The C-40 does (or at least did) have Electronic Overcurrent Protection. According to the C-40 manual if the current exceeds 63 amps the overcurrent protection is activated. The C-40 automatically resets the OCP every 10 minutes until the problem is corrected or stops. The OCP can also be reset manually by holding the reset switch down for 5 seconds.
Steve Steve Bell Technical Support Specialist SunWize Technologies, Inc. #1 Sun Street Stelle, IL 60919 USA (815) 256-2222 ext. 23 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> www.sunwize.com<http://www.sunwize.com> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Allan Sindelar Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 4:45 PM To: RE-wrenches Subject: [RE-wrenches] C-40 question Wrenches, Sometimes I encounter a situation that I have never encountered, simply because it's so far beyond normal limits that I would never try it to find out what would happen. Here's one. A did-it-myself customer called me for batteries for his system. I learned he has a 12V system, with twelve 100 watt PV modules and a Xantrex C-40 controller. He has been using this for five years. Twelve 100W modules is around 80-90 amps - double or more the C-40's capacity. Assuming that what he told was accurate, why is the C-40 still working? Is it current-limited internally? By the way, since he had a 7,000 watt (yeah, right) 12V inverter from a truck stop, I encouraged him to buy a 24V inverter and rewire everything to 24V; then his C-40 would (just) work. Thanks, Allan -- Allan Sindelar [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Founder and Chief Technology Officer Positive Energy, Inc. 3209 Richards Lane (note new address) Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com<http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/>
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