Autonics Aptivolt Mounting instructions

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Aptivolt Installation Manual

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Denitions    3
1 InstallationPlanning   4
1.1 Understanding the AptiRail™ MicroGrid
1.2 Strategic Considerations
1.3 Tactical Considerations
1.3.1 Decisions about source and battery priorities
1.3.2 Siting the DIN rails
1.3.3 Thermal considerations
1.3.4 Visibility of the displays
1.4 Ordering considerations
3.2.1 Visibility of the displays
3.3 Wiring type and thickness
3.4 Wiring path
3.4.2 Temperature sensor wiring
3.4.2 AptiLoop wiring
2 BasicInstallation   10
2.1 Wiring type and thickness
2.2 Fixing the DIN rail and adding modules
2.3 Adding AptiRail
2.4 Wiring
2.5 AptiLoop wiring
2.6 General Warning about Module and Alternator
Protection
3 ConnectingVAR20andVAS11modules 14
3.1 Batteries
3.2 Testing
3.3 Solar
3.4 External Logic Input and Output
4 ConnectingaVAS45module  17
4.1 Existing Conditions
4.2 Adding the VAS45
4.2.1 Power Wiring
4.2.2 Auxiliary Wiring
4.2.3 Additional Details
4.2.4 Other Power Sources – Mains derived
5 ModuleSettings    21
5.1 Basic Settings
5.2 VAS11
5.3 VAS45
5.4 VAR20
6 AptiLoop    28
6.1 What it is
6.2 How it works
6.3 The commands
6.4 Module Responses
6.5 Using the VXC14
7 ProductSafetyandLiabilityWarnings 31
Contents

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In this manual we use some names in a specic way to describe
various components of an AptiVolt A series installation. These
are:
Alternator
This is any rotary generator which is intended for charging
batteries at a nominal 13.5V and which is capable of delivering
at least 20A.
Battery
Any electro-chemical device which stores power and which has
2 terminals at a nominal voltage in the region of 13V. It may be
made of several individual cells or groups of cells in series or in
parallel which some may refer to as a bank. In this manual the
term battery is used regardless of how it is constructed.
Chemistry
A battery may use any one of a variety of chemistries to
perform the electro-chemical energy storage including lithium,
nickel-iron and lead-acid of various kinds.
Mains Charger
In this manual we use the term to describe any device which
produces power in the region of 12.5 to 15V and is capable
of delivering 20A or more. In general, these devices will
be powered by the mains or shore power. It is particularly
important that the source is electrically isolated from the
output.
A Series
The series is denoted by the 2nd letter in the part number so
VAR20, VAS45 and VAS11 are all part of the A series. An X
denotes that it will operate with any series modules.
Module Numbering
The rst letter denotes an AptiVolt product.
The second letter is the Series
The third letter is the type: S source manager, R battery
regulator, C communications device.
Denitions

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1.1 Understanding the AptiRail™ MicroGrid
Autonnic manufactures a range of Low Voltage DC
Battery Charge Management Modules under the
AptiVolt® trademark. These can be connected together
in a simple way to create complete, comprehensive,
complex and self-managing battery charging systems
supporting multiple sources and multiple batteries.
The key component in AptiVolt’s charging method
is the use of a microgrid and AptiVolt’s particular
implementation is called the AptiRail®. For all modules
designed for charging, the AptiRail provides a common
power access bus and the essential feature is that:
• each power source has its own Source Manager and
• each battery has its own Battery Regulator.
For extra value and convenience, Source Managers can
be shared between two sources. It is the whole assembly
of Managers and Regulators and the AptiRail which
makes up the complete battery charging installation.
A unique property of AptiVolt’s solution is that AptiRail
not only provides a connection for the transfer of power
but that it communicates by means of its precise voltage
how much power is available. The benet is that Sources
and Regulators can be assigned a Priority Level so that
some sources will be used in preference to others and
some batteries will be charged before others.
Fig 1 Overview of and AptiVolt installation
1 InstallationPlanning

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1.2 Strategic Considerations
The essential planning strategy is to identify all useable
sources of charging power and then to identify all
batteries together with an overview of where each is
placed in the overall physical space.
Start with a plan of where all the parts are because only
then will you be able to have a strategy for where to
place each Module. For example, we show a typical
mono-hull sailing boat in Fig 2.
In this boat the owner has 4 sources of power: a couple
of solar panels, an engine alternator and a mains battery
charger. There are also 3 batteries: Engine, boat and
bow-thruster.
Looking at the data-sheet for the AptiVolt modules
suggests that to meet all the needs a collection of 5
modules can be used:
1 x VAS11 for the two solar panels – it will handle up to
340W in total and conveniently it has two inputs each of
170W maximum.
1 x VAS45 which also has two inputs. One can be used
for the alternator and the other for the mains charger
output which is already on the boat. These modules can
deliver about 270W
3 x VAR20 modules – one for each battery. These cannot
be shared and each can deliver about 270W.
Fig 2 Typical arrangement of sources and batteries

