Invertek SS-30C, Installation And Operation Manual

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Page 2: ...INVERTEK SUNSTAR SERIES SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER SS 30C SS 45C SS 60C Installation and Operation Manual USER MANUAL Solar Battery Charging Load Control Diversion Charge Control RICH ELECTRIC CO LTD ...

Page 3: ...er Up 2 11 2 4 7 Finish Installation 2 13 2 5 Communication with CombiPlus SuperCombi 2 14 Chapter 3 Front Cover of SunStar Operation 3 1 3 1 LED Status Indicator 3 2 3 2 Charge Control or Diversion Control Mode Indicatons 3 2 3 3 Load Control Indications 3 2 3 4 Equalization Mode Indication 3 3 3 5 Fault Mode Indication 3 3 3 6 LCD Meter Displays 3 4 3 6 1 LCD Displays Flow 3 5 3 6 2 Fault Messag...

Page 4: ...tings 6 1 6 3 Stanadrd Diversion Battery Charging Programs 6 1 6 4 Selecting the Diversion Load 6 2 6 4 1 Suitable Load for Diversion 6 2 6 4 2 Definition of Terms 6 3 6 4 3 Load Power Ratings 6 3 6 4 4 Maximum Diversion Load 6 4 6 4 5 Minimum Diversion Load Definition of Terms 6 4 Chapter 7 Trouble Shooting 7 1 Chapter 8 Battery Information 8 1 8 1 Sealed Batteries 8 1 8 2 Flooded Batteries 8 2 8...

Page 5: ...t load diversion load 70ºC reconnect solar load diversion load Transient surge protection pulse power rating 4500 watts response 5 nanosec BATTERY CHARGING BTS Charge algorithm PWM constant voltage Temp comp coefficient 5mV ºC cell 25ºC ref Temp comp range 0ºC to 50ºC Temp comp setpoints PWM float equalize with BTS option MECHANICAL Dimensions mm H 65 W 236 D 35 H 266 W 127 D 75 Weight 0 8 kg 1 5 ...

Page 6: ... for automatic adjustment of charge setpoints z Over temperature protection for the electronic circuitry when used in hot environment over 80 z LCD meter with easy to read mode status messages z LCD meter for remote or direct mounting on the controller May be mounted up to 500 feet away z An 8 position DIP switch to set up the controller for its intended use All major functions can be set with DIP...

Page 7: ...ed LVD low voltage load disconnect DC Diversion Charge Control In DC diversion mode the SunStar will manage battery charging by diverting energy from the battery to a dedicated diversion load The energy source is typically wind or hydro 1 3 Adjustability Eight DIP switches permit the following parameters to be adjusted at the installation site DIP switch Solar battery charging Diversion charge con...

Page 8: ...to reset or change z Solar overloads up to 130 of rated current will be tapered down instead of disconnecting the solar Over temperature conditions will also taper the solar input to lower levels to avoid a disconnect z Any number of SunStars can be connected in parallel to increase solar charging current SunStars can be paralleled ONLY in the battery charging mode DO NOT parallel SunStars in the ...

Page 9: ...charging parameters that are adjusted for temperature include PWM regulation Equalization Float High Voltage Disconnect Remote LCD Meter One Remote LCD Meter can be added to the SunStar at any time during or after installation The display is a 2x16 LCD meter with backlighting One pushbuttons is used to scroll through the displays function There are a series of display screens that provide informat...

Page 10: ...he controller multiple SunStars can be installed in parallel Additional parallel controllers can also be added in the future The load controllers cannot be used in parallel If solar charging and load control are both required two separate controllers must be used 2 2 Installation Overview The installation is straightforward but it is important that each step is done correctly and safely A mistake ...

Page 11: ...ip Switch 7 Load control mode Auto Manual Reconnect Dip Switch 8 ON Potentiometer of VR1 VR2 setting range OFF Dip switch 4 6 setting range VR1 VR2 User define battery charging programs or user define standard low voltage disconnect and reconnect BCD Switch 0 SunStar unit is operating alone When the BCD Switch is not placed at 0 and the fault message of Alarm CPF01 Wait for Combi will be displayed...

