INSTALLATION & OPERATION MANUAL SOLARMAX MPPT SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER MODEL SMP100 An ISO9001 and AS9100 Registered Company Battery Chargers • Inverters • Power Supplies • Voltage Converters 8128 River Way, Delta B.C. V4G 1K5 Canada T. 604.946.9981 F. 604.946.9983 TF. 800.668.3884 (US/CANADA) www.analyticsystems.
Copyright (2005-2015) Analytic Systems Ware (1993) Ltd.
Important Safety Instructions WARNING Installation should be performed by qualified personnel only. SolarMax has no userserviceable parts. To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not perform any installation (or servicing) other than specified in these instructions. See our RMA and warranty policies should servicing be required. 1. Do not expose the SolarMax charge controller to rain, snow, spray, or dust. To prevent overheating, do not obstruct any ventilation openings. 2.
Overview of SolarMax MPPT Charge Controller Introduction Congratulations on choosing a photovoltaic electric system. When well-planned and properly installed it will give you decades of trouble free service. The Analytic Systems SMP100 SolarMax MPPT Charge Controller is a key component of your system.
For example, a Mitsubishi PV-MLE270HD module has an Open Circuit Voltage of 38.4 volts at 25C, but at -25C, the Voc rises to 120% or 46.08 volts. Dividing 230 by 46.08 gives a result of 5, so 5 of these panels can be wired in Series for 1350 watts per string, and then as many strings in parallel as will produce the maximum output power at the nominal battery voltage as shown in the table below.
Charge Controller A maximum power point tracker (or MPPT) is a high efficiency DC to DC converter which functions as an optimal electrical load for a solar array, and converts the power to a voltage and current level which is optimum for charging batteries. The benefits of MPPT regulators are greatest during cold weather, on cloudy or hazy days or when the battery is deeply discharged. The SolarMax Charge Controller also monitors battery voltage and temperature to prevent overcharging.
Float Stage The Float stage is a maintenance charge at a preset constant voltage. It can be maintained indefinitely to ensure the batteries maintain the maximum state of charge by allowing the current to vary. Charge Timer The charge timer starts once battery voltage goes above the float voltage by a certain amount. The timer will run for a pre-determined amount of time based on the battery specifications provided by the manufacturer, but is adjustable in the PowerWizard software.
System Calculations Loads The first step in planning a PV system is to determine the load. What is the power intended for? How much power will be required and for how long? There are many resources available in print and on-line to help determine average and peak load requirements. It is recommended that you use these resources to calculate anticipated load requirements and that your system planner design for load growth.
will produce a higher Voc and higher Vmp voltage. To determine the corrected Voc, consult the data sheet for your solar panel and allow for the lowest possible temperature the solar panel will be exposed to. If the data sheet is not available, use the table below to make the calculation using the formula Voc Expected = Voc @ 25C * Correction Factor. Temperature Correction Factor 25° to 10° C (77° to 50° F) 1.06 9° to 0° C (49° to 32° F) 1.10 -1° to -10° C (31° to 14° F) 1.
Coming back to our example solar panel, the Mitsubishi PV-MLE270HD, the Isc for one panel is 9.18 amps, and from the charts we can see that there is almost no temperature coefficient. Assuming 5 panels in series for 1350 watts per string, and 7 strings for a maximum power of 9450 watts, the maximum short circuit current would be 9.18 x 7 or 64.26 amps. Multiplying this times the safety factor of 1.
Installation The box should contain: • 1 SolarMax SMP100 • 1 Battery Temperature Sensor • 1 Serial Connection Cable • This Manual • Warranty Card If anything is missing, contact your dealer. Mounting The SolarMax Unit must be installed in a weather proof enclosure or inside the building housing the batteries. It is preferable to mount it in a room adjacent to the battery storage for safety reasons. The SolarMax should be mounted vertically with the input/output wiring entering the bottom of the unit.
System Wiring Diagram for SolarMax WARNING This charger controller must be used with an external GFDI device as required by the Article 690 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) for the installation location. The simplified single-line drawing below shows the appropriate location and maximum amperage capacity rating of circuit breakers. Please note that all circuit protection devices must be installed inside UL/CSA recognized enclosures. Follow all applicable electrical codes.
Charge Controller Configuration and Software Setup A standard unit comes pre configured with the following default settings: • Standard (nominal battery voltage) 24.0 V • Bulk absorption voltage 28.8 V • Float voltage setting 27.2 V • Battery Amp-Hours rating (AH) 100 AH However the SolarMax is user programmable for (24 – 72) V nominal batteries. If the settings need to be changed or the unit requires a fresh installation, the unit must first be connected to a computer using the RS232 serial port.
Opening screen with data logging enabled: Help > About 14
Configuration Setup The first time you use your SolarMax you will have to configure its settings; from the menu select Configure -> SolarMax Click the SolarMax Configuration button in the (SolarMax Configuration) screen so you can read the initial values from your SolarMax unit. To edit the configuration values, click the edit button.
Correct any values that are wrong for your installation and click OK button. You must now click (Set SolarMax) to program all of the values into your system. You should then click SolarMax Configuration to confirm that the SolarMax is setup with your values.
Data Logging Once the serial port and the configuration values have been set, the data logging can be started. To configure your data logging setup, click on Configure Data Logger. To change the logging frequency, select a rate from the control. Click the Reset sampling rate button to update the configuration and click Exit to return to the main screen. The next session of logging will be at this new sampling rate. The data logging file is saved in the Data folder.
SolarMax Charge Controller Specifications Electrical Input Specifications PV Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) Max 230V Input Range 30-250V Input Amps (max) 100A Input Protection No Internal Fuse, recommended 100A in-line circuit breaker or fuse.
Troubleshooting If any problems are encountered this section should be used as a reference. OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS Q: SolarMax is not producing the expected output power. A: Are the PV panels shaded by clouds or structures? Clouds, shade and dirty panels can cause lower than expected performance from the solar arrays.
Sample Solar Panel Data Sheet Mitsubishi Electric Photovoltaic Module Specification Sheet Manufacturer Model name Cell type Number of cells Maximum power rating (Pmax) Warranted minimum Pmax PV USA test condition rating (PTC) Open circuit voltage (Voc) Short circuit current (Isc) Maximum power voltage (Vmp) Maximum power current (Imp) Module efficiency Aperture efficiency Tolerance of maximum power rating Static load test passed Number of bus bars per cell Normal operating cell temperature (NOCT) Maximum sy
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Limited Warranty 1. The equipment manufactured by Analytic Systems Ware (1993) Ltd. (the “Warrantor”) is warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and materials under normal use and service. 2. This warranty is in effect for: a. 3 Years from date of purchase by the end user for standard products offered in our catalog. b. 2 Years from date of manufacture for non-standard or OEM products c. 1 Year from date of manufacture for encapsulated products. 3.
An ISO9001 and AS9100 Registered Company Battery Chargers • Inverters • Power Supplies • Voltage Converters 8128 River Way, Delta B.C. V4G 1K5 Canada T. 604.946.9981 F. 604.946.9983 TF. 800.668.3884 (US/CANADA) www.analyticsystems.
