Mastervolt Solar ChargeMaster SCM-N 20 User manual

USERS MANUAL / GEBRUIKERSHANDLEIDING
BETRIEBSANLEITUNG / MANUEL UTILISATEUR
MANUAL DE UTILIZACION / INSTRUZIONI PER L’USO
Solar ChargeMaster
SCM-N 20/ SCM-N 40
INTELLIGENT CHARGE CONTROLLER
MASTERVOLT
Snijdersbergweg 93,
1105 AN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel.: [phone]
Fax.: [phone]
www.Mastervolt.com
ENGLISH: PAGE 1
NEDERLANDS: PAGINA 17
DEUTSCH: SEITE 33
FRANÇAIS: PAGINA 49
CASTELLANO: PÁGINA 65
ITALIANO: PÁGINA 81
v 1.2 November 07

CONTENTS
2November 07 / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / EN
CONTENTS v 1.2 November 07
CONTENTS 2
1GENERAL INFORMATION 2
2SAFETY GUIDELINES AND MEASURES 3
3BEFORE YOU START 4
4INSTALLATION 6
5OPERATION 8
6CONFIGURATION 10
7TROUBLE SHOOTING 14
8TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 15
9CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 16
1 GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 Use of this manual
This manual serves as a guideline for the safe and
effective operation, maintenance and possible
correction of minor malfunctions of the Solar
ChargeMaster.
It is therefore obligatory that every person who
works on or with the Solar ChargeMaster is
completely familiar with the contents of this manual,
and that he/she carefully follows the instructions
contained herein.
Installation of, and work on the Solar ChargeMaster,
may be carried out only by qualified personnel,
consistent with the local standards and taking into
consideration chapter 2 of this manual.
Keep this manual at a secure place!
The English version counts 16 pages.
1.2 Guarantee specifications
Mastervolt guarantees that this unit has been built
according to the legally applicable standards and
specifications. The guarantee is limited to the costs
of repair and/or replacement of the product. Costs
for installation labor or shipping of the defective
parts are not covered by this guarantee.
1.3 Validity of this manual
All of the specifications, provisions and instructions
contained in this manual apply solely to standard
versions of the Solar ChargeMaster delivered by
Mastervolt.
Part number Description
131802000 Solar ChargeMaster SCM-N 20
131804000 Solar ChargeMaster SCM-N 40
For other models see other manuals available on
our website: www.mastervolt.com.
1.4 Quality
During their production and prior to their delivery, all
of our units are tested and inspected.
1.5 Liability
Mastervolt can accept no liability for:
•consequential damage due to use of the Solar
ChargeMaster;
•possible errors in the manuals and the results
thereof.
1.6 Identification label
The identification label is located at the bottom side
of the Solar ChargeMaster. (see figure 1). Important
technical information required for service,
maintenance & secondary delivery of parts can be
derived from the identification label.
Figure 1: Identification label
CAUTION!
Never remove the identification label.
1.7 Changes to the Solar ChargeMaster
Changes to the Solar ChargeMaster may be carried
out only after obtaining the written permission of
Mastervolt.
Design by
Mastervolt
Manufactured in China
Part no : 131802000
Type : Solar ChargeMaster 20
Input : 12/24V DC
Output : 20 A
IP 23
Serial no: V638A0001

