Specialty Concepts PPC - Manual (Page 13)

M O N I T O R I N G
"CHARGE MODE" LIGHT: The "Charge Mode" light will be on when the controller is in the full
charge mode. In this mode, the charging relay is closed, connecting the array directly to the
battery. This light should go on first thing in the morning, and will go off if the battery reaches the
"Full Charge Termination" set-point. If the light is off after morning, the batteries have reached the
full charge voltage some time that day. The light may go on again if the battery drops below the
reconnect voltage and the controller goes into the full charge mode again. It is not uncommon for
the light to remain on, for several hours after dark. Refer to the OPERATION section “CHARGE
REGULATION” for details on controller operation.
"LOAD DISCONNECT" LIGHT: When the "LOAD DISCONNECT" light is on, the LVD circuit is
activated and any DC loads connected to the "Load" terminals will be disconnected. This occurs
at the LVD set-point voltage. The light will go out when the voltage rises above the reconnect
voltage and the load is reconnected automatically, or if the reset switch is pushed to LVD
"RESET" or LVD "OFF". Refer to the OPERATION section “LOW-VOLTAGE DISCONNECT” for
details on LVD operation.
BATTERY / ARRAY METERS - These meters have an accuracy of 5% of full scale, which
means the voltage reading may be off by .75 volts (for a 12 volt unit), and the current by 1.5
amps. These meters are intended only as an INDICATION of system condition, like a gas gauge
on a car, and NOT as an accurate measurement. For more precise measurements, a separate
meter with higher accuracy is advisable.
"BATTERY" METER: This meter reads battery voltage. The battery voltage is a general
indication of battery condition, or capacity.
GREEN: The battery is charged or in good condition.
YELLOW: Usage should be more conservative.
RED: Usage should be limited and other sources of charging used if available.
"ARRAY" METER: This meter indicates the amount of current the solar panel is generating.
Consult the panel supplier or literature for rated output to see what the output should be
under ideal conditions (bright sunny day, panel aimed right at the sun, no shadows or dirt
on the panel) for the total number of panels in the system. Any current will be used first to
operate any loads that are on, with the balance going into the battery for charging. The
current meter can be used to optimize the array tilt angle by moving the array (if possible)
and noting when current is maximum.