Campbell PS200 User manual

PS200/CH200
12V Charging Regulators
Issued: 7.10.13
Copyright © 2000-2013 Campbell Scientific, Inc.
Printed under licence by Campbell Scientific Ltd.
CSL 910
USER GUIDE

Guarantee
This equipment is guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship.
This guarantee applies for twelve months from date of delivery. We will
repair or replace products which prove to be defective during the guarantee
period provided they are returned to us prepaid. The guarantee will not apply
to:
•Equipment which has been modified or altered in any way without the
written permission of Campbell Scientific
•Batteries
•Any product which has been subjected to misuse, neglect, acts of God or
damage in transit.
Campbell Scientific will return guaranteed equipment by surface carrier
prepaid. Campbell Scientific will not reimburse the claimant for costs incurred
in removing and/or reinstalling equipment. This guarantee and the Company’s
obligation thereunder is in lieu of all other guarantees, expressed or implied,
including those of suitability and fitness for a particular purpose. Campbell
Scientific is not liable for consequential damage.
Please inform us before returning equipment and obtain a Repair Reference
Number whether the repair is under guarantee or not. Please state the faults as
clearly as possible, and if the product is out of the guarantee period it should
be accompanied by a purchase order. Quotations for repairs can be given on
request. It is the policy of Campbell Scientific to protect the health of its
employees and provide a safe working environment, in support of this policy a
“Declaration of Hazardous Material and Decontamination” form will be
issued for completion.
When returning equipment, the Repair Reference Number must be clearly
marked on the outside of the package. Complete the “Declaration of
Hazardous Material and Decontamination” form and ensure a completed copy
is returned with your goods. Please note your Repair may not be processed if
you do not include a copy of this form and Campbell Scientific Ltd reserves
the right to return goods at the customers’ expense.
Note that goods sent air freight are subject to Customs clearance fees which
Campbell Scientific will charge to customers. In many cases, these charges are
greater than the cost of the repair.
Campbell Scientific Ltd,
Campbell Park, 80 Hathern Road,
Shepshed, Loughborough, LE12 9GX, UK
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
www.campbellsci.co.uk

PLEASE READ FIRST
About this manual
Please note that this manual was originally produced by Campbell Scientific Inc. primarily for the
North American market. Some spellings, weights and measures may reflect this origin.
Some useful conversion factors:
Area: 1 in2(square inch) = 645 mm2
Length: 1 in. (inch) = 25.4 mm
1 ft (foot) = 304.8 mm
1 yard = 0.914 m
1 mile = 1.609 km
Mass: 1 oz. (ounce) = 28.35 g
1 lb (pound weight) = 0.454 kg
Pressure: 1 psi (lb/in2) = 68.95 mb
Volume: 1 UK pint = 568.3 ml
1 UK gallon = 4.546 litres
1 US gallon = 3.785 litres
In addition, while most of the information in the manual is correct for all countries, certain information
is specific to the North American market and so may not be applicable to European users.
Differences include the U.S standard external power supply details where some information (for
example the AC transformer input voltage) will not be applicable for British/European use. Please
note, however, that when a power supply adapter is ordered it will be suitable for use in your country.
Reference to some radio transmitters, digital cell phones and aerials may also not be applicable
according to your locality.
Some brackets, shields and enclosure options, including wiring, are not sold as standard items in the
European market; in some cases alternatives are offered. Details of the alternatives will be covered in
separate manuals.
Part numbers prefixed with a “#” symbol are special order parts for use with non-EU variants or for
special installations. Please quote the full part number with the # when ordering.
Recycling information
At the end of this product’s life it should not be put in commercial or domestic refuse
but sent for recycling. Any batteries contained within the product or used during the
products life should be removed from the product and also be sent to an appropriate
recycling facility.
Campbell Scientific Ltd can advise on the recycling of the equipment and in some cases
arrange collection and the correct disposal of it, although charges may apply for some
items or territories.
For further advice or support, please contact Campbell Scientific Ltd, or your local agent.
Campbell Scientific Ltd, Campbell Park, 80 Hathern Road, Shepshed, Loughborough, LE12 9GX, UK
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
www.campbellsci.co.uk