Page 12: ...djust the 8 switches in the DIP switch Each switch must be in the correct position Step 4 Attach the BTS if battery charging will be temperature compensated not for load control Step 5 Connect the battery power wires to the SunStar Then connect the solar array wires or DC load wires Step 6 Close the cover Step 4 is optional DIVERSION LOAD Ground BTS BATTERY Hydro W ind Solar GND GND PV LOAD BAT In...

Page 13: ...olar system Before starting the installation review these safety notes z Do not exceed a battery voltage of 48V nominal Do not use a battery less than 12V z Do not connect a solar input greater than a nominal 48V array for battery charging Never exceed a Voc open circuit voltage of 140V z Charge only 12 24 or 48 volt lead acid batteries when using the standard battery charging programs or NI CAD b...

Page 14: ...hould be open space above and below the heat sink and at least 75 mm 3 inches clearance around the heat sink to allow free air flow for cooling z Before starting the installation place the SunStar on the wall where it will be mounted and determine where the wires will enter the controller 2 4 2 Solar Battery Charging DIP Switch Settings The 8 DIP switches are located on the right of the Earth term...

Page 15: ...d CAUTION 1 The SunStar is shipped with all the switches in the OFF position Each switch position must be confirmed during installation A wrong setting could cause damage to the battery or other system components CAUTION 2 To configure your SunStar for the battery charging and control you require follow the DIP switch adjustments described below Before changing any switch make sure the BCD switch ...

Page 16: ... four times of above values in the 48V system Refer to section 8 0 of the manual for battery charging information The 7 standard charging algorithms above are described in section 4 2 standard battery charging programs DIP switch number 7 Battery Equalization Switch 7 Battery Equalization ON Auto Equalization OFF Manual Equalization In the Auto Equalization Mode Switch number 7 ON the SunStar cont...

Page 17: ...tery voltage has been at or above the set Equalize Voltage for a cumulative period of set Equalize Time the SunStar will return to the float stage of the charge process To stop the equalization process press the reset push button the status LED will stop If the equalization process was shorter than one hour the controller will continue with a bulk charge cycle and hold the battery at bulk setting ...

Page 18: ...in the OFF position Each switch position must be confirmed during installation A wrong setting could cause damage to the load or other system components CAUTION 2 To configure your SunStar for the Load Control you require follow the DIP switch adjustments described below Before changing any switch make sure the BCD switch is placed at number 0 for the SunStar settings To change a switch from OFF t...

Page 19: ...t of the loads is allowed when voltage has not exceeded the LVR setting To reconnect the loads press the reset button on the front panel of the unit If the voltage is below the LVR level the DC load can be reconnected from approximately 6 minutes Multiple reconnects are allowed but the on time duration will vary with battery voltage Approximately 5 seconds when the battery voltage is under 10V Whe...

Page 20: ...G wire The terminals are rated for copper and aluminum conductors Good system design generally requires large conductor wires for the solar and battery connections that limit voltage drop losses to 3 or less The following table provides the maximum wire length 1 way distance 2 wire pair for connecting the battery solar array or load to the SunStar with a maximum 3 voltage drop Wire Size 60 Amps 45...

Page 21: ...compartment to connect a copper wire to an earth ground or similar grounding point The grounding terminal is identified by the ground symbol shown below that is stamped into the enclosure The minimum size of the copper grounding wire SunStar 30A SS 30C 4 mm2 12 AWG SunStar 45A SS 45C 6 mm2 10 AWG SunStar 60A SS 60C 10 mm2 8 AWG Connect the Power Wires First confirm that the DIP switch 1 is correct...

Page 22: ...tected in the battery compartment Do not bend the power wires up toward the access cover These large wires can damage the meter assembly when the access cover is attached to the controller Torque each of the five power terminals to 5 65 Nm 50 in lbs Power Up z Confirm that the solar or load and battery polarities are correct z Turn the battery disconnect on first Observe the LED s and LCD meter to...

Page 23: ... 1 A The example of how to wire 1 unit of the SunStar and how to wire 2 10 units to CombiPlus SuperCombi is demonstrated in the following The Wiring of 1 Unit of SunStar to Communicate with CombiPlus SuperCombi SOLAR PANEL COMBIPLUS SUPERCOMBI G N L AC OUT G N L AC IN PORT C EXT PORT B OUT PORT A IN AC INPUT BREAKER B B NEG POS C A RY3 C A RY2 C A RY1 CHARGE BTS V SENS SUN STAR 1 OUT IN BATTERY GN...

