Alpha Group OutBack Power FLEXmax Extreme Series User manual

FLEXmax Extreme Charge Controller
Owner’s Manual

About OutBack Power Technologies
OutBack Power Technologies is a leader in advanced energy conversion technology. OutBack products include
true sine wave inverter/chargers, maximum power point tracking charge controllers, and system communication
components, as well as circuit breakers, batteries, accessories, and assembled systems.
Grid/Hybrid™
As a leader in off-grid energy systems, which are designed around energy storage, OutBack Power is an
innovator in Grid/Hybrid system technology which provides the best of both worlds: grid-tied system savings
during normal or daylight operation, and off-grid independence during peak energy times or in the event of a
power outage or an emergency. Grid/Hybrid systems have the intelligence, agility, and interoperability to
operate in multiple energy modes quickly, efficiently, and seamlessly, in order to deliver clean, continuous and
reliable power to residential and commercial users while maintaining grid stability.
Contact Information
Address: Corporate Headquarters
17825 – 59th Avenue N.E.
Suite B
Arlington, WA 98223 USA
European Office
Hansastrasse 8
D-91126
Schwabach, Germany
T
elephone: +1.360.435.6030
+1.360.618.4363 (Technical Support)
+1.360.435.6019 (Fax)
+49.9122.79889.0
+49.9122.79889.21 (Fax)
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.outbackpower.com
Disclaimer
UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING, OUTBACK POWER TECHNOLOGIES:
(a) MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION.
(b) ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE, WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT,
CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL, WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION. THE USE OF
ANY SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE ENTIRELY AT THE USER’S RISK.
OutBack Power Technologies cannot be responsible for system failure, damages, or injury resulting from
improper installation of their products.
Notice of Copyright
FLEXmax Extreme Charge Controller Owner’s Manual © 2013 by OutBack Power Technologies. All Rights Reserved.
Trademarks
OutBack Power, the OutBack Power logo, FLEXpower ONE, and Grid/Hybrid are trademarks owned and used
by OutBack Power Technologies, Inc. The ALPHA logo and the phrase “member of the Alpha Group” are
trademarks owned and used by Alpha Technologies Inc. These trademarks may be registered in the United
States and other countries.
Date and Revision
June 2013, Revision A
Part Number
900-0150-01-00 Rev A

900-0150-01-00 Rev A 1
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Audience................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Features .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Firmware................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Components and Accessories........................................................................................................................................................... 6
Battery Types..................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Installation.................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Standards and Requirements............................................................................................................................................................ 7
Dimensions ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Mounting the Charge Controller...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Installing the Fan .................................................................................................................................................................................10
Installing the AXS Card ......................................................................................................................................................................11
Wiring ......................................................................................................................................................................................................12
Grounding ........................................................................................................................................................................................12
Wiring Size and Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................12
Physical Requirements and Conduit .......................................................................................................................................13
PV and Battery Terminals ............................................................................................................................................................13
Accessory Terminals and Ports..................................................................................................................................................16
HUB/Display Port......................................................................................................................................................................16
Remote Temperature Sensor ...............................................................................................................................................16
AXS Card......................................................................................................................................................................................16
Fan Port........................................................................................................................................................................................16
Accessory Terminal Block ......................................................................................................................................................16
AUX Terminals .....................................................................................................................................................................17
Battery Sense Terminals ...................................................................................................................................................18
External Fault Terminals...................................................................................................................................................18
Power Up................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Setting the Nominal Voltage......................................................................................................................................................21
Resetting to Factory Defaults.....................................................................................................................................................22
Initial Operation ...................................................................................................................................................................................22
Status and Information..........................................................................................................................................23
LED Indicators.......................................................................................................................................................................................23
Modes of Operation ................................................................................................................................................................25
Bulk..........................................................................................................................................................................................25
Absorb....................................................................................................................................................................................26
Floating..................................................................................................................................................................................27
EQ.............................................................................................................................................................................................27
Silent .......................................................................................................................................................................................28
MATE3 System Display and Controller.........................................................................................................................................29
Battery Status Indicators..............................................................................................................................................................29
Charger Indicator ...........................................................................................................................................................................29
Charge Controller Soft Key .........................................................................................................................................................30
Status Screen .............................................................................................................................................................................30
Stats Screen......................................................................................................................................................................................31
Error Screen......................................................................................................................................................................................32
Temps Screen..................................................................................................................................................................................32
DataLog Screen ..............................................................................................................................................................................33