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The next step is to plan where to place them all. The
obvious thing to do would be to put all the modules
together and wire the terminals to the sources and
batteries – but that might not always be the most
suitable. This approach is shown in Fig 3
Fig 3 AptiVolt modules in one block
Fig 4 AptiVolt modules re-arranged
In the example shown in Fig 4, the AptiRail itself is the
joining wire between the groups of modules and is
shown in purple. The arrangement has resulted in a
simpler installation with the temperature sensors for each
of the Regulators having only a short wire directly to their
battery.
The intention of the above example was to show the
exibility and adaptability of the AptiVolt system and its
potential to save wire and the time to install.
But to make a nal placement decision, you need to look
at tactics.
But it could be wired like this:

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1.3 Tactical Considerations
1.3.1 Priorities
The AptiVolt system includes the ability to set priorities.
There are charging priorities and there are source
priorities. By these means the installation can be set
to meet the particular needs of the user of the whole
system.
Basically a battery priority setting is to choose the order
in which each battery will be charged if the amount
of power available is limited. For example, the power
available is up to 340W for the solar module and 270W
from the alternator.
The priority setting on a VAR20 has 3 values high
medium or low. It is important to note that if two
VAR20s on the same AptiRail share a priority setting it
is uncertain which one’s battery will be charged rst. A
typical marine setting would be to have the VAR20 which
manages the charging of the engine battery to be set to
high priority, the boat battery charger set to medium and
the bow-thruster or fridge battery charger set to low.
A VAS45 can also be set to any one of three levels but
in this case it is about the charging priority of the VAS45
where there are two or more sharing the same AptiRail.
It is important to note that this setting is for the module
and is the same for both inputs – you cannot have
different priorities for each of the two inputs. If you insist
that the mains charger, for example, which is managed
by a VAS45 is to have a lower priority to the alternator
then you would need to install a separate VAS45 module.
In practice the two inputs to a VAS45 are likely to be
non-conicting in that it is most probable that the engine
will run when the boat is not on a marina and that the
boat will be plugged into shore power only when the
engine is not running.
In addition, the internal operation of the VAS45 is such
that, if there are two inputs with different voltages,
the higher voltage source will be used. The practical
implication is that the mains charger will be likely to have
a higher voltage as the alternator regulator will limit its
output. In any case there is no danger.
The VAS11 allows no adjustment of its charging priority
and is always at the highest setting. Even if there are
several VAS11 modules they will all be at the highest
level so that sunlight power will always charge the
batteries whenever it is available in preference to power
from the VAS45s.

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1.3.2 Placing the DIN rails
Every AptiVolt module needs to be mounted on a length
of DIN rail. On boats this should be of stainless steel
or aluminium. The VAS11 modules require a length of
70mm and the VAR20 and VAS45 need 140mm. Always
allow for another 70mm for an AptiLoop communications
module to be added in later; it will make a valued
contribution to the information about what is going on
with your DC systems.
1.3.3 Thermal considerations
AptiVolt managers are not 100% efcient. Losses in the
VAR20 and VAS45 modules amount to about 2% which
at 250W can therefore be 5W each. While there is no
need for a fan, provision must be made for a good ow
of air. We caution that:
• Each module must be mounted vertically
• Each must have a clear air inlet path below it
• Each must have a clear air outlet path above it
• Any collection of modules should have good
ventilation and not be enclosed in a box.
1.3.4 Visibility of the displays
Every module has LEDs to show it is performing as well
as for setting it up at installation time. Also, the button
on the front panel provides a reset feature which you
might need access at any time.
Priority setting is more easily done by powering each
module and setting it before installation on the AptiRail.
We advise that each module is powered up, from a 12v
source, and set-up using the front panel button and
menu.
Note that:
A VAS11 and a VAS45 are powered from the front
terminals.
A VAR20 is powered from the AptiRail input and the top
terminal is +.

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1.4 Ordering
Once you have done the placing plan you can order all
the parts.
• In some markets kits are available which offer excellent
value
• Each VAR20 comes with a VAS00 temperature sensor
• Each VAR20, VAS11 and VAS45 comes with 2 AptiRail
links but you may need to order more either long ones or
short ones.
• Remember to order DIN rail
• Remember to order wire to connect to the sources and
the batteries.
• Do you need to order a VXC14?

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2.1 Wiring type and thickness
The power connections for AptiVolt A series modules are
capable of securing wires up to 6mm2.
In general, 4mm2 is a good compromise and it is this
wire which is used in our illustrations.
It is important to use 6mm2 wiring where the AptiRail
is extended between modules – except where this
extension is solely for solar modules (eg VAS11).
We advise that each VAR20 is wired to its battery with
6mm and that this wire is no longer than 3m. 4mm wire is
acceptable but it will take longer to charge.
Aptivolt provides a table of wire thickness against
distance for wiring the AptiRail. If the modules are
together we provide busbars.
It is important to remember that AptiRail is rated at 60A
so that if there are 3 sources and 3 battery regulators all
operating at peak output any wiring needs to be rated to
reduce the voltage drops – see the tables.
Also the placement can help such as mixing the sources
and the battery managers so that all the current does not
go in one direction but can spread both ways.
But that is unlikely in a charging arrangement – for
example the AptiRail extension to a bow-thruster
battery’s VAR20 will never be required to deliver more
than 15A when charging the battery at 20A. But it
should be in thick wire so as not to drop volts and alter
the system’s priority voltage measurements.
2 BasicInstallation