EnerSys OutBack Power SkyBox Handbook
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EnerSys OutBack Power SkyBox Handbook

True hybrid energy system
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Summary of Contents for EnerSys OutBack Power SkyBox

  • Page 1 SkyBox True Hybrid Energy System Handbook...
  • Page 2 About OutBack Power OutBack Power Technologies is a leader in advanced energy conversion technology. OutBack Power products include true sine wave inverter/chargers, maximum power point tracking charge controllers, and system communication components, as well as circuit breakers, batteries, accessories, and assembled systems. Applicability These instructions apply to OutBack Power model SBX5048-120/240 only.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Preface ....................4   The Screen ............................. 4  The Set-Up Wizard ......................... 4  Making it Run ................... 5   Materials ............................5  Choosing the Right AC Profile ....................... 5  Programming ..........................5  The Basics ....................6   The Power Grid and You ........................

  • Page 4: Preface

    Preface The SkyBox True Hybrid Energy System is a machine that connects the solar panels on your roof to the toaster in your kitchen so you can use solar or battery energy to power that toaster. This guide will walk you through the basic decisions you need to make to successfully set up a SkyBox.

  • Page 5: Making It Run

    Making it Run Materials You will need the following: Properly installed SkyBox inverter SkyBox BOS SkyBox Overview Guide SkyBox Quick Start Guide Optional: A small stylus to tap on the SkyBox touchscreen SkyBox Programming Guide Choosing the Right AC Profile Use the flow chart to the right to determine which grid use profile is the most appropriate for your system.

  • Page 6: The Basics

    The Basics The Power Grid and You SkyBox is designed with four AC profiles. Each profile interacts with the utility grid in a different manner. In all of the AC profiles, no battery power will be supplied to the site when the battery reaches Minimum SOC (state-of-charge).
  • Page 7 Cycle That Battery (Self-Consumption) Self-consumption is the best profile for those who have high energy rates and low return when selling power, but are still able to send power back to the utility. When this profile is selected, the SkyBox will harvest as much solar power as it can.
  • Page 8 Don’t Sell (Non-Export) The Non-export profile is best for systems in utility districts that do not allow power to be sold back to the utility. As the name implies, the SkyBox will not export any power when programmed in this profile. Unlike Net metering with backup and Self-consumption, a SkyBox in Non-export only harvests enough solar power to meet the power needed by the loads.
  • Page 9 I Want To Be Off-Grid, But Not Really (Maximum Independence) This profile should not be chosen without a lot of forethought. It is intentionally not included in the flow chart on page 5. The solar array must be sized appropriately to support both the average loads and battery charging simultaneously.

  • Page 10: Keeping Your Battery Alive And Well

    Keeping Your Battery Alive and Well IMPORTANT: The minimum allowed battery voltage is 42 Vdc. The SkyBox will not connect to a battery below 42 Vdc. A battery discharged below this level must be charged from an external source. Battery Types Many batteries have been tested and are compatible with the SkyBox.

  • Page 11: Battery Temperature Compensation

    Battery Temperature Compensation Battery performance changes when the temperature varies above or below room temperature (77°F or 25°C). Temperature compensation is a process that adjusts battery charging to correct for these changes. CAUTION: Hazard to Equipment Temperature compensation should never be used with lithium batteries. Set the Temperature Compensation setting to 0 mV/˚C*cell.

  • Page 12: Charge Cycle Initiation

    Charge Cycle Initiation Condition: Grid connected, battery at minimum state-of-charge (SOC) If the SkyBox reaches the Minimum SOC setting while connected to the grid, the SkyBox initiates a recovery cycle. A recovery cycle stops the battery from discharging and begins to draw power from the grid for all loads.

  • Page 13: Harnessing The Sun

    Harnessing the Sun SkyBox can harvest up to 5 kW of power from a solar array and send this power to the battery, your home, the utility, or any combination of these three places. Usually, you will see the SkyBox Producing on the solar tile. At night, or when the sun is exceptionally weak, the SkyBox home screen will display Sleeping on the solar tile.

  • Page 14: Computer Stuff

    Computer Stuff You’re on vacation, relaxing by an alpine lake and your buddy (who somehow has internet access on his phone way out there) tells you there was a big storm back home and no one has power. What now?! Is your SkyBox running? What about that refrigerator and freezer full of food in the garage? Enter OPTICS RE, the OutBack Power remote monitoring system.
  • Page 15 B. Navigate to the Network tab. Figure 10 Network Tab C. Using the down chevron C in Figure 10, page down three times. You should arrive at the screen below. OPTICS RE is enabled by default. Write down the Mac Address (D in Figure 11). Figure 11 MAC Address 900-00272-01-001 Rev A...
  • Page 16 Figure 12 OPTICS RE Account Step 2: Creating an Account Create an account to be able to log in. From www.opticsre.com, click Create an Account. See E in Figure 12. Step 3: Creating a Profile Create a profile to monitor a specific site or system. (See F in Figure 12.) Once signed into the account, click Add a System.

