Commander Series Commander 20A | 40A Maximum Power Point Tracking Solar Charge Controller 0 2775 E. Philadelphia St., Ontario, CA 91761 1-800-330-8678 Version 2.
Important Safety Instructions Please save these instructions. This manual contains important safety, installation, and operating instructions for the charge controller. The following symbols are used throughout the manual to indicate potentially dangerous conditions or important safety information. WARNING: Indicates a potentially dangerous condition. Use extreme caution when performing this task.
Be careful when working with large lead acid batteries. Wear eye protection and have fresh water available in case there is contact with the battery acid. Carefully read battery manuals before operation. Do NOT let the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery touch each other. Recycle battery when it is replaced. Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and activate material shedding on them.
Table of Contents General Information ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Optional Components ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Identification of Parts .........................................................................................................................................
General Information The Commander Series MPPT charge controllers are suitable for various off-grid solar applications. It protects the battery from being over-charged by the solar modules and over-discharged by the loads. The controller features a smart tracking algorithm that maximizes the energy from the solar PV module(s) and charge the battery. At the same time, the low voltage disconnect function (LVD) will prevent the battery from over discharging.
Therefore, assuming 100% efficiency: Power In = Power Out Volts In * Amps In = Volts out * Amps out Although MPPT controllers are not 100% efficient, they are very close at about 92-95% efficient. Therefore, when the user has a solar system whose Vmp is greater than the battery bank voltage, then that potential difference is proportional to the current boost.
Four Charging Stages The Commander MPPT charge controller has a 4-stage battery charging algorithm for a rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging. They include: Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge, and Equalization*. Bulk Charge: This algorithm is used for day to day charging. It uses 100% of available solar power to recharge the battery and is equivalent to constant current.
Float Charge: After the constant voltage stage, the controller will reduce the battery voltage to a float voltage set point. Once the battery is fully charged, there will be no more chemical reactions and all the charge current would turn into heat or gas. Because of this, the charge controller will reduce the voltage charge to smaller quantity, while lightly charging the battery. The purpose for this is to offset the power consumption while maintaining a full battery storage capacity.
Optional Components *The CMD20/CMD40 is shipped with the MT-50 Tracer Meter Figure 1 MT-50 Tracer Meter: The MT-50 is required to make any changes on the commander. Modify battery type, charge parameters and take advantage of this self-diagnostics meter ideal for monitoring and displaying the current solar system status information and any error indications the system might be experiencing. The meter also allows users to program loads for different time intervals.
Identification of Parts Key Parts 1 7 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 3 7 4 7 2 7 5 7 6 7 7 7 8 7 6. 7. 8. 9.
PV Array Requirements PV Strings The commander is suitable for various types of PV configurations to maximize electrical energy. Configurations are dependent on the open circuit voltage (Voc) and maximum power point voltage (Vmp) located in solar panel specifications. The following table is to serve as a reference only.
The following tables serves as the reference guide for the statements above: Model Commander 20A Rated Charge Current 20A Rated Charge Power Max PV Array Power 260W @ 12V 780W @ 12V 520W @ 24V 1560W @ 24V Max PV Voc Input 150V @ minimum operating environmental temperature OR Commander 40A 40A 520W @ 12V 1560W @ 12V 1040W @ 24V 3120W @ 24V 138V @ 25°C environmental temperature Installation Recommended tools to have before installation: Flathead Screwdriver Multi-Meter WARNING: Connect ba
INVERTER BATTERY CHARGER HIGH AMP DRAWING DEVICE CAUTION: Do not over-torque or over tighten the screw terminals. This could potentially break the piece that holds the wire to the charge controller. CAUTION: Refer to the technical specifications for max wire sizes on the controller and for the maximum amperage going through wires. You are now ready to begin connecting your battery to your charge controller.
3 Load (optional) 1 2 Solar Panels 1 2 13
MT-50 Tracer (optional) 2 1 Temperature Sensor (optional, not polarity sensitive) 1 2 Mounting Recommendations WARNING: Never install the controller in a sealed enclosure with flooded batteries. Gas can accumulate and there is a risk of explosion. 1. Choose Mounting Location—place the controller on a vertical surface protected from direct sunlight, high temperatures, and water. Make sure there is good ventilation. 2.
Operation The CMD-20 and CMD-40 is very simple to use. Simply connect the batteries, and the controller will automatically determine the battery voltage. If there is a load connected, use the red-orange button in front of the charge controller to manually turn the load on or off. NOTE: Refer to the Technical Specifications to make sure the device connected to the load terminal does not exceed the rated voltage and amperage limitations for this terminal.
PV Indicator (1) Green Flashing Green Solid Off BATT Indicator (2) Green Solid Status The PV system is charging the battery bank The PV system is charging the battery bank at a slow rate. Make sure panels are not shaded. Low Amperage. The PV system is not charging the battery bank. PV not detected.
Commander Protections Protection Behavior PV Array Short Circuit When PV short circuit occurs, the controller will stop charging. Clear it to resume normal operation PV Overvoltage If the PV voltage is larger than the maximum input open voltage 150VDC, PV will remain disconnected until the voltage falls safely below 145V. PV voltage cannot be too high, otherwise it may damage the controller. PV Overcurrent The controller will limit the battery charging current to the maximum battery current rating.
System Status Troubleshooting PV indicator Off during daylight BATT Indicator Solid orange Solid Red Flashing Red Quickly flashing green Work Mode All LED flashing (battery LED orange) All LED flashing (battery LED red) Troubleshoot Ensure that the PV wires are correctly and tightly secured inside the charge controller PV terminals. Use a multi-meter to make sure the poles are correctly connected to the charge controller.
Maintenance WARNING: Risk of Electric Shock! Make sure that all power is turned off before touching the terminals on the charge controller. For best controller performance, it is recommended that these tasks be performed from time to time. 1. Check that controller is mounted in a clean, dry, and ventilated area. 2. Check wiring going into the charge controller and make sure there is no wire damage or wear. 3. Tighten all terminals and inspect any loose, broken, or burnt up connections. 4.
Technical Specifications Electrical Parameters Model Nominal system voltage Rated Battery Current Rated Load Current Max. PV Input Short Current Battery Voltage Range Max Solar Input Voltage Max. Solar Input Power Self-Consumption Grounding Charge circuit voltage drop Discharge circuit voltage drop Temp.
Environment Parameters Model CMD-20 Working Temperature Storage Temperature Rated Load Current Humidity Range Enclosure Altitude CMD-40 -35°C to +55°C -35°C to +80°C 10% to 90% NC ≤ 95% (NC) IP30 < 3000 Mechanical Parameters Model Overall Dimension Mounting Oval Max Terminal Size Net Weight CMD-20 CMD-40 216.6 x 142.6 x 56mm 302.5 x 182.7 x 63.5mm 8.52 x 5.61 x 2.20in 11.90 x 7.19 x 2.50in 7.66 x 4.70mm 0.30 x 0.18in 2 10mm 25mm2 8 AWG 4 AWG 1.5 kg 2.9 kg 3.3 lb. 6.39 lb.
CMD-20: PV Power – Conversion Efficiency Curves Illumination Intensity: 1000W/ m2 Temp 25oC 22
CMD-40: PV Power – Conversion Efficiency Curves Illumination Intensity: 1000W/ m2 Temp 25oC 23
Dimensions CMD-20 NOTE: Dimensions in millimeters (mm) 24
CMD-40 NOTE: Dimensions in millimeters (mm) Renogy reserves the right to change the contents of this manual without notice.
