Carmanah G Series User manual

G Series
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com
For all solar-powered G Series systems
89322_RETROFIT_GUIDE_SOLAR_TO_AC_G_SERIES_REVB

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 2
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
Table of Contents
1.0 Warnings and Precautions ................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Warranty Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................................3
1.2 Standards ...................................................................................................................................................3
1.3 Safety and Usage Precautions ...................................................................................................................3
2.0 Solar to AC Retrofit Kit ......................................................................................................................................5
3.0 Installation Procedure........................................................................................................................................5
3.1 Removing Solar Components.....................................................................................................................6
3.2 Installing AC Backplane..............................................................................................................................7

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 3
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
1.0 Warnings and Precautions
The following symbols indicate important safety warnings and precautions throughout this guide:
WARNING indicates that serious bodily harm or death may result from failure to adhere to the
precautions.
CAUTION indicates that damage to equipment may result if the instructions are not followed.
NOTE suggests optimal conditions and provides additional information.
1.1 Warranty Disclaimer
This guide will familiarize you with the features and installation of the Carmanah solar to AC retrofit kit. Failure to
comply with the use, storage, maintenance, installation or placement instructions detailed in this guide could void
the warranty.
1.2 Standards
Perform all installation, wiring, grounding and maintenance in conformance with local building and electrical
codes. Adherence to the National Electrical Code (NEC) is mandatory to comply with any certification markings.
Non-adherence to code may void the warranty.
1.3 Safety and Usage Precautions
Use extreme caution when handling the batteries as they can generate hazardous short-circuit
currents. Remove all jewelry (bracelets, metal-strap watches, etc.) before entering the cabinet.
Before lifting any heavy or bulky equipment, ensure the load is secured so moving parts do not
shift, and that it can be lifted as far as needed without back strain or loss of grip. Installation may
require more than one person.
Ensure the equipment is not powered during installation and wiring of the system.
Recheck all completed wiring for proper polarity prior to energizing the system.

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 4
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
Changes or modifications to Carmanah equipment not expressly approved by Carmanah could
void both the user's authority to operate the equipment and the warranty.
All Carmanah traffic products use a constant-current LED output circuit. Not all traffic beacons
are compatible with this output. Please contact Carmanah for additional information and guidance
when adding or replacing beacons or other hardware.
Product can have sharp edges. Accidental movement of hinged components can cause injury.
This guide is specific to retrofitting the G Series cabinet from solar to AC power and is not
a replacement for the complete G Series product user manual.
Visit support.carmanah.com to download the complete product user manual.

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 5
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
2.0 Solar to AC Retrofit Kit
The retrofit kit includes:
•Cable ties (4)
•Mounting screws (4)
•The AC backplane assembly shown pictured below:
3.0 Installation Procedure
This guide is for installing the solar to AC retrofit kit into one of the following compatible Carmanah systems:
•G Series – SC315-G, R820-G, R247-G, R829-G
Refer to the individual product user manual for more details at support.carmanah.com. There are many different
options available for the G Series cabinet so your product may look different than shown throughout this guide.
G Series Solar Cabinet Example
DC output
AC input
AC-DC power
supply
Circuit
breaker

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 6
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
3.1 Removing Solar Components
1. Access the inside of the battery cabinet and remove the solar and battery fuses on the right side to shut
down power to the system.
2. Remove the battery harness on the battery. Do not short the wires together during this process. Cut the
cable tie securing the battery harness then unscrew the harness from the DC Input Power terminals.
3. Remove the battery from the cabinet.
4. Cut the cable tie securing the solar panel harness then unscrew the harness from the DC Input Power
terminals. Cap off the wires with wire nuts so they don’t get shorted together during disassembly.
5. Remove the solar panel, solar panel harness, and solar panel mount from the pole.
6. Remove the battery bumpers as shown pictured below:
Battery removal should not be carried out in windy conditions. In all cases, the area at the base of
the post must be roped off to prevent people from being injured or killed by falling batteries.

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 7
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
3.2 Installing AC Backplane
Live AC power will be present. Only qualified personnel should carry out the following retrofit.
1. Mount the AC backplane to the four available threaded inserts in the cabinet using the included four
included screws and tighten to snug.
2. Wire the DC output wires from the power supply to the DC Input Power terminal (red wire to RD +, black
wire to BK −).
3. Secure the wires to one of the cutouts on the terminal block plate with a cable tie.

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 8
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
4. Route the green AC ground wire from the AC backplane to the grounding stud on the left side of the
cabinet. If you have the Polara XAV push button option, you will need to route it behind the control board.
5. Ensure the circuit breaker on the AC backplane is turned off.
6. Wire AC power into the cabinet following the AC Input label color coding (black wire to BK Line, white
wire to WT Neutral, green to GN Ground).
7. Strain relief the AC wires to the AC backplane using the provided cable ties.
8. Ensure the AC wiring is secure and installed with the proper polarity.
9. Insert Solar and Battery/DC Power fuses into fuse holders on right side of cabinet (the solar fuse holder is
a location to store a spare fuse).
10. Turn on the source AC power and then the circuit breaker in the cabinet. Ensure the EMS (Energy
Management System) powers up and the OBUI (on-board user-interface) visibly lights up.
11. Test system and ensure it is operating as prior to the retrofit.
a. Ensure the battery (power supply) voltage is ~15V.
b. Run the BIST (built-in self-test) and verify you only have a charging error (4000), which is normal
for AC-powered systems.
c. Visit support.carmanah.com for a list of BIST error codes.

Carmanah Technologies Corp. | 250 Bay St, Victoria, BC V9A 3K5, Canada | 1.250.380.0052 | [e-mail] | carmanah.com 9
SOLAR TO AC RETROFIT GUIDE
© 2021 Carmanah Technologies Corporation
Technical Support:
Email:
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