A method for controlling a switching power converter provides an efficient algorithm for controlling the output voltage across loads that are relatively light with small transients. When the output voltage is at or below a predetermined first magnitude, a determination is made of the charge required for one or more pulses to increase the output voltage to a predetermined second magnitude which is greater than a target output voltage. Corrective action is taken to raise the output voltage to the second magnitude and the system takes no further corrective action until output voltage is determined to be at or below the first magnitude. The method is useful with synchronous or non-synchronous power converters of buck, boost, buck/boost or other topologies. The method further provides a simple means for determining the amount of charge removed from a battery.