Page 24: ...T IN GND GND PV A BAT BAT PV A GND GND IN OUT 2 SUN STAR SOLAR PANEL SOLAR PANEL COMBI PLUS SUPERCOMBI G N L AC OUT G N L AC IN PORT C EXT PORT B OUT PORT A IN AC INPUT BREAKER B B NEG POS C A RY3 C A RY2 C A RY1 CHARGE BTS V SENS SUN STAR 1 OUT IN BATTERY GND GND PV A BAT RJ 45 Cable RJ 45 Cable RJ 45 Cable ...

Page 25: ...ter 3 Front Cover of SunStar Operation There are 4 LEDs 1 LCD Meter of 16 x 2 characters and 2 pushbuttons on SunStar front cover The details are described as follows SunStar 60C Display Panel SunStar 60C Unit ...

Page 26: ... or DIVERSION CONTROL Mode and the battery is not fully charged AS the battery voltage approaches the BULK setting the status LED will blink green several times up to five and then pause indicating the battery voltage is approaching the BULK setting and provides an indication of the battery condition Refer to the table 1 to determine the battery voltage NOTE A single green flash indicates the batt...

Page 27: ... rise above the low voltage Reconnect LVR setting to allow an automatic reset to occur when Dip Switch 7 is in ON position 3 4 Equalization Mode Indication Equalization LED Blinking Orange The controller is in the Equalization Mode It will automatically stop the equalization process after accumulating setting Equalize Time of operation at Equalize Voltage above the BULK setting The user can stop t...

Page 28: ... to 1000ft 300m because the communication is a serial data type link These displays include a two line 32 characters LCD and Four status LED indicator SS RD only The LCD provides the following information z Solar PV Array or DC Load press through current 0 80 amps DC z Battery Voltage 4 to 80 Volts DC z Watts 0 to 3600 Watts Volts time Amps z Amp hours 0 to 655536Ah can be reset to 0 z Totalizing ...

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Page 31: ... ABSORPTION 1 BULK CHARGING Figure 4 1 1 Solar Charging Stages 1 Bulk Charging In this stage the battery will accept all the current provided by the solar system 2 PWM Absorption When the battery reaches the regulation voltage the PWM begins to hold the voltage constant This is to avoid over heating and over gassing the battery The current will taper down to safe levels as the battery becomes more...

Page 32: ...dard programs are reviewed in the following Section 4 2 A general review of battery types and their charging needs is provided in Section 8 0 4 2 Standard Battery Charging Programs The SunStar provides 8 standard battery charging algorithms programs that are selected with the DIP switches These standard algorithms are suitable for lead acid batteries ranging from sealed gel AGM maintenance free to...

Page 33: ...t as the equalization starts so that a setting day period will be maintained These 8 standard battery charging algorithms will perform well for the majority of solar systems However for systems with specific needs beyond these standard values any or all of these values can be adjusted using the potentiometers VR2 and VR1 4 3 Temperature Effects 4 3 1 Battery Temperature Sensor BTS The BTS is used ...

Page 34: ...50 V 3 00 V Table 4 3 Temperature Compensation The need for temperature compensation depends on the temperature variations battery type how the system is used and other factors If the battery appears to be gassing too much or not charging enough an BTS can be added at any time after the system has been installed The SunStar will recognize the BTS when the controller is started powered up 4 4 Equal...

Page 35: ...d into the battery electrolyte NOTE Excessive overcharging and gassing too vigorously can damage the battery plates and cause shedding of active material from the plates An equalization that is too high or for too long can be damaging Review the requirements for the particular battery being used in your system 4 4 1 Standard Equalization Programs Both automatic and manual equalizations can be perf...

Page 36: ...the depth of discharging battery age temperature and other factors One very broad guide is to equalize flooded batteries every 1 to 3 months or every 5 to 10 deep discharges Some batteries such as the L 16 group will need more frequent equalizations The difference between the highest cell and lowest cell in a battery can also indicate the need for an equalization Either the specific gravity or the...

