I'm so lost!!

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

Just bought a house in Flagstaff Arizona with Out Back system and I just don't understand what i'm doing!! The previous owner left all the manuals but no notes to back me up!! Have learned a few things but still in the dark! It has a MX60 PV MPPT Charge Controller, FX inverter but i don't know the model number, possibly VFX3524, Out Back mate attached to charge controller and a TLG-500 wind generator. I got the part about how to switch from bypass to normal and to turn wind generator on when necessary and when leaving for a period of time, what the LED indicators mean on the system as far as battery level good, ok and low. Been checking to see battery level and so far it tells me all is good. Going to check the batteries with a hydrometer when i go back up in a half a month. Am i supposed to leave the inverter switch on?? I sure hope so because i did and I'm 137 miles away!! I checked one last time before i left and it said it was absorbing, in 104.7 V, 6.1 A out 29.6 V 19.6 A, 2.9 kw Aux off. What the heck is auxiliary anyway?? Any layman words of wisdom would sure help!! I'm so stressed out right at the moment and felling pretty dumb!!

westbranch · March 2016

Welcome.. Sorry to say this but you will need to ferret out a lot more information before any of us can attempt to help you with more than some very basic recommendations.... You really need to know the brand and size (capacity) of the batteries in that bank in order to know if the system is 'optimal' for your loads...

BTW what are the loads when you are NOT there and when you ARE there?

The fact you are going to get a hydrometer and will check the SG is good, remember to number all the cells , if not already done and record the SG for each on and the state of charge the OB system is giving you.
SG should be done when the batteries are stable, ie > 3 hrs after charging has occurred.

That will get you started. Others will probably add more...

Dave Angelini · March 2016

Any chance you can contact the owner? A 2 hour drive is not that bad. I think you should go up again and get some data.
I have clients that are 24 hours away or more. Leaving the inverter on is more of what are the loads and what is the solar weather.
Flagstaff is the home of this forum/Store and they can help you! Good Luck!

JoshK · March 2016

Dave Angelini said:

Any chance you can contact the owner?

GreenGirl2016 said:

Just bought a house...

Uh oh.

Perhaps posting some pictures would be very informative.

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

Sorry to say the past owner is not interested in helping out! There is a refrer running and everything else is shut off in the house. The system has 8 panels and 8 batteries, batteries are brand new. I will return with better information later today! Thank You!!

Dave Angelini · March 2016

Be careful with the batteries! Wear eye protection and don't overfill them. Good luck and deep breathing! No stress!

Take some pictures of the batteries and try and find the screen on the mx-60 that shows the harvest data (solar power in KWH or AH) for the last week.
Also look that each day has float time which tells you that the batteries completed charge. List the specific gravity of each cell.

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

8 Surrette 428 Amp hour batteries, 1300 cycles! How do i attach pictures here?? I have plenty of them!

Dave Angelini · March 2016

The easiest way (for me Bill) is to put the pictures on your desktop and then click the link attach image/file.

westbranch · March 2016

attach pics... is that 'symbol' that looks like a page with the corner bent over on the right top corner and a down arrow... on the same line as your avatar is on...

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

So here's some pictures of the system!!

Dave Angelini · March 2016

It looks good and decent numbers on the MX display. Reasonably well installed. The outbuilding in the pix is where this equipment lives?

Do you understand what all the numbers are on the display?

There are more screens and you will have to get good at finding them. Read the manual! !
Probably the first goal is to get the hydrometer and check the cells.

If you are going thru Flagstaff go to the Wind and Sun store and buy one! Good folks there!

The batteries will need an hour EQ every 3 months or 2 hours every 6 months. A pix of the batteries will tell alot BTW.

Go back and read the posts again here. The Aux is not being used in your system but it is a switch that can be configured to do various tasks.

Looks like a nice place you bought! I came very close to living there or Tucson. Good Luck !

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

Thanks!! Been reading them and looking up subjects I need to understand!! Will put wind and sun on my list! EQ information reading tonight!

GreenGirl2016 · March 2016

Oh and yes on the building!! Yes on the readings and helps to read the manuals!! Just sitting there in the solar shed watching fluctuations and looking up things happening is good!!

mike95490 · April 2016

side note, if it was my place and I was absent, I would lock down (apply brakes) to the wind generator and disconnect it from the DC system. If you don't need it's power, it's pointless to spin the bearings and send the power to a dump load. And since it's a moving thing, parts go bad if left spinning.

I'm so lost!!

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