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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
Larry, Pitfalls ?<br>
The biggest pitfall I would say is if you have a VERY stiff grid.<br>
<br>
If your Voc is say, 170V DC and the CC current limits it output at
say, 169 V DC,<br>
they you are going to need to add an input power resistor of a
couple Ohms to<br>
help cushion the input to be more like a PV module. A lot of
times, the grid is<br>
not nearly this bad, especially generators.<br>
<br>
Also, If you are going to do this, I would NOT use Solar mode but
instead try<br>
Hydro mode set to Manual MPP voltage. First start the MPPV at
something just<br>
less than Voc or maybe, say, 160 VDC. Then, from main STATUS
screen, you can<br>
adjust the input voltage up and down by pressing the Soft-Right or
Soft-Left<br>
keys respectfully. (upper right and upper left keys). Then you
can manually get<br>
a feel for what it should be set for.<br>
<br>
The Classic 200 is the only CC of ours that I would use. The 250
would work but the<br>
200 is much more suited. I wish there were a real charger that
one could buy that was<br>
isolated, and we have never really advocated MPPT charge
controllers for this but<br>
in a pinch, they always seem to work find. Never did add a "DT"
mode (after Daryl<br>
Thayer of course), but this hydro mode seems to work OK.<br>
<br>
If you want to let it sweep but setting it to 3 minutes (or
higher) that will also work.<br>
If you do that, set the minimum input voltage. Something like
140V or so will keep<br>
it from dropping the input voltage too low and either bogging down
the input source<br>
and the rectifier bridge (especially generators)<br>
<br>
You can also set the INPUT current limit in the LIMITS menu. This
was for hydro<br>
in particular. Either limit can help reduce Isc or bogging down
issues.<br>
<br>
The other pitfall is that it is NOT galvanically isolated so you
should be very careful.<br>
We use an X240 equivalent transformer to keep the batteries going
in our burn in<br>
rack using 2 Classic 200s and it works great.<br>
<br>
Also, use a nice and strong full bridge rectifier so that it
applies 120 Hz instead of<br>
60 Hz to the input. That is much easier on the input capacitors
and things and just<br>
makes it work smoother. There are input capacitors (filtering) on
most charge controllers.<br>
<br>
Again, in a pinch this seems to work but watch that input max
power point voltage to make<br>
sure it is not too high compared to the Voc. If there isn't
enough voltage spacing between<br>
the two (stiff AC source) then the control isn't going to be very
smooth and might risk<br>
letting the smoke out.<br>
<br>
What ever you do here, be very careful what you touch !<br>
<br>
boB<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 12/16/2014 6:39 AM, Larry wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:54904414.5040304@starlightsolar.com"
type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I must have missed the prior
discussion about using PV CC. The concept sounds good but how
many of you have done this and are there any pitfalls to be
aware of? If I use a 20 amp bridge I should be able to produce
80 amps @ 14.4V. For continuous operation, will I need a large
heat sink on it?<br>
<br>
How does the unfiltered full wave peak voltage affect the CC
over time? Are they (specifically Midnite) really designed to
handle input waveform like this? I like this idea, especially if
I can stack the controllers.<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Thank you,
Larry </pre>
On 12/15/14 6:51 PM, jay peltz wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:F7B54E96-8788-44FC-91C3-E2585619B3DC@asis.com"
type="cite"><base href="x-msg://519/">Hi Kirk,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>If you use a 200vdc midnight CC you'll have no issues.</div>
<div>When you rectify 120vac its up around 166vdc</div>
<div>( uses the peak vac which is around 170vac.)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>For a 150vdc max controller ( midnite 150) or a 144vdc (
outback FM) then a buck transformer or standard transformer is
the trick to reduce the AC and hence the DC for these lower
voltage units.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>jay</div>
<div>peltz power</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>On Dec 15, 2014, at 5:38 PM, Kirk Herander wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span"
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<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',
serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">This has
been discussed on this list in years past. It is
possible to use an outback charge controller as
a battery charger. You need to put the 120 AC
into a bridge rectifier, then feed the 120 DC
into the controller’s PV input. So you’ll have
an 80 amp battery charger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',
serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
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<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">Kirk
Herander<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">VT
Solar, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><i><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73,
125); ">Proven PV provider since 1991<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="www.vermontsolarnow.com" style="color:
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style="color: blue; ">www.vermontsolarnow.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
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Vermont Solar Engineering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></sup>Inaugural
Certificant<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
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Incentive Program Partner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); ">802.863.1202<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Calibri,
sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',
serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma,
sans-serif; ">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma,
sans-serif; "><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>RE-wrenches
[<a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>On
Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Dan
Tittmann<br>
<b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Monday,
December 15, 2014 8:18 PM<br>
<b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:info@windsine.org" style="color:
blue; text-decoration: underline; ">info@windsine.org</a>;
RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re:
[RE-wrenches] Programmable Battery Charger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',
serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',
serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;
">You can manually adjust Iotas with tweaking
the potentiomiters while monitoring it with a
god volt meter. But no time adjustment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New
Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom:
0.0001pt; ">Daniel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left:
0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times
New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in;
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</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left:
0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times
New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in;
margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Daniel
Tittmann <o:p></o:p></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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</div>
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<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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href="http://www.greenwired.com"
target="_blank" style="color: blue;
text-decoration: underline; ">www.greenwired.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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target="_blank" style="color: blue;
text-decoration: underline; ">daniel@greenwired.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom:
0.0001pt; ">707-923-2001 (office)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="margin-right: 0in;
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<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
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"><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New
Roman', serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom:
0.0001pt; ">On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 4:21 PM,
Windsine Inc. <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:windsine@gmail.com"
target="_blank" style="color: blue;
text-decoration: underline; ">windsine@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></div>
<p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New
Roman', serif; ">Check out Argus Technologies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in;
font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New
Roman', serif; ">RoyR<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="margin-right: 0in;
margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt;
font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;
margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom:
0.0001pt; ">On Dec 15, 2014 4:01 PM,
"Larry" <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:larry@starlightsolar.com"
target="_blank" style="color: blue;
text-decoration: underline; ">larry@starlightsolar.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:
0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt;
font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;
margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 12pt; ">Wrenches,<br>
<br>
Does anyone know of a 120/12 volt
battery charger that can be programmed
for absorb and float voltage and time in
absorb mode? I have been needing this
product for many years but I can only
find it in inverters with built in
chargers from Magnum, Outback, and
Xantrex.<br>
<br>
--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
Thank you,<br>
<br>
Larry Crutcher<br>
Starlight Solar Power Systems<br>
</p>
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