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Owner’s Manual  |  

GPR-25 Regulator

 

Carmanah Technologies Corp. Copyright © 2007 

Document number: GPR-25_Manual_v4.doc 

Last revised: June 21, 2007 

 

2. Warnings

Disconnect all power sources

 before attempting installation. Electricity can be very 

dangerous. Installation should be performed only by a licensed 
electrician or qualified personnel. 

Battery and wiring safety.

 

Observe  all  safety  precautions  of  the  battery  manufacturer  when 
handling  or  working  around  batteries.  When  charging,  batteries  may 
produce  hydrogen  gas,  which  is  highly  explosive.  Work  only  in  a  well 
ventilated  area  and  use  caution  when  making  or  removing  electrical 
connections.  Ensure  wires  are  disconnected  from  their  power  sources 
when wiring. Do not expose battery to open flame, cigarettes, or sparks. 
Shield skin and eyes from battery acid. 

Wiring connections.

 

Ensure  all  connections  are  tight  and  secure.  Loose  connections  may 
generate sparks. 

Work safely.

 

Wear  protective  eyewear  and  appropriate  clothing  during  installation. 
Use  extreme  caution  when  working  with  electricity  and  when  handling 
and working around batteries. 

Observe correct polarity 

Any contact in reverse polarity, however brief, will cause the 

at all times.  

regulator fuse to blow and may damage the unit. 

Do not exceed the GPR-25 

The  current  rating  of  the  solar  system  is  the  sum  of  the  short 

Current 

and Voltage 

circuit  currents  (Isc)  of  the  solar  modules  in  parallel.    The 

ratings

 

resulting system Isc current is not to exceed 25 A. The voltage  
of  the  array  is  the  rated  open  circuit  voltage  (Voc)  of  the  solar  module 
and  is  not  to  exceed  26  V.  If  your  solar  system  exceeds  these  ratings, 
contact your dealer for a suitable regulator alternative. 

3. Tools and Materials Needed

Drill with 3/32” and 3/8 bits 

UV Wire (Module(s) to GPR-25)* 

Keyhole or Jigsaw 

Battery Wire (GPR-25 to Battery)* 

Phillips Screwdriver 

Wire Cutters 

#8 Flat Washers  

Wire Strippers  

Pencil or Marking Implement 

Electrical Tape 

* If the GPR-25 Charger Controller was purchased with a Go Power! Electric RV Solar Kit then UV resistant
wire is included.  For instructions regarding RV Charger Kit installation, please refer to the RV Charger Kit
Installation Guide provided with the Kit.

4. Choosing a Location

The GPR-25 is designed to be mounted flush against a wall, out of the way and easily visible. 
The GPR-25 should be: 

mounted as close to the battery as possible.

mounted on a vertical surface to optimize cooling of the unit.

indoors, protected from the weather.

In an RV, the most common regulator location is above the refrigerator.  The wire from the solar modules 
most  commonly  enters  the  RV  through  the  fridge  vent  on  the  roof.    Solar  connections  should  connect 
directly to the regulator. Battery connections should connect directly from the regulator to the batteries. 

Do not tie the regulator wiring in with the refrigerator wiring or any other DC wiring

If  the  flush  mount  option  is  not  used,  ensure  that  the  optional  knockout  box  (Model:  GPR-25-KBox)  is 
securely mounted to the wall before proceeding with the installation of the GPR-25 Regulator. 

Summary of Contents for GPR-25

Page 1: ...OWNER S MANUAL GPR 25 Regulator ...

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ...4 Choosing a Location 5 5 Installation Instructions 6 6 Operating Instructions 6 7 Monitoring 7 8 Normal Status Scenarios 7 9 Before You Read Troubleshooting 8 10 Troubleshooting Problems 8 10 1 Problems with both Voltage Current 8 10 2 Problems with Voltage 9 10 3 Problems with Current 10 10 4 Miscellaneous Problems 11 11 Wiring Diagram 12 12 Limited Warranty 13 12 1 General Warranty Issues 13 12...

Page 4: ...ted Current Continuous Array Isc 25 A 4 25 x 7 5 x 1 6 in Array Voltage Max Voc 26 V Quiescent Current 20 mA Hardware 8 32 Current Consumption Charging Typ 20 mA Voltage Drop Array to Battery Typ 0 8 V Weight 172 grams Charge Termination Selectable 14 1 14 4 0 2 V 6 ounces Charge Resumption 13 0 0 3 V Operating Temperature Range 40 to 85 C Fuse 25 Amp AGC 40 to 185 F LCD Operating Temperature 10 t...

