Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT Solar Charge Controller, 250V, 12/24/36/48V, Bluetooth

Overview

The Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 250/60 and 250/70 is a high-capacity solar charge controller range for charging 12 V, 24 V, and 48 V battery banks from a PV array. It uses MPPT tracking to harvest usable power from panels through changing light, partial shade, and moving shadows, which matters on boats where sails, antennas, rigging, and clouds can shift across the array during the day.

This range supports up to 250 V PV open-circuit voltage, with 60 A and 70 A charge-current options. It has Bluetooth built in for setup and monitoring through VictronConnect, plus VE.Direct for connection to GX devices, PCs, and wider Victron monitoring systems.

For marine installations, it is best suited to protected onboard locations such as an electrical locker, technical space, cabin utility area, or other dry interior mounting point. The enclosure is rated IP43 for electronic components and IP22 at the connection area, so it should not be installed where it will be exposed directly to washdowns, spray, or standing moisture.

Key features

• Available in 60 A and 70 A charge-current versions for larger solar arrays on cruising boats, workboats, and off-grid marine power systems.
• Supports 12 V, 24 V, and 48 V battery banks with automatic voltage selection, with 36 V selection available through software setup.
• 250 V maximum PV open-circuit voltage gives system designers more flexibility when arranging higher-voltage solar strings.
• Built-in Bluetooth allows setup, charging profile adjustment, firmware updates, and live system checks through VictronConnect.
• VE.Direct port supports wired integration with compatible Victron GX devices, PCs, and monitoring hardware.
• Programmable charging supports multi-stage adaptive charging, eight pre-programmed algorithms, or a user-defined charge algorithm.
• Electronic protection includes PV reverse polarity protection, output short-circuit protection, and over-temperature protection.
• Fanless design with maximum efficiency of 99 percent keeps operation quiet and reduces moving parts inside the installation space.
• Supports synchronized parallel charging of up to 10 units over Bluetooth for systems with multiple charge controllers.
• Rated for operation from -30 to +60 °C, with full rated output up to 40 °C.

Variants

This product is offered in two configurations. The main differences are charge current and the PV input connection style.

Both variants share the same SmartSolar MPPT platform, Bluetooth setup and monitoring, VE.Direct communication, remote on-off input, programmable relay, adaptive charging logic, and 12 V, 24 V, or 48 V battery-bank support.

• SCC125060321: 60 A charge current with MC4 PV connection. This version suits installations where the solar array wiring is already arranged around MC4 connectors and a 60 A controller capacity matches the planned charging system.
• SCC125070221: 70 A charge current with screw terminal PV connection. This version gives a higher charge-current rating and uses screw terminals for installers who prefer direct cable termination inside the controller wiring area.

Electrical and system integration

The controller sits between the solar array and the battery bank, regulating solar input into a controlled charging profile. Nominal PV power is rated up to 860 W at 12 V, 1720 W at 24 V, and 3440 W at 48 V for the 250/60 version, and up to 1000 W at 12 V, 2000 W at 24 V, and 4000 W at 48 V for the 250/70 version.

The PV voltage must exceed battery voltage by 5 V for the controller to start, then remain at least 1 V above battery voltage while operating. This is an important point when planning panel strings on a boat, especially where deck space limits panel count or where shading changes throughout the day.

Installation and mounting

The Tr screw-terminal model measures 185 x 250 x 95 mm, while the MC4 model measures 215 x 250 x 95 mm. Both weigh about 3 kg and use 35 mm² or AWG2 battery terminals, so cable routing, strain relief, overcurrent protection, and service access should be planned before mounting.

Mount the controller where it has ventilation and where the connection area stays protected from salt spray and direct water exposure. On boats, a dry electrical compartment close to the battery and solar cable runs usually makes the installation cleaner and easier to inspect later.

Use cases on board

This SmartSolar range fits vessels with enough solar capacity to justify a higher-current MPPT controller, such as cruising sailboats, powerboats with large house loads, fishing boats with electronics and refrigeration, or liveaboard systems that rely on solar to reduce engine or shore-power charging time.

It is also a good match for owners building around the Victron ecosystem, since Bluetooth, VE.Direct, optional GX monitoring, and synchronized charging make it easier to keep solar charging visible and coordinated with the rest of the onboard power system.