morningstar solar controller and inverter overview · 2014. 2. 6. · tristar –solar charge...

Morningstar

Solar Controller and Inverter

Overview

MorningstarMorningstar

Solar Controller and Inverter Solar Controller and Inverter

OverviewOverview

Morningstar is the world’s leading supplier of Solar Controllers.

In 2010 we sold over 250,000 controllers through 164 distributors

in 73 countries throughout the world.

Our goal is to continue to lead the controller market in terms of

quality, reliability and customer service as well as expand our

products in the PV inverter market.

Morningstar’s Mission

Morningstar’s Company Advantages

• Reliability - our failure rates are less then 2 units per 1000 sold.

• 100% in-house design – we only put our name on a product that

we’ve built from scratch, one resistor at a time.

• Morningstar sells only through the world’s PV distribution

channels.

• Supporting our distribution network is our #1 priority. We send

sales leads directly through our distribution network and do not sell

directly to OEM’s, dealers or end-users.

Morningstar Product Advantages

Highest Quality – Manufactured in a fully automated ISO 9001 factory. Quality control using

the latest computerized test equipment. Every unit is digitally calibrated, tested and logged.

Superior Lightning Protection – Use of large transient voltage suppressors provide faster

response to transients and do not degrade over time.

No need to De-rate – Designed with a 25% safety margin, controllers may be used up to their

full “nameplate” ratings.

Expected 15 Year Life – Controllers carry a full 5-year warranty, with an expected operating life

of 15 years or more.

Easy to Use – Detailed manuals, technical support by phone or internet, large clearly-marked

wire terminals, electronic protections and good front panel indicators. Controllers are easily

utilized at multiple experience levels.

Morningstar Product AdvantagesTropicalization is the process by which

we condition our hardware for use in

extreme environmental conditions.

Conformal Coating – Dupont Humiseal –

a UL listed protective spray that will seal

out moisture and prevent corrosion from the

effects of salt air and high humidity.

Epoxy Encapsulation – a 2-part epoxy

resin that protects the board as well as acts

to conduct heat away from the power

carrying components on the circuit board.

It acts like a liquid heat sink.

Terminal plating - to resist corrosion.

Technical Support

Fast Response – Same day response on emails. Live people

answering the phone. Fast tracking to our engineering office for high

level assistance. Searchable tech support library.

Applications Knowledge – We can interpret specifications,

certifications, sizing and other requirements for your projects to give

you a quick review of the controller options that are right for you.

Industry Leading Warranty Support – We work to provide

quick warranty replacement. Morningstar doesn’t require complicated

approvals, so we are able to provide warranty service easily through

our distribution network, or directly if necessary.

ProStarRating: 15A or 30A at 12/24V or

15A at 48V

Negative or Positive Ground

Applications: Mid-Range professional or consumer systems.

Extensive Protections: Electronic short-circuit, overload

and reverse polarity protected with automatic recovery.

More Information: LED’s indicate various battery and system

status while digital meter (optional) displays 9 different

controller status parameters.

Major Benefits

ProStarRating: 15A or 30A at 12/24V or

15A at 48V

Negative or Positive Ground

Self-Test: Digital meter displays any detected faults, making it

very easy to troubleshoot the PV system.

Tropicalization: For protection against corrosion and nesting

insects. Includes conformal coating on circuit boards,

stainless-steel screws and anodized aluminum heat sink.

Low Telecom Noise: PWM has been modified to reduce

interference and any noise may be easily eliminated in the field.

SunSaverRating: 6.5A,10A or 20A at

12V or 24V

Applications: Small professional or consumer systems. Oil/Gas

projects located in hazardous locations.

Tropicalization: Epoxy encapsulation, marine rated terminal

block and Anodized aluminum enclosure.

Hazardous Locations: Approved for use in Class 1, Division 2

Groups A,B,C,D

Major Benefits

SunSaverRating: 6.5A,10A or 20A at

12V or 24V

Temperature Extremes: Rated for operating

temperatures of - 40°C to +60 °C up to full

“nameplate” current ratings.

