Outback Power Systems 80 - Manuals

PB SCOPE The manual provides safety guidelines and installation information for the FLEXmax 80 Maximum Power Point Tracking Charge Controller. It does not provide information about specific brands of solar panels and supplies limited information on batteries. Contact the supplier or manufacturer of ...

PB OUTBACK FLEXmax 80 CHARGE CONTROLLER INSTALLATION GUIDELINES AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS This product is intended to be installed as part of a permanently grounded electrical system as shown in the system configuration sections (see pages 12-14) of this manual. The following important restrictions ap...

PB WARNING - WORKING IN THE VICINITY OF A LEAD ACID BATTERY IS DANGEROUS. BATTERIES GENERATE EXPLOSIVE GASES DURING NORMAL OPERATION. Design the battery enclosure to prevent accumulation and concentration of hydrogen gas in “pockets” at the top of the enclosure. Vent the battery compartment from the...

8 PB THE OUTBACK POWER SYSTEMS FLEXmax 80 Maximum Power Point Tracking Charge Controller

PB TheFLEXmax 80 is designed to attach directly to OutBack’s FLEXware 500 DC and FLEXware 1000 DC enclosures (FLEXware 500 shown) or attach to its own charge control brackets (FW-CCB, FW-CCB2, and FW-CCB2T ). NOTE: Install the FLEXmax 80 in an upright posi- tion out of direct sunlight. To mount dire...

0 PB . Determining Wire Sizes Open Circuit Voltage/Wire and Disconnect Size Maximum Open Circuit Voltage (VOC) • VOC is the unloaded voltage generated by the solar array. • Greater than 145VDC g FLEXmax 80 suspends operation to protect components • 150DC g max open circuit voltage with the coldest e...

PB The PV (-) and BAT (-) terminals are connected internally. Only one negative wire may be needed to connect to the (-) wire lugs if the PV - and BAT- conductors are bonded at the negative bus bar. See Figures 2 and 3 for sample wiring diagrams. See Wire and Disconnect Sizing on page 80 for suitabl...

PB Figure 2 Single Charge Controller wiring diagram with 24 volt PV array

PB Figure 3 Charge Controller Wiring Diagram with an FX, HUB 4, and an RTS

PB Figure 4 Charge Controller with PV array ground fault protection wiring digram.

PB Soft keys: Solid black indicates key is to be pressed: Down arrow will lead to the next screen: Up arrow points to one or more keys that will change a value: The keys correspond to any text immediately above them. (#1) (#2) (#3) (#4) How to Read the FLEXmax 80 Screen Diagrams

PB . Powering Up The FLEXmax 80 power-up sequence first activates the unit and the SELECT VERSION screen (to de- termine a choice of English, Espanola, or Australian settings). A SYSTEM VOLTAGE screen soon follows. However, when it auto-detects the system’s battery voltage, in some instances the FLE...

PB The FLEXmax 80 screens are offered in English (standard screens) and Spanish. For Australian users, some of the charging values are of different voltages and the FLEXmax 80 accommodates these. By pressing the <NEXT> soft key, the user can choose USA, Australia, or Espanola versions of the s...

8 PB System Voltage Screen Press the <YES> soft key to proceed if the selected battery voltage is correct. If incorrect, press <NO> to re- enter the correct voltage. The <YES> soft key will open the STATUS screen. SYTEM VOLTAGE 12 24 36 48 60 ^^ g ENTER Are you sure? 12 24 36 48 60...

PB NOTE: • Pressing the first soft key opens the MAIN Menu screen.• Pressing second soft key opens the End of the Day summary menu/logging. . Status Screen The STATUS Screen displays system information. See page 63 for detailed information of the different Operational Modes. The optional OutBack MAT...

0 PB NOTE: • Pressing the first soft key opens the STATUS screen.• Pressing the second soft key brings up the CLEAR LOG screen.• Pressing the third soft key shows the previous day’s summary; continually pressing this soft key will bring up additional past summaries up to 128 days. • Pressing the fou...

PB 8. Accessing the MAIN Menu The MAIN Menu allows the user to adjust and calibrate the FLEXmax 80 for maximum performance. From the STATUS screen, press the first soft key on the left to open the MAIN Menu screen. Press the <GO> soft key after aligning the arrow in front of the selected menu ...

