solar chargersportal.segensolar.co.za/reseller/docs/victronppt_september.pdf · solar regulator...

Solar Chargers

Solar Chargers

Contact SegenSolar (PTY) Ltd | e: [email protected] | t: 08780 20663

Solar Chargers

Solar Regulator explained

A Solar Charge Controller converts the power received from the Solar Panels and manages the voltage and current that is going into the battery.

Its primary function ensures that the batteries don’t overcharge during the day and at night it blocks the reverse current going back into the Solar Panels, solar panels can act as a load...

It also protects the batteries from any electrical voltage and current overload, this is particularly important for panels that produce higher voltage and current than what the battery can handle.


Solar Regulator types

The PWM controller is in essence a switch that connects a solar array to a battery. The result is that the voltage of the array will be pulled down to near that of the battery voltage, once reached it will trickle the battery with a pulse with modulation charge (PWM).

The MPPT controller is more sophisticated; it will adjust its input voltage to harvest the maximum power from the solar array and then transform this power to supply the varying voltage requirement, of the battery plus load. Thus, it essentially decouples the array and battery voltages from each other and using maximum power point tracking to charge the battery.


MPPT vs PWM Power Graph

PWM MPPT


MPPT vs PWM Power Graph


MPPT vs PWM pros & cons

PWM Pros• Time-tested technology• Affordable• Long lasting• Comes in a variety of sizesCons• Not expandable and limited

for growth• Low efficiency up to 70%

MPPT Pros

• Increase in efficiency, up to 99%

• Higher Solar array voltage

• Sizes up to 100 Amps available

• Flexible for system growth

Cons

• More expensive

• Larger physical units


MPPT vs PWM when to choose witch technology

• Solar panel qty and array size• Battery bank size and Capacity • Cost factors • Location and temperature• Duration of available Sun• Applications, off grid, energy storage, automotive or marine


Solar panel cells

A singe solar cell generates about 0.5VMultiple cells make up a solar panel

.5V

0.5 V

36 cells:

0.5 V x 36 = 18 V

Various panel sizes

36 cell panel 60 cell panel 72 cell panel

Vnom = 12 V Vnom = 20 V Vnom = 24 V

Vpm = 18 V Vpm = 30 V Vpm = 36 V

Voc = 22V Voc = 38 V Voc = 44 V

PWM: 12V battery PWM: not suitable PWM: 24 or 48V battery

MPPT: 12V battery MPPT: 12V battery MPPT: 12 ,24 and 48V battery


Non ideal circumstances

The output of a solar cell declines when:• There is shade from clouds, tree branches or structures• The panels are dusty or dirty• The panels do not fully face the sun • There are seasonal differences

ShadeShad

e

West North East


Power

To determine the total power you will have to add the power of each module no matter if they are connected in parallel or in series

• These are 200W arrays This is a 400W array

• If you need help, use our solar array calculator


Battery Chemistry

AGM• The electrolyte is absorbed in the glass mat (AGM)GEL• A jellified electrolyte; the sulfuric acid is mixed with fumed silica, which makes

the resulting mass GELLiFePo4• The lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4 battery) or LFP battery (lithium

ferrophosphate), is a type of lithium-ion battery using LiFePO4 instead of lead, out of all the other chemistry types LFP is safest!


Inside a lead battery


Make the correct choice when considering battery type

• Ageing and life expectancy

• Maintenance – What to do

• Performance – Will it last?

• Guarantee – What is covered?

• Charging – How much is enough

• Discharging – When is it to much


Battery Charging

What is important for charging a battery???

1. Temperature controlled during charging process

2. Enough current from the charger, for a normal charging time.

3. Correct Voltage in the absorption phase to prevent excessive Gassing

4. The Right Charge Characteristic

Charging process should always be longer than discharge process; for lead-acidbatteries a extra 20% must be charged into the battery


Charge process


AnodeLi

Separator

CathodeLi

Li

Li

Lithium is a silver colored, light, mineral

A mineral is a salt solution so therefore

reactive with water !

Energy density is high ( 86Wh per Kg ,

double that of lead )

Cell Voltage 3,6Vdc

Victron Energy Uses LiFePo4

What is Lithium (LFP) ?


