backchannel: is the Renogy DCC50S really junk?

These Renogy controllers are junk as near as I can tell and I am so frustrated with this thing.

I have a theory that people who use phrases like junk or nothing but problems don’t know what they are talking about. Let’s find out.

I have 6x 100w panels, currently wired as 3x 2 panel series in parallel,

Uhhhhhhh… the Renogy DCC50S has a well-documented PV input limit of 25v.

Page 3 of the manual (pdf) says:

Ensure the PV input voltage does not exceed 25V to prevent permanent damage. Use the Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) at the lowest temperature to make sure the voltage does not exceed this value when connecting panels together.

The only way a 2S arrangement would work is if the panel Voc ≤12.5v, and there are no panels sold like that. The lowest Voc 100w Renogy panel I know of is this “flex” panel at 22.5Voc. The others are at least 23.5Voc.

So OP’s array Voc is at least 45Voc. Careful observers will note that 45 > 25.

I don’t remember the exact voltage off hand, I thought it was under the 25v limit,

How well did guessing work out?

I already replaced it once for the same issue and I can’t figure out what’s going on.

OMG. How well did guessing twice work out?

I am suggesting once again that Renogy is not the problem. The DCC50S is a fine charger when used according to the published instructions.