Series PWM Design: Less heating and longer life

compared to shunt controllers.

SunGuardRating: 4.5A at 12V

Applications: single module

professional or consumer systems.

Charging: Circuitry is the same as SunSaver (series PWM).

Tropicalization: Epoxy encapsulation, ABS plastic case

and outdoor rated wires.

Economics: Low cost controller.

Power Usage: Minimal self-consumption (6 mA).

Major Benefits

SunLightRating: 10A or 20A at 12V

10A at 24V

Applications: Solar lighting controller used for street

lighting, bus stations, telephone booths, billboards,

signs and parking lots.

Combines the SunSaver charging circuit and case

with a micro controller for automatic lighting control

functions.

Major Benefits

SunLightRating: 10A or 20A at

12V or 24V

Functionality: Choice of 10 different lighting control

options including ON- OFF- ON options.

Test button to check light during installation and

confirm correct lighting option selection.

TriStar Solar Charge Controller

TriStar – Solar Charge Controller

• 3 Operating modes – Solar charging, load control or diversion control for wind/hydro

• 45A or 60A versions, both with automatic detection of 12/24/48V system modes

• Optional front panel and remote meters display system information

• Conduit ready enclosure designed for installation onto a Power Panel

Main Features

• Optional remote sensor provides temperature compensation

• Battery sense connection for accurate voltage readings

• Self test algorithm runs continuously to locate faults

All electronic protections

• Reverse polarity and short circuit on all connections

• All faults have auto reset

• Lightning surge protection with 4500W TVS’s

• PWM current limiting for high temp and over current states

Reliability by Design

• 100% solid state power electronics

• All functions microprocessor controlled with non-volatile Flash-RAM

• Conformally coated circuit board

• Robust Heatsink

Morningstar SunKeeperMorningstar SunKeeper

•• 12V Controller available in 6A and 12A versions.12V Controller available in 6A and 12A versions.

•• Conduit gasket connection mounts directly to the PV module Conduit gasket connection mounts directly to the PV module

junction box to form a weatherjunction box to form a weather--proof sealproof seal

•• Bulk, PWM absorption and float stagesBulk, PWM absorption and float stages

•• Full electronic protections from wiring errorsFull electronic protections from wiring errors


•Bi-Color LED confirms proper installation and shows the

charging state as well as any fault info or evidence of damage.

••The SunKeeper has the ability to restart from zero voltage to The SunKeeper has the ability to restart from zero voltage to

recover the system in the case of a fully depleted battery.recover the system in the case of a fully depleted battery.

•• Epoxy potting and very low resistance power MOSFET's Epoxy potting and very low resistance power MOSFET's

allow for extremely high temp operation to 70C.allow for extremely high temp operation to 70C.

SunSaver / SunKeeper Hazardous Location Rating

• UL 1604 - UL Standard for Safety Electrical Equipment for Use in Class I and II, Division 2, and Class III Hazardous (Classified) Locations

• CSA C22.2 NO 213-M1987 - Non-Incendive Electrical Equipment for Use in Class I, Division 2 Hazardous Locations


Fits PG 13.5, M20, ½ Inch conduit knockout

SureSine InverterRating: 300W Continuous, 600W Surge

12VDC Input

115V/220V versions available

Listed to UL 458

Applications: Rural electrification, telecom, mobile/marine markets.

Extensive Protections: Electronic short-circuit, overload

and reverse polarity protection.

High Power Surge: 200% surge allows a 600W output for up to 15 minutes.

Rugged Chassis Design: Cast aluminum heat sink, epoxy encapsulated

transformer, fanless convection cooling.

SureSine InverterRating: 300W Continuous, 600W Surge

12VDC Input

115V/220V versions available

Listed to UL 458

Low Power Consumption: Peak efficiency of 91.5% makes more solar energy

available for the loads. Search mode turns the inverter off when no

AC load is present to further reduce power draw.

More Information: LED’s indicate various battery, system

and AC output status. Interpretation is easy. Green LED’s show operational

status while Red LED’s indicate a fault.

