Bogart Engineering SC-2030 Technical Manual

ManualsBrandsBogart Engineering ManualsWind and Solar EnergyBogart Engineering BMS-TM-RV-100 Battery Management System With TM-2030RV, SC-2030 & 100A Shunt

Bogart Engineering     
Revised June 2017 
SC-2030 Solar Charge Controller 
Technical Manual 
12-24 V systems, 30Amps max. Revised 06/15/2017 
 
1. Description of the SC-2030 Solar Charger ................................................................................................ 1 
2. Technical Specifications: ............................................................................................................................ 4 
3. General Solar Charging system suggestions and considerations ............................................................... 4 
4. Installation of the SC-2030: Explained in five sections: ............................................................................ 4 
4.1. Planning the installation ...................................................................................................................... 4 
TABLE 1: Required minimum copper wire size for 3% loss. .................................................................. 5 
4.2. Verifying that TM-2030 reads volts and amps correctly ..................................................................... 6 
4.3 Tools and hardware required ................................................................................................................ 6 
4.4 Installing the SC-2030, connecting solar panels, batteries, and Temperature sensor .......................... 6 
4.5 Verifying SC-2030 operation and programming charging parameters. ............................................... 7 
TABLE 2: Find P22 profile number for your battery type and system voltage ........................................ 8 
5. Useful Information for everyday users ...................................................................................................... 9 
5.2 A useful display item for seeing if your batteries are being properly charged ..................................... 9 
5.3 A useful display item to see if you have extra solar power in the afternoon ........................................ 9 
5.4 For information about the meaning of the LED lights on the SC-2030 charger .................................. 9 
5.5 There are two different standards you can select to define a “full charge.” ........................................ 9 
5.6 Using History Data to diagnose system problems ............................................................................... 9 
6. Technical information for interested and advanced users .......................................................................... 9 
6.1 Charging lead acid batteries—basic information ................................................................................. 9 
6.2 Specifically how solar chargers, including the SC-2030 charge batteries ......................................... 10 
6.3 Description and graph of exact SC-2030 charging profiles ............................................................... 11 
6.4 Two Graphs of charging profiles for SC-2030 when TM-2030 is connected .................................... 12 
6.5. What determines when SC-2030 goes into float: .............................................................................. 13 
6.6. Battery Equalization: how to initiate or terminate the process. ........................................................ 13 
Warranty and customer service .................................................................................................................... 13 
Limited warranty ...................................................................................................................................... 13 
How to obtain customer service ............................................................................................................... 13 
TABLE 4: Programmed values for each P22 charging profile number* ................................................. 16 
 
1. Description of the SC-2030 Solar Charger 
What a solar charge controller does: The purpose of a solar charge controller is to regulate the power from a set 
of solar panels to provide proper charging to your batteries—not over or under charging them. 
The SC-2030 Solar Charger is a precision, high efficiency PWM (pulse width modulated) Solar Array Battery 
Charge Controller. The objective of this design is to maximize the life of your batteries by allowing the flexibility 
to adjust solar charging closely according to the way your battery manufacturer has specified. 
High performance depends on being connected to a TM-2030 TriMetric Battery System Monitor. With this 
combination you get both high performance monitoring and charging of your battery system. 
●For 12 or 24 V battery systems: AGM, Gel or Liquid Electrolyte batteries. 
●Up to 30 amps maximum solar current. It will reduce output sufficient to protect charger if the solar output 
is  greater.  Four  135  watt  solar  panels  for  12V  systems  (eight  at  24V)  can  be  accommodated.  It's  also 
possible to simultaneously use other chargers of the same batteries with additional solar panels. 
●Optional Temperature compensation. For this, order the TS-2 Bogart Engineering temperature sensor. 

Summary of content (18 pages)

