OutBack Power FLEXmax 100 Owner'S Manual Download Page 59

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900-0209-01-00 Rev A

Specifications

Table 10

Electrical and Mechanical Specifications

Specification Value

Maximum Continuous Output Current

100 Adc

Maximum Input Current (short-circuit)

64 Adc

Nominal Battery System Voltage

24, 36, or 48 Vdc (automatically adjusted)

PV Open-Circuit Voltage

300 Vdc (highest open-circuit voltage before equipment damage)

Operating Voltage Range

Low

15 Vdc (lowest battery voltage for functionality)

High

290 Vdc temperature corrected V

(operational maximum)

Standby Power Consumption

~2.5 W

Charge Cycle

Three-stage

Minimum Battery Bank Size

100 Ahr

Charging (Output) Range

20 to 68 Vdc

Temperature Compensation

Adjustable from 2 mV/cell/°C to 6 mV/cell/°C

Remote Interface

RJ45 modular connector (CAT 5-style 8-wire twisted-pair cable)

Conduit Openings

Sides, bottom (plugs inserted); 1

⅜

” diameter openings for 1” conduit size

Dimensions (H x W x D)

22.0” × 8.8” × 6.0” (47.1 cm × 22.4 cm × 15.2 cm)

Shipping Dimensions (D x W X L)

10.0” × 12.0” × 25.5” (25.4 cm × 30.5 cm × 64.8 cm)

Weight

18.3 lb (8.3 kg)

Shipping Weight

22.0 lb (9.9.kg)

Table 11

Environmental / Safety Specifications

Specification Value

Operating Temperature Range

Ambient -20°C to 60°C (-13°F to 140°F)

Output Power Temperature Derating

Ambient 25°C to 60°C (77°F to 140°F); controller begins derating at 25°C

Environmental Category

Outdoor

Suitable for Wet Locations

Yes

Ingress Protection Rating

IP54

Relative Humidity Rating

4% to 100% Condensing

Enclosure Type

Type 3R

Maximum Altitude Rating

10,000 ft

Overvoltage Category

PV: OV Cat II
Batt: OV Cat II

Regulatory Specifications

Listings

This product carries a listing report by ETL. It is listed to the following standards:



UL1741 — Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use With Distributed
Energy Resources — Issue: 2010/1/28 Ed: 2



CSA C22.2 —

General Use Power Supplies,

No. 107.1-01 — Issue: 2001/09/01 Ed:3 (R2011)

Summary of Contents for FLEXmax 100

Page 1: ...FLEXmax 100 Charge Controller Owner s Manual ...

Page 2: ...ington WA 98223 USA European Office Hansastrasse 8 D 91126 Schwabach Germany Website http www outbackpower com Disclaimer UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING OUTBACK POWER TECHNOLOGIES a MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION b ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE...

Page 3: ...e Ground Systems 14 Ground Fault Detection and Interruption GFDI 15 External GFDI 15 Wiring Size and Requirements 16 Circuit Breaker Size and Requirements 16 Physical Requirements and Conduit 17 PV and Battery Terminals 17 Accessory Terminals and Ports 18 Reset Button 18 HUB Port 18 Device and LAN Ports 18 Remote Temperature Sensor Port 18 SD Card 19 Fan Connector 19 Accessory Terminal Block 19 Ra...

Page 4: ...ttings 42 Charger 42 MPPT 43 Temperature Compensation 43 Battery Equalize 44 Grid Tie Mode 44 Auxiliary Output 45 Auxiliary Mode Screens 45 Calibrate 50 Reset Charge Controller to Factory Defaults 50 Firmware Revision 51 Device Data Logs 51 Saving Data Logs for the FLEXmax 100 51 Data Log File Format 52 Updating the Firmware 53 Using MATE3s 53 Without MATE3s 53 Troubleshooting 55 General Troublesh...

Page 5: ... Ground Non Networked Devices 70 Grid Interactive Settings 71 Definitions 71 Index 73 List of Tables Table 1 Components Included 8 Table 2 LED Indicators 29 Table 3 Absorption Timer 32 Table 4 Reasons for Silent Mode 34 Table 5 Battery Status LED Indicators 35 Table 6 AUX Mode Functions 45 Table 7 Troubleshooting 55 Table 8 Error Messages 57 Table 9 Firmware Update Issues 58 Table 10 Electrical an...