Table of Contents
2900-0150-01-00 Rev A
Graph Screens .................................................................................................................................................................................34
Programming the FLEXmax Extreme...............................................................................................................35
Menu Structure in the MATE3 .........................................................................................................................................................35
Charge Controller Settings...............................................................................................................................................................36
Charger..............................................................................................................................................................................................36
MPPT...................................................................................................................................................................................................37
Temperature Compensation......................................................................................................................................................38
Battery Equalize..............................................................................................................................................................................38
Grid-Tie Mode..................................................................................................................................................................................39
Auxiliary Output .............................................................................................................................................................................39
Auxiliary Mode Screens..........................................................................................................................................................40
Restart Mode ...................................................................................................................................................................................45
Calibrate............................................................................................................................................................................................45
Reset Charge Controller to Factory Defaults ........................................................................................................................45
Firmware Revision....................................................................................................................................................................46
Updating the Firmware ....................................................................................................................................................46
Device Data Logs .................................................................................................................................................................................47
Saving Data Logs for the FLEXmax Extreme.........................................................................................................................47
Data Log File Format .........................................................................................................................................................48
MATE/MATE2 Screens............................................................................................................................................49
Summary Screens................................................................................................................................................................................49
Status Screens.......................................................................................................................................................................................50
MODE Screens.................................................................................................................................................................................50
METER Screens................................................................................................................................................................................51
SETPT Screens .................................................................................................................................................................................52
LOG Screens.....................................................................................................................................................................................53
STAT Screens ...................................................................................................................................................................................54
Advanced Menus.................................................................................................................................................................................55
Accessing the Advanced Menus...............................................................................................................................................55
CHGR Menu......................................................................................................................................................................................56
CC ADVANCED Menu....................................................................................................................................................................57
EQ Menu............................................................................................................................................................................................58
AUX Menu.........................................................................................................................................................................................59
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................................................................................61
Specifications ............................................................................................................................................................63
Electrical and Mechanical Specifications.....................................................................................................................................63
Environmental Specifications..........................................................................................................................................................63
Regulatory Specifications .................................................................................................................................................................64
FCC Information to the User.......................................................................................................................................................64
Firmware Revision...............................................................................................................................................................................64
Temperature Range and Derating.................................................................................................................................................65
Default Settings and Ranges............................................................................................................................................................66
Applications...............................................................................................................................................................69
Array Design..........................................................................................................................................................................................69
Sizing Guidelines............................................................................................................................................................................69
Maximum-Power Voltage (Vmp).................................................................................................................................................69
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) ...........................................................................................................................................................69
Weather Conditions ......................................................................................................................................................................70
Maximum Power Point Tracking ....................................................................................................................................................70
Three-Stage Battery Charging.........................................................................................................................................................71
Bulk .....................................................................................................................................................................................................71
Absorption .......................................................................................................................................................................................71
Float....................................................................................................................................................................................................72

Table of Contents
900-0150-01-00 Rev A 3
Equalize .............................................................................................................................................................................................72
Battery Temperature Compensation.......................................................................................................................................72
FLEXnet DC Battery Monitor (FN-DC) ...........................................................................................................................................73
Positive-Ground Systems..................................................................................................................................................................74
Networked Devices .......................................................................................................................................................................74
Non-Networked Devices..............................................................................................................................................................74
Grid-Interactive Settings ...................................................................................................................................................................75
Hydroelectric and Fuel Cell Applications Performance Optimization...............................................................................75
Auto Track Mode............................................................................................................................................................................75
U-Pick Mode.....................................................................................................................................................................................75
Definitions..............................................................................................................................................................................................77
Index.............................................................................................................................................................................79
List of Tables
Table 1Components Included ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Table 2LED Indicators...................................................................................................................................................................24
Table 3Absorption Timer.............................................................................................................................................................26
Table 4Reasons for Silent Mode................................................................................................................................................28
Table 5Battery Status LED Indicators.......................................................................................................................................29
Table 6AUX Mode Functions......................................................................................................................................................40
Table 7Troubleshooting ..............................................................................................................................................................61
Table 8Electrical and Mechanical Specifications for All Models.....................................................................................63
Table 9Environmental Specifications for All Models..........................................................................................................63
Table 10FLEXmax Settings (MATE3)...........................................................................................................................................66
Table 11 Maximum Input Wattage Per Charge Controller..................................................................................................69
Table 12 Examples of Compensation .........................................................................................................................................73
Table 13 Terms and Definitions....................................................................................................................................................77

Table of Contents
4900-0150-01-00 Rev A
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

