I wonder how many Chinese IC designers and manufacturers do watch Big Clive videos now? He effectively is giving them free product development consultancy!

I'm so glad you did a video on these little modules, I love them, I've bought several from Aliexpress. I've been buying cheap solar lights from Dollarama that have 18650's in them (yes a full size 18650 in a dollar store solar lamp!), but their charge controller just overcharges the battery eventually frying it. I just use these boards as a drop in replacement for their charge controller and it fixes them. I have graphed all the values using an ESP32 - the battery voltage goes up until it gets pegged perfectly at 4.16v every time, which is within the 1% threshold they claim in the datasheet. The current on my solar boards goes up to 250mA, but once it reaches 4.16v you can see the current graph curve downwards until it levels off at roughly the amount of current the ESP32 draws. Then it will also deliver a few milliamps in non-full sun as well. It seems to have two modes, and when it goes into full charging mode, the voltage measurement of the solar panel suddenly drops and gets pegged to 4.2v. I think these charge controllers are great, they have all the features, but you're right it would have been nice to continue using them when I eventually make the switch to LifePo, whose low voltage eliminates the need for a voltage regulator in my ESP32 projects.

If I see a chips coming out of China with “FOR CLIVE” written on the back I won’t be surprised.

Videos on modules like this are so useful, Clive 👍 There are so many cheap electronic modules like this for anything and everything these days, but it's so hard to find reviews to work out if they'll be any good 🤷‍♂️

The tricky thing about what you propose is that often on chip resistors match each other quite well, but their absolute value is all over the map (+- 20% variation isn't unheard of). The internal resistor divider can be quite accurate without any additional trim since a divider is a ratio of resistors. But as soon as you do what you propose, the internal R values have to be 0 tc (many on chip resistors have significant TC) and trimmed to value. That's alot harder.

Interesting to see the instruction (!) 'Make in China' printed on the back!!

Electronic components have evolved from the cell level to the organ level.

I had a go at making my own solar mppt controller at one point last year. Was going well until I melted the breadboard I was using, turned out the current event from a little 25w panel was too much.

I’ve recently received the same module via eBay. Your video explained the workings of this module better than the seller did. Of course I knew it wasn’t MPPT. But it is a nice charging unit and works quite well. Note: it gets very hot when the load is 500 mA or higher…

the plastic welder video left it's mark... that's certain at least

Clive, as to your comment about the TP4056, you can directly use a solar panel, as the input voltage (max. 8Vdc) is more compatible with 5-6Vdc panels. And, the TP5100 (designed for 1-2S configuration) is even more so: 5-18Vdc. If the panel's voltage drops, then it just lowers, & drops out. When it gets to about 3-4Vdc (from memory) then it just shuts down. Then will restart once the voltage is high enough.

I am using this device connected to a solar panel and feeding a lithium with its own protection.

I made a design 2 years ago using this little chip, it's been working really well. It's a wireless pot watering system that measures the water humidity and has a little pump to water the soil. They have survived even through the winter. It is capable of charging a tiny amount even in low light.

The solution is to go the other way around - use a LiFePo4 charging IC and boost its voltage. I got inspired by your previous video using a diode, and searched around to find CN3058E to fit the bill - it is mostly pin-compatible and the hack is pretty easy - I've done it on several of my boards:

I bought some of the same chip on a different board. I should have realized there can be no MPPT without an inductor, signifying a switching voltage converter, on the board. Also, the boards I bought, with 3 JST connectors and a micro-USB, were all over the place with the charge current when they were advertised as 1 amp. So I was had two ways!

When did you break the 1 million followers? Well done!!! Have you shown your million subscribers plaque on your live show? Sorry havnt been watching for a couple if weeks,will do a catch up session soon!! Well done again clive🙏❤️

Slightly misleading description on AliExpress??

Hey Big Clive, ahead of moving into my new house, I'm sorting through 19 years of accumulated $h1t, and I've got gazillions of AC power adaptors, figure of eight mains leads, and audio and video cables! ... It's like a bloody e-waste mountain! ... But, the moment you throw anything away, you immediately have to buy a new one, because you need it again! ... I'm gonna end up on a hoarder TV show, buried under a mountain of scart leads!

Mr Clive, I'm a long time viewer and have learned so very much from you videos.

Year's ago I built a 555 timer mppt charge controller based off a popular project and an automotive relay back in the day.