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© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
3.0 Setup
Should I use the “AC In-Time” feature?
The most common use of AC
In-Time is when your local utility company offers peak rate savings. Peak
rate savings are when the utility company offers a lower rate per kWh (kilo
Watt hour) on your power bill, usually at night when there is less demand
on the local utility grid.
Where should I set “AC In-Time”?
Check with your local utility company
or installer and see if they offer lower rates at particular times of the day.
If a lower rate is offered try setting your connect time to coincide with the
utility companies lower rates, this will save you money.
Example:
Your standard rate on your power bill is $.10 kWh. Your utility
company offers $.08 KWH between 12:00 AM and 7:00AM. Set your connect
time to coincide with the utility company’s lower rates in order to save money
when using utility power to charge the batteries.
Example:
In order to protect the batteries from over discharging you set
the connect voltage at 12.2 VDC, 24.4 VDC or 48.8 VDC respectively. If the
alternate charge source can not keep the battery charged, then the grid will
connect at 12.2 VDC and charge the batteries. You would set the disconnect
voltage at the Absorb voltage for your batteries to make sure the batteries
received at least a 75-80% charge before the AC is disconnected.
02D AC In-VDC -
AC In-VDC used to determine when the inverter/char-
ger connects to incoming AC based on VDC (Battery Voltage). AC In-VDC is
set in a range of battery voltages, the
fi
rst being the connect DC voltage at
which the inverter/charger will connect to incoming AC and the second the
disconnect DC voltage at which time the inverter will disconnect from incom-
ing AC. This setting is typically used when an alternate charging source(s)
is present. The alternate charging sources may be PV, wind and or hydro.
Typically AC In-VDC is used optimize the alternate charging source(s), and
only use the grid to charge the batteries if the alternate charging source is
not able to maintain the batteries above the “Set Connect Volts” setting.
Default Setting:
11.0 - 14.1 VDC
What is the “AC In-VDC” feature?
This feature allows the incoming AC
to connect to the inverter/charger and charge the batteries only during the
set voltage in 02D AC In-VDC menu. Even if AC is present on the AC input
terminals of the inverter/charger, it will only connect to incoming AC when
the “Set Connect Volts” setting is reached. It will disconnect when the “Set
Disconnect Volts” voltage is reached.
Should I use the “AC In-VDC” feature?
The most common use of AC In-
VDC is when you have an alternate source(s) of battery charging. The most
common sources of alternate battery charging are PV, wind and or hydro that
are directly connected to the batteries via a charge controller. In order to
optimize the alternate charge source(s), the incoming AC must be prevented
from connecting to the inverter charger or the inverter/charger will take over
charging the batteries and the alternate source will not be used.
Where should I set “AC In-VDC”?
Check with your battery manufacturer
or installer in order to determine the correct settings for your batteries.
Typically battery manufacturers don’t recommend discharging the batteries
below 50%, which when related to a voltage setting is approximately 12.0-
12.2 VDC, 24.0-24.4 VDC and 48-48.8 VDC for 12, 24 and 48 volt batteries
respectively.
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