SAFETY GUIDELINES AND MEASURES
EN / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / November 07 3
2 SAFETY GUIDELINES AND MEASURES
2.1 Warnings and symbols
Safety instructions and warnings are marked in this
manual by the following pictograms:
A procedure, circumstance, etc which
deserves extra attention.
CAUTION!
Special data, restrictions and rules with
regard to preventing damage.
WARNING
A WARNING refers to possible injury to
the user or significant material damage to
the charger if the user does not (carefully)
follow the procedures.
2.2 Use for intended purpose
1 The Solar ChargeMaster is constructed as per
the applicable safety-technical guidelines.
2 Use the Solar ChargeMaster only:
•for the charging of Gel, AGM and flooded lead
acid batteries and the switching of DC loads;
•with a fuse, protecting the wiring between the
Solar ChargeMaster and the battery;
•in undamaged condition;
•in a closed, well-ventilated room, protected
against rain, moist, dust and condensation;
•observing the instructions in this users manual.
WARNING
Never use the Solar ChargeMaster in
situations where there is danger of gas or
dust explosion or in vicinity of potentially
flammable products!
3 Use of the Solar ChargeMaster other than
mentioned in point 2 is not considered to be
consistent with the intended purpose. Mastervolt is
not liable for any damage resulting from the above.
2.3 Organizational measures
The user must always:
•have access to the user's manual;
•be familiar with the contents of this manual.
This particularly applies to chapter 2, Safety
Guidelines and Measures.
2.4 Maintenance & repair
In case of maintenance and repair activities,
disconnect batteries and PV modules to prevent
unintentional damage to the installation.
Except for the connection compartment, the cabinet
of the Solar ChargeMaster must not be opened.
There are no serviceable parts inside the cabinet.
If maintenance and repairs are required, please
consult your local Mastervolt Service Center.
2.5 General safety and installation precautions
•In case of fire, you must use the fire extinguisher
which is appropriate for electrical equipment.
•Short circuiting or reversing polarity may lead to
serious damage to batteries and the wiring.
•Damage to the Solar ChargeMaster caused by
reversed polarity or short circuiting will void
warranty.
•Protect the DC wiring with a fuse, according to
the guidelines in this manual.
•Connection and protection must be done in
accordance with local standards.
•Do not work on the Solar ChargeMaster or
system if it is still connected to a power source.
Only allow changes in your electrical system to
be carried out by qualified electricians.
•Check the wiring and connections at least once a
year. Defects such as loose connections, burnt
cables etc. must be corrected immediately.
2.6 Warning regarding the use of batteries.
Excessive battery discharge and/or high charging
voltages can cause serious damage to batteries. Do
not exceed the recommended limits of discharge
level of your batteries. Avoid short circuiting
batteries, as this may result in explosion and fire
hazard. Installation of the batteries and adjustments
of the Solar ChargeMaster should only be
undertaken by authorised personnel!

BEFORE YOU START
4November 07 / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / EN
3 BEFORE YOU START
3.1 Utilizing environments
The Solar ChargeMaster facilitates a stand alone
energy system. Typical applications of this charge
regulator are:
• weekend homes;
• mobile applications;
• street lighting applications.
These categories implicate different ways to use the
Solar ChargeMaster.
3.1.1 Weekend homes
In weekend homes (no grid provided) the batteries
are charged by the Solar ChargeMaster. A generator
is not allowed in most recreational areas. The night
light function is convenient to manage the loads
automatically, thus preventing the batteries from
being discharged too deeply overnight. See section
6.1.
3.1.2 Mobile applications
In mobile applications the batteries are charged by
the alternator and/ or an optional external power
source. The Solar Chargemaster is used generally
for maintaining the batteries charged when no other
power source is available.
3.1.3 Street lighting
In remote street lighting applications the Solar
ChargeMaster is the only charger in the energy
system. For example street lights and road signs are
often solar powered.
Overnight the battery is discharged during a preset
time, using the nightlight function Dusk to Dawn. At
day the battery is recharged.
3.2 PV system calculation
For an optimal autonomous solar system, it is
important to use batteries with the right capacity and
the right amount of solar cells for your load. Four
design phases could be distinguished.
3.2.1 Calculating the daily energy
consumption
In the table below the energy use of a weekend
home is shown (Hours of use times watts).
Device Daily
usage
Hrs (h)
Device
Watts
(W)
Daily Watt
hours Used
(Wh)
Lights (5x) 6.0 50 300
Television 4.0 100 400
Washing
Machine
1.0 800 800
Total daily Watt hours used (Wh) 1500
Usually the energy consumption during
both the summer and winter period is
determined.
3.2.2 Determining the period of autonomy
The period of autonomy is the time a solar system
must be able to “survive” without solar irradiation.
This period depends on the environmental
circumstances.
3.2.3 Calculating the battery capacity
The battery must be large enough to provide you
with energy during the period of autonomy. Take into
account a 50% maximum discharge of the battery to
prevent it from ageing early.
Fi
g
ure
2
Figure 3
Figure 4

