Is there a document available on how this world?<br><br>On Friday, July 20, 2012, Phil Undercuffler <<a href="mailto:solarphil@gmail.com">solarphil@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>> Hi all, I just got a correction from Darren - global charge control is in the Mate3, and therefore works with any FM or MX controller that has the GT mode. It uses the current sense from the FN-DC and the GT mode signal to control the output of the controllers.<br>
><br>> Sorry for any confusion<br>><br>> Phil<br>><br>> On Jul 20, 2012 4:11 PM, "Chris Mason" <<a href="mailto:cometenergysystems@gmail.com">cometenergysystems@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>><br>
> Phil,<br>> Good explanation of the feature. When did GCC make it into the firmware, and can the older ones be updated? It sounds like a perfect solution for some of my installations.<br>><br>> On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 12:34 AM, Phil Undercuffler <<a href="mailto:solarphil@gmail.com">solarphil@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>> OutBack implemented Global Charge Control in the FM charge controllers<br>> a while back, based on the input of the good folk at SELF who worked<br>> to power a number of hospitals and clinics in Haiti after the<br>
> earthquake. In some of those systems, the PV array was based on the<br>> typical running consumption of the hospital, in the 30 - 100 kW if I<br>> remember right, and the battery bank was relatively modest. However,<br>
> on the weekends and holidays without the normal AC loads the PV input<br>> was considerably more than the battery could absorb without<br>> destructive heating, something like a C2 or C5 rate.<br>><br>> Global Charge Control is implemented using the MATE3, a FN-DC and FM<br>
> charge controllers set to GT mode. You set a high charge current<br>> limit in the M3, and then it monitors the charge current going to the<br>> batteries. In normal operating mode the controllers stay in wide open<br>
> mode, harvesting as much power as possible. However if the loads drop<br>> and the total current from the charging sources begin exceed the<br>> global charge limit, the system compensates and the controllers back<br>
> off to prevent sending too much current to the batteries.<br>><br>> In today's world of PV modules being cheaper than diesel, we're seeing<br>> a lot more systems that can use this tool.<br>><br>> Hope this helps,<br>
><br>> Phil<br>><br>><br>><br>> On Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 7:56 PM, <a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com">boB@midnitesolar.com</a><br>> <<a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com">boB@midnitesolar.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>>><br>>> I didn't see that Brian T had the same idea until after I sent that email<br>>> off to Allan...<br>>> boB<br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>> On 7/19/2012 7:53 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:<br>
>><br>>> Wrenches,<br>>> I forwarded Brian's post on to Robin at Midnite, as I thought it was an<br>>> interesting idea. Below is his response, as well as boB's.<br>>> Allan<br>>><br>
>> Allan Sindelar<br>>> <a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a><br>>> NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer<br>>> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
>> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>>> Founder and Chief Technology Officer<br>>> Positive Energy, Inc.<br>>> 3209 Richards Lane (note new address)<br>>> Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
>> 505 424-1112<br>>> <a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com">www.positiveenergysolar.com</a><br>>><br>>> Allan, It is simpler than what is being suggested. The reason they want to<br>>> limit to 20 amps is because the battery doesnt need anymore than that. The<br>
>> controller will automatically limit the charge current as the battery gets<br>>> full. If a large load is turned on, the controller will try to refill the<br>>> battery up to its capacity. The 80 amps will quickly be reduced because the<br>
>> voltage will rise to the point where the charge tapers off.<br>>><br>>> There is nothing else that needs to be done. If the problem is that the<br>>> battery bank is too small for a big controller, the best answer is to get<br>
>> more batteries. A 80 amp charger into a 200 amp hour battery is going to<br>>> raise the battery voltage so quick, it will not affect the battery at all.<br>>> By the way, discharging a battery at 60 or 80 amps is probably going to do<br>
>> damage to a small battery also. We do have an input on the Classic that<br>>> could probably be programmed to do as requested. That input feature has yet<br>>> to be implemented. Im sure we will have discussions about this when the<br>
>> time comes to write the input code. Maybe this feature will be designed in,<br>>> but it doesnt sound like it is a very good feature to spend a bunch of time<br>>> on. After all, the main problem is that the battery bank is just too darned<<br>
<br>-- <br>Chris Mason<div>President, Comet Systems Ltd</div><div><a href="http://www.cometenergysystems.com" target="_blank">www.cometenergysystems.com</a></div><div>Cell: 264.235.5670</div><div>Skype: netconcepts</div><br>