Specialty Concepts MARK/22 - Manual (Page 5)

An adjustment will not increase the output of the panels.
An adjustment will not add more power to a battery that is usually undercharged.
An adjustment is not recommended to correct for a voltage drop in the battery connection.
WHEN ADJUSTMENT IS NEEDED: Adjusting the charge set-points is recommended for certain situations which might otherwise result in under or over-charging the
batteries. These recommendations are approximate and can be influenced by specific conditions. Contact the battery manufacturer or supplier to verify proper
settings.
SOME BATTERIES REQUIRE DIFFERENT CHARGING VOLTAGES: Sealed, maintenance-free and gel-cell batteries may require a lower charging voltage.
Generally, for these batteries, the controller should be set for 14.1 to 14.3 volts.
WHEN BATTERY WILL SEE PROLONGED TEMPERATURE EXTREMES: For colder areas (average temperatures below 50 °F (10°C) for many weeks) the set-
point should be raised .3 volts (14.7 volts). For hotter areas (average temperatures above 90 ° F (32°C) for many weeks) the set-point should be lowered .3 volts
(14.1 volts). Be sure to return to original settings when temperature moderates.
IN SYSTEMS WITH EITHER EXTREMELY HIGH OR LOW CHARGE RATES: Systems with very low charge rates (1 amp per 100 amp-hour of battery) should
have the set-points lowered to about 14.0 to 14.2 volts. Systems with very high charge rates (over 20 amps per 100 amp hours of battery) should increase the
charging set-point to 14.8 to 15.0 volts.
PROCEDURE
1. COMPLETE BATTERY CONNECTION - Connect the battery to the MARK/(15,20,22) according to the normal installation instructions.
2. SET SWITCH TO “CHARGE SET-POINT” - Slide the front switch to the third position.
3. LOCATE ADJUSTMENT TRIMPOT - The adjustment trimpot is located on the backside of the controller on the circuit board. The adjustment pot appears as a
small, square, component with a slotted circle in the middle. (Refer to FIGURE 2 - BACK VIEW) (Page 4)
4. DETERMINE NEW VOLTAGE SET-POINT - Decide on a new voltage termination set-point. Note that changing the shut off voltage will also change the "charge
resumption" set-point by an equal amount. If adjusting above 15.0 volts, check to see what the operating limits of other equipment may be, as some electrical
equipment (fluorescent lights, inverter) may be damaged or not operate at voltages over 15 volts.
5. ADJUST TRIMPOT - Turning the trimpot counter-clockwise increases the set-point, clockwise decreases it. Carefully adjust the pot to change the voltage reading
to the desired setting. Do not force the dial beyond the end stops.
6. MONITOR – After adjustment, monitor the batteries. For unsealed batteries: If you constantly need to add water, set-points are set too high. If you do not
see/hear them boil once in a while, set-points may be too low.
M O N I T O R I N G
The system operation can be monitored by the meter and the status lights.
DIGITAL DISPLAY: The Digital display of the MARK/(15,20,22) provides metering of four parameters, selected by a front panel slide switch.
1 st POSITION - "BATTERY VOLTAGE": This displays the battery voltage. The battery voltage is a general indication of battery condition, or capacity. Battery
voltage will be higher when the battery is being charged, with the increase in voltage depending on the amount of charge current. When charging
stops, the voltage will immediately drop down.
For most systems, a fully charged battery that is not being charged or discharged will be at about 12.6-12.8 volts. The normal range of a 12 volt battery
is about 11 to 15 volts. A voltage below 11 volts usually indicates a dead battery, and over 15 volts is almost always an over-charged battery. It is best
to keep the batteries above 11.5 volts and below 14.5 volts for maximum battery life and performance.
2 nd POSITION - "ARRAY CURRENT": This displays the amount of current flowing from the solar panels to the batteries or loads.
The solar array current reading can be used to optimize the array tilt angle by moving the array and noting when current is maximized. Consult the
panel supplier or literature for rated output to see what the output should be for the total number of panels in the system under ideal conditions. If the
charging current seems low, refer to the SOLAR PANEL PROBLEMS section (Page 8).
3 rd POSITION - "CHARGE SET-POINT": This position displays the charge termination voltage set-point that the controller is currently set to. This setting can be
used to verify the termination set-point, or for set-point adjustment. See “CHARGE SET-POINT ADJUSTMENT” section (Page 4).
4 th POSITION - "BATTERY VOLTAGE (bar-graph off)": This position is identical to the 1 st position described above except that the battery bar-graph display is
turned off. Use this position if current consumption is a special concern.
“CHARGING” LIGHT: The "CHARGING" light will be on when the battery is charging. When charging, virtually all the power available from the solar array will pass
through to the battery.
“CHARGED” LIGHT: The "CHARGED" light will be on when the battery is fully charged. After the battery has reached the charge termination voltage, the charging
will stop and the “CHARGED” light will go on. This light will remain on until the battery voltage drops down to the charge resumption voltage.
“BATTERY” CONDITION BAR-GRAPH: This bar-graph provides a general indication of the battery condition.
The lights will rise and fall as the battery voltage goes up and down. During the day, the battery voltage can increase and decrease instantly as charging is turned
on and off. When the battery is completely charged, the current will begin to pulse into the battery. This may cause the bar-graph lights to rise and fall rapidly.
Bar-graph after modifying set-points - The bar-graph provides a general indication of the battery condition. These lights do not adjust if the charging set-point
is modified. When charging batteries with modified set-points, the terminology and colors may not be appropriate.
Bar-graph “Dot” / Bar-graph “Bar” – The visual appearance of the bar-graph can be adjusted to meet your individual preference. The bar-graph can be set to
use a single light (“Dot”) to represent the battery condition or it can be set so all the lights below the value are on (“Bar”). The bar-graph “Dot” will
consume less current but the “Bar” setting will be brighter.
To change the “Dot” or “Bar” setting, locate the “BAR-GRAPH MODE” adjustment pins on the backside of the unit. For “Dot” readings, place jumper
across only one of the pins. For “Bar” readings, place the jumper across both pins.
Red light glow -- Occasionally, the very bottom red light may have a slight glow to it. This is a function of the electronics and is not a problem.
GOOD - Battery can generally be considered “FULL”. The lights above usually indicate when the unit is charging.
OK - Battery is less than full. Capacity has dropped down but voltage is still adequate to provide power.
LOW - Battery voltage is moderate to low. Use of loads should be conservative.
VERY LOW -
Voltage is very low. Reduce use of loads or use additional source to charge the batteries. If continues, see
TROUBLE SHOOTING section.
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