Page 6: ...s that the information provided is important to understanding the operation and limits of the equipment Failure to follow the recommendations in such a notation could result in improper or failed operation MORE INFORMATION When this symbol appears next to text it means that more information is available in other manuals relating to the subject The most common reference is to the FLEXmax 100 Quick ...

Page 7: ...e PV modules or batteries for additional information Features The FLEXmax 100 charge controller uses continuous Maximum Power Point Tracking MPPT This function continuously seeks out the maximum power available from a PV array and harvests it This power is used to recharge the batteries See page 66 for a description of MPPT The FLEXmax 100 has the following features Designed for operation as part ...

Page 8: ...ft applications They also include gel cell batteries and absorbed glass mat AGM batteries OutBack Power recommends the use of batteries designed specifically for renewable energy applications Lithium based batteries and other advanced battery technologies may require special charging considerations To remove the wiring compartment cover 1 Using a Phillips screwdriver remove the two screws from the...

Page 9: ...F will have a derated power output See page 61 for more information If damaged or malfunctioning the FLEXmax 100 should only be serviced by qualified personnel Please contact the local renewable energy dealer installer for assistance Dimensions Figure 2 FLEXmax 100 Dimensions Wiring compartment height 4 4 11 2 cm Side Plugs 3 27 8 3 cm Depth 6 0 15 2 cm Height 18 6 47 2 cm Height with fan 22 06 56...

Page 10: ...xt to each other Two mounting methods are available The first method uses keyhole slots on the back of the controller for hanging directly on a wall This method is useful for a standalone installation To install the cooling fan 1 Place the fan against the base of the controller Two of the heat sink fins have holes which receive the locking tabs on the fan Align the tabs with these fins 2 Press the...

Page 11: ...ackets included with the controller have holes with the same spacing which can be used as a marking template 3 Using the appropriate tools set the screws into the surface The heads should protrude by 0 3 cm 4 Hang the FLEXmax 100 by placing its back against the mounting surface and aligning the keyhole slots with the screws Settle the controller so that the screws seat in the narrow end of each sl...

Page 12: ... bracket as shown to the left The bracket tabs can be inserted in one of two positions forward or rear To mount the controller flush against the wall insert the tabs in the forward slots as shown below To mount the controller 0 83 2 1 cm from the wall to align with an OutBack mounting plate insert the tabs in the rear slots as shown below NOTE The charge controller can rest on the lower bracket fo...

Page 13: ...tection can be used with this product such as the OutBack GFDI or PV system grounding in compliance with NEC 690A 5 See page 15 CAUTION Equipment Damage For positive ground systems The FLEXmax 100 internal GFDI function cannot be used in a positive ground system It must be disabled before use Any GFDI protection must be external This product can be used in a positive ground system when networked w...

Page 14: ... Positive Ground Systems The FLEXmax 100 has several critical requirements when used in a positive ground system The internal GFDI function cannot be used However make certain to leave the GFDI fuse in place Ensure neither PV conductor is grounded The battery conductor is the only item to be grounded Take these additional steps Remove the bonding jumper wire item A in Figure 6 Establish an externa...

Page 15: ...ons This will result in noncompliance with NEC or other codes Removing the ground bonding wire from all controllers will defeat the GFDI function This is a requirement in positive ground systems See the Ground Bonding section Figure 7 GFDI Fuse External GFDI IMPORTANT An external ground fault device must also contain the means for PV disconnection This function is built into OutBack GFDI products ...

Page 16: ...rrent protection devices The minimum AIC amps interrupting capacity rating required is 1125 Adc The largest PV array must have a rated short circuit current of 64 amps or less under STC Standard Test Conditions The output current limit of the FLEXmax 100 is 100 amps DC battery overcurrent protection must be used as part of the installation OutBack offers both circuit breakers and fuses for overcur...

Page 17: ...PV and Battery Terminals WARNING Shock Hazard When a PV array is exposed to light it immediately generates a voltage Make sure all DC circuit breakers are OFF open BEFORE making any wiring connections Open both the battery disconnect devices and the array disconnect devices to ensure isolation of the controller Use a DVM to check for voltage on all wires CAUTION Equipment Damage Each FLEXmax 100 r...