  • Page 17: The Nitty Gritty

    The Nitty Gritty This section is geared toward those installers and homeowners who are thoroughly familiar with the previous section. In this section, we’ll use a few acronyms and technical terms the reader is assumed to know and understand. If you’re still learning about solar plus storage and/or the SkyBox, make sure you’ve read the previous section.

  • Page 18: It's Cloudy, My Batteries Are Dead, And The Power Is Out - What Now? (Using A Generator)

    It’s Cloudy, My Batteries Are Dead, and the Power is Out – What Now? (Using a Generator) The SkyBox accepts generator input when needed; however, it doesn’t accept every generator at every time. The SkyBox is picky and wants a generator that produces a (mostly) smooth waveform. The best way to describe the operation is with an example.
  • Page 19 Please refer to the application notes and any manufacturer recommendations for recommended settings. Note that inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement of these battery products and that not all combinations carry the safety listings required by some permitting authorities. PLEASE NOTE THAT OUTBACK POWER DOES NOT CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE DONE BY OR TO BATTERIES THAT ARE DEPLOYED USING THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS NOTICE.

  • Page 20: Aux Terminals And Rapid Shutdown

    Next, pay special attention to the charging parameters. If one of these is set incorrectly, it throws off the whole system and you’ll see red lines and error messages. The equalize voltage should be the highest in value or at the very least, equal to absorb. If your batteries are not supposed to be equalized, then set the EQ voltage equal to the absorb voltage for safety.

  • Page 21: External Cts

    External CTs External current transducers (CTs or XCTs) are used with the SkyBox to monitor a combined input from the utility. When installed and programmed into SkyBox, this moves where the SkyBox senses the utility. Good news for you! This means you can support your normal, unprotected loads and still not export power to the utility.
  • Page 22 Figure 16 Skybox Block Diagram with External CTs In Figure 16, when the SkyBox minimizes utility power coming into the system, it minimizes the power coming into the house, rather than just the SkyBox itself. Because A is now located at the main grid input, the SkyBox knows how much power is coming into the whole home.

  • Page 23: Energy Arbitrage (Aka: I Just Want My Utility Bill To Shrink Already!)

    Energy Arbitrage (aka: I just want my utility bill to shrink already!) Time of Use The time of use (TOU) function in the SkyBox is meant for those in areas with energy rates that go up and down depending on the time of day. Mostly, these expensive times are when you’re most likely to be home — a few hours in the morning and several in the evening.
  • Page 24 If you’re not familiar with this style of equation, an example should help. The best way to ensure you have the right values plugged in is to make sure your units come out correctly. The academic term here is unit analysis.
  • Page 25 If you’ve read The Power Grid and You on page 6, you would know that normally, when SkyBox is set to the Self-consumption profile, the battery will reach Minimum SOC and stop providing power to the loads until it is fully charged at Maximum SOC. This is not the case with the profile Net metering with backup and the TOU function.

  • Page 26: The Catch-All Section

    The Catch-All Section This section contains miscellaneous information. PV Self-Tests NOTE: A failed self-test DOES NOT mean that a ground fault or arc fault has occurred. A failed self-test indicates the circuit is not functioning properly. There are three separate self-tests SkyBox runs before beginning PV production. 1.
  • Page 27 NOTES: 900-00272-01-001 Rev A...

  • Page 28: Troubleshooting

    Troubleshooting The table below shows the most common errors installers and homeowners run into when working with the SkyBox. Table 1 Fault System Symptom Possible Cause Possible Remedy Code Type PV array must be floating for SkyBox to harvest Impedance power.
  • Page 29 Charge complete or nearly Check DC voltage and charging stage. complete Performance is derated in higher temperatures. High temperature Allow SkyBox to cool, or apply external cooling. Low charge rate charging If total loads and charging exceed the AC input source and PV sources, the charge rate decreases to High loads...

  • Page 30: Index

    Index A  G  AC Coupling ..............17 Generator Start ............18 AC Profile ..............5 Grid Charge Limit ............12 Maximum Independence .......... 9 Grid Use Mode ........See AC Profile Net Metering with Backup ......6, 10, 23 Grid-Dependent Inverter ...... See AC Coupling Non-Export ...........
  • Page 31 Stacking ..............12, 17 O  Standalone ..............6 State Of Charge (SOC) ..........18 Off-Grid ..............9, 12 Sweeping ..............13 OPTICS RE ..............14 T  P  Temperature Compensation ........11 Protected Loads ............ 21, 22 Tigo TS4-S ..............20 Time of Use (TOU) ............
  • Page 32 Masters of the Off-Grid. First Choice for the New Grid. 1682 West Williams Drive Phoenix, AZ 85027 USA 900-00272-01-001 Rev A...

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