Kent:
The manual is not clear as to how this is done. Have you considered using
a relay in an FX inverter to activate the generator as is done in a system
without the Flex Net?
Interesting about the SMA claim, but until I hear otherwise, this is just a
claim.
William
At 01:25 PM 10/14/2009, you wrote:
William,
In all of these systems, the Mate's AGS system is being used to control
the FNDC's relay. The Mate's AGS port has been selected so that it
operates the FNDC's relay rather than using the Aux output on the
inverter. The FNDC is providing SOC info to the Mate, but isn't directly
controlling the relay.
I agree with you about the potential to confuse customers. And about the
inaccuracy of battery amp-hour meters in general. But it is interesting
that SMA's main claim about the Sunny Island is that it does the best job
managing batteries. It does it by keeping track of the battery's SOC.
William Miller wrote:
Kent:
>From the Flex Net DC manual, page 16: "OutBack strongly recommends
using the AGS function of the MATE to control a generator." I assume
from your post, you are using the Auto mode to have the relay control a
generator, a practice that the above quotation recommends against. This
may relate directly to your problems.
I have no experience with the Flex Net but I took this opportunity to
review the manual more thoroughly than I have previously. My conclusion
is that the Flex Net is a great tool for the technically inclined but
offers a minimal convenience for the lay person. The State of Charge
function may be a more realistic method of determining actual state of
charge, but if it operates at all like the E-meter or the Tri-Metric, it
is prone to inaccuracy. The variables associated with individual battery
banks, particularly as they age, make accurate calibration a moving
target. Overall, the Flex net has the potential to increase customer
confusion with a proliferation of synoptic (overly succinct) menus.
Again, I call on the technicians in the industry to create a user
interface with the lay person in mind. See previous rant.
I may find I recommend this system for remote locations so I can poll
statistics and interpret for the client, but I will not train a client on
the use of this unless he or she is particularly inclined.
Anyone else have an opinion on the Flex net system?
William Miller
At 12:13 PM 10/14/2009, you wrote:
Has anyone besides me had problems using the relay in the Outback
FNDC? I've had three different customers report that their generators
failed to turn off.
--
Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
<http://www.bluemountainsolar.com/>www.bluemountainsolar.com
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