Outback FM80 User Manual

900-0009-01-00 Rev D 7
Introduction
IMPORTANT:
This manual provides safety guidelines and installation information for the
FLEXmax Series Charge Controllers. It does not provide information about
specific brands of PV modules and supplies limited information on batteries.
Contact the supplier or manufacturer of the PV modules or batteries for
additional information.
Thank you for purchasing a FLEXmax Series Charge Controller (CC). These
charge controllers
offer an efficient, safe, multi-stage recharging process that prolongs battery life and assures
peak performance from a PV array.
Each charge controller is designed to seamlessly integrate with other OutBack components and
can be remotely monitored and configured (up to 1000 feet or 300 meters away) using the
optional OutBack Power system displays.
Features
The FLEXmax Charge Controllers use continuous Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT),
which seeks out the maximum power available from a PV array and uses it to recharge the
batteries. Without this feature, the PV array does not operate at the ideal voltage and can only
operate at the level of the battery voltage itself. (See page 97 for a description of MPPT.) Each
charge controller continuously tracks the array’s maximum operating power.
The FLEXmax Series has two models available:
o
FLEXmax 80:
80 amps maximum continuous output current (up to 40°C without thermal derating)
o
FLEXmax 60:
60 amps maximum continuous output current (up to 40°C without thermal derating)
Both models have the following features:
o
Supports 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 Vdc battery voltages
o
Backlit LCD display screen with 80 characters (4 lines, 20 characters per line)
o
Last 128 days of operational data are logged for review
o
Voltage step-down capability allowing a higher PV array voltage configuration
o
Manual and auto-equalize cycle
Firmware
This manual covers FLEXmax firmware revision 003.003.000 or higher.