Victron energy SmartSolar MPPT 100/30, SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 Manual

Safety instructions

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS - This manual contains important instructions that shall be followed during installation and maintenance.

Danger of explosion from sparking

Danger of electric shock

• Please read this manual carefully before the product is installed and put into use.
• This product is designed and tested in accordance with international standards. The equipment should be used for the designated application only.
• Install the product in a heatproof environment. Ensure therefore that there are no chemicals, plastic parts, curtains or other textiles, etc. in the immediate vicinity of the equipment.
• Ensure that the equipment is used under the correct operating conditions. Never operate it in a wet environment.
• Never use the product at sites where gas or dust explosions could occur.
• Ensure that there is always sufficient free space around the product for ventilation.
• Refer to the specifications provided by the manufacturer of the battery to ensure that the battery is suitable for use with this product. The battery manufacturer's safety instructions should always be observed.
• Protect the solar modules from direct light during installation, e.g. cover them.
• Never touch uninsulated cable ends.
• Use only insulated tools.
• Connections must always be made in the sequence described in section "Configuration of the unit".
• The installer of the product must provide a means for cable strain relief to prevent the transmission of stress to the connections.
• In addition to this manual, the system operation or service manual must include a battery maintance manual applicable to the type of batteries used.

General Description

PV voltage up to 100V

The charge controller is able to charge a lower nominal-voltage battery from a higher nominal voltage PV array.
The controller will automatically adjust to a 12 or 24V nominal battery voltage.

Ultra-fast Maximum Power Point Tracking

Especially in case of a clouded sky, when light intensity is changing continuously, an ultra fast MPPT controller will improve energy harvest by up to 30% compared to PWM charge controllers and by up to 10% compared to slower MPPT controllers.

Advanced Maximum Power Point Detection in case of partial shading conditions

If partial shading occurs, two or more maximum power points may be present on the power-voltage curve.
Conventional MPPTs tend to lock to a local MPP, which may not be the optimum MPP.
The innovative SmartSolar algorithm will always maximize energy harvest by locking to the optimum MPP.

Outstanding conversion efficiency

No cooling fan. Maximum efficiency exceeds 98%. Full output current up to 40°C (104°F).

Extensive electronic protection

Over-temperature protection and power derating when temperature is high.
PV short circuit and PV reverse polarity protection. PV reverse current protection.

Internal temperature sensor

Compensates absorption and float charge voltages for temperature.

Automatic battery voltage recognition

The controller will automatically adjust itself to a 12V or a 24V system one time only.
If a different system voltage is required at a later stage, it must be changed manually, for example with the Bluetooth app.

Flexible charge algorithm

Fully programmable charge algorithm, and eight preprogrammed algorithms, selectable with a rotary switch.

Adaptive three step charging

The Controller is configured for a three step charging process:
Bulk – Absorption – Float.

1. Bulk
   During this stage the controller delivers as much charge current as possible to rapidly recharge the batteries.
2. Absorption
   When the battery voltage reaches the absorption voltage setting, the controller switches to constant voltage mode.
   When only shallow discharges occur the absorption time is kept short in order to prevent overcharging of the battery. After a deep discharge the absorption time is automatically increased to make sure that the battery is completely recharged. Additionally, the absorption period is also ended when the charge current decreases to less than 2A.
3. Float
   During this stage, float voltage is applied to the battery to maintain it in a fully charged state.
   When the battery voltage drops below float voltage during at least 1 minute a new charge cycle will be triggered.
4. Equalization
   See section "Automatic equalization"

Remote on-off

The MPPT 100/50 can be controlled remotely by a VE.Direct non inverting remote on-off cable (ASS030550300). An input HIGH (Vi > 8V) will switch the controller on, and an input LOW (Vi < 2V, or free floating) will switch the controller off.
Application example: on/off control by a VE.Bus BMS when charging Li-ion batteries.

Configuring and monitoring

• Bluetooth Smart (built-in): connect to a smartphone or tablet running iOS or Android.
• Use the VE.Direct to USB cable (ASS030530000) to connect to a PC, a smartphone with Android and USB On-The-Go support (requires additional USB OTG cable).
• Use a VE.Direct to VE.Direct cable to connect to a MPPT Control, a Color Control panel or a Venus GX.

Several parameters can be customized with the VictronConnect app.
The VictronConnect app can be downloaded from
http://www.victronenergy.nl
Use the manual – VictronConnect - MPPT Solar Charge Controllers – to get the most out of the VictronConnect App when it's connected to a MPPT Solar Charge Controller: http://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect: mppt-solarchargers

Installation

DC (PV) INPUT NOT ISOLATED FROM BATTERY CIRCUIT.

FOR PROPER TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION THE AMBIENT CONDITION FOR CHARGER AND BATTERY MUST BE WITHIN 5°C,

General

• Mount vertically on a non-flammable substrate, with the power terminals facing downwards.
• Mount close to the battery, but never directly above the battery (in order to prevent damage due to gassing of the battery).
• Improper internal temperature compensation (e.g. ambient condition battery and charger not within 5°C) can lead to reduced battery lifetime.

We recommend installing the Smart Battery Sense option if larger temperature differences or extreme ambient temperature conditions are expected.

• Battery installation must be done in accordance with the storage battery rules of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.
• The battery and PV connections must be guarded against inadvertent contact (e.g. install in an enclosure or install the optional WireBox M).