BEFORE YOU START
EN / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / November 07 5
3.2.4 Calculating the PV capacity
The PV panels have to deliver the daily energy
consumption (see section 3.2.1). Take into account
the irradiation and energy consumption during both
summer and winter periods for calculation of your
PV system. Ask your PV panel dealer for more
information. See section 3.3 for voltages.
3.3 Number of PV cells
The Solar ChargeMaster is appropriate for nominal
12V and 24V solar systems. The table shows the
number of cells required for the nominal voltages.
For measuring the voltages, the typical values for
the open clamp voltage (V oc) and the maximum
power point voltage (V mpp) could be useful.
Typical values
Nominal
PV
voltage
Nominal
battery
voltage
Number
of cells
V oc V mpp
12V 12V 36 22V 18V
24V 24V 72 44V 36V
With a 12V system the Solar
ChargeMaster 40 can supply a maximum
power of 480W. To connect higher power
devices, you will need more than one
Solar ChargeMaster or change the system
voltage to 24 V.
3.4 Care for your batteries
For proper care of your batteries it is important to
keep them as fully charged as possible and to fully
charge them frequently (every 2 to 4 weeks). This
will extend the battery life span. An alternative
energy source may be needed for this purpose
during extended periods of low irradiation.
Another important issue is reducing the amount of
discharging cycles. For more info regarding your
battery refer to the recommendations of the battery
manufacturer.
3.5 Overview of the Solar ChargeMaster
Figure 5 shows all serviceable parts of the Solar
ChargeMaster.
Figure 5 Overview Solar ChargeMaster
1. LCD screen
2. Button
3. Fastening hole
4. PC Link connector (4 pins)
5. Battery temperature sensor (5 pins)
6. Screw terminals
7. Strain relieves
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

INSTALLATION
6November 07 / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / EN
4 INSTALLATION
WARNING
During installation and commissioning of
the Solar ChargeMaster, the Safety
Guidelines and Measures are applicable
at all times. See chapter 2 of this manual.
CAREFUL!
Wrong connections may cause damage to
the Solar ChargeMaster and other
equipment as well, which is not covered
by warranty!
4.1 Grounding the Solar System
Be aware that the Solar ChargeMaster has negative
grounding. See also figure 7. The negative terminals
of the Solar ChargeMaster controller are connected
internally and therefore have the same electrical
potential. If any grounding is required, always
connect this to the negative wires.
4.2 Things you need for installation
4.2.1 Tools:
A cross-head screw driver is all you need for the
strain relieves, the screw terminals and the fastening
screws for the housing. See also figure 5.
WARNING!
Use isolated tools!
4.2.2 Materials:
Part Part nr. Incl.
Solar Chargemaster SCM-N 20 131802000
Solar Chargemaster SCM-N 40 131804000
Temperature sensor 41500900 yes
PC Link USB (option) 21730400 no
4 screws 4,5 mm for wall
mounting
no
DC wiring no
For advanced use you need the Solar ChargeMaster
data control software (downloadable from www.
Mastervolt.com)
Mind the recommended wire size, see this table.
Model Length < 1m Length 1-3
SCM20-N 4 mm² 6 mm²
SCM40-N 10 mm² 16 mm²
Place positive and negative wire close to each other
to minimize electromagnetic effects.
Mind that the screws have to carry also
the force applied by the wiring.
Mind the minimum required distance of 10
cm/ 4" to floor and ceiling, this is
necessary for ventilation reasons.
Installation step by step
1. Open the terminal lid. See figure 6.
2. Remove the screws from the strain relief and
take off the strain relief bridges. See figure 5 too.
3. Mount the controller to the wall. Use appropriate
screws for the wall material. Use screws with 4
to 5 mm shaft and max. 10 mm head diameter,
no counter sunk. See figure 5 for locating the
mounting holes.
Figure 6
4. Connect the wires leading to the battery with
correct polarity. See figure 7. To avoid any
voltage on the wires, first connect the controller,
then the battery.
Wrong polarity will cause a permanent warning
sound.
The controller has a built-in voltage drop
compensation which automatically compensates
battery wire voltage drops of up to 250 mV.
WARNINGS!
•If the battery is connected with reverse polarity,
the load terminals will also have the wrong
polarity. Never connect loads during this
condition!
•A fuse must be integrated in the positive lead to
the battery to protect any short circuit at the
battery wiring. Mind the recommendations of
your battery manufacturer.
•The fuse must take the charge controller
maximum current: Solar ChargeMaster20: 30A,
Solar ChargeMaster40: 50A.
•Solar panels provide voltage as soon as
exposed to sun light. Mind the solar panel
manufacturer’s recommendations in any case.
5. To avoid voltage at the load terminal, push the
button (see figure 5) shortly to shut off the load
output.
6. Connect the wires leading to the loads with
correct polarity. See figure 7.
7. Fasten the strain relieves.

