Topo Solar Regulator

[Rosco]

I have a Topo Solar (http://www.aulro.com/Customers/Evakool.aspx) Regulator on the van.

Positive Switching
Model RVA1240

But very little info in the way of instructions for the various modes ...

Boost On
Boost Off
Float On
etc etc

Google didn't help much.

Does anyone have any ideas of the various modes or perhaps some instructions?

Ta in advance.

[fraser130]

This was all I could find:

Instruction Manual Solar regulator Model No : RVA-1240

Features :-



* Solar Regulator designed for 12v System

* Lcd display Solar regulator -display , charging mode, battery voltage, Load current

* Selectable pre-Programmed charging voltage for GELL CELL, WET CELL and DEEP CYCLE

battery

* User can select BATTERY TYPE to match type of battery .

Refer to page 2 . SELECT BATTERY TYPE

* Pulsing charge for float mode



Specification :-

Operation Voltage 12 - 20 v DC

Max handling charging current 40 Amps

Max read LOAD current 40 Amps

Resolution 0.1v

Accuracy +/- 0.2V/A

Size L 150mm x W 45mm x H 42mm



Battery Type Boost ON Boost OFF Float ON

GELL CELL 12.7v 14.2v 13.7v

WET CELL 12.8v 14.9v 13.4v

DEEP CYCLE 12.7v 14.8v 13.7v

Connection :-

Battery +

Solar +

Battery - / Solar - / Load -

Load +



Normal display

Page 1: Charge Mode Battery Volt

----------------- ----------------

BOOST ON 12. x V

BOOST OFF 14.x V

FLOAT ON 13.x V

Solar Charge Charge Current

---------------- --------------------

SOLAR + = XX.X A



LOAD-------------------------XX.X A

selection.

Page 2: Display Selected Battery Type

G,C = Gell cell . or W.C = Wet Cell . or D.C = Deep Cycle



Page 3 : Display Programmed Charge voltage BATTERY TYPE

BOOST ON = 12.4v G.C

BOOST OFF = 14.2v G.C

FLOAT ON = 13.7v G.C



* BOOST ON/OFF 4 Time will go to ABSORPTION Mode

ABSORPTION RUN TIME 15 minute



User Programme

To select BATTERY TYPE

Hold Key down more than 5 second to open select battery type program

Display G.C W.C D.C

[Rosco]

Thanks Fraser

That's about all I could find .... and it didn't mean a whole lot to me either .. :(

[fraser130]

Battery Type Boost ON Boost OFF Float ON

GELL CELL 12.7v 14.2v 13.7v

WET CELL 12.8v 14.9v 13.4v

DEEP CYCLE 12.7v 14.8v 13.7v


Rosco, take the second line:(gell cell settings)
When the load drains the battery to 12.7 volts, the reg will go into Boost mode and apply charge untill the battery reaches 14.2v, it will then turn off and go into float mode and hold the battery at 13.7v.
every 4 times it does this it will hold 13.7v for 15 mins.
However, the details are really dodgy, and say nothing about how the load effects this, I can only presume it will direct any extra power it has available to the load?
Just my guess anyway, but as I said there is insufficent details to really know what is going on!

Cheers,
Fraser

[Rosco]

Thanks cobber.

So I assume it's all automatic and looks after itself ??

Sometimes I'll have a look and it might show BOOST ON with another line under saying Load >>>>> +2.0 A
Which I assume means 2 amps are available to charge the battery after running the load (fridge e.g.) ??

[fraser130]

Thanks cobber.

So I assume it's all automatic and looks after itself ??

Sometimes I'll have a look and it might show BOOST ON with another line under saying Load >>>>> +2.0 A
Which I assume means 2 amps are available to charge the battery after running the load (fridge e.g.) ??

It should be all automatic, but I would have thought that the above would mean the load is drawing 2.0A, but where it is drawing it from (solar, battery, or both) is beyond me!!
You could pop an ammeter in the battery line, and the load line to see what is going on.

Fraser

[Rosco]

It's got me stumped.

On test, the only load is a 74 litre National Luna fridge, which from their web site draws about 2.5A (slightly more on startup).

This is powered by a 130W panel through 2x120AH deep cycle batts.

So you would expect the panel to provide more than enough to run the fridge, with whats left over charging the batts.

:confused:

[Homestar]

It's got me stumped.

On test, the only load is a 74 litre National Luna fridge, which from their web site draws about 2.5A (slightly more on startup).

This is powered by a 130W panel through 2x120AH deep cycle batts.

So you would expect the panel to provide more than enough to run the fridge, with whats left over charging the batts.

:confused:

Just because it is a 130 watt panel, doesn't mean you can get that out of it all the time - even in full sun. On a hot day, the effecientcy of the panel will drop, so they don't acctually work as well in Summer either. Also if your batteries are fully charged, they won't draw much current, so a total of a few amps could be about right.

Cheers - Gav

[Mandrake]

Rosco ,

Unless your battery bank drops below the BOOST cut in voltage your regulator will NEVER go into BOOST mode .. With 240 aH of battery power you will probably never see BOOST until about day five of heavy overcast weather !! ( in which case you'll probably want to go home anyway LOL )

The FLOAT mode will compensate easily with what that fridge is drawing ..


Cheers

Steve