Remote Power Switch: Remote power terminal allows an external switch

or another device (like a solar controller) to turn on the inverter.

Popular Uses for the SureSine 300

• Sine wave power for AV equipment (mobile market)

• Rural electrification and remote cabins

• Networking and Security equipment

• AC lighting systems (the remote on/off terminal may be used with the SunLight to provide automatic control)

• Adds sine wave capability to a larger wattage modified square-wave system.

Combination Product - charge controller and remote meter package.

Designed For Easy Installation -- Controller mounts near battery. Meter display

mounts up to 30ft. away.

Robust Design -- Builds on the proven design of the SunSaver. Cast aluminum

case, heat sink and epoxy encapsulation provide efficient and cool operation.

Dual Battery Charging - splits solar current between house and cabin batteries.

SunSaver DuoSunSaver DuoRating: 25A total charging current

12VDC System Voltage

Isolated Charging for 2 Batteries

SunSaver Duo Meter DisplaySunSaver Duo Meter Display

•• Meter mounts on surface with

included frame or can be inset into the

vehicle wall

• Voltage and Current information

shown separately for each battery

without the need for external shunts

• Min/Max voltage

• Instantaneous Amps from solar and

each battery’s Ah shown separately

• Room temperature and battery

temperature display

• Automatic backlight settings

SunSaver MPPTSunSaver MPPT

•Provides an estimated 5-25% boost of amps from the PV array into the battery.

Actual boost depends on PV cell temperature and battery state-of-charge.

•Enables the use of high voltage PV modules (designed for on-grid applications) for

off-grid 12V or 24V battery charging.

•Provides a means to use a 12-36V nominal PV array to charge a 12V battery,

reducing power losses in systems with a long wire run between the PV array and

the battery.

System Voltage: 12/24V

Max. Battery Current: 15A

Max. Voc: 75V

Max. PV Input:

200Wp (12V Battery)

400Wp (24V Battery)

RMRM--1 Remote Meter (New)1 Remote Meter (New)

-Array Voltage/Vmp

-Solar Charge Amps

-Load Amps

-Battery Voltage with Max/Min

-Solar/Load Ah accumulation

-Temperature

-Faults and Alarms

-Displays daily logging information on supported

products.

Compatible with:Compatible with:

SunSaver MPPT SureSine SunSaver Duo

MSC MeterBus Adapter (New)

• Allows any meter port enabled Morningstar product to be given RS-232 serial port data communications.

• Includes DB-9 Serial cable and RJ11 cable.

• List price of $39

TriStar Firmware Upgrade (coming soon)

• Firmware update to support Hub functions on previously produced TS units.

• To enable 30 day data logging feature on TS-M.

Morningstar

TriStar MPPT

MorningstarMorningstar

TriStar MPPTTriStar MPPT

TriStar MPPT Ratings• Two Models

•45A Battery Charge Current.

•60A Battery Charge Current.

• 8-68V battery range (12/24/48V or Auto)

• Rated -40 to +45C at 100% continuous power.

•150V maximum open circuit PV voltage.

• Peak efficiency of 99%

• Options:

• TriStar Meter 2 (TS-M-2)

• TriStar Remote Meter 2 (TS-RM-2)

• Relay Driver (RD-1)

• Meter Hub (HUB-1)

• Remote Temp Sense (RTS)

TriStar MPPT Mechanicals

• Extruded aluminum heatsink for efficient cooling

• Tri-Phase DC-DC design. 3 x 20A MPPT

• Fanless– uses less power, more reliable and runs without drawing in dust and dirt.

• Solid state controls – no relays

• Enclosure allows the use of

- 4 standard 1” or 1.25” conduit knockouts

- 8 metric knockouts (M20) for Europe

• All circuit boards are conformally coated to prevent corrosion.

• All inductors are potted for cool operation and environmental protection.