MPPT Solar Charger range

BlueSolar

75 V 10 15100 V 15 20 30 50

150 V 35 45 60 70 100 VE.can

SmartSolar

75 V 10 15100 V 20 30 50150 V 35 45 60 70 85 100250 V 35 45 60 70 85 100

SmartSolar VE.Can

150 V 70 100250V 70 100


MPPT controllers with load output

• Ultra fast Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)• Advanced detection during partial shading conditions• Outstanding conversion efficiency 98% efficiency• Load Output• Automatically adjust to 12V or 24V battery voltage• Two 20A models , one for 12 0r 24V the other for 48V• VE.Direct port and with or without Bluetooth

BlueSolar

75 V 100 V

10A

15 A 15 A

20 A

SmartSolar

75 V 100 V

10A

15 A 15 A

20 A


MPPT controllers 100V input

• Ultra fast Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)• Advanced detection during partial shading conditions• Outstanding conversion efficiency 98% efficiency• Automatically adjust to 12V or 24V battery voltage• VE.Direct port and with or without Bluetooth

BlueSolar

100 V

30 A

50 A

SmartSolar

100 V

30 A

50 A


MPPT controllers 150V input

• Automatically adjust to 12, 24, 36* and 48V battery voltage• Ultra fast Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)• Advanced detection during partial shading conditions• VE.Direct port and with or without Bluetooth• Available with screw terminals (TR) or MC4 terminals• 35A only: only TR model and available with Bluetooth

* 36 volt not automatic, but will need to be set manually

BlueSolar

150 V

35 A

45 A

60 A

70 A

SmartSolar

150 V

35 A


MPPT controllers 150V and 250 input

• Automatically adjust to 12, 24, 36* and 48V battery voltage• Ultra fast Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)• Advanced detection during partial shading conditions• Outstanding 98% efficiency• Available with screw terminals (TR) or MC4 terminals• Optional pluggable display

* 36 volt not automatic, but will need to be set manually

SmartSolar

150 V 250 V

45 A 45 A

60 A 60 A

70 A 70 A

85 A 85 A

100 A 100 A


MPPT VE.Can Series• Use in large systems• Replaces the old 150/70 & 150/85 VE.Can chargers *• VE.Can allows daisy-chain wiring resulting in less clutter• VE.Direct port and VE.can Port• Models with or without Bluetooth• Each charger will be displayed individually on GX device• Supports ESS and managed (canbus) batteries, just like

todays VE.Direct models.

*Not possible to synchronise with the “old” VE.Can MPPTs

SmartSolar

150 V 250 V

70 A 70 A

85 A 85 A

100 A** 100 A

BlueSolar

150 V

100 A


MPPT sizing calculator

• Can be found on the Solar charge controller product page

• For Victron panels or custom panels


Accessories

VictronConnect Smart battery senseVE.Direct displayPluggable display

Wire boxesS,M,L and XL


Accessories

VE.Direct cables0.3 - 10 meter

Smart dongleVE.Direct - USB

interfaceTX cable

Non inverting cable


BlueSolar PWM-Pro

• Lighting control function, fully programmable. • Three stage battery charging , fully programmable.• Integrated battery monitor function (Remote Panel needed to display state of

charge).• Load output with low voltage disconnect and manual control (default

setting).

Accessories:• Remote panel• Temperature sensor• USB interface cable

12/24V

5A

10A

20A

30A


BlueSolar PWM-Light

• Load output with low battery voltage disconnect function.• Lighting control function, one timer only. • Two digit seven segment display for quick and easy setting of the load

output functionality, including timer setting. • Three stage battery charging (bulk, absorption, float), not programmable.

12/24V 48V

5A

10A 10A

20A 20A

30A 30A


BlueSolar PWM-LCD & USB

• LCD display for set up and monitoring

• Load Output with day/night timing program

• Programmable battery charge algorithm

• 2 x USB Ports

• No external comms

12/24V 48V

5A

10A 10A

20A 20A

30A 30A


• Charges two separate batteries• Programmable charge current ratio • Charge voltage settings for three battery types• Internal temperature sensor

Accessories:• Remote panel

BlueSolar PWM-Duo

12/24V

20A


VictronConnect


VictronConnect

• Connects to VE.Direct, VE.Bus and GX products• Connects via Bluetooth or via USB to VE.Direct or

MK3• For monitoring products• For configuring products• For firmware updating• Multi-lingual• Demo product library• Saving and loading settings• Help in context


Device that can run VictronConnect

• Android phone and tables• Apple phone and tables• Apple Mac • Windows

Android iOS MAC Windows

Bluetooth yes yes yes no

USB Yes* no yes yes

* Requires a USB On-The-Go cable


Monitoring and programming VE.Direct products

• Connect via Bluetooth or via USB-VE.Direct interface• Monitor VE.Direct products• Update firmware• Change settings

VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart

Dongle

Product with VE.Direct port

VictronConnect AppIos or Android


VictronConnect smart networking

• Shared battery voltage sense value• Sharing of battery temperature value• MPPT synchronizing• The Smart Battery Sense transmits

battery voltage and temperature • Cannot be used in a GX device system

More info: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect:ve-smart-networking


https://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect:ve-smart-networking

All product information available from our website

www.victronenergy.co.zaFor:• Datasheets• Product Manuals• High quality product photos• Product Certificates


http://www.victronenergy.co.za/

Thank youTo recap on todays' webinar please visit our portal

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