Page 5: ...ng system Isc current is not to exceed 25 A The voltage of the array is the rated open circuit voltage Voc of the solar module and is not to exceed 26 V If your solar system exceeds these ratings contact your dealer for a suitable regulator alternative 3 Tools and Materials Needed Drill with 3 32 and 3 8 bits UV Wire Module s to GPR 25 Keyhole or Jigsaw Battery Wire GPR 25 to Battery Phillips Scre...

Page 6: ...le Use colored wires or mark the wire ends with tags A reverse polarity contact however brief will blow the regulator fuse and may damage the unit 4 Jumper setting for sealed or flooded batteries Refer to the wiring schematic 5 Wiring the GPR 25 Wire the GPR 25 according to the wiring schematic Run wires from the solar modules and the batteries to the location of the GPR 25 Keep the solar module s...

Page 7: ...tery s state of charge during the charging cycle When the far right green LED is blinking the batteries are almost full Yellow indicates that the batteries are below 12 0 V and that the loads should be turned off Red indicates the voltage has fallen below 10 V and the battery is dead Disregard the bar graph reading if the battery is disconnected 8 Normal Status Scenarios These are all normal opera...

Page 8: ...rror present that may be accentuated when compared with readings from another voltmeter There may be a slight difference between the battery voltage displayed on the LCD screen and the battery voltage measured at the battery terminals When troubleshooting using a voltmeter check both the battery voltage at the regulator battery terminals and battery voltage at the battery terminals If a difference...

Page 9: ...ause 1 Battery or fuse connection 2 Excessive voltage drop from batteries to regulator 3 Incorrect calibration of the voltage meter How to tell 1 Check the voltage at the regulator terminals labeled Battery with a multimeter and compare with a reading at the battery terminals If there is a voltage discrepancy of more than 0 5 V there is an excessive voltage drop Remedy 1 Check the fuse Check all c...

Page 10: ...orrect configuration Tighten all connections Check wire gauge and length of wire run Refer to Suggested Minimum Wire Gauge in section 5 2 Clean modules clear obstruction or wait for conditions to clear 3 If the voltage of a non connected module open circuit is lower than 15 volts contact the manufacturer Voltage Reading N A Charge Light N A Current Reading Zero Time of Day Daytime Possible Cause 1...

Page 11: ...ltimeter is rapidly increasing and decreasing the battery is going bad the battery bank is too small or this is a normal condition Unfortunately there is no way to differentiate Possible solutions are to test individually the physical battery status using a hydrometer Consult your battery manufacturer s manual for more information 3 If the voltage on the multimeter is stable while the current read...

Page 12: ...Owner s Manual GPR 25 Regulator 12 Carmanah Technologies Corp Copyright 2007 Document number GPR 25_Manual_v4 doc Last revised June 21 2007 11 Wiring Diagram ...

Page 13: ...3 Warranty repair and or evaluation will be provided only at the Victoria British Columbia facility of Carmanah Units for such repair and or evaluation must be returned freight prepaid to Carmanah with a written description of any apparent defects Carmanah will not be required at any time to visit the installation site wherein Carmanah products are subject to warranty repair and or evaluation 4 On...

Page 14: ... a blocking diode Charge Controller The PV system component that controls the battery s state of charge It may also provide other system control functions Charge Rate The current applied to a battery to restore its energy capacity The battery manufacturer will usually have a recommended charge rate for their product The rate is typically 10 20 percent of the amp hour capacity at the 20 hour rate C...

Page 15: ...tial when it is disconnected from the rest of the PV system Parallel Connection Electrical connection where the positive terminals of a number of devices are connected together as are their negative terminals The output voltage is usually limited to the device with the lowest voltage and the total current is the sum of the current of all the devices Photovoltaic PV Capable of producing a voltage w...

Page 16: ...ing reduced battery capacity and shortening the life of the battery If caught in time equalization will remove the buildup of sulfation Voltage The electrical potential between two points Voltage is analogous to water pressure in that it pushes the electrons or current through a conductor The unit for voltage is volt and designated by the letter V Wet Acid or Flooded Batteries The most common type...

Page 17: ... Mounting Template Four 4 Mounting Holes Use 8 32 Self Tapping Screws Step 1 7 Cutting Line for Flush Mounting Use Jigsaw Step 1 Outside Faceplate Edge IMPORTANT Use this template insert to mount your faceplate ...

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