PB . Charger Set-Up This screen allows changes to the FLEXmax 80’s recharging voltage set points—Current Limit, Absorb and Float (for an explanation of battery charging, see pages 81-82):• The presently selected numerical value will have an arrow “ g ” to the left of it. • Pressing < > selects...

PB 8. AUX Mode and Its Functions The AUX is a secondary control circuit—essentially, a small power supply that provides a 12VDC (up to 200 milliamps) output current. It is either active (12VDC on) or inactive (0VDC). Most AUX modes or functions are designed for specialized applications and are infre...

PB AUX MODE Menu Path To access the AUX Output Menu:• Press the first soft key once from the STATUS Menu to open the MAIN Menu.• Press either of the arrow soft keys until the “ g ” is to the left of Aux . • Press the <GO> soft key. If more than ten minutes have passed since any activity, the P...

PB AUX modes in order of appearance on the FLEXmax 80 display: • Vent Fan • PV Trigger • Error Output • Night Light • Float • Diversion Relay• Diversion Solid State • Low Battery Disconnect • Remote When an AUX MODE is in AUTO, 12VDC is available at the AUX terminals and a condition, such as a volta...

PB VENT FAN Press the <MODE> soft key to manually activate or deactivate ( On or Off ) the Vent Fan ; if set to Auto , the Vent Fan will turn on when a user-determined voltage is met. Press the <SET> soft key to view the Vent Fan screen. To view other screens, con- tinue to press the <...

PB Press the <EXIT> soft key return to the main Vent Fan screen. Press the <NEXT> sot key to view the PV Trigger screen When the PV input exceeds the user-determined VOLT set point, the AUX MODE PV Trigger activates in Auto Mode. Press the <MODE> soft key to establish another PV Tr...

8 PB Press the <SET> soft key to open the PV Trigger’s TIME and VOLT (age) set menus. To adjust the voltage, press the <VOLT> soft key. Adjust the voltage within a range of 20V-150V by pressing the < - > or < + > soft key. When finished, press the <BACK> soft key to ret...

0 PB The ERROR OUTPUT default state is On , meaning 12 VDC is present at the AUX terminal. If the FLEXmax 80 has not charged the batteries for 26 hours or more continuously, the inaudible ERROR OUTPUT goes into an Off state. The ERROR OUTPUT is intended for remote locations to signal (e.g., a teleco...

PB This example shows Auto MODE selected. Press the <SET> soft key to open the Hysteresis and PV Voltage screens. Press the <HYST> soft key to open the On Hysteresis Time screen. Use the < - > and < + > soft keys to adjust the time required for the PV input voltage to be belo...

PB Press the <TIME> soft key to advance to the Time screen which allows the user to adjust the minimum time the AUX MODE is active after the battery voltage falls below the Hysteresis voltage. Hold Time shows how long the AUX MODE stays active after the battery voltage has fallen below the HYS...

PB Example of Diversion Each recharging state— Absorb, Float , or EQ —has a recharging voltage set point. The Diversion AUX MODE can be active ( On ) when the battery voltage is raised above one of these set points for a certain amount of time or inactive ( Off ) when it falls below. The user can de...

PB Figure 5 Diversion Load and AUX Wiring Set-Up Illustrated

PB LOW BATTERY DISCONNECT When the battery voltage falls below the disconnect volts, the AUX connected loads only are disconnected; the AUX connected loads only are connected when the battery voltage rises above the reconnect volts. To adjust these set points, press the <TIME> and <VOLT>...

8 PB In the Low Batt Disconnect screen, press the <VOLT> soft key to adjust the battery voltage disconnects set point. Press either the < - > or the < + > soft key to adjust the disconnect voltage. Press the <ReCon> soft key to open the RE-CONNECT VOLTS screen. Press either t...

PB REMOTE AUX MODE Low Batt Disconnect EXIT TIME VOLT Press the <EXIT> soft key. Press the <NEXT> soft key to view the Remote screen. Press the < g > soft key to move the ” g ” to the Light option. When the g is in front of Light , press the <GO> soft key. Charger g Aux Light...

0 PB Auto (default) leaves backlight and soft keys on for up to nine minutes whenever any soft key is pressed (pressing any soft key when the LCD is not lighted does not change any settings). Minutes are adjustable using the < - > and < + > soft keys. On or Off states are also available....