i
Contents
PDF viewers: These page numbers refer to the printed version of this document. Use the
PDF reader bookmarks tab for links to specific sections.
1. Introduction................................................................1
2. Precautions and Tips.................................................2
3. Quick Start .................................................................3
3.1 Connecting Power................................................................................5
3.1.1 Solar Panel....................................................................................5
3.1.2 AC/DC Power...............................................................................6
3.2 Plug In the Battery ...............................................................................7
3.3 Hook Up Power to Datalogger.............................................................8
3.4 Hook Up Communication Cable to Datalogger If Used.......................9
3.5Turn On the Charging Source ..............................................................9
3.6 Turn On Power to the Datalogger ........................................................9
3.7 LED Indicators.....................................................................................9
4. Specifications ..........................................................10
4.1 Specifications.....................................................................................10
4.2 Battery Packs......................................................................................11
4.3 Charging Sources ...............................................................................12
4.4 Communication Interface Cables.......................................................13
4.5 Communication Cable Interface Connector Pin-Out..........................13
5. Operational Overview..............................................14
6. User Interface...........................................................16
6.1 Configuring the PS200/CH200 Using Campbell Scientific Device
Configuration Utility (DevConfig).................................................18
6.1.1 Main DevConfig Screen..............................................................19
6.1.2 Settings Editor Tab......................................................................20
6.1.2.1 Battery Families ...............................................................25
6.1.3 Terminal Tab...............................................................................28
6.1.4 Send OS Tab —Downloading an Operating System .................28
6.2 SDI-12................................................................................................29
6.2.1 SDI-12 Address...........................................................................30
6.2.2 SDI-12 Measurements.................................................................31
6.2.3 SDI-12 Extended Commands......................................................34
6.2.3.1 Write Remote Battery Temperature to PS200/CH200 .....34
6.2.3.2 Restore Internal Battery Temperature Measurement........35
6.2.3.3 Change Battery Capacity Value in PS200/CH200 ...........35
6.2.3.4 Enter Battery Test State....................................................35
6.2.3.5 Zero Out Qloss (Battery Charge Deficit) .........................35
6.2.3.6 Power Usage.....................................................................36
6.3 RS-232 Interface ................................................................................36
6.3.1 Text Based Interface ...................................................................36

ii
6.3.2 RS-232 Communications with a Campbell Scientific
Datalogger...............................................................................38
6.3.3 RS-232 Host (Datalogger) Command Strings and PS200/
CH200 Response Strings.........................................................39
6.3.3.1 Read Status.......................................................................39
6.3.3.2 Write Remote Battery Temperature to PS200/CH200 .....40
6.3.3.3 Restore Internal Battery Temperature Measurement........40
6.3.3.4 Change Battery Capacity Value in PS200/CH200 ...........40
6.3.3.5 Enter Battery Test State....................................................41
6.3.3.6 Zero Out Qloss .................................................................41
6.3.3.7 Read Special PS200/CH200 Settings and Variables........42
6.3.3.8 Power Usage.....................................................................42
6.3.4 Datalogger Programming for RS-232 Communication to the
PS200/CH200..........................................................................42
7. Charging Details ......................................................44
7.1 Charging Algorithm ...........................................................................44
7.2 Maximum Power Point Tracking.......................................................46
8. A100 Null Modem Adapter.......................................47
9. A105 Additional 12 V Terminals Adapter ...............48
10. References ...............................................................48
Appendix
A. Advanced Programming Techniques................... A-1
A.1 Write/Reset Remote Battery Temperature .......................................A-1
A.1.1 Write/Reset Remote Battery Temperature SDI12
Programming Example..........................................................A-1
A.1.2 Write/Reset Remote Battery Temperature RS-232
Programming Example..........................................................A-3
A.2 Change Battery Capacity..................................................................A-6
A.2.1 Change Battery Capacity SDI12 Programming Example .........A-6
A.2.2 Change Battery Capacity RS-232 Programming Example .......A-8
A.3 Enter Battery Test State .................................................................A-11
A.3.1 Enter Battery Test State SDI12 Programming Example.........A-12
A.3.1.1 Calendar Date Battery Test –SDI12............................A-12
A.3.1.2 Set Number Of Days Battery Test –SDI12 .................A-15
A.3.2 Enter Battery Test State RS-232 Programming Example .......A-17
A.3.2.1 Calendar Date Battery Test –RS-232..........................A-17
A.3.2.2 Set Number Of Days Battery Test –SDI12 .................A-21
A.4 Zero QLoss.....................................................................................A-25
A.4.1 Zero Out QLoss SDI12 Programming Example .....................A-25
A.4.2 Zero Out QLoss RS-232 Programming Example ...................A-27