900-0150-01-00 Rev A 5
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a FLEXmax Extreme Series Charge Controller. These charge controllers offer an
efficient, safe, multi-stage recharging process that prolongs battery life and assures peak performance from a
PV array.
Audience
This manual is intended for use by anyone required to install and operate this equipment. Be sure to review this
manual carefully to identify any potential safety risks before proceeding. Installers and operators must be
familiar with all the features and functions of this equipment before proceeding. Failure to install or use this
equipment as instructed in the manual can result in damage to the equipment that may not be covered under
the limited warranty. This product is only serviceable by qualified personnel.
IMPORTANT:
This manual provides safety guidelines and installation information for the FLEXmax
Extreme charge controller. It does not provide information about specific brands of PV
modules and supplies limited information on batteries.
Contact the supplier of the PV modules or batteries for additional information.
Features
The FLEXmax Extreme charge controller uses continuous Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). This function
continuously seeks out the maximum power available from a PV array and harvests it. This power is used to
recharge the batteries. Without MPPT, the system can only harvest power at the level of the battery voltage.
See page 70 for a description of MPPT.
The FLEXmax Extreme has the following features:
Designed for FLEXgrid™ operation as part of an OutBack Grid/Hybrid™ system
Supports 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 Vdc battery voltages
Performs voltage step-down capability allowing the use of a higher-voltage PV array configuration
Controls an equalization cycle manually or automatically
Capable of delivering full current without derating in temperatures up to 45°C (113°F)
Capable of full current without derating up to 55°C (131°F) when using optional fan kit
Rain-proof enclosure
Logs up to 128 days of operational data
Field-upgradeable firmware
Can be remotely monitored and configured (up to 300 feet or 100 meters away) using the optional MATE3
system display
Can be remotely monitored and upgraded using the optional AXS Card product
Firmware
This manual covers FLEXmax Extreme firmware revision 001.xxx.000.

Introduction
6900-0150-01-00 Rev A
Components and Accessories
Table 1 Components Included
1 x FM Extreme-150VDC
2 x Mounting Bracket 1 x Silicone Grease Package
2 x Ferrite Clamp, EMI Suppression (install on HUB/DEVICE port and RTS port; see page 16)
WARNING: Shock Hazard
This unit is not provided with a GFDI device. This charge controller must be used with
an external GFDI device as required by Article 690 of the National Electrical Code for the
installation location.
Figure 1 Features & Wiring Cover
Battery Types
The FLEXmax Extreme charge controller works best with lead-chemistry batteries intended for deep discharge.
These include batteries for marine, golf-cart, and forklift applications. They also include gel-cell batteries and
absorbed glass-mat (AGM) batteries. OutBack Power recommends the use of batteries designed specifically for
renewable energy applications. Lithium-based batteries and other advanced battery technologies may require
special considerations. Please contact OutBack Technical Support at +1.360.618.4363 before implementing
advanced battery technologies.
To remove the wiring compartment cover:
1. Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove the two
screws from the bottom of the compartment
cover. (See above.)
2. Grasp the lower edge as shown. Swing the
cover out while pulling downward.
Equalize switch
Status indicators
with universal symbols
Easily accessible
wiring
compartment
Rainproof
enclosure
Cover screws

900-0150-01-00 Rev A 7
Installation
Standards and Requirements
All installations must comply with national and local electrical codes. Professional installation is recommended.
A FLEXmax Extreme charge controller operating in unventilated or in other conditions where the ambient
temperature exceeds 45°C (113°F) will have a derated power output. See page 65 for more information.
If damaged or malfunctioning, the FLEXmax Extreme should only be serviced by qualified personnel.
Please contact the local renewable energy dealer/installer for assistance.
Dimensions
Figure 2 FLEXmax Extreme Dimensions
Width 8.8” (22.4 cm) Depth 6.0” (15.2 cm)
Height 18.6”
(47.1 cm)
Wiring box
height 4.4”
(11.2 cm)
Wiring box opening width 6.9” (17.6 cm)
For height with optional fan installed, see page 10
Side Plugs:
3.27” (8.3 cm)
Bottom Plugs:
3.3” (8.4 cm)

Installation
8900-0150-01-00 Rev A
Mounting the Charge Controller
The FLEXmax Extreme must be mounted upright on a wall or similar flat upright mounting surface. It must be
mounted at least 36” (91.4 cm) above the ground or floor. No other mounting positions are allowed. Installation
in shade is recommended.
Clearance requirements are a minimum of 6“ (15.2 cm) above and below the controller.
Two mounting methods are available. The first method uses keyhole slots on the back of the controller for
hanging directly on a wall. This method is useful for a standalone installation.
Figure 3 Mounting the Charge Controller (keyhole)
To mount using keyhole slots:
1. Use two slotted #14 wood screws. The mounting surface must be
strong enough to support the weight of the FLEXmax Extreme.
NOTE: OutBack is not responsible for damage resulting from
inadequate mounting hardware or preparation.
2. Mark the locations where the screws will be inserted on the surface.
Space them according to the keyhole slot locations (see below).
NOTE: The brackets included with the controller have holes with
the same spacing which can be used as a marking template.
3. Using the appropriate tools, set the screws into the surface
(see below). The heads should protrude by 1/8” (0.3 cm).
4. Hang the FLEXmax Extreme by placing its back against the
mounting surface and aligning the keyhole slots with the screws.
Settle the controller so that the screws are seated in the narrow end
of each slot.
5. Secure the base of the controller to the surface by inserting two ¼”
hex head lag screws into the holes shown to the left.
Slot spacing 7.9” (20.1 cm)
Hole spacing 5.5” (13.9 cm)
Distance
16.9” (42.9 cm)
Keyhole slots
Securing holes
Mounting is complete. Proceed to charge controller wiring or other installation steps.