ben
Solar Newcomer
Posts: 1
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Post by ben on Nov 14, 2018 21:40:58 GMT
Hi, I just bought a Rover 20A, got it hooked up to 3x 50-watt panels and 2x 12V, 55Ah AGM batteries (connected in parallel). Since the Rover has load terminals, I assumed it would have the ability for low voltage disconnect - this link even had me thinking it would come with an 11.0 V LVD right out of the box: www.renogy.com/learn-charge-controller-types/I don't see the option for setting up a LVD in the manual though. Could someone help me set this up? Or, is it automatically set up with an 11.0 V LVD and there's no adjusting it? I'm totally happy with 11.0, just want some reassurance that it's there
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Post by swampmonster on Nov 14, 2018 23:44:36 GMT
No setup required, nor can you program the LVD shutoff....It is 11.0V only. WHEN a load is connected to the load terminals, the controller will feed that load within it's volt/amps limits up until LVD of 11.0V....The LVD on this controller is not adjustable...And remember that discharging a battery to 11.0V will eventually damage the battery unless it is Lithium. So best practice is too limit loads to little stuff like LED lighting, or alarms, or yaknow little stuff you need off hours when no sun....It is a nice feature to have load terminals, but take care not to overload them. The load terminals make a controller a two way street where the controller can send PV to your battery bank, and also take power from your bank..Works really well in daylight, and can get you thru the night with low watt lighting type stuff....But as usual with Renogy, their manual doesn't spec the limits of the load terminals or several other things, so take the safe route, and at first pay attention to how what you connect effects the SOC of your bank day and night. Kinda like a new girlfriend, keep an eye on her and your wallet, er battery bank..
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Post by bupkis on Nov 15, 2018 1:16:32 GMT
Hi ben, I suggest you read the manual in particular page 16.
You can program the controller by first selecting battery type USER. You can also see page 24 for other things that can be programed for USER battery type with the bluethooth adapter and app.
The above poster is ill informed and you would be wise to ignore his posts
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Post by swampmonster on Nov 15, 2018 1:28:20 GMT
Many small capacity CC's have load terminals because they offer a cheap and simplified way to power small loads....And most of them offer a LVD, and usually the LVD setpoint is not adjustable-it is fixed.
But that same CC can be connected to a battery bank where the batteries act as a surge tank, where the battery stores more power over time than the expected/connected loads so that those loads can be ran when the sun goes down and retain nuff power thru the night to operate the loads till sunup....
Those loads can be distributed via CC load terminals providing the loads are minimal and not required at night...Once you add a battery bank to the system, you really don't need the load terminals on the CC' and instead should install a D/C distribution panel complete with fuses, where the D/C panel only draws from the battery, and the charge controller only charges or floats the battery against the loads.
Even very basic MPPT controllers are really cool in that if you start with fully charged batteries, and carefully select the loads, you can float the batteries thru the day where they will remain at full charge till the sun goes down..And if the loads are properly matched to the battery capacity, then the battery bank will not deplete below the % of charge lower limit to where they experience damage....PWM does the same thing, but MPPT does it mobetter.
SO....If you have a battery bank, shift all loads to the bank and distribute them all from one location thru fuses....And only consider the CC load terminals as a back up location to draw power for a load if your bank fails.
BUT, that's just me, and that's they way I see it.
However there are more expensive MPPT controllers that offer "Aux Batt" terminals that when main bank is at a certain state of charge, the controller will divert extra amps to the aux batt(Perhaps your starting batt), but that is a WHOLE different thang than load terminals.
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Post by swampmonster on Nov 15, 2018 2:14:47 GMT
Hi ben, I suggest you read the manual in particular page 16. You can program the controller by first selecting battery type USER. You can also see page 24 for other things that can be programed for USER battery type with the bluethooth adapter and app. The above poster is ill informed and you would be wise to ignore his posts As usual with Renogy, the device may have additional adjust-ability, but the very manual you cite does NOT describe the upper and lower limits of LVD, it only shows the value of 11.0V both in the illustrations on page 16, and in the specs....Hopefully it does have the ability to be adjustable, but maybe they should describe it, yathink? Based on the manual and published specs, the OP is JUST as uninformed as me, so maybe you should ignore him too?...Excuse me, but I am accustomed to dealing with higher quality equipment where the maker provides specs smarter folks can use mobetter than lowlifes seeking cheapest possible solutions....And grovel around in the muck where some of them learn little secrets particular to their junk....eventually....Then they sorta float to the surface of the muck pile and....well, you know.....yaknow...it floats up and stinks
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Post by bupkis on Nov 15, 2018 13:41:27 GMT
Hi ben, the load terminals can handle 20A and can be used 24/7. The programming is in the manual, if you can not do it call support, do not pay any attention to the above poster that keeps over and over and over again provides false, wrong, misleading and worthless information.
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