INSTALLATION
EN / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / November 07 7
8. If applied, connect the battery temperature
sensor (5 pins) and / or the PC Link (4 pins).
9. Close the terminal lid.
Stick the battery sensor to the top of your battery.
Now you have successfully connected your Solar
ChargeMaster controller.
4.3 Connections
Figure 7: Connections
4.4 Connectors
4.4.1 Serial port
The controller comes with a serial port for
connection to a PC with the PC Link (optional). See
the PC Link manual for details. In Section 6.1.8 the
serial interface behaviour can be modified.
4.4.2 BatteryTemperature Sensor connector
With the temperature sensor (included), Solar
ChargeMaster can measure the battery temperature
and adjust the charging voltage accordingly to
extend the battery life span.
4.5 Safety features
The Solar
ChargeMaster is
protected against:
Solar terminal Battery terminal Load terminal
Battery connected with
correct polarity to:
Unrestricted Normal operation Unrestricted
Battery connected with
wrong polarity to:
Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted
Reverse polarity at: 24V system: no
12V system: yes
Yes, if only the battery is
connected. Acoustic
warning.
Load output is protected,
but loads may be damaged.
Short circuit at: Unrestricted Unrestricted
Caution: fuse the battery
Unrestricted
Overcurrent at: Controller limits current Not applicable Controller switches off load
terminal.
Thermal overload at: Controller is protected
electronically
Not applicable Controller switches off load
terminal.
No connection at: Unrestricted Unrestricted Unrestricted
Reverse current at: Unrestricted Not applicable Not applicable
Overvoltage at: Varistor 56 V 2,3J Maximum 40 V Controller switches off load
terminal.
Undervoltage at: Normal operation Controller switches off
load terminal.
Controller switches off load
terminal.
+_
1234 5 6
+
_
+
+
+
---
Connections
including the battery
temperature sensor
and the MasterAdjust
PC connected. The
positive battery leg
has been fused.
1. Solar panel
2. Battery fuse
3. Temperature
sensor
4. PC Link USB
interface
5. PC for
MasterAdjust
6. Load

OPERATION
8November 07 / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / EN
5 OPERATION
5.1 Recommendations for use
•During installation you switched off the load.
Switching on is obtained manually with a short
press of the button, see figure 9.
•The regulator warms up during normal operation.
If there is insufficient ventilation (e.g. in an
installation cabinet), the controller limits the solar
charge current to prevent overheating.
•The regulator does not need any maintenance or
service. Remove dust with a dry tissue.
•A battery can only be fully charged if not too
much energy is drawn during charging. Keep that
in mind, especially if you install additional loads.
5.2 Button switch
The button switch (number 1 on figure 5) has three
push modes (see section 6.1:
Short push Shorter than 2 seconds
Long push 2 to 8 seconds
Lock mode 8 seconds or longer
5.3 Display Functions and Acoustic Signals
5.3.1 LCD screens
In normal operation mode the controller displays the
state of charge (available energy) of the battery, see
figure 8 and 9. Any change of the state of charge
(SOC) to a lower status is signalled acoustically, see
figure 8.
Figure 8: System conditions
The percentage corresponds to the energy available
until Low Voltage Disconnect in relation to a fully
charged battery.
As long as the solar array supplies enough voltage
to charge the battery, this is indicated by up-moving
bars alternately to the state of charge display.
In normal operation the loads can be switched on
and off by pushing the button (figure 5). See figure 9
for the displays.
Special conditions are shown in the LCD screen if
the Low Voltage Disconnect function shuts off the
load output or in case of various other error
conditions. See chapter 7 for details.
Figure 9: Load control
5.3.2 Acoustic Signals
The controller has an acoustic signal which indicates
the change of the state of charge. This function can
be deactivated in section 6.1.7.
5.4 Description of Functions
5.4.1 Low Voltage Disconnect Function (LVD)
The controller has 5 different modes to protect the
battery from being discharged deeply:
Mode 1 (option)
•Disconnect at 11.4 V (at nominal load current) up
to 11.9 V (at no load current). Normal operation
mode for good battery protection.
Mode 2 (option)
•Disconnect at 11.0 V (at nominal load current) up
to 11.75 V (at no load current). Mode with lower
disconnection point. Battery is cycled deeper, this
can shorten battery lifetime.
Mode 3 (option)
•Disconnect at 11.0 V to 12.2 V depending on
load current and previous charging cycles. This
adaptive mode leads to longer lifetime of the
battery because it allows recovery of the battery
by full recharge. Maximum battery life.
Mode 4 (option)
•Disconnect at 11.5 V fixed setting. Appropriate if
bypass loads draw current directly from battery.
Mode 5 (option)
•Disconnect at 11.0 V fixed setting. Appropriate if
bypass loads draw current directly from battery.
Mode with lower disconnection point. Battery is
cycled deeper, this can shorten battery lifetime.
The controller is preset to Mode 1 from the factory.
See section 6.1.2 to change the setting.
In case of doubts which mode to choose, consult
your battery dealer because this has to be evaluated
depending on the battery used.
Load manually
ON
Load manually
OFF
>80%
60-80%
35-60%
10-35%
<10%
Load
Disconnect
1x
2x
3x
5x
25x