Page 18: ...rmware updates Remote Temperature Sensor Port An optional battery Remote Temperature Sensor RTS is recommended for accurate battery charging When the system includes an OutBack MATE3s system display a HUB Communications Manager and multiple devices only one RTS is needed The RTS should be connected to the port on the FLEXmax 100 The system display gives this port the highest priority and will comm...

Page 19: ... to the opening Figure 10 Accessory Terminal Block Rapid Shutdown Terminals Terminals 1 2 3 and 4 are used for the Rapid Shutdown function In an emergency a responder may need to quickly place the PV system in a de energized state These terminals can receive Rapid Shutdown commands to quickly shut down the FLEXmax 100 Multiple controllers can be connected in parallel on a single Rapid Shutdown cir...

Page 20: ...e LED indicators and their functions Examples of AUX wiring Figure 11 AUX Vent Fan Figure 12 AUX Diversion Control In this example the AUX output directly drives a 12 volt vent fan The and wires on the fan are connected to AUX terminals 5 and 6 the AUX and AUX terminals In this example the AUX drives a relay that diverts wind power The relay s coil is connected to AUX terminals 5 and 6 the AUX and...

Page 21: ... replace the Battery Sense reading as the system voltage The Battery Sense reading is still shown on the Charge Controller screen See Figure 27 on page 36 This reading is still used to adjust the FLEXmax 100 charging This function operates automatically when it detects a voltage within 2 volts of the battery voltage reading at the charge controller s main terminals If the reading varies by more th...

Page 22: ... of separate BAT and PV conductors Photovoltaic PV Charge Controller Battery Bank PV PV PV Ground Bus Bar Shunt DC Negative Bus Bar Ground PV PV BAT BAT DC Disconnect Panel NOTES The PV circuit is shown protected with a dual pole circuit breaker Positive ground bond is shown external to the controller System specific wiring and GFDI are not shown Photovoltaic PV Array Charge Controller Battery Ban...

Page 23: ...verter NOTE System specific wiring is not shown Photovoltaic PV Array HUB Charge Controller DC Disconnect Panel Inverter Battery Bank PV PV PV HUB DEVICE CAT 5E Ground PV PV BAT BAT Ground Bus Bar Shunt Terminal Bus Bar Negative RTS Inverter DC Disconnect MATE3s HUB MATE Ground ...

Page 24: ... while the RSI contacts remain closed If a rapid shutdown event occurs the RSI switch is thrown and the PV is disconnected these contacts will open and the circuit will detect the loss of continuity When the controller senses loss of PV input less than 20 Vdc it will shut down All LED indicators will flash twice and then turn off See pages 30 and 55 If the system display is present it will deliver...

Page 25: ...s can be added as needed The terminals detect electrical continuity which is present while the RSI contacts remain closed If a rapid shutdown event occurs the RSI switch is thrown and the PV is disconnected these contacts will open and the circuit will detect the loss of continuity When the controller senses loss of PV input less than 20 Vdc it will shut down All LED indicators will flash twice an...

Page 26: ... nominal voltage should be reset see below any time the system is substantially revised or the controller is relocated Setting the Nominal Voltage Upon initial power up the FLEXmax 100 will sense the battery voltage and use this reading to determine the nominal system voltage a battery bank that is nominally between 24 and 48 volts DC The batteries must be within the appropriate voltage range for ...

Page 27: ...s maximum power point tracking it will enter a three stage battery charging cycle This cycle can be observed with the controller s LED indicators See page 29 If a system display is available it is possible to observe the specific charging stage mode messages and readings of the charge controller Resetting to Factory Defaults To reset programmed items to the factory default settings 1 Remove all so...

Page 28: ...Installation 28 900 0209 01 00 Rev A NOTES ...

Page 29: ...ay still indicate Absorption and the STATUS indicator may indicate rising battery voltage even if another charging source is doing most of the work NOTE The LED indicators are intended as pointers rather than exact messages See the next page for a more specific description of each indicator Consult the system display for more information on controller status See page 35 Table 2 LED Indicators Indi...

Page 30: ...d by solid blue CHARGE indicator in Bulk stage Accompanied by flashing CHARGE indicator in Absorption stage Green solid The unit has entered Float stage It will remain green regardless of the battery voltage until it falls below 2 08 Vpc This will trigger a new charge cycle Accompanied by flashing blue CHARGE indicator Green flashing Indicates Grid Tie mode See page 44 Amber Green alternating Equa...

