (mariongat AT mariongat DOT com)   03/04/2011

Not so cheap and will cost you way more than a good quality one on the long term anyway. Few lucky units worked well, most only for a while and already disposed.
Also, documentation is poor, manufacturer refuses to give full information on the operation cycle. Is that a high tech secret? phocos, get real OK? There is nothing uncommon about the cycle of these ordinary regulators.
Good quality regulators come with full information in its manual, not these phocos.

liu (sale1 AT sale1 DOT net)   08/28/2011

Please crawl my website and tell me interest item,
www.12vtech.net
I will post sample for you test.

My company is special produce DC12V CFL lamps and lantern.
It is service for solar system, PV System.
DC CFL is voltage low, Large Current, difficult start, easy black.
The technology is higher than 220V lamps.
Now, DC lamps quality is various levels in the market.

I am already comparing and Study more than 30 kinds of 12V DC lamps.
Include China products, USA products (Montana light), Germany Products
(Steca Lamps, OSRAM Lamps), PHILIPS Lamps, UK products, Korea products.

Now, SKONE launch best quality DC12V CFL lamps in the world.