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A.5 Station Power Usage ......................................................................A-30
A.5.1 Station Power Usage SDI12 Programming Example..............A-30
A.5.2 Station Power Usage RS-232 Programming Example............A-32
A.6 Changing the SDI-12 Address Programming Example..................A-35
Figures
3-1. The PS200 connected to a CR1000 and AC power..............................4
3-2. The PS200 connected to a CR1000 and solar panel.............................4
3-3. CH200 connected to BP24 battery pack and CR1000..........................5
3-4. Solar panel connections on PS200 .......................................................6
3-5. AC power connections on PS200.........................................................6
3-6. Lift latch up on PS200..........................................................................7
3-7. Slide PS200 lid off ...............................................................................8
3-8. Wiring harness plugged into battery connector....................................8
4-1. Communication connector pin-out.....................................................14
5-1. PS200/CH200 schematic....................................................................15
6-1. PS200 20770 serial cable ...................................................................18
6-2. Battery family dropdown menu..........................................................25
6-3. Device Configuration Utility settings editor ......................................27
6-4. Device Configuration Utility terminal tab..........................................28
6-5. Downloading a new operating system................................................29
6-6. PS200 connected to a CR1000 via SDI-12 ........................................30
6-7. PS200 connected to a CR1000 via RS-232........................................39
7-1. 2 step constant voltage battery charging by PS200/CH200 ...............46
7-2. 70 W solar panel I –V and power characteristics..............................47
8-1. Null modem connections....................................................................47
8-2. PS200 with A100 module using a COM220 and RF450....................48
9-1. A105 adapter......................................................................................48
Tables
3-1. CHARGE LED.....................................................................................9
3-2. CHECK BATTERY LED....................................................................9
6-1. PS200/CH200 Settings.......................................................................22
6-2. Battery Specifications ........................................................................26

iv

1
PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
1. Introduction
The PS200 is a 12 volt power supply that includes a rechargeable 7 amp hour valve-
regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery and charging regulator. The CH200 is a
charging regulator for an external rechargeable 12 V VRLA battery such as the
BP12 or BP24 offered by Campbell Scientific, Inc. Charging power for these
charging regulators is typically supplied by an unregulated solar panel, AC/AC
transformer, or AC/DC converter.
The PS200/CH200 are smart chargers that provide two-step constant voltage
charging with temperature compensation for optimal charging and battery life. A
maximum power point tracking algorithm is incorporated for solar inputs to
maximize available solar charging resources.
The PS200/CH200 are compatible with the A100 null-modem adapter and the A105
adapter for additional 12 V output terminals. The A100 Null Modem Adapter
connects and powers two Campbell Scientific peripherals via two CS I/O 9-pin
connectors configured as a null modem. This is useful in linking different
communications technologies; e.g., telephone to radio, at sites that do not have a
datalogger. The A105 Additional 12 V Terminals Adapter may be used to provide
additional 12 V and ground terminals where the power supply is used to power
several devices.
The PS200/CH200 charging regulators are termed series regulators, because the
regulators are placed in series between the charging source and the load. As
batteries become closer to fully charged, series regulators reduce the current drawn
from the charging source, to where the charging source may be completely unloaded
if full-charge is reached. While this unloading of the charging source is acceptable
for solar panels, AC/AC transformers and AC/DC converters, it is undesirable for
wind turbines because of the resulting free spinning when unloaded. Consequently,
series charging regulators, including the PS200/CH200, should not be used to
regulate the output of wind turbines without the inclusion of a way to load the
turbine when the batteries require little or no charging current.
The PS200/CH200 chargers have several safety features intended to protect the
charging source, battery, charger, and load devices. Both the SOLAR –G and
CHARGE –CHARGE input terminals incorporate hardware current limits and
polarity reversal protection. There is a 1.85 Amp failsafe self-resettable thermal
fuse in series with the CHARGE –CHARGE inputs in the event of a catastrophic
AC/AC or AC/DC charging source failure. There is a 4 Amp self-resettable thermal
fuse in series with the 12 V output terminals of the charger in the event of an output
load fault. The PS200/CH200 incorporate battery reversal protection, which is
catastrophic for most chargers. ESD and surge protection are incorporated on all
inputs and outputs of the PS200/CH200.

PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
2
2. Precautions and Tips
Under normal charging conditions with sealed VRLA batteries, hydrogen and
oxygen gasses are produced in relatively small quantities, most of which later
recombines back into water. Aggressive overcharging produces excess hydrogen
and oxygen gasses, resulting in gas venting by means of a pressure activated valve.
Hydrogen gas emitted from VRLA batteries must not be allowed to accumulate, as
it could form an explosive mixture. Fortunately, hydrogen gas is difficult to contain
in anything but a metal or glass enclosure.
Never put VRLA batteries in an enclosure that does not
allow emitted hydrogen gas to be dispersed.
VRLA batteries are capable of providing high surge currents. The 12 V output
terminals of the PS200/CH200 are fused with a 4 A self-resettable thermal fuse, but
there is no fusing for inadvertent bridging of the battery terminals. Accidental
shorting of battery terminals by metallic objects, such as watchbands, can cause
severe burns due to rapid heating and is also a fire hazard.
VRLA battery manufacturers state that “Heat Kills Batteries”. While the
PS200/CH200 can operate from –40°C to +60°C, optimum battery life is achieved
with battery operating temperatures ranging from 5°C to 35°C
i
, per manufacturer’s
recommendations1. The PS200/CH200 offer temperature compensation of the
battery charging voltage based on a temperature measurement inside the
PS200/CH200 cases. The CH200 internal temperature measurement likely will not
accurately represent battery temperature for charge voltage compensation unless the
battery is in close proximity to the CH200. The PS200/CH200 serial interface can
be used to input an independently measured battery temperature for improved
charging temperature compensation when the charger temperature is different than
the battery temperature (see Section 6.2.3.1, Write Remote Battery Temperature to
PS200/CH200, and Section 6.2.3.2, Restore Internal Battery Temperature
Measurement, for SDI-12 programming examples and Section 6.3.3.2, Write
Remote Battery Temperature to PS200/CH200, and Section 6.3.3.3, Restore
Internal Battery Temperature Measurement, for RS-232 programming examples).
With rechargeable batteries, a charge discharge re-charge event is termed a
cycle. In general the most important factor for the service life of a battery is depth
of discharge1. For example, decreasing the depth of each discharge from 100% to
50% approximately doubles the number of useful cycles available from the battery1.
i
Genesis Application Manual –Genesis NP and NPX Series US-NP-AM-002, June
2006.
WARNING

User Guide
3
Leaving a lead-acid battery in a discharged state for prolonged
periods of time results in the undesirable growth of large
sulphate crystals (sulphating) that are detrimental to battery
performance.
VRLA batteries self-discharge at approximately 3% of rated capacity per month at
room temperature1. A 3% of rated capacity per month self-discharge results in
100% discharge in approximately 33 months (3 years) for a battery stored at room
temperature. Self-discharge increasing with increasing storage temperature.
Periodic recharging of stored batteries every few months is
recommended to prevent irreversible sulphation due to prolonged
time in a discharged state.
3. Quick Start
The PS200/CH200 modules are designed to handle extreme conditions and have the
ability to transmit charging, load, and battery voltage and current information
directly to a datalogger using special SDI-12 or RS-232 commands and associated
communication cables. Using datalogger programming the data from the
PS200/CH200 can be used to calculate a power budget for the entire system and
help to remotely pin point any power problems. These cables are not required for
normal operation and the modules are ready to use right out of the box. The
modules have been designed with mounting holes on one inch centres for mounting
to a standard Campbell Scientific enclosure back plate —see the enclosure manual
for mounting suggestions. See Figure 3-1 through Figure 3-3 for typical enclosure
installations using a PS200/CH200.
By default, the CH200 module is programmed with a battery capacity of zero Amp-
hours (Ah). This sets the charger to charge at a lower current rate. A battery
capacity must be configured into the CH200 to enable the more aggressive two-step
constant voltage charging scheme. See Section 6.1.2, Settings Editor Tab, for
making changes using Device Configuration Utility and Appendix A.2, Change
Battery Capacity, using the datalogger.
Figure 3-1 through Figure 3-3 show PS200/CH200 installations using
a SDI-12 communication cable. A SDI-12 communication cable is
not required for normal operation.
CAUTION
NOTE
NOTE

PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
4
Figure 3-1. The PS200 connected to a CR1000 and AC power
Figure 3-2. The PS200 connected to a CR1000 and solar panel

User Guide
5
Figure 3-3. CH200 connected to BP24 battery pack and CR1000
3.1 Connecting Power
Although the power supply and battery are low voltage,
they do have the ability to supply a high current and could
potentially heat up a metal ring, watch band, or bracelet
enough to burn skin or melt metal when shorted. Remove
rings, watches, or bracelets before hooking up power and
connecting a battery.
Unlike earlier Campbell Scientific power supplies, the CH/PS200 can have both
solar and AC power hooked up simultaneously.
Flip the power supply switch to “Off” before hooking up power to the power
supply.
The switch on the CH/PS200 only controls power going to the “12V”
and “G” terminal blocks. The battery is continuously charged
regardless of the switch setting as long as a charging voltage is
present.
3.1.1 Solar Panel
To prevent sparking while wiring up the solar panel, either
lay the solar panel face down on its packing box or cover it
with something fairly opaque to block the sunlight while
wiring up the panel.
Connect the BLACK (negative) lead from the solar panel to the terminal block
marked “G” that is directly adjacent to the “SOLAR” terminal block. Connect the
RED (positive) lead from an unregulated solar panel to the terminal block marked
“SOLAR”. See Figure 3-4.
WARNING
NOTE
WARNING

PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
6
Figure 3-4. Solar panel connections on PS200
3.1.2 AC/DC Power
Double check the input voltages coming in to the charger/regulator with a volt
meter.
AC Input Voltage: 14 to 24 VAC RMS
DC Input Voltage: 15 to 40 VDC
Exceeding the voltages listed above will damage the power
supply.
Disconnect the primary side of the AC/DC power before connecting wires to the
PS200.
Connect the secondary power supply leads to the two terminal blocks marked
“CHG”. There is no polarity on the “CHG” terminal blocks, so it does not matter
which wire goes to which “CHG” terminal block, but make sure there is only ONE
wire per block. See Figure 3-5.
Figure 3-5. AC power connections on PS200
WARNING

User Guide
7
3.2 Plug In the Battery
The battery used with the PS200 is shipped inside of the PS200 case if the power
supply is NOT installed inside an enclosure. If the PS200 is mounted inside an
enclosure then the battery will be located separately packed in one of the packing
boxes. This is done to minimize any damage that could occur if the power supply
should get loose from its mounts inside the enclosure during shipment. The battery
will NOT be plugged into the PS200. This is done to minimize discharging the
battery.
To remove the lid from the PS200, pull up on the PS200 lid latch and slide the lid
off as shown in Figure 3-6 and Figure 3-7.
Do not remove the tape holding the battery wiring harness
to the top of the battery! The tape is used to keep the
battery wiring harness out of the way of the rubber
bumpers on the inside of the lid.
Figure 3-6. Lift latch up on PS200
WARNING

PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
8
Figure 3-7. Slide PS200 lid off
Plug the battery into the connector marked “BATT”. This connector is polarized
and will only allow the mating connector to be plugged in one way. Push the
connector all the way in until it locks in place.
Figure 3-8. Wiring harness plugged into battery connector
When connecting the battery the “CHG” LED will briefly flash red
and then go out.
3.3 Hook Up Power to Datalogger
Both the PS200 and the CH200 come with a 1 foot black wire attached to one of the
Gterminal blocks and a 1 foot red wire attached to one of the 12V terminal blocks.
Attach the red wire from the power supply to the datalogger Power terminal block
marked 12V (Campbell Scientific part number #3768). Attach the black wire from
the power supply to the datalogger Power terminal block marked “G”.
NOTE