Page 31: ...h mode Figure 20 FLEXmax 100 Battery Charging and Modes Bulk This is a Maximum Power Point Tracking mode which harvests the maximum wattage available from the PV array The controller will drive the battery voltage towards the Absorb Voltage set point Normally the charge controller enters this mode at the beginning of the day or when a new charge cycle begins The controller may also enter this stag...

Page 32: ...fore the Absorb time is reached see page 42 the FLEXmax 100 reverts back to the Bulk charge stage The system display shows Bulk as shown on page 31 The internal timer may not always begin at zero if the last charge was interrupted or ended early If the batteries drop below the voltages noted on Table 3 the timer will begin counting down toward zero This adds to the duration of the next Absorption ...

Page 33: ...stant current variable voltage The mode will still show Float Figure 23 LED Indicators Float EQ The system display shows this message if the charger is in a cycle of equalization See page 68 for an explanation of equalization Before equalizing battery loads should be minimized and the battery should be charged so the charge controller can quickly reach the Equalization Voltage set point See page 4...

Page 34: ... Below battery No PV energy or Sleep mode If the Voc is less than battery voltage the controller is sleeping This is normal at night The threshold for Sleep mode is settable See page 43 Above battery Low light or Snooze mode Voc is greater than battery voltage but not enough array current is available for charging This is normal in the morning evening or in heavy clouds low light The threshold for...

Page 35: ... is installed this means the batteries are 60 Table 5 Battery Status LED Indicators Color 24 Vdc Unit 36 Vdc Unit 48 Vdc Unit Battery Status GREEN 25 0 Vdc or higher 37 5 Vdc or higher 50 0 Vdc or higher Acceptable YELLOW 23 0 to 24 9 Vdc 34 5 to 37 4 Vdc 46 0 to 49 9 Vdc Marginal RED 22 9 Vdc or lower 34 4 Vdc or lower 45 9 Vdc or lower Low NOTES The BATTERY LED settings cannot be changed Voltage...

Page 36: ...on over time The graphs include inverter and charger wattage power imported from an AC source battery voltage and others These screens are all shown beginning on page 40 Port cycles through each device connected to the network If more than one charge controller is installed in the system pressing the Port soft key will cycle through each controller Back returns to the previous screen Screen Items ...

Page 37: ...for the present wattage See Maximum on page 36 for the highest wattage that day The items under Total are incremental These items are updated daily with higher totals kWh displays a historical accumulation of the kilowatt hours harvested by the controller See the Out reading on page 36 for the daily accumulation kAh displays a historical accumulation of the kiloamp hours used to charge the batteri...

Page 38: ...o hot to operate and has shut down This error can clear automatically See the temperature readings in Figure 31 Shorted RTS The Remote Temperature Sensor RTS has malfunctioned The controller will not shut down but it cannot compensate for temperature GFDI Fault accompanied by the FAULT LED indicator The GFDI circuit has shut down the charge controller See pages 15 and 30 for more information Fault...

Page 39: ...ay advances the display forward by a single day If the display reads Today it does nothing Day advances the display backward by a single day and will display the selected date It extends back by 128 days before stopping Back returns to the previous screen Port cycles through each device connected to the network Date Screen Items The upper left corner shows the date of the selected Datalog screen T...

Page 40: ...in battery voltage over time Figure 34 Battery Graph The Next soft key brings up a screen showing changes in PV voltage over time Figure 35 PV Graph Continuing to press the Next soft key will proceed through the same graphs again from the beginning This axis shows date and time in 6 hour increments This axis shows PV wattage This axis shows date and time in 6 hour increments This axis shows batter...

Page 41: ...e Main Menu shown below is accessed with the LOCK button and a password Use the system display control wheel to move up and down between menus or options within a menu Use the center button on the control wheel to make a selection See the system display literature for more information Some menus may not be accessible if the user access levels are restricted Figure 36 Menu Structure ...

Page 42: ...lizes multiple settings This menu controls the voltages and timers for the battery charger See page 67 for an explanation of the three stage cycle and a description of individual stages See page 31 to see what indicators and messages appear at each stage Figure 37 Charger Absorb Time is adjustable from 0 to 24 hours consult the battery manufacturer s recommendations When the Absorb Time is reached...