PB Press either the < –EQV> or <+EQV > soft key to change the EQ voltage, following your battery manufacturer’s recommendations. Note that the factory default EQ voltage is set low, the same as the factory default Absorb voltage. Press the <NEXT> soft key to view the BATTERY EQUALI...

PB Use the <-DAY> and <+DAY> soft keys to preset the interval day to initiate an automatic equalization cycle. The EQ INTERVAL displays the number of days in the interval between cycles and COUNT displays how many days of the interval have passed. To view the MAIN EQ screens, press the &...

PB . MISC—Miscellaneous The MISCELLANEOUS screens display extra settings and technical information, some of which isuseful for OutBack Power Systems Technical Services. The Grid Tie (GT ) value is sent from G-series inverter through the MATE and HUB for Grid Tie control communications. GT means THE ...

PB . Advanced The ADVANCED MENU allows fine-tuning of the FLEXmax 80 operations including Snooze periods and Maximum Power Point limits. In order of appearance, the following modes occur in the ADVANCED Menu selections: • Snooze Mode • Wakeup • MPPT Mode • Park Mpp • Mpp Range Limit % Voc • Absorb T...

PB Wakeup Mode selects how often the FLEXmax 80 does a “Wakeup” during “Snoozing” periods. Since environmental conditions impact the open circuit voltage ( Voc) of an array, a user selectable Voc rise in value will allow the controller to “wakeup” sooner or later based on the last measured Voc value...

8 PB ADVANCED MENU Absorb Time Limits 01.0 hours EXIT NEXT - + In the Absorb Time Limits screen, the user can set the duration the FLEXmax 80 stays in the Absorb recharge cycle. • Absorb Time is adjustable from 0 to 24 hours (consult your battery manufacturer’s recommendations). • A Bulk cycle start...

0 PB ADVANCED MENU RTS Compensation A 14.1 V F 13.8V EXIT NEXT WIDE During cold weather, a battery often requires a higher recharging voltage. Lower quality inverters might not accommodate these higher voltages and can shut down during recharging, cutting off power to their loads. The FLEXmax 80 all...

PB Press the <NEXT> soft key to view the Auto Restart screen. Pressing the fourth soft key selects among the three FLEXmax 80 Auto ReStart modes: 0 (default), 1, and 2. Auto ReStart allows the FLEXmax 80 to perform internal recalibrations. • Mode 0 — Auto ReStart mode is disabled; the FLEXmax ...

PB ADVANCED MENU Auto ReStart MODE 2 EXIT NEXT MODE From the Auto Restart MODE 2 screen, press the <NEXT> soft key to view the Aux Polarity screen. When the AUX function is ON, 12 volts is present at the AUX terminal; when it’s OFF, 0 volts are present at the terminal. Aux Polarity allows the ...

PB CLEAR LOG BACK TOTL DAILY Are you sure? NO YES Today 0000Ah 00.0 KWH 011Vp 00.0Ap 0.00kWp MAX 14.7V ABS 01:00 MIN 14.6V FLT 00:00 Today 0000Ah 00.0 KWH 011Vp 00.0Ap 0.00kWp MAX 14.7V ABS 01:00 MIN 14.6V FLT 00:00 A user can clear either the daily or accumulated statistics of the FLEXmax 80 by pre...

PB Charger Aux Light Eq Misc Advanced Logging g Stats EXIT f g GO From the MAIN Menu, press the < g > soft key to move the arrow next to the Stats function and then press the <GO> soft key The STATS screen displays additional voltage and time information. Press the <NEXT> soft key ...

PB Total 0000 kWH Total 000.0 kAH BACK DCkWH The Secondary Stats screen shows the total accumulated DC and AC kilowatt hours and kiloamp hours of the FLEXmax 80. Pressing the <DCkWH> soft key switches the screen between DC kilowatt hours and AC kilowatt hours • DCkWH shows the DC kilowatthours...

PB . Micro-Hydro and Fuel Cell Applications The FLEXmax 80 is designed to work with solar arrays. Although it will work with micro-hydro turbines and fuel cell, OutBack Power Systems can only offer limited technical support for these applications because there is too much variance in micro-hydro and...

8 PB 8. Advanced Menu (Micro-Hydro and Fuel Cell Applications) Mpp Range Limit % (Auto Track Mode only) The FLEXmax 80 searches for the MPP voltage by tracking the input voltage up to one half (default) of the Voc, which is based on values appropriate for a solar array. Micro-hydro and fuel cell sys...

