Outback Power Systems Outback Power Systems User Manual

Page of 57
Installation & Programming Manual
                    
FX & VFX “E” Series Inverter/Charger System          
Copyright 2003  
  OutBack Power Systems, Inc. 
 
 
                                                                                     19009 62
nd
 Ave NE, Arlington   WA 98223 USA                     
Page 46                                         
Rev 7.0       07/02/04                                                                    Tel 360 435 6030     Fax 360 435 6019  
MATE - ADVANCED / CHARGER 
 
The CHARGER section allows for adjustment of the battery charger’s operation to match the requirements of the batteries used.  
OutBack’s default battery charging set points may not be correct for the type of batteries being used.  Please contact the battery 
manufacturer for correct ABSORB, FLOAT and EQUALIZE voltages.  See the BATTERY CHARGING INSTRUCTIONS on page 23 for 
guidelines on how to set some of these values.   
The FX’s battery charger includes five stages.  BULK raises the battery voltage to the ‘Absorb Setpoint’.  ABSORB sustains the battery 
voltage for the ‘Absorb Time Limit’.  The charger then goes into SILENT mode (no charging) until the battery voltage drops to the ‘Float 
Setpoint’.  FLOAT sustains this battery voltage for the ‘Float Time Period’.  The charger then goes into ‘Silent’ mode until the battery 
voltage drops to the ‘Refloat Setpoint’.  REFLOAT will start another FLOAT charge.  There are additional screens for “Equalize 
Setpoint’ and ‘Equalize Time Period’.  An equalize charge must be manually started.  The time limits that it spends in the various stages 
are adjustable to provide control and maximize the performance of the battery charger and battery system.   
ADV----------------- 
choose product: 
 
FX              MATE 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/PAGE1-------- 
choose category: 
 
ADV  INV   CHGR  PG2 
      
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
charger      4.0 aac 
limit 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
absorb      14.4 vdc 
setpoint 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
absorb      01.0 hrs 
time limit 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
float       13.6 vdc 
setpoint 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
float       01.0 hrs 
time period 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
refloat     12.5 vdc 
setpoint 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
equalize    14.4 vdc 
setpoint 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER---P00 
equalize    01.0 hrs 
time period 
DOWN  INC  DEC  PORT 
 
↓ 
ADV/FX/CHARGER------ 
charger programming 
    completed 
      TOP  ADV  MAIN 
Once the password has been correctly entered, the ADV - CHOOSE PRODUCT is displayed.  
Selecting <FX> allows adjustment of the FX’s advanced programming.  
  
 
Selecting <CHGR> allows adjustment of the battery charger set points and operation.    
 
 
 
The CHARGER LIMIT is the maximum amount of AC current that will be used by the FX to power the 
battery charger.  In most systems this setting will not need to be changed.   This setting has a range as 
low as 0.0 aac and as high as 6.0 aac to 10.0 aac (depending on the model) in 0.5 aac increments. 
 
The ABSORB SET POINT is the voltage that the batteries will be charged to during the first stage of 
the charging process.  This stage of charging raises the battery voltage higher than the nominal battery 
voltage and allows the batteries to regain their charge.  The ‘Absorb Time Limit’ must be long enough 
for the batteries to regain 100% of their charge. 
The ABSORB TIME LIMIT can be adjusted to provide enough time at the ‘Absorb Setpoint’ to achieve 
a fully recharged battery. For large batteries a longer time may be required – small batteries may 
require a lower setting. The FX automatically reduces the ‘Absorb Time Limit’ when the charger is 
connected to a partially charged battery.  This setting has a range between 0 hours and 24 hours in 0.1 
hour increments.   
The FLOAT SET POINT is the voltage that the batteries will be ‘trickle’ charged to.  This charge will 
finish the charging process by putting the last few percentage points of charge into the batteries.  This 
set point can be adjusted to match the specific requirements of the batteries being charged. This 
setting has a range between 12.0 vdc and 15.0 vdc in 0.1 vdc increments. 
The FLOAT TIME PERIOD can be adjusted to set the amount of time that the battery is held at the 
‘Float Setpoint’.  For large batteries a longer time may be required – smaller batteries may use a lower 
setting.  Once the battery has been held at the ‘Float Setpoint’ for the ‘Float Time Period’, the battery 
charger goes silent and provides no charge to the battery.  This setting has a range between 0 hours 
and 24 hours in 0.1 hour increments. 
The REFLOAT SET POINT voltage is used to “trigger” the battery charger back into another FLOAT 
cycle when the battery voltage falls to this set point.  This can provide maintenance charging of 
batteries and is also useful when intermittent DC loads are operated from a battery system and an AC 
source is available.   This setting has a range between 12.0 vdc and 13.0 vdc in 0.1 vdc increments. 
The EQUALIZE SET POINT voltage can be set for a high voltage to de-stratify the batteries on 
occasion.  The user can start an equalization charge through the AC IN “hot” key.  The batteries must 
be supervised throughout the equalization process.  Consult the battery supplier as to specific 
instruction on the battery equalizing process.  This setting has a range between 14.0 vdc and 17.0 vdc 
in 0.1 vdc increments. 
The EQUALIZE TIME PERIOD can be adjusted to limit the amount of time that the battery is 
equalized.  The timer starts to advance once the battery voltage exceeds the absorb voltage set point.  
Once the timer reaches the equalize time period, the charger goes into the silent stage of the charging 
process.  This setting has a range between 0 hours and 24 hours in 0.1 hour increments. 
Selecting TOP returns the user to the top of the ADV/FX/CHARGER menu section.  Selecting ADV 
returns you to the advanced screen to allow selection of another product connected to the MATE.  
Selecting MAIN returns the display to the MAIN screen.