Page 43: ...orbing and Float voltage limits during charging when using a Remote Temperature Sensor RTS The RTS adjusts charging voltage depending on battery temperature See page 68 for an explanation of compensation Figure 39 Temperature Compensation Set Points MPPT Mode Selects between Auto which allows automatic MPPT and U Pick which limits the maximum power point tracking to a specific percentage of array ...

Page 44: ... the appropriate number of days between the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next If this item is set to zero the controller will not perform automatic equalization Grid Tie Mode IMPORTANT This mode requires an OutBack grid interactive inverter also known as grid tie enabled with its selling mode enabled Not all inverters are grid interactive If the system is connected to an inverter that...

Page 45: ...OTE Diversion Relay and Diversion Solid St can be used for AC coupling applications Figure 42 Auxiliary Output Auxiliary Mode Screens The ten options appear in the following order when the wheel is drawn clockwise The Vent Fan option appears first if the charge controller is set at factory default values otherwise it will tend to display the last option selected Table 6 AUX Mode Functions Mode Nam...

Page 46: ...an an array problem This mode is Active Low only The AUX output is normally active When either condition is met the AUX will deactivate Purpose This mode is useful for monitoring remote sites It indicates when the controller has not charged the batteries for 26 hours or more or if the voltage remains too low for other reasons Deactivation is intended to operate a remote alarm It can send a signal ...

Page 47: ...tage of operation The voltage must exceed the charger setting Absorb Float or EQ by the value of the Relative voltage This must last for the Delay time for the AUX to respond The AUX returns to its previous state when the voltage drops below the Relative setting by an amount equal to Hysteresis This must last for the Hold time for the AUX to respond For a wiring diagram illustrating how to connect...

Page 48: ...e Diversion Solid St to control a mechanical relay The PWM action could cause irregular relay activity Do not use Diversion Solid St to operate a diversion load that has anything other than purely resistive elements The PWM action may work poorly with mechanical loads Low Battery Disconnect Function When the battery voltage falls below the Disconnect voltage for the Disconnect Delay time the AUX o...

Page 49: ...tery Bank Diversion Load Wind Generator PV PV PV N C Common Coil AUX Ground PV PV BAT BAT Inverter Negative DC Disconnect DC Disconnect DC Disconnect Shunt Terminal Bus Bar Negative Terminal Bus Bar Ground Terminal Bus Bar Positive RTS Inverter DC Disconnect Inverter Positive 12 Vdc 12 Vdc 12 Vdc 12 Vdc NOTE See page 48 for important requirements when using the mode Diversion Solid St ...

Page 50: ...he user to erase all settings from the selected charge controller and start over with the values programmed at the factory These values are listed on page 62 This procedure is recommended any time the controller is relocated or the system is substantially revised This procedure is a requirement for resetting the nominal battery voltage of the system see page 26 Figure 45 Restoring the Charge Contr...

Page 51: ...evice Settings menu 4 Select the Firmware Versions menu 5 The current firmware revision of the FLEXmax 100 will be displayed along with that of the system display and other devices See page 53 for instructions on updating the controller s firmware revision To create a data log for the FLEXmax 100 1 Access the Main Menu as shown on page 41 2 Select the Device Data Logs menu 3 Select FLEXmax Charge ...

Page 52: ... and Save Data Log screen To create a new name for the data log up to 8 characters maximum 1 Use the control wheel to scroll through the available characters 2 Use and to move to the next character location 3 Press Delete to erase the character that is highlighted 4 Press Save to save the new data log on the SD card 4 Press Continue to return to the Upload and Save Data Log screen Returns to the U...

Page 53: ... are provided in the MATE3s literature Once the update procedure is started it will take over ten minutes for the files to be transferred to the FLEXmax 100 While this is occurring the MATE3s will show the percentage completed The charge controller will show normal LED activity and will continue charging as normal At the end of the file transfer the FLEXmax 100 STATUS LED indicator will flash gree...

Page 54: ...he controller and battery disconnect at the same time Two people may be needed 7 Press and hold the RESET button with a nonconductive narrow tool See Figure 50 The button is recessed inside the hole by several millimeters 8 While still pressing the RESET button turn the battery disconnect to the ON position 9 Still pressing the RESET button watch the LED indicators on the FLEXmax 100 See Figure 51...