PB g Charger Aux Light EQ Misc Advanced Logging Stats EXIT f g GO Adjusts the Current Limit, Absorb, and Float recharging voltage set points AUX control includes: • Vent Fan • PV Trigger • Error Output • Night Light • Float • Diversion: Relay • Diversion: Solid State • Low Battery Disconnect • Remot...

0 PB 0. Application Notes OutBack Power System GTFX/GVFX Grid-tie settings In a GFX/GVFX Series Inverter/Charger, FLEXmax 80, HUB, and MATE installation set the FLEXmax 80 to GT mode in the ADVANCED MENU. GT mode allows the GFX/GVFX to manage the FLEXmax 80 float setting ensuring the FLEXmax 80 is a...

PB . FLEXmax 80 EFFICIENCY vs. INPUT POWER GRAPH Figure 7 12V Battery System Efficiency Curve Figure 8 24V Battery System Efficiency Curve Figure 9 48V Battery System Efficiency Curve

PB . Understanding the Various Operational Modes The FLEXmax 80 modes of operation will change occasionally during the day based on the PV array output and the battery system state of charge. The FLEXmax 80 operating modes are displayed at the bottom right hand corner of the STATUS screen. Absorbing...

PB GT Mode In a system with an OutBack FX Grid-Tie Series Inverter(s), HUB and MATE, the FLEXmax 80 will display GT Mode if and only if the inverter is in Sell mode and the FLEXmax 80 is in Bulk (MPPT BULK ) or Float (MPPT FLOAT ) cycle. This is also a good indicator for establishing proper Grid-Tie...

PB Sleeping The PV voltage is two volts less than the battery voltage. This may also appear during the day when the FLEXmax 80 is transitioning between certain states, or due to other conditions. SysError ( Very rare) System Error indicates an internal non-volatile memory error. The unit will stop o...

PB . MATE-Displayed FLEXmax 80 ScreensStatus Mode Screens The FLEXmax 80 STATUS MODE Screens displayed on the optional OutBack MATE (Rev 4.0.4 or greater) include MODE, METER, and SET (SETPOINT ). In STATUS Mode, these functions can be viewed by the MATE, but not changed. Please see the MATE Install...

PB MATE-Displayed FLEXmax 80 Status Meter Screens FLEXmax METER Screens • mode/pv/in/bat/out: displays the charger mode, the PV array voltage, the incoming PV amps, the battery voltage, and the outgoing amps to the battery • charger watts: charger output measured in watts • charger kwhrs: kilowatt h...

PB MATE-Displayed FLEXmax 80 STATUS SETPT (SET POINT) Screen Press the first two soft keys simultaneously to return to the MAIN Menu. CC SETP(OINT) Screens • Absorb: displays the voltage that initiates and maintains the Absorb cycle • Float: displays the voltage that begins the Float cycle and is ma...

8 PB ADV/CC/ADVANCED--------P01 snooze now < 0.6 ampDOWN INC DEC PORT ADV/CC/ADVANCED--------P01 wakeup mode VOC change 1.5 V DOWN INC DEC PORT ADV/CC/ADVANCED--------P01 wakeup mode time 5 minutes DOWN INC DEC PORT ADV/CC/ADVANCED--------P01 MPPT mode auto track DOWN INC DEC PORT ADV/CC/ADVANCED...

PB FLEXmax 80 EQ Screens ADV/CC/AUX/MODE--------P01 Night LightDOWN INC SET PORT ADV/CC/AUX/--------------P01 aux output OFF controlDOWN ON OFF PORT ADV/CC/AUX/----------------- end of menu TOP ADV MAIN ADV/CC/EQ-----------------P01eq voltage 14.4 vdcDOWN INC DEC PORT ADV/CC/EQ-----------------P01eq...

PB . Troubleshooting Guide FLEXmax 80 does not boot/power-up (blank LCD) • Check the battery connection and polarity. • Reverse polarity or an improper connection will cause power-up issues. • Check the battery breaker. • Ensure that the battery breaker is sized appropriately. • A battery voltage be...

PB • Are the batteries charged? Is the FLEXmax 80 in the Absorbing or Float stage? If either case is true, the FLEXmax 80 will produce enough power to regulate the voltage at the ABSORB or FLOAT set point voltage, therefore, requiring less power in these modes. • What is the short circuit current of...

