[RE-wrenches] MATE3 Controller RE: Re-configuring expanded array

Jason Szumlanski Jason at fafcosolar.com
Wed Oct 5 03:55:30 PDT 2011


I'll post the end result of our conversation so you don't have to read the play by play. We are going to dig into the logs and see exactly what is going on. Apparently the au port should still work even if LBCO has been met. 

Jason Szumlanski

On Oct 4, 2011, at 12:18 PM, "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com> wrote:

> Others among us are following this issue for future reference. Please keep Steve's reply and the resolution on-list.
> Thanks, Allan
> 
> Allan Sindelar
> Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
> NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
> Positive Energy, Inc.
> 3201 Calle Marie
> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
> 505 424-1112
> www.positiveenergysolar.com
> 
> 
> 
> On 10/3/2011 2:31 PM, Jason Szumlanski wrote:
>> 
>> Steve,
>>  
>> That is not what is happening.  Are you saying that the inverter aux port should still work if LBCO is reached? It does not, and I was told otherwise by Outback Tech Support. Is the LBCO delay programmable? I do not see that documented.
>>  
>> Please contact me off list so we can resolve this particular issue.
>>  
>> Jason Szumlanski
>> Fafco Solar
>>  
>>  
>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Steve Higgins
>> Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 3:48 PM
>> To: RE-wrenches
>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] MATE3 Controller RE: Re-configuring expanded array
>>  
>> Jason,
>>  
>> If LBCO is 46.00 and the 2 minute start is 47.2. When the voltage goes below 47.2 the 2 minute start timer would begin to count down.When the voltage reaches 46.00 the five minute LBCO voltage timer starts. Because the 2 minute timer will expire in 2 minutes and even if the warm-up time was 4 minutes, the inverter would still engage the Aux Output to start the genset and charge the batteries.
>>  
>> If there is a case if the LBCO occurs before the AGS 2 minute start is activated that the generator will not start because after the load is dropped the voltage would rise above the 2 minute start voltage. This case is easily resolved by programming the LBCO below the 2 minute start voltage.
>>  
>> Even if you have hit LBCO and the inverter has shut off the AGS function still works and will engage the relay (via the aux port) to start the Generator.
>>  
>> Steve Higgins
>> Outback Power Technologies.
>>  
>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jason Szumlanski
>> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:04 AM
>> To: RE-wrenches
>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] MATE3 Controller RE: Re-configuring expanded array
>> 
>> This reminded me of another subject about the MATE3.
>>  
>> I was surprised to find out that advanced generator start does not work properly if the batteries reach LBCO before the 2 minute start timer fires the generator with an external relay attached to one of the inverters. The AGS settings are stored in the MATE3, so it tries to tell the inverter to trigger the external relay once the 2 minute voltage has been reached, but if LBCO has been reached, the inverter will not supply voltage to the coil.
>>  
>> This logic does not work. Let’s say you have LBCO set to 46.0V and the 2 minute start voltage set to 47.2V. Under a very heavy load, it is completely plausible that the LBCO could be met before the AGS via the inverter has time to start the generator. The only “solution” is to have an unacceptably high (IMHO) spread between the 2 minute start and the LBCO.
>>  
>> In this case, I don’t want to set the LBCO too low (i.e. default) because the system is unattended and if the generator does not start for whatever reason, it is reasonable to expect that the battery voltage could slowly decrease to the LBCO and then stay there for a long period of time until the problem is discovered. I want to keep the LBCO relatively high, but I want the generator to reliably start using start timers, SOC, or load. I think this is a poor implementation of this feature, leading me to consider a completely separate or auxiliary AGS system that is voltage dependent without relying on the inverter relay to start the generator.
>>  
>> Jason Szumlanski
>> Fafco Solar
>>  
>>  
>> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of holtek at sbcglobal.net
>> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 12:06 PM
>> To: RE-wrenches
>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Re-configuring expanded array
>>  
>> Maverick,
>> I don't think system owner will let me pry his mate3 out of his hands.....and oops! it will be 2- 6 slot combiners....thanks for the feedback. Look forward to meeting you someday.
>>  
>>  
>> Holt E. Kelly
>> Holtek Fireplace & Solar Products
>> 500 Jewell Dr.
>> Waco TX. 76712
>> 254-751-9111
>> www.holteksolar.com
>> 
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