| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| steevo777 |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 13:36:03
Can anyone tell me what the "load" bit is for on my controller ? I got it from Maplin who are NOT the most knowledgable shop assistants aound. The Maplin website says that the "load" is for charging a 2nd battery and that it only begins to charge when the 1st battery is fully charged. It also says something different (on the same website) that it is "for a load", whatever that means  
 |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| steevo777 |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 21:15:25
Some good ideas/advice there Speo. I will probably have a go at what you suggested when I get the chance. Cheers!  |
| speo |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 20:39:17
Steevo, I guess Capt Slog's guesses are correct :)
I would hook it to a solar panel (or other power source, 16-21V), to a battery, and hook a voltmeter (or a bulb) to the load and monitor the "load's" voltage while charging the battery and while discharging the battery. That's I would see if the voltage gets cut or not, above or below certain values.
I was asking the same question recently about hooking an inverter to my C12 controller's "load" and I was told there "might" be issues, so, it's better to ask Xantrex....
Speo
www.windpulse.com |
| steevo777 |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 16:54:02
Yeah that's right, you DO want it to cut out to save the battery. The other problem with it was that if you wanted to connect a reasonable load up to the controller via the "load" function (with an inverter for example), then it sounds like it is very likely to damage the controller and he suggested not to do it and to go direct from the battery to power anything, and obviously, THEN it would be ok to use an inverter.
He said that if you wanted to power anything decent FROM THE "LOAD" function then you would need a more expensive controller that can handle say 20 amps but like he said, it would defeat the whole object cos it becomes a waste of money cos it isnt really necessary. |
| Capt Slog |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 16:45:56
quote:
Originally posted by steevo777
anyway it cuts out when the battery gets below something like 11.5v.
Which is a good thing.
You don't want to drain a battery even that far if you want it to live. |
| steevo777 |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 16:42:09
Thanks again Captain, I think you are right in what you are saying cos I have just rang the manufacturers and, to cut a long story short, they say that the "load" is for the purpose of running loads that are less than 4 amps BUT from what he said and the way he said it, I have decided that it's NOT a good idea use the "load" function. It sounds that if you use it it could quite easily blow the controller and anyway it cuts out when the battery gets below something like 11.5v. |
| Capt Slog |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 16:28:28
Take a look at this one on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLAR-CHARGE-CONTROLLER-REGULATOR-12-24-VOLT-PWM-20-AMP_W0QQitemZ380020470478QQihZ025QQcategoryZ48618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It says it has "over discharging protection". I reckon that's what I meant. And you can see from the picture there that it has something across the 'load', in this case a light bulb. Others on there have radios ect as the load icon.
Perhaps the Maplin people say 'not normally used' because it isn't, most people connect up a battery, charge it, and then take the battery away unless they are living in a motor home or suchlike.
As I said, I've not got one, and never used one but I did read up on them about a yearand a half ago when I started looking at windturbines and knew I would need some sort of control. I later found that a solar controller is no use.
I can't see what else it could mean but by all means hang on untill this gets an answer from the Ghurd or others |
| steevo777 |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 16:10:36
Thanks for replying captain
What you have said sounds like it makes sense to me but, hmmm I'm still unsure.
So would you say that the power that comes out of the "load" is coming from the battery or from the solar panel or from both ?
The instructions that came with it are really silly because when it mentions the "load" terminals, it says something like "not normally used". But that's Maplin for you  |
| Capt Slog |
Posted - 24/04/2008 : 15:51:26
Ye gods, that's badly marked out.
Guessing here but..... (without any sarcasm).....
The "load" + and - (at the far right) is where the load goes, that being anything you want to drive off the power that you're making.
I think that the controller has the capabilty that cuts the power to the load when the battery gets to low for comfort. I've never used one, but I remember reading it.
|
