Xantrex C

Thomas · February 2012

I just got a new Xantrex C-35 and the instructions say it can do both load divert and charge from a installed position offset/sidesaddle the panel-battery-load logical line. why can't it charge while in this same side saddle/offset position in the load conr\troll mode, which it says it cannot do. I intend to hook it up as a charge controller straight up any way. I don't understand how that can work, is it like recirculation of hat water for secondary heating, like solar heat? Outside of the water line use/heating, a filter wont work like that, I know that much anyway....

BB. · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

It is one controller with two different configurations.

If set as a PWM controller for solar panels--it goes between solar panel and battery bank.

If set as Diversion Controller--it goes between the battery and the resistor bank/dump load.

You can set it as a diversion controller and wire the solar array directly to the battery bank (with correct fuses, blocking diodes as needed, etc.), and also wire up your wind turbine. Then a single Diversion Mode controller will dump excess power to the resistor bank.

The reason we don't recommend diversion mode for solar panel installations is Diversion Mode is not as good at properly charging and floating a battery bank.

PWM (and MPPT) mode series connected chargers (panels=controller=battery bank) does a better job of charging and floating the batteries.

If you want a series PWM controller for the solar panels and need a diversion controller for the wind turbine--you need to purchase two C-35 controllers and configure PWM for solar panel position and Diversion for wind dump load.

-Bill

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

The reason I ask is ,again, inverter related. Is the xantrex also a differentiated load controller, or simply a voltage contrlled switch like I have now, only more expensive?
Do you remember the solar days of the lighting option being diversion load for solar or for after the batteries/load established for the day, a light controller would pop on all your resistive loads...
My chargers to date have limited my loads some, does the xantrex charge in this position, if so how well, if not also a diversion controller?
ahh, as I thought...(only partially charge, if due to posit or float as high?,,,

SolaRevolution · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

The Xantrex C-Series charge controller has three different operation modes. Only one can be used at a time. Two can regulate battery charging and one operates as a low-voltage disconnect switch.

Do not connect this device without fuses! It can provide battery current to connected devices.

-In PV charge controller mode it is connected between the PV array and the batteries. It provides three stages for battery charging. "Bulk" mode allows all PV current to charge the battery. When battery voltage reaches the bulk voltage setting it goes to "Absorption" mode and charging current is reduced (see PWM "Pulse Width Modulation") to prevent the attached pv source from raising the battery voltage above the bulk voltage setting. After one hour it changes to "Float" mode and decreases the charge current further and prevents the charging source from raising the battery voltage above the float voltage setting. Note: The connected PV array must be at the same nominal voltage as the battery and the current rating must not exceed the controller rating.

-In Diversion Controller mode it is connected between the battery and a resistive DC load. It provides three stages for battery charging in a different way than PV mode. In "Bulk" mode it does not let any current pass from the battery to the attached load. When battery voltage reaches the bulk voltage setting it goes to "Absorption" mode and current is allowed to increase (see PWM "Pulse Width Modulation") to prevent the battery voltage from rising above the bulk voltage setting. After one hour it changes to "Float" mode and allows the current flow to the attached resistive DC load to increase further to prevent any charging source from raising the battery voltage above the float voltage setting. Note: The attached DC load must have a current rating greater than the charging source you wish to control, equal to or less than the controller rating and it must be able to accept the PWM output of the controller. The Diversion Controller will divert current from the battery bus. If a larger charging source (ie, a generator fed charger or other...) is raising the battery voltage, the diversion load will operate continuously at full power.

-In Load control mode it is connected between the battery and a DC load. This can be used to protect the batteries from being over discharged by a connected DC load. It will pass power from the battery to the connected load until the battery voltage falls below the LVD "Low Voltage Disconnect" setting for six seconds. The load will remain off until the battery voltage rises above the LVR "Low Voltage Reconnect" for six seconds. Note: The DC load must be rated equal to or less than the controllers current rating.

