Specialty Concepts SC3/10) - Manual (Page 15)

SC3/10 - F I E L D T E S T P R O C E D U R E
The following is a field test procedure for the standard SC3/10 charge controller. For
BENCH TESTING, substitute a properly current-limiting power supply for the array.
TEST 1: Alternate A ( Active solar array required )
This will test the basic operation of the SC3/10 by testing the FET’s (not shorted or open).
Requirements: digital multi-meter (dmm)
active solar array, Voc at least 17 volts
1) Connect the array plus and minus wires (yelow and black) to the appropriate
wires on the SC3/10 (no battery connection).
2) Measure voltage at the battery connections (red and black wires) on the SC3/10.
The reading should be between 14.0 and 15.0 volts. If this reading is very
high, 16-20 volts, or very low, 2-5 volts, the unit is defective.
TEST 1: Alternate B ( If no active solar array is available )
Tests for the most common failure condition: shorted FET’s. This problem would cause a
“no charging” condition.
Requirements: digital multi-meter (dmm)
1) Remove all connections from the SC3/10
2) Set multi-meter to the 200
Ω
resistance scale
3) Take measurements from SC3/10 wires. Contact positive lead of the meter to
ARRAY (+) (yellow) and negative lead of meter to ARRAY (-) (black).
Reading should be open (>200
Ω
). A short (<10
Ω
) indicates unit is
defective.
TEST 2
This procedure tests the condition of the blocking diode.
Requirements: digital multi-meter (dmm)
1) Remove all connections from the SC3/10
2) Set multi-meter to the 2K
Ω
resistance scale
3) Take measurements from SC3/10 wires. Contact positive lead of the meter to
ARRAY (+) (yellow) and negative lead of the meter to BATT (+) (red). Reading
should be less than 2K
Ω
. Above 2K
Ω
would indicate a defective unit.
4) Reverse contacts (positive lead to BATT (+) (red) and negative lead to ARRAY (+)
(yellow)). Reading should be greater than 2K
Ω
. Below 2K
Ω
would indicate a
defective unit.