PAGE 1
Bogart Engineering SC-2030 Solar Charge Controller Technical Manual 12-24 V systems, 30Amps max. Revised 06/15/2017 1. Description of the SC-2030 Solar Charger ................................................................................................1 2. Technical Specifications:............................................................................................................................4 3. General Solar Charging system suggestions and considerations ...................................
PAGE 2
Bogart Engineering ●Recommended for use with “12V” or 24V solar panels. (see below on page 2 Where this controller is not recommended) ●Eight adjustable parameters to allow charging closely according to the way the battery manufacturer specifies. Technical details are shown on graphs on pages 14 and 15. ●If the TriMetric TM-2030 is disconnected from the SC-2030, it will do a much less flexible, but minimal, level of charge regulation without receiving information from the TM-2030. See p.11, Table 3.
PAGE 3
Solar panels “12 volt” or “24 volt” types (36 or 72 cells per panel) TM 2030-RV UP SC-2030 Solar Charger Bogart Engineering CHARGING when flashing-meets "CHARGED" criteria BATTERY REMINDERS =TIME TO CHARGE FULL =TIME TO EQUALIZE DOWN Ov erc urr ent . Sy Ba ste tte m ry vol Ty ts: pe 12 : V- A do G wn M. do 24 wn V- . up. FL O O Dup . TM2030 Conn ected . =BATT. VOLTS LOW B1 % FULL AMPS VOLTS B2 SELECT Hold SELECT 3 seconds to view RESET AMP-HOURS FROM "FULL"............
PAGE 4
Bogart Engineering 2. Technical Specifications: Regulation type...........................................PWM Solar panel open-circuit voltage..................55V maximum Solar panel nominal voltage.......................12V - 24V, matched to the battery voltage: Vpp about 16-18+Volts for 12-24V systems, Vpp about 32-36+ for 24V systems Nominal Battery voltage............................12V - 24V Required operational current.....................While sun shining: 25mA.
PAGE 5
Bogart Engineering 4.1.1 Normal configuration—Paired with a TM-2030 For best performance, the SC-2030 should be paired with a TM-2030 (TriMetric) monitor. The charge controller and the monitor are connected together using a low-cost telephone wire, which can be over 100 ft. long. 4.1.2 Minimal configuration—Standalone. Without the TM-2030, the SC-2030 Solar Charge Controller can perform only basic charge regulation.
PAGE 6
Bogart Engineering 4.1.7 Install TM-2030 monitor if not already installed according to "Installer's instructions for TM-2030" 4.2. Verifying that TM-2030 reads volts and amps correctly Proper charging depends critically on accuracy of TM-2030 voltage and current (amps) readings. Check volts: For accurate battery-voltage control, the TriMetric’s voltage-measurement wire (called “B1” in TriMetric wiring diagram) must be connected directly, or close to the battery’s positive terminal.
PAGE 7
Bogart Engineering 4.4.4 Mount the enclosure on vertical surface so the heat sink fins go up and down. Use two screws on flanges, or you may drill your own holes internally and use those. 4.4.5 Connect the temperature sensor connector (if used) and the communication cable to the two connectors on the back of the SC-2030 (inside the box). Place the circuit board back onto the enclosure board and secure with four screws. 4.4.6 Place the temperature sensor (if used) near the batteries.
PAGE 8
Bogart Engineering After determining profile number, use Program P22 (of the TM2030) to enter data as described (in detail) here. a. Press "SELECT" and hold it down until "P1" appears in display. Release. b. Press SELECT repeatedly to get to "P7" (to select operational level). c. Press SELECT and RESET together, momentarily, to get 3 lights to flash. d. Use RESET to change display until operational level "L3" shows. e. Press SELECT repeatedly to get to program "P22". f.
PAGE 9
Bogart Engineering finish charge (see page 16) AGM Generic 12 220 18 5. Useful Information for everyday users See also the Trimetric Installation guide and TriMetric Technical Manual for more information 5.
PAGE 10
Bogart Engineering None of these analogies apply to batteries. Lead-acid batteries can accept higher charge currents when they are nearly empty, but must be charged more slowly when they are nearly full because then they will not readily accept the charge. Batteries need to be frequently fully charged. If a battery is allowed to operate consistently at a low charge level, its capacity to hold charge decreases over time.
PAGE 11
Bogart Engineering Good solar chargers will then go into what is often called "absorb" stage—where the charger holds the voltage just above the gassing point (voltage ideally temperature compensated). The batteries then absorb gradually less and less energy as they further charge. Most manufactured solar chargers maintain the "absorb" voltage for a set amount of time— perhaps one to four hours before they go into the "float" voltage of about 13.2 volts.
PAGE 12
Bogart Engineering The chart below shows the voltages used depending on how the jumpers have been set. It begins charging at maximum solar current until it reaches the limiting "absorb" voltage shown. After that it charges for an absorb time of two hours. Then it regulates at the float voltage shown.
PAGE 13
Bogart Engineering to P15 voltage. P22: The "charge profile" entry program: simultaneously programs all of above eight values based on system voltage and the battery type selection. See Table 4, page 16 to see the eight values actually programmed for each profile. 6.5. What determines when SC-2030 goes into float: these are also shown in graphs on page 14 and 15. For the “3 state” profile: Timer starts counting with P14 time when goes into “Absorb” state. The first time after the charger is turned on.
PAGE 14
Three stage charge control: Figure 2. This is closer to how most good conventional controllers charge lead acid batteries--except that this controller also has the capability (if desired) to return a specified number of amp hours to the batteries (compared to the most recent discharge) before going into "float". Also, it has been considered best suited for AGM or Gel type lead acid batteries--however recently some manufacturers are recommending the four stage profile (next page) for AGM type batteries.
PAGE 15
Four stage charge control: Figure 3. This method has four stages, having an additional final higher voltage "finish absorb" stage, also with optional capability to deliver a measured additional amp hour overcharge (compared with the most recent discharge amount). It is suited to do a more thorough charging of liquid electrolyte lead acid batteries--and recently some companies are also suggesting this for AGM type batteries. This can better maintain their capacity.
PAGE 16
Bogart Engineering TABLE 4: Programmed values for each P22 charging profile number. See *NOTE below All values are normalized to a “capacity” of 220Ahr. After placing a profile in P22, then change the P3 setting to your value unless your system has capacity=220 Amp hr. Profile P1 P2 Battery type number Absorb Amps ( with total system volts not battery volts) P22 V setpt P14 P15 P16 P20 P21 capacity Time Ahr hr P3 high V float V Over charge Finish amps 14.4V 2.0% 220AH 4.0h 15.7 13.2 10% 3.
PAGE 17
For SC-2030 charger: solar panels should be “12V” type for 12V battery systems. Up to 30 amps of panels can be used. If more than 30 amps is used the SC-2030 will safely limit current. Green items for SC-2030 Solar Charger only. For SC-2030 Solar Charger Communication cable: Commonly available 4 wire RJ-14 telephone cable plugs into SC-2030 and TM2030. Can be more than 100 ft. UP SC-2030 Solar Charger System volts:12V-down. 24V-up. For 12V or 24V systems only Battery Type: AGM-down. FLOOD-up.
PAGE 18
Simplified description for installing Bogart Engineering SC-2030 charger and TM-2030 Battery Monitor. Illustration on previous page. WHAT’S INVOLVED IN INSTALLING THE BOGART ENGINEERING TM-2030 monitor: This is a brief description. See TM-2030 Installer’s instructions for complete description Additional parts you will need: ●Shunt. ●4 wire cable from battery to meter. ●Short, large cable to go from shunt to battery. Mounting the Meter: The TM-2030 is usually installed in the living area.