A solar-powered VRLA battery charge controller using a dc-dc Ćuk converter for a telemetry station power supply

This work presents the development of a charge controller which uses the energy of a photovoltaic panel to charge a valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery for an autonomous telemetry station energy system. A Ćuk converter is employed to adequate the power generated from the panel to the battery. A three-stage charge control strategy based on the I-U technique is applied in order to charge the battery quickly and preserve its lifetime. A maximum power point tracking technique based on temperature measurement is used to provide a quick charge to the battery.