Page 55: ...ray wiring polarity is reversed The heatsink may grow warm after a short time due to internal current flow Unit not operating unit had worked normally before This behavior is normal in cases of low light Unit may be in Sleep Snooze or Wakeup modes Confirm conditions and behavior using Table 4 on page 34 Battery temperature fault Check temperature see system display literature If the RTS reads in e...

Page 56: ...s required Determine the specified short circuit current of the PV array The MPP current is related to this number Use a multimeter to determine if the short circuit current is in the expected range Array or wiring problems may restrict the available power Check the PV array temperature At high temperatures the maximum power point voltage may be near or lower than the battery voltage Check FLEXmax...

Page 57: ... C Shorted RTS Charging is not temperature compensated Remote Temperature Sensor RTS damaged To test remove or replace the RTS GFDI Fault Red FAULT LED indicator illuminated see page 30 Ground fault The detection circuit has sensed an open connection on the GFDI fuse see page 15 Check the fuse Make certain it is installed according to the instructions Inspect the rest of the system for grounding p...

Page 58: ...pid green followed by erratic red flash followed by steady red flash and then power up sequence Previous update attempt was interrupted by power disconnect loss of communication or a similar problem No solution required current update has succeeded STATUS LED indicator flashes rapid green but does not flash slowly within a few seconds Problem microSD card or with file on microSD card Disconnect th...

Page 59: ...nings for 1 conduit size Dimensions H x W x D 22 0 8 8 6 0 47 1 cm 22 4 cm 15 2 cm Shipping Dimensions D x W X L 10 0 12 0 25 5 25 4 cm 30 5 cm 64 8 cm Weight 18 3 lb 8 3 kg Shipping Weight 22 0 lb 9 9 kg Table 11 Environmental Safety Specifications Specification Value Operating Temperature Range Ambient 20 C to 60 C 13 F to 140 F Output Power Temperature Derating Ambient 25 C to 60 C 77 F to 140 ...

Page 60: ...limits for a Class B digital device when powered by a DC source pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio commun...

Page 61: ...r input voltage will improve the controller s thermal performance For a nominal 24 volt battery system At 60 C 140 F the output is derated to a maximum of 46 Adc The controller is not rated for operation above this temperature For a nominal 48 volt battery system At 60 C 140 F the output is derated to a maximum of 50 Adc The controller is not rated for operation above this temperature Figure 52 Te...

Page 62: ...minutes Range 05 to 15 minutes Snooze Mode Amps Default 0 6 Adc Range 0 2 to 1 0 Adc Temperature Compensation Mode Default Wide Range Wide or Limited Slope Default 5 mV Range 2 to 6 mV Lower Battery Voltage Default 26 4 Vdc 39 6 Vdc 52 8 Vdc Range 10 Vdc to Upper Battery Voltage setting Upper Battery Voltage Default 28 2 Vdc 42 3 Vdc 56 4 Vdc Range Lower Voltage setting to 68 0 Vdc Battery Equaliz...

Page 63: ...ff Range On Auto Off Active Default Active High Range Active High or Active Low Relative Voltage Default 0 Vdc Range 0 0 to 5 0 Vdc Hysteresis Default 0 2 Vdc Range 0 0 to 12 0 Vdc Hold Default 0 1 second Range 0 0 to 25 seconds Delay Default 0 0 seconds Range 0 0 to 24 seconds Diversion Solid St Default Off Range On Auto Off Relative Voltage Default 0 0 Vdc Range 0 0 to 5 0 Vdc Hysteresis Default...

Page 64: ...Specifications 64 900 0209 01 00 Rev A NOTES ...

Page 65: ...se the following rule For optimum charging performance the Vmp should be at least 6 to 10 volts higher than the highest charging voltage for that battery model IMPORTANT Check the PV array voltage before connecting it to the FLEXmax 100 Open Circuit Voltage Voc Open circuit voltage Voc is the unloaded voltage generated by the PV array The FLEXmax 100 controller can withstand Voc of up to 300 Vdc H...

