SmartSolar 150/85
Victron MPPT 150/85 wiring diagram
MPPT solar charge controller. 85A output, max 1200W @ 12V, 150V PV. VE.Can form factor.
- Compatible systems
- 12 V / 24 V / 48 V
- Rated output
- 85 A
- PV open-circuit limit
- 150 V
Wiring diagram
How the MPPT 150/85 is wired.
Open this example in Crimp to use your own parts and cable lengths. Review the assumptions and installation notes as you adapt the circuit.
Cable sizing for this example
Use the diagram as a starting point for your installation. Replace the example equipment and cable lengths with your own, and check the connections against your exact model's instructions.
3 m one way
12 V system
- Wire
- 35 mm² · 2 AWG
- Example fuse
- 125 A
- Design current
- 85 A
- Voltage drop
- 2.2%
Sized against ABYC E-11. The design current is the unit's rated output. The length is one way; voltage drop includes an equal-length return.
Run-length and manufacturer assumptions
The editable example uses 3.048 m (10 ft) runs unless a shorter run is stated. Metric overviews round these to 3 m. Adapt the parts and lengths to your installation before choosing cable and protection.
Supporting parts
- 6.1 m total of 35 mm² (2 AWG) marine cable
- Terminations for 35 mm² cable, matched to the equipment's screw terminals, leads or studs
- 125 A fuse and holder on the positive run
- Heat-shrink, strain relief and terminal boots sized to the cable
Check stud sizes, fuse type, run length and how warm the space gets against the gear you actually have before you order.
Installation notes
Before you install.
Open a question for model-specific guidance and sources.
Verified against the manufacturer's documentation (rev. 2022-09), checked 2026-09-04. Manufacturer documentation →
What it does
MPPT solar charge controller for a large array, charging a 12 V, 24 V or 48 V battery at up to 85 A. Nominal PV power is 1200 W on a 12 V bank, 2400 W on 24 V and 4900 W on 48 V. It carries VE.Can as well as VE.Direct and Bluetooth, so up to 25 controllers can be daisy-chained for synchronised charging and read individually by a GX device; the same unit is also sold without Bluetooth. The Tr version takes screw terminals, the MC4 version two pairs of MC4 connectors.
Wiring it
The PV side connects to the array, whose total short-circuit current must stay under 70 A. On the MC4 version no single connector pair may carry more than 30 A, since both pairs feed one tracker — a bigger array is split across them, or combined with splitters, rather than forced into one input. The battery side goes to the bank through its own fuse; at 85 A this is a heavy run, and the 35 mm² (AWG 2) battery terminals are sized for it. Keep the controller close to the bank so the battery run stays short, and let the array side carry the distance. Connect the battery first so the controller detects the right voltage; 36 V banks are the exception and have to be selected by hand.
What people get wrong
Two limits get read as one. The voltage ceiling is 150 V absolute maximum in the coldest conditions, and only 145 V for start-up and normal operation — a panel's open-circuit voltage climbs as temperature falls, so a string that measures comfortably under 150 V in summer can exceed it on a winter morning. The current ceiling is 70 A of short-circuit current, and it is the one people miss when a 12 V bank's 1200 W ceiling tempts them into parallel strings: four strings of modern high-current panels reach 80 A to 90 A of Isc while the wattage still looks fine. More array power than the controller can use is harmless — it limits its own output. More short-circuit current than 70 A can damage it. Put panels in series first to raise voltage and cut current, then check both numbers separately.
Supporting parts
- PV disconnect between array and controller, rated for the string voltage and its short-circuit current
- Battery-side fuse at the bank end of the charge run
- MC4 connectors and PV wire on the array side, plus splitter pairs if the strings outnumber the inputs; tinned marine cable up to 35 mm² (AWG 2) into the battery terminals
- A VE.Can or VE.Direct cable to the system monitor, since a controller this size is rarely the only charge source
Fit check
Connect it to the rest of your system.
Describe your setup to draft a system with SmartSolar 150/85 connected. Review the selected parts and cable lengths, then edit the diagram in Crimp.
The model only picks parts and draws the connections. Every wire size and fuse rating still comes from Crimp's own sizing, never from the model.
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Technical reference
Specifications and terminal map.
Check the model, ratings and connection points against your own unit before choosing installation hardware.
Catalog specification
MPPT solar charge controller. 85A output, max 1200W @ 12V, 150V PV. VE.Can form factor.
- Compatible systems
- 12 V / 24 V / 48 V
- Rated output
- 85 A
- Planning charge current
- 85 A
- PV open-circuit limit
- 150 V
Terminal map
Catalog connection points, current direction and planning limits. Check the manufacturer's pinout and connector ratings before installation.
PV +
positive · input
PV −
negative · input
BATT +
positive · output
BATT −
negative · output
Sources and sizing method
Equipment specifications. Model details, ratings and terminal roles come from the catalog. Check your unit’s label and current manufacturer documentation for its exact revision.
Example sizing. Sized against ABYC E-11. Boats built to UK or EU rules answer to ISO 13297 — check these figures against it before you build. Results use the example current and run length shown above. Set your actual equipment, lengths and installation conditions in Crimp before choosing hardware.
Read how the sizing worksNext step
Plan your installation with MPPT 150/85.
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