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The system |
As received in 2 packages |
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Wired to ground, the battery bank and ... |
the heat sensor. Punching a hole was difficult! |
Wired to the 48 volt PV modules |
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The temperature sensor gets the air temp |
Almost always more then 48 volts in & out |
Even at night on the battery bank |
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Added a watch to time stamp photos |
This Charge Controller is a sophisticated computer. It is in fact 'programmable'. It detects overages and underages and adjusts things accordingly. Its job is to receive power from the
PV modules and charge
the batteries when they need it, usually as an off and on trickle but able to supply much more if the batteries are being drained by heavy usage.
Two pictures up from here, the controller's screen shows 64 volts on the PV modules and 58.4 volts on the battery bank, the maximum voltage that a 48 volt battery bank can hold. The picture was taken at noon on a bright sunny 75 degree day. The controller is doing nothing except idling and listening, or 'absorbing'. That will change when the refrigerator kicks on. Without the controller, the 64 volts would overload and fry the battery bank.
It even adjusts things according to the reading it gets from its Remote Temperature Sensor. At first I thought it was monitoring the temperature of the battery bank but I was wrong; it monitors the temperature of the air around the batteries. That is why I attached it to a battery in the center of the bank inside the shelving unit where it would probably be the hottest on a hot day. That is also what the Affordable Solar tech recommended.
Still on my to-do list is to obtain relevant 'set point' (Current Limit, Absorb, Float) information on the
https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/bluetop-dual-purpose-deep-cycle-and-starting" target="_blank">Optima Bluetop D34M battery so that I can reprogram the MX60 Charge Controller for optimum interaction with same, as described in the 2nd PDF below.
Outback MX60 PV MPPT Charge Controller manual (go to page 67 for a description of the modes (Absorbing, High Voc, ZZZZ..., etc.))
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