TriStar MPPT Protections

• Electronic Protections

• PV Short circuit protection (solid state)

• Automatic current limiting to max rating

• High temperature protection

• Lightning protection (fast acting Transient Voltage Suppressors)

• High Voltage PV Voc Backoff

TriStar MPPT Certifications

• UL 1741 - Pending

• cUL (CSA-C22.2 No. 107.1-95) – Pending

• FCC Class B Part 15 Compliant

• CE Compliant

• RoHS Compliant

• ISO 9001 Certified production

TriStar MPPT Setup

• Same established simple and quick setup as the original TriStar

• DIP switch configuration gives you 7 preset battery profiles

• One DIP preset is reserved for complete customization using MS View.

• Controller automatically determines

• System Voltage

• Array configuration

• Sense Voltage presence

• RTS presence

TriStar MPPT Setup

Common battery profiles are available as presets. Values are for all charging values, float/absorption times and equalization schedule.

TriStar MPPT Sizing

Battery TS – MPPT-45 TS – MPPT-60

12 Volt 600 Watts 800 Watts



With the MPPT controller, you can size in pure watts since the controller provides the maximum current available from the system. Wattages in excess of those below will be held to controller current limit.

Maximum Power Point Tracking

The Technology behind maximum energy harvest.

1. The controller needs to keep the module operating at the Vmp

to ensure rated output in watts of the PV module.

2. Accounts for changes in temperature and irradiance through the day.

3. Ensures grid-tie modules (i.e. 54 and 72 cell) are optimized in voltage for effective battery charging regardless of their nominal voltage.

Even the largest and most efficient controller can give up crucial power if not tracking the power point of the module correctly. Speed and logic in the tracking algorithm yield gains that pure size and efficiency cannot make on their own.


The Technology behind maximum energy harvest.

IV Curve Power Graph

MPPT Benefits

Boost – 10-30% gain in charging amps out of the same module used on a PWM controller. The greater the gap between Vmp and battery voltage, the more the boost in current the battery receives.

-Cold modules increase the gain due to higher Vmp-low battery voltages increase the gain when needed most

High Voltage Wire Runs – smaller wire can be used and greater distances achieved using higher voltage PV input.

Shading and cloud irradiance effects – Cloud edge effect can cause the module to exceed it’s rated wattage for a short time. Shading can cause tricky IV curve shapes. MPPT can follow both these changes to ensure maximum power during these conditions.

Low Battery Protection – when the battery is very low, a high voltage difference between the PV Vmp and the battery voltage causes an even greater power boost. This can prevent an LVD at a time when the power is most needed.

MPPT Economics

MSRP

TS-60 PWM + RTS $258 TS MPPT-60 + RTS $669Incremental cost of MPPT $411PV Module Cost/Wp $4Boost Needed to cover MPPT cost (Wp) 103 WattsBoost Needed to cover MPPT cost (%):

500 Wp PV array 21%1kWp PV array 10%1.5 kWp PV array 7%


MPPT Tracking Algorithms on the market:

Full Sweep - scans entire PV array from 0-150V.

Pros: Sees everything on the IV curve, not easily fooled.Cons: Slow, sometimes takes an extended time for a full sweep during which charging is far from the true Vmp.

Dynamic Tracking – stays near Vmp and makes minor rapid adjustments.Pros: FasterCons: Can get hung up on a local peak and miss the true peak power point.


Morningstar TrakStar Technology –

- Full array sweeps from 0-150V in ¼ second! Others can take

up to 30 seconds during which much has happened.

- The TS-MPPT offers full sweep and dynamic adjustments

continuously.

- Dual chipset provides specialized control

-DSP – high speed MPPT, charge control and data logging-Main Processor – Ethernet and serial communications

TS MPPT Data Logging

Up to 6 months of internal data logging of key daily values.

Max Battery VoltageMin Battery VoltageMax Array VoltageAmp HoursWatt HoursFaultsAlarmsDaily Absorption Stage Time (mins)Daily Equalization Stage Time (mins)Daily Float Stage Time (mins)

TriStar MPPT Communications

Meterbus – RJ11 connection

- Connection of local or remote TriStar Meter-2- Allows combining of TriStars into network with HUB-1- Sum all controller data for system level information

Total Charge Amps into the batteryTotal Load Amps drawn out of the batteryNet gain/loss of amps from/to the battery


RS-232 – for a single connection between a PC or other device and the TriStar MPPT. Allows for data logging, program changes and firmware upgrades.