Grounding

• Battery grounding: the charger can be installed in a positive or negative grounded system.
  Note: apply a single ground connection (preferably close to the battery) to prevent malfunctioning of the system.
• Chassis grounding: A separate earth path for the chassis ground is permitted because it is isolated from the positive and negative terminal.
• The USA National Electrical Code (NEC) requires the use of an external ground fault protection device (GFPD). These MPPT chargers do not have internal ground fault protection. The system electrical negative should be bonded through a GFPD to earth ground at one (and only one) location.
• The charger must not be connected with grounded PV arrays (one ground connection only)

WHEN A GROUND FAULT IS INDICATED, BATTERY TERMINALS AND CONNECTED CIRCUITS MAY BE UNGROUNDED AND HAZARDOUS.

PV configuration

(also see the MPPT Excel sheet on our website)

• Provide a means to disconnect all current-carrying conductors of a photovoltaic power source from all other conductors in a building or other structure.
• A switch, circuit breaker, or other device, either ac or dc, shall not be installed in a grounded conductor if operation of that switch, circuit breaker, or other device leaves the grounded conductor in an ungrounded state while the system remains energized.
• The controller will operate only if the PV voltage exceeds battery voltage (Vbat).
• PV voltage must exceed Vbat + 5V for the controller to start. Thereafter minimum PV voltage is Vbat + 1V.
• Maximum open circuit PV voltage: 100V.

For example:
12V battery and mono- or polycristalline panels

• Minimum number of cells in series: 36 (12V panel).
• Recommended number of cells for highest controller efficiency:
  72 (2x 12V panel in series or 1x 24V panel).
• Maximum: 144 cells (4x 12V or 2x 24V panel in series).

24V battery and mono- or polycristalline panels

• Minimum number of cells in series: 72 (2x 12V panel in series or 1x 24V panel).
• Maximum: 144 cells.

Remark: at low temperature the open circuit voltage of a 144 cell solar array may exceed 100V, depending on local conditions and cell specifications. In that case the number of cells in series must be reduced.

Cable connection sequence

(see figure 1)
First: connect the battery.

Second: connect the solar array (when connected with reverse polarity, the controller will heat up but will not charge the battery).

Configuration of the unit

Fully programmable charge algorithm (see the software page on our website) and eight preprogrammed charge algorithms, selectable with a rotary switch:

Note 1: divide all values by two in case of a 12V system.
Note 2: equalize normally off, see "Automatic equalization" to activate
(do not equalize VRLA Gel and AGM batteries)
Note 3: any setting change performed with Bluetooth or via VE.Direct will override the rotary switch setting. Turning the rotary switch will override prior settings made with Bluetooth or VE.Direct.

On all models with software version V 1.12 or higher a binary LED code helps determining the position of the rotary switch. After changing the position of the rotary switch, the LEDs will blink during 4 seconds as follows:

Thereafter, normal indication resumes, as described below.
Remark: the blink function is enabled only when PV power is present on the input of the controller.

LEDs

LED indication:
permanent on
blinking
off

Regular operation
LEDs	Bulk	Absorption	Float
Bulk (*1)
Absorption
Automatic equalisation (*2)
Float

Note (*1): The bulk LED will blink briefly every 3 seconds when the system is powered but there is insufficient power to start charging.

Fault situations
LEDs	Bulk	Absorption	Float
Charger temperature too high
Charger over-current
Charger or PV over-voltage
Internal error (*3)

Note (*2): E.g. calibration and/or settings data lost, current sensor issue.

Battery charging information

The charge controller starts a new charge cycle every morning, when the sun starts shining.

Default setting:
The maximum duration of the absorption period is determined by the battery voltage measured just before the solar charger starts up in the morning:

(divide voltages by 2 for a 12V system)

If the absorption period is interrupted due to a cloud or due to a power hungry load, the absorption process will resume when absorption voltage is reached again later on the day, until the absorption period has been completed.
The absorption period also ends when the output current of the solar charger drops to less than 2Amps, not because of low solar array output but because the battery is fully charged (tail current cut off).
This algorithm prevents over charge of the battery due to daily absorption charging when the system operates without load or with a small load.

User defined algorithm:
Any setting change performed with Bluetooth or via VE.Direct will override the rotary switch setting. Turning the rotary switch will override prior settings made with Bluetooth or VE.Direct.

Automatic equalization

Automatic equalization is default set to 'OFF'. With the Victron Connect app (see section "Remote on-off") this setting can be configured with a number between 1 (every day) and 250 (once every 250 days). When automatic equalization is active, the absorption charge will be followed by a voltage limited constant current period. The current is limited to 8% of the bulk current for the factory default battery type, and to 25% of the bulk current for a user defined battery type. The bulk current is the rated charger current unless a lower maximum current setting has been chosen.
In case of all VRLA batteries and some flooded batteries (algorithm number 0, 1, 2 or 3) automatic equalization ends when the voltage limit maxV has been reached, or after t = (absorption time)/8, whichever comes first.
For all tubular plate batteries and the user defined battery type automatic equalization ends after t = (absorption time)/2.
When automatic equalisation is not completely finished within one day, it will not resume the next day, and the next equalisation session will take place as determined by the day interval.

Troubleshooting

Specifications

Documents / Resources

References

• Victron Energy
• victronconnect:mppt-solarchargers [Victron Energy]
• App Store - Apple
• Google Play

Download manual

Here you can download full pdf version of manual, it may contain additional safety instructions, warranty information, FCC rules, etc.

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