Page 66: ...cted a module displays open circuit voltage Voc and delivers no current At full load shorted a module has no voltage although it delivers the maximum short circuit current Isc In neither case does it produce usable wattage When partially loaded a PV module delivers partial current and voltage These numbers can be multiplied to see the available wattage However the delivery of wattage is not linear...

Page 67: ...oint for 90 seconds or more See page 42 This usually occurs each night unless the batteries were maintained by another means If so they may not need to be recharged Bulk This is the first stage in the three stage charge cycle It is a constant current stage which drives the battery voltage up The DC current is the maximum current the charger can deliver This stage typically leaves the batteries at ...

Page 68: ...r Some batteries may suffer severe damage from equalization Contact the battery manufacturer for recommendations on equalization voltage duration schedule and or advisability Always follow manufacturer recommendations for equalization Equalization is normally performed only on flooded lead acid batteries The schedule for equalization varies with battery use and type but it is usually performed eve...

Page 69: ...ee C When the system includes an OutBack HUB Communications Manager and a system display only one RTS is needed for multiple inverters and charge controllers See page 43 for more information on these items Table 14 Examples of Compensation Cells volts Slope Value Temp 25 Calculation Total Compensation 12 24 Vdc 3 mV 36 C 11 12 0 003 11 0 4 Vdc 18 36 Vdc 5 mV 26 C 1 18 0 005 1 0 1 Vdc 24 48 Vdc 6 m...

Page 70: ...ne previous model OutBack controller FLEXmax or MX Series can be networked with the FLEXmax 100 under the same conditions as above NOTE Multiple OutBack inverters cannot be networked with this charge controller The FN DC can be networked with one or more FLEXmax 100 controllers under the following conditions No OutBack inverters are on the network No previous model OutBack charge controllers are o...

Page 71: ...Conformité Européenne French for European Conformity a marking on OutBack products indicating that they meet European Union requirements DC Direct Current refers to voltage produced by the batteries or renewable source Derate Automatic reduction of the FLEXmax 100 rated output of 100 Adc usually performed for temperature reasons DVM Digital Voltmeter EMI Electromagnetic Interference a detrimental ...

Page 72: ... card for data storage Sleep mode No PV energy normal at night Slope A selectable rate of battery temperature compensation Snooze mode Low light conditions not enough PV energy for operation Soft key A key with functions that vary with screen Sweep Part of the MPPT process the controller is attempting to locate the Vmp System display Remote interface such as the MATE3 MATE3s or OPTICS RE used for ...

Page 73: ...s 50 Definitions 71 Diagrams Wiring Diversion Control 49 General 22 Positive Ground 22 Rapid Shutdown 24 with Multiple Controllers 25 With Inverter 23 Dimensions 9 Diversion Control 20 49 E Efficiency 61 Equalize 33 68 Switch 8 44 Error 36 38 55 56 57 F Factory Defaults 27 Fan 10 19 FCC 60 Features 7 8 Firmware Revision 7 51 60 Update 53 58 FLEXnet DC 21 35 Limits on use 69 70 Float 33 68 Fuse 15 ...

Page 74: ...ve Ground Systems 13 14 Nominal Battery Voltage 26 O Open Circuit Voltage 27 65 66 OPTICS RE 7 P Photovoltaic 72 Ports Fan 18 HUB 18 MATE3s 18 RTS 18 Positive Ground 13 22 70 Power Up 26 PV Design 65 R Rapid Shutdown 19 24 38 57 Remote Temperature Sensor 55 56 57 68 Port 18 Settings 43 Slope 43 68 Reset to Defaults 50 RoHS 60 RSI Rapid Shutdown Initiator 24 S Safety 6 SD Card 19 Data Log 51 52 Fir...

Page 75: ...A 75 U Updating Firmware 53 58 V Vmp 65 66 Voc 27 65 66 W Wakeup Mode 34 43 Warning Symbol 6 Weather Conditions 66 Wiring 13 Conduit 17 Diagrams 22 49 PV 17 Rapid Shutdown 24 with Multiple Controllers 25 Size 16 18 Terminals 17 ...

Page 76: ...900 0209 01 00 Rev A Corporate Headquarters 17825 59th Avenue N E Suite B Arlington WA 98223 USA 1 360 435 6030 European Office Hansastrasse 8 D 91126 Schwabach Germany 49 9122 79889 0 ...

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