- easiest way to connect to the TriStar for PC data

- included on all TriStar versions- uses standard MODBUS protocol- optically isolated for safe power system grounding

RS-485 – for networked (multi-unit) connections between a PC or other devices and many Morningstar products. Allows for data logging and program changes.

- for larger or industrial PV systems with many devices- uses MODBUS protocol- supports long distances- can be used on original TriStars with RSC adapter- optically isolated for safe power system grounding


Ethernet* – for TCP/IP connection for internet applications. IP makes it compatible with wireless protocols, cellular systems and existing networking equipment.


Allows for the use of:- web page view directly from the TS MPPT

- email and text message notifications and alarms

- remote connection anywhere on the internet (MODBUS IP)

- SNMP functions for networking service providers

- integration with third party software developers writing in HTML, XML and Java.

*Ethernet available on 60A TS-MPPT only.


TriStar MPPT Live view allows the direct webpage viewing of solar and charge data from the controller itself.

Compatible with any Java enabled web browser (Mac, PC or Smartphone).

MPPT Economics

MSRP

TS-60 PWM + RTS $258 TS MPPT-60 + RTS $669Incremental cost of MPPT $411PV Module Cost/Wp $4Boost Needed to cover MPPT cost (Wp) 103 WattsBoost Needed to cover MPPT cost (%):

500 Wp PV array 21%1kWp PV array 10%1.5 kWp PV array 7%

TriStar MPPT Industry Leading Efficiency

MPPT Controller Price ComparisonM Star Outback Xantrex

TS MPPT FM-60 % XW %

TriStar MPPT-45 531 699 -24% 685 -22%

TriStar MPPT-60 669 699 -4% 685 -2%

TriStar MPPT-45 with RTS 531 731 -27% 685 -22%

TriStar MPPT-60 with RTS 669 731 -8% 685 -2%

TriStar MPPT-45 with meter 635 699 -9% 685 -7%

TriStar MPPT-60 with meter 773 699 11% 685 13%

TriStar MPPT-45 with RTS and meter 635 731 -13% 685 -7%

TriStar MPPT-60 with RTS and meter 773 731 6% 685 13%

Note: You can view TS MPPT-60 from a web browser and oftentimes will not need a meter

TriStar MPPT Summary

The TriStar MPPT brings many advantages:

- Superior MPPT Tracking technology

- Highest efficiency with the lowest power loss during operation

- Lower cost with 45A version and choice of meter option.

- Powerful communications with open protocols, including Ethernet.

- Easy setup for a quick installation (sometimes no setup at all)

- Backed by Morningstar’s controller expertise and 5 year warranty

- Delivers technology and simplicity for residential use, built to

survive the remote and industrial market’s harshest environments.

TS HUB (Sept 2009)

•Allows TS Meter to show summed data including:

•Net System Data

•Individual Controller Data

•Supports up to 15 Devices

TS, TS-MPPT, RD-1, TS-M

•Provides complete isolation from ground. (will work with both Positive and Negative Ground systems.)

Morningstar String Calculator

-Allows for quick and simple array string configurations to be displayed for any Morningstar charge controller.

-Works with a variety of common industry PV modules or allows you to input your own specifications.

-Accounts for ambient temperatures at the site and compensates for expected battery voltages in the system.

-Prevents maximum current and Voc figures from exceeding the controller rating at any time during the year.

Morningstar String Calculator

SunLights used in a rural streetlight

installation in Indonesia.

SHS’s used in a rural installation

in Ecuador.

Dual TriStar system used in

mountaintop repeater in

Norway.

Norway in Summer Norway in Winter

Application Photos

Thank you Thank you

for your for your

business!business!

morningstar solar controller and inverter overview · 2014. 2. 6. · tristar –solar charge...

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