Page 37: ... 18 13 0 26 0 52 0 off on on 11 7 23 4 46 8 23 13 2 26 4 52 8 on off off 11 9 23 8 47 6 35 13 4 26 8 53 6 on off on 12 1 24 2 48 4 55 13 6 27 2 54 4 on on off 12 3 24 6 49 2 75 13 8 27 6 55 2 on on on 10 5 21 0 42 0 4 12 0 24 0 48 0 8 on VR1 Setting VR2 Setting Table 5 1 Standard Control Load Programs The table above describes the standard selectable LVD battery voltages for 12 24 and 48 volt syst...

Page 38: ...ars Two or more SunStars should never be put in parallel for a large load The controllers cannot share the load 5 3 3 Reverse Polarity If the battery is correctly connected LEDs are on the load should be connected very carefully with regard to polarity If the polarity is reversed the controller cannot detect this There are no indications Loads without polarity will not be affected Loads with polar...

Page 39: ...5 3 damaged CAUTION Carefully verify the polarity and of the load connections before applying power to the controller ...

Page 40: ...rather than open the solar array and lose the energy The most important factor for successful diversion charge control is the correct sizing of the diversion load If too large the controller s protections may open the FET switches and stop diverting current from the battery This condition can damage the battery If you are not confident and certain about the installation a professional installation...

Page 41: ...g at the selected equalization voltage will continue for this setting number of hours E Equalization Interval Equalizations are typically done once a month cycles can be set in the Equalization Interval in units of days so the equalization will begin according to the setting value Each new cycle will be reset as the equalization starts 6 4 Selecting the Diversion Load It is critical that the diver...

Page 42: ...on load will draw This peak load current must not exceed the SunStar s rating NOTE Because the battery can supply any size load the peak load current is not limited by the source hydro or wind rating The diversion load s power rating is the critical specification for reliable battery charging 6 4 3 Load Power Ratings The power rating of the diversion load will depend on the voltage of the battery ...

Page 43: ...0V 14 400W at 120V 24V 14 400W at 120V 21 600W at 120V 28 800W at 120V 12V 28 800W at 120V 43 200W at 120V 57 600W at 120V To illustrate the same point from the opposite perspective a heating element rated for 120 volts will draw reduced load current as indicated by the following table A standard 2 000 watt 120 Vac heating element is used as the reference Voltage Power Current 120V 2000W 16 7A 60V...

Page 44: ...ximum battery voltage If a 30V heating element is used it would be rated for 1 650 watts or from 1 575W to 1 800W per the load range noted above If a 2 000 watt 120 volt heating element is used 13 of these elements in parallel will be required for the diversion load 4 2 amps per element Table in 6 4 4 x 13 54 6 amps The minimum diversion load would be the source output 35A times the voltage 30V Th...

Page 45: ...good electrical contact is made at the terminals z Note that if the SunStar is restarted with a BTS fault present it will not detect the BTS and the LED indication will stop Troubleshooting Solar Charging z Over charging or under charging the battery z DIP switch settings may be wrong z BTS is not correcting for high or low temperatures z Over temperature condition is reducing the charging current...

Page 46: ...ction z An over temperature condition may have caused the load to be disconnected Troubleshooting Diversion Control z Diversion load is too small so PWM reaches 99 z Diversion load is burned out so PWM reaches 99 z Diversion load is too large so SunStar faults on overcurrent z An overtemperature condition may have caused the load to be disconnected z The BTS is not correcting for high or low tempe...

Page 47: ...is retained in fiberglass mats between the plates Some newer AGM battery designs recommend constant voltage charging to 2 45 volts cell 14 7V For cycling applications charging to 14 4V or 14 5V is often recommended AGM batteries are better suited to low discharge applications than daily cycling These batteries should not be equalized since gassing can be vented which causes the battery to dry out ...

Page 48: ...l equalization voltages for flooded batteries are from 15 3 volts to 16 volts However a solar system is limited to what the solar array can provide If the equalization voltage is too high the array I V curve may go over the knee and sharply reduce the charging current Lead Calcium Calcium batteries charge at lower voltages 14 2 to 14 4 typically and have strong advantages in constant voltage or fl...

Page 49: ...me between finish charges is too long One standard charging program in the SunStar is specifically for L 16 batteries and it provides for higher charging voltages and more frequent equalizations Additional equalizations can also be done manually with the pushbutton NOTE The best charging algorithm for flooded deep cycle batteries depends on the normal depth of discharge how often the battery is cy...

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