[RE-wrenches] Outback FNDC relay, Flex Net Review

[William Miller]

Kent:

The manual is not clear as to how this is done.  Have you considered using 
a relay in an FX inverter to activate the generator as is done in a system 
without the Flex Net?

Interesting about the SMA claim, but until I hear otherwise, this is just a 
claim.

William



At 01:25 PM 10/14/2009, you wrote:
>William,
>
>In all of these systems, the Mate's AGS system is being used to control 
>the FNDC's relay.  The Mate's AGS port has been selected so that it 
>operates the FNDC's relay rather than using the Aux output on the 
>inverter.  The FNDC is providing SOC info to the Mate, but isn't directly 
>controlling the relay.
>
>I agree with you about the potential to confuse customers.  And about the 
>inaccuracy of battery amp-hour meters in general.  But it is interesting 
>that SMA's main claim about the Sunny Island is that it does the best job 
>managing batteries.  It does it by keeping track of the battery's SOC.
>
>
>William Miller wrote:
>>Kent:
>>
>> >From the Flex Net DC manual, page 16:  "OutBack strongly recommends 
>> using the AGS function of the MATE to control a generator."   I assume 
>> from your post, you are using the Auto mode to have the relay control a 
>> generator, a practice that the above quotation recommends against.  This 
>> may relate directly to your problems.
>>
>>I have no experience with the Flex Net but I took this opportunity to 
>>review the manual more thoroughly than I have previously.  My conclusion 
>>is that the Flex Net is a great tool for the technically inclined but 
>>offers a minimal convenience for the lay person.  The State of Charge 
>>function may be a more realistic method of determining actual state of 
>>charge, but if it operates at all like the E-meter or the Tri-Metric, it 
>>is prone to inaccuracy.  The variables associated with individual battery 
>>banks, particularly as they age, make accurate calibration a moving 
>>target.  Overall, the Flex net has the potential to increase customer 
>>confusion with a proliferation of synoptic (overly succinct) menus.
>>
>>Again, I call on the technicians in the industry to create a user 
>>interface with the lay person in mind.  See previous rant.
>>
>>I may find I recommend this system for remote locations so I can poll 
>>statistics and interpret for the client, but I will not train a client on 
>>the use of this unless he or she is particularly inclined.
>>
>>Anyone else have an opinion on the Flex net system?
>>
>>William Miller
>>
>>
>>
>>At 12:13 PM 10/14/2009, you wrote:
>>>Has anyone besides me had problems using the relay in the Outback 
>>>FNDC?  I've had three different customers report that their generators 
>>>failed to turn off.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Kent Osterberg
>>>Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
>>><http://www.bluemountainsolar.com/>www.bluemountainsolar.com
>_______________________________________________
>List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
>List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
>Options & settings:
>http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>List-Archive: 
>http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>List rules & etiquette:
>www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
>Check out participant bios:
>www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 8.5.421 / Virus Database: 270.14.16/2435 - Release Date: 10/14/09 
>06:33:00

Please note new e-mail address and domain:

William Miller
Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600     Fax: 805-438-4607
email: william at millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com
License No. C-10-773985
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20091014/a07d5a62/attachment-0003.html>