User Guide
9
3.4 Hook Up Communication Cable to Datalogger If Used
Skip this step if a CH/PS200 communication interface cable is not being used. Plug
the power supply SDI-12 or RS-232 communication cable to the connector marked
“COMM”. This cable is polarized and will only plug in one way. Push the
connector all the way into the mating connector until it locks in place. Wire the
leads into the appropriate datalogger channels. An example of
SDI-12 wiring is shown in Figure 6-6. An example of RS-232 wiring is shown in
Figure 6-7.
This cable is NOT required for normal operation of the power supply!
It is only required if the datalogger has been programmed to collect
information from the power supply. See Section 6.2, SDI-12, and
Section 6.3, RS-232 Interface, for how to use these cables.
3.5 Turn On the Charging Source
Turn on the power going to the charging source or uncover the solar panel. The
“CHG” LED should flash green approximately every 4 to 5 seconds if all incoming
connections are correct and there is an adequate charging voltage present.
3.6 Turn On Power to the Datalogger
Flip the switch on the PS200/CH200 supply to “On”. Verify voltage to the
datalogger with a volt meter, or use a key pad display, or connect to the datalogger
with a laptop or PDA to make sure the datalogger is running correctly.
3.7 LED Indicators
As previously mentioned, the PS200/CH200 has two LED indicators, the CHARGE
LED and the CHECK BATTERY LED. The following tables illustrate the various
conditions and associated colours for the CHARGE and CHECK BATTERY LEDs.
Table 3-1. CHARGE LED
Condition
Colour
No Valid Charge Source
Off
Valid Charge Source & Charging Battery
Flashing Green
Valid Charge Source but Battery being Discharged
Flashing Orange
Regulator Fault Detected
Flashing Red
Waiting for New Operating System (Section 6.2.2, SDI-12
Measurements)
Solid Red
Transferring Operating System
Solid Green
Table 3-2. CHECK BATTERY LED
Condition
Colour
Battery Voltage > 11.5 V
Off
10.5 V Battery Voltage 11.5 V
Flashing Orange
Battery Fault Detected OR Battery Voltage < 10.5 V
Flashing Red
NOTE

PS200/CH200 12 V Charging Regulators
10
4. Specifications
4.1 Specifications
(CHARGE - CHARGE terminals)
AC or DC Source:
AC –(18 to 24) VRMS with 1.2 ARMS
maximum
DC –(16 to 40) VDC with 1.1 A DC
maximum
(SOLAR - terminals)
Solar Panel or Other DC Source1:
15 to 40 VDC
Maximum Charging Current:
3.6 ADC typical
2.8 ADC to 4.3 ADC depending on
individual charger
Battery Charging2
Two-step temperature
compensated constant- voltage
charging for valve-regulated
lead-acid batteries:
CYCLE Charging: Vbatt(T) =
14.70 V –(24 mV)(T –25C)
FLOAT Charging: Vbatt(T) =
13.65 V –(18 mV)(T –25C)
1% Accuracy on charging voltage over
–40° to +60C range
Operational Temperature Range3:
–40° to +60C
Measurements
Average Battery Voltage:
± (1% of reading +15mV) over -40° to
+60C range
Average Battery/Load Current4
Regulator Input Voltage:
±(2% of reading +2mA) over -40° to
+60C range
Solar5:
±(1% of reading -0.25V)/- (1% of
reading +1V) over -40 to +60C range
Continuous6:
±(1% of reading -0.5V)/- (1% of reading
+2V) over -40° to +60C range
Charger Temperature:
± 2C
Power Out (+12 terminals)
Voltage:
Unregulated 12 V from Battery
4 A Self-Resettable Thermal
Fuse Hold Current Limits:
> 4 A @ < 20C
4.0 A @ 20C
3.1 A @ 50C
2.7 A @ 60C
Quiescent Current
No Charge Source Present:
300 A Maximum
No Battery Connected:
2 mA Maximum