Low voltage disconnect delay timer

reckless1
reckless1 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Good morning,

I have my outback flexmate 60 charge controller set to disconnect my loads at 47vdc, however how can I set a delay so that the charge controller waits XX amount of seconds before actually disconnecting the loads. I realize that the voltage may be at 48vdc in the mornings and then the well pump may come on for about 15 seconds and the surge causes the low voltage disconnect. So I am hoping that a delay will allow the pump to run but will not cause the disconnect to happen until it actually reaches 47 volts and remains that way beyond xx seconds..
sincerely,

Reckless
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    Unless they've really changed the FM controllers you program the LVD time delay. It can be set up to 250 seconds as far as I know. The AUX programming choice of Low Batt Disconnect should have two selections: TIME and VOLT. Set the VOLT to the level you want and the TIME to the delay.
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  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer
    reckless1 wrote: »
    I have my outback flexmate 60 charge controller set to disconnect my loads at 47vdc, however how can I set a delay so that the charge controller waits XX amount of seconds before actually disconnecting the loads.

    Are these DC loads you want to disconnect? If they are AC loads, doesn't your inverter have a LVD function?

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
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  • reckless1
    reckless1 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #4
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    ok so the pump will run for about 15 seconds, so if I set the delay for 30 seconds it should be enough to absorb the surge and not switch the LVD. but when the actual voltage reaches 47vdc it will switch..
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  • reckless1
    reckless1 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #5
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    VTMAPS I am using the charge controller AUX output to switch the AC load off and also switch on the generator which will charge the batteries ...
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer
    reckless1 wrote: »
    VTMAPS I am using the charge controller AUX output to switch the AC load off and also switch on the generator which will charge the batteries ...

    Ordinarily you'd just have the XW's auto gen start fire the generator when Voltage gets too low.
    Not sure why you need to be shutting off any loads unless you were trying to reserve battery power overnight and not wanting to hear a generator at night/early morning. A 13 kW gen should take all the XW can power and still have capacity for battery charging.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    Are you talking about just the starting surge of the well pump, which should last a shorter time than the actual run time? Or are you saying that the pump motor pulls the battery voltage down the whole time that it is running?
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • reckless1
    reckless1 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #8
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    Cariboocoot I used relays and AC contactors to control removing the loads back to the grid and starting the 13kw generac (saved money not buying a AGS), I wanted to shut off the loads (connect them back to the grid) and start the generator to allow the XW6048 to use MAX power in recharging the batteries, however I have found that the MAX charging current(DC) that I can get to charge the battery bank is 65amps. If I set any higher on the XW it seems to stop and restart charging throughout the night, I was hoping I could have done about 80-90 amps dc to recharge the battery bank as I have generac 13kw generator with a 55amp(AC) main breaker. When I check the "Meter" status on then XW system control panel at 70amps charging I am pulling about 36amps (AC) between L1-L2 on AC2. What causes the XW to start and stop charging when I go up to 70amps dc.. and it stabilizes at 65amps...
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  • reckless1
    reckless1 Solar Expert Posts: 29 ✭
    #9
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer

    inetdog, I was talking about the surge and run time of the well pump... however I did set the LVD disconnect with a 30 second delay last night and it solved that problem, I looked at the stats this morning and could see where the pump came on and carried the battery voltage down below the set point however because of the delay it did not trigger the LVD...

    RECKLESS
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Low voltage disconnect delay timer
    reckless1 wrote: »
    Cariboocoot I used relays and AC contactors to control removing the loads back to the grid and starting the 13kw generac (saved money not buying a AGS), I wanted to shut off the loads (connect them back to the grid) and start the generator to allow the XW6048 to use MAX power in recharging the batteries, however I have found that the MAX charging current(DC) that I can get to charge the battery bank is 65amps. If I set any higher on the XW it seems to stop and restart charging throughout the night, I was hoping I could have done about 80-90 amps dc to recharge the battery bank as I have generac 13kw generator with a 55amp(AC) main breaker. When I check the "Meter" status on then XW system control panel at 70amps charging I am pulling about 36amps (AC) between L1-L2 on AC2. What causes the XW to start and stop charging when I go up to 70amps dc.. and it stabilizes at 65amps...
    Not surprising that it will not charge at max charger output over time. As the transformer heats up I'v never had a Xantrex Inverter / Charger would put out it's rated output , about 80-85% is about the best they will do over long periods ( charger cut back mode ). Start cutting the % of output back until you find the best setting and put a box fan close to it so it's not recycling the same heated air around it seems to help. Also they can get in a cycle where they will transfer and the charger will overshoot ( voltage & amps ) and they see it as a fault and keep on dropping and reconnecting.
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