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

My question is this;
previous chargers shut off my load along with the pv array at charged...
Now onto reading about the difference in charge algorithm in load controll configuration....

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

diversion controll w/load on....????
not just battery oriented?

niel · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

Thomas wrote: »

My question is this;
previous chargers shut off my load along with the pv array at charged...

really? what controller are you referring to that did this? i won't say that there aren't controllers out there that can't be configured to accomplish this, but this is not what they normally do. i see no purpose off hand in shutting off loads when a battery becomes charged. maybe, you have it confused once again as you may be thinking of controllers with an lvd that will shut down the load when battery voltage drops too low and will keep loads off until the voltage comes back up to a certain point?

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

If you have a need for such an occurance in your set up, the charger is the one I mentioned in previous posting. Every other charger that I have had without a lvd shuts down all current from chargeing sourse even if I still needed it as an operational source. Does Xantrex C series do this from diversion configuration?
I am looking do do two things with the supply current.

niel · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

maybe i'm not understanding you all of the way, but a diversion controller only switches to a load when batteries are charged. i guess you could say the batteries would be the 1st load and will be switched off of charge when full, but this is stretching the definitions of things just a bit as batteries aren't usually referred to as loads. could be a semantics argument.

SolaRevolution · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

Thomas wrote: »

diversion controll w/load on....????
not just battery oriented?

You're scaring me Thomas.

Check out post # 4 again. That is how the C-series operates.

I suppose that if you have no battery or a really dead battery the "load" will turn off when charging stops.

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

Yeah Yeah Yeah I just figured a few things out ....I suppose my batteries are safe after all from my wind generator over charging them. Does it , do you know, modulate in diversion mode? Or is that a good question for hybrid set ups?

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

what I was concerned about was in charge controll mode with the load on(inverter) and the batteries reaching charged, the controller will stop current to the batteries and load(inverter). In diversion mode the full/off function is replaced by the divert and resume of the diverstion load. But does it charge the battery ,when running the load, with the extra current?(I do produce, when the GTI is not matching some grid god and taking it all...it does only match MY HOUSEHOLD load sometimes, not some grid constant as far as I know the difference. Is there a load controller that will keep the inverter looking at the house load?(to match)

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

Also I read in charge controller mode that full current(from pv/source)can be applied to load in float mode?or absorption mode?

SolaRevolution · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

In diversion mode, power will be "shunted" from the battery bus to the connected resistive DC load.

The C-Series controller is designed for use with 12, 24 or 48 volt battery systems. (models differ)
It is not designed for use with charging sources (PV arrays) of higher nominal voltages.
It is not designed to use without a battery bank.

Thomas · February 2012

Re: Xantrex C

12 volt/70ahr batterys total
12 volt/240watts in 5 separate panels parallel total

The battery as a load one may interpret things as such, but technical writers are not supposed to do that, I always look for something like the instructions that comes with all Texas Instrument calulators, every button and combo technically, scientifically, factually accounted for and explained, I think that should be law, who wants to have to "interpret " what should be technicals? I have gone as far in my thought proseses as power sourse, direction of current battery source ,pv battery constant and know that there is small differences that can break the device or make the scene great, like getting amp meters correct, I will take all the critisizm in the world as far as that goes, so far i can not do it, my shunts, meters, digitals, anolougs, all read different and inconsistant, Is there such a thing as shunts for digital, shunts for analog meters, I see all kinds of shunts....any way like there is harmless testing with shunts and meters, messing with chargers gets too expensive, I can measure some signifigant differences with a multimeter, so I am going to connect the Xantrex in straight charger mode and see if there is any change in amps to battery/load in the different stages.Hopefully a variable amp situation will arise proportional/relevant to charge state in workable parameters of function(maximise GTI use) during bulk/absorption and float phase.
ie batteruy is at 60% today
charge current from pv is 20 today
battery takes 40%-8amps
load/inverter gets 12 amps
something like that for results would be great over a few days...

Xantrex C

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