Solar Charge Controllers for Railroads

Why Morningstar?

Railroad applications have relied on Morningstar off-grid solar power solutions for several decades for lighting and signaling in remote areas that are difficult and costly to connect to the grid.

Morningstar components incorporate all required certifications, provide layers of on-board protection for sensitive electronic components, and are engineered for extremely long life and trouble-free operation in remote, inaccessible locations and enclosures—the ideal powering safety net for the most sensitive and critical security systems conceivable today and ready for the future.

Morningstar’s proprietary TrakStar solar harvesting technology and fanless design make for inherently more efficient systems. And with over four million Morningstars installed in the field since 1993, there’s no brand in the solar industry that’s more proven or accepted in terms of reliability.

Need Help with
Solar at your Railroad Site?

If you aren’t sure which option is right for you, use our contact form to request a consultation with one of our staff to recommend the appropriate products for your application. Use our How To Buy form to request specific products from our inventory.

Typical Railroad solar electricity applications

  • Signaling
  • Lighting

Features & Benefits

  • Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology to extract every bit of electricity possible from the solar source, by converting extra voltage into useful amperage. Morningstar MPPT controllers have industry-leading TrackStar technology on board for that purpose
  • Industry-leading technical support from a US-based company
  • Easy system integration with generator control
  • Standard serial and optional Ethernet capabilities provide data integration into existing IP based security networks for remote monitoring and control
  • Remote access and control
  • Selected models support industrial-standard networking, monitoring, and communications protocols including MODBUS, MQTT and SNMP when used with Morningstar’s Ethernet MeterBus Converter (EMC) accessory
  • Data logging to record charging/load Amp-hours and alarm/fault notifications
  • Full programming to enable a high level of system customization
  • Built-in communications and diagnostics capabilities
  • Temperature charging protection and advanced charging algorithms to protect expensive storage batteries, both lead-acid and advanced types including lithium. Dead battery recovery feature helps reduce system downtime
  • Designed for trouble-free operation in extreme temperature and weather conditions. Epoxy-encapsulated circuit boards and 60C ambient temperature ratings to handle harsh environments including tropical, coastal, and arid regions. Weatherized construction; no cooling fans to fail
  • Simple, out-of-the-box operation and easy installation
  • UL and IEC listing on most models; FCC Class B certification
  • Low noise operation
  • Safety features built-in, including alarm/fault notifications, miswiring protection, lightning protection
  • 12V, 24V and 48V (Positive Ground) system capability