Solar conversion & control / Reference hardware
SmartSolar 150/35 housekeeping draw of 240 mW at 12 V provides the published hardware reference.
Reference hardware
Evidence: Manufacturer specifications and worked calculation examples.
CUMULATIVE APPLICATION BUDGET / 17 OCTOBER 2026
At the main modeled operating point, the solar comparisons use the same energy as the strongest conventional controls tested.
Related model jobs: D001, D002, D003, D004, D005. Integration into a product remains open.
Complete bundles, comparisons and lossesWHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN
The published 12 V, 20 mA background draw is 240 mW. A net reduction of 1 mW would cut that background load by 0.42%.
Use less power for the controller’s background work while keeping the same charge tracking, protection and monitoring, leaving more available energy for the battery.
THE APPLICATION
Charge-controller manufacturers and distributed-energy equipment teams
Reduce the controller’s background power while keeping charge tracking, protection and monitoring.
Energy and heat accounting · Controller-code verification
The study targets low-power controllers with measurable avoidable background work. Added processing is included when calculating whether a saving remains.
REFERENCES & CHECKED RESULTS
| Measure | Reference or conventional method | FI result or stated assumption | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housekeeping at 12 V | Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/35 background draw: 20 mA = 240 mW | FI operating input remains unmeasured | Published hardware reference |
| Conversion efficiency | Published peak efficiency: 98% | No FI conversion-efficiency gain has been measured | The published figure is peak conversion efficiency |
SOURCES / REVIEWED 6 OCTOBER 2026
The source lists controller self-consumption at 12 V separately from peak conversion efficiency.
Saved sensing-energy ranges, independently checked thermal calculations and recorded software comparisons. The device calculations show energy shares, heat paths and component budgets.