PB FLEXmax 80 Internal Fan • The internal fan will only run when the internal temperature has reached approximately 112°F. The fan will continue running until the internal temperature is less than 104°F. FLEXmax 80 is beeping • When the FLEXmax 80 is in Extended Play mode, the array is very hot, and...

PB . Typical Array Sizing Guide Below is a list of recommended array sizing for the FLEXmax 80 for various nominal voltage batteries: Nominal Battery Voltage Recommended Array Size (in watts, Standard Test Conditions) 12V 1250W 24V 2500W 36V 3750W 48V 5000W 60V 6250W The FLEXmax 80 PV MPPT Charge Co...

PB 8. STANDARD vs. AUSTRALIAN DEFAULT SETTINGS The Australian version FLEXmax 80 has a few default settings that differ from the Standard version default settings. However, there are no differences in performance and efficiency between the two versions. The Standard and Australian version can be ide...

PB . Wire Distance Chart To meet NEC compliance (North America), the largest PV array that can be connected to the FLEXmax 80 must have a rated short-circuit current of 64 amps or less The following charts show the maximum distance of various gauge two-conductor copper wire from the PV array to the ...

PB 0. WIRE AND DISCONNECT SIZING The FLEXmax 80 is a buck type converter with the following properties:• 80 amp DC output current limit (default setting)• Listed to operate continuously at 80 amps (40°C/104° F) With an 80 amp FLEXmax 80 output current limit and PV array output higher than 80 amps of...

80 PB . WIRING COMPARTMENT The wiring terminals and compartment of the FLEXmax 80 Charge Controller are fully compliant with all NEC and UL requirements. The following summary is specific for North American applications where NEC and UL standards govern installations. Recommended Conductor and Break...

8 PB . FLEXmax 80 MULTI-STAGE BATTERY CHARGING The FLEXmax 80 charge controller is a sophisticated, multi-stage battery charger that uses several regulation stages to allow fast recharging of the battery system while ensuring a long battery life. This process can be used with both sealed and non-sea...

8 PB BULK cycle provides the maximum power to the battery –the voltage increases while recharging. A Bulk cycle is automatically initiated when the battery voltage is below the Absorb and Float * recharge voltage set points. The Bulk cycle will continue until the Absorb voltage set point is achieved...

8 PB . BATTERY TEMPERATURE COMPENSATED VOLATGE SET POINT The temperature of a battery has an impact on the recharging process—in higher ambient tempera-tures, the regulation set points ( Absorb and Float ) need to be reduced to prevent overcharging of the batteries. In lower ambient temperature cond...

8 PB . SUGGESTED BATTERY CHARGER SET POINTS The battery manufacturer should provide you with specific instructions on the following maintenance and voltage set point limits for the specific batteries. The following information can be used when the manufacturer’s information is not available. SEALED ...

8 PB . CALLING THE FACTORY FOR ASSISTANCE When calling OutBack Power for product assistance, please have the following informationready:• FLEXmax 80 Serial number and software version (the software version can be viewed by pressing the #1 soft key on the STATUS screen and then pressing a second time...

8 PB FIVE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY INFORMATION FLEXmax Products OutBack Power Systems, Inc. (“OutBack”) provides a five year (5) limited warranty (“Warranty”) against defects in materials and workmanship for its FLEXmax products (“Products”) if installed in fixed location applications. For this Warrant...

8 PB To request warranty service, you must contact OutBack Technical Services at (360) 435-6030 or [email protected] within the effective warranty period. If warranty service is required, OutBack will issue a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number. A request for an RMA number requires all...

88 PB Limited Warranty Registration Complete this form to request a Limited Warranty, and return it to: Outback Power Systems Inc.19009 62nd Ave. NE Arlington, WA 98223 NOTE: A Limited Warranty Certificate will only be issued if this Registration Card is received by OutBack within 90 days of the dat...

8 PB EU DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY According to ISO / IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014 Product Type: Photovoltaic Charge Controller Product Model Number: FLEXmax 80 This product complies with the following EU directives: Electromagnetic Compatibility 8//EEC, “Council Directive of May 8 On the approximation ...

0 PB OWNER’S SYSTEM INFORMATION Date of Purchase: __________________________________________________________________ Vendor: __________________________________________________________________________ Date of Installation: _________________________________________________________________ Installer: _...