OPERATION
EN / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / November 07 9
5.4.2 Nightlight Function
Evening Timing
Light on
Light off
Light off
Light on
MorningTiming
Number
of hours
Number
of hours
or or
time to
mid of night
time after
mid of night
Mid of night
Dusk to Dawn
Figure 10: Nightlight function modes
The Solar ChargeMaster controller comes with a
sophisticated night light function. It controls the load
output at night and is widely programmable. Default
this function is disabled, two alternatives are
available:
Dusk to Dawn and Evening/ Morning.
•The Dusk to Dawn mode (continuous at night)
can be selected in Section 6.1.3.
•If Evening/ Morning is selected, Section 6.1.4
allows choosing the Evening timing behaviour
and Section 6.1.5 allows choosing the Morning
timing behaviour. See also figure 10.
Mind that the load output is switched off as
soon as the battery has reached the Low
Voltage Disconnect threshold.
“Mid of night” is detected automatically as the middle
between dusk and dawn, no real time setting is
required. It may take some days until the controller
has “learnt” midnight. This method can cause some
inaccuracy but avoids any clock readjustment.
The controller’s “Mid of night” can be different from
the real time midnight depending on your location.
The controller recognizes day and night based on
the solar array open circuit voltage, see figure 11. In
Section 6.1.6 this day/night threshold can be
modified according to the requirements of the local
conditions and the solar array used.
To find the right value, we recommend measuring
the solar array open circuit voltage at the time when
the controller switches on/off at twilight. See section
6.1.6 to set this value (the closest available).
5.4.3 Locking
By pushing the programming button for 8 s in normal
operation mode the programming lock is activated to
prevent any accidental settings change. Another 8
sec push releases the lock.
Figure 11: Switching points
1.0 2.0
V
Nominal
12V 24V
7.7 15.4
4.9 9.8V
(default)
Curve of open-circuit voltage solar array
Threshold setting range
Switching point day > nigh
t
Switching point night > da
y
Dusk to Dawn
mode
Evening/
Morning mode

CONFIGURATION
10 November 07 / Solar ChargeMaster 20, 40 / EN
6 CONFIGURATION
6.1 Programming your Solar ChargeMaster
With a long push (2s-8s) on the button the
programming mode is opened. The programming
menu structure is described in the table below. A
black wide arrow means a long push (2s-8s), a grey
arrow means a short push (<1 sec). The dotted lines
under “Setting” mean you see the actual selection
there. During selection the symbols under “Settings
menu” are flashing.
When you exit the configuration menu, the
controller displays the state of charge (available
energy) of the battery and the status of the load.
Mind that once you have entered the
configuration menu you can exit it at the
last item only.
We therefore recommend that you first note
down your required settings and then do the
configuration in one go.
All configuration settings are stored in a non-
volatile memory and remain stored even if the
controller was disconnected from the battery.
6.1.1 Battery type
Description Displays Settings
Battery type
liquid electrolyte
In this menu, you can select the
proper battery type - liquid
electrolyte or GEL (VRLA) /AGM
according to your PV system to get
better charge of your battery.
The default battery type is liquid
electrolyte.
Battery type
Gel
6.1.2 Low voltage disconnect
Description Displays Settings
LVD, current compensated,
11.4-11.9V/ 22.8-23.8V
LVD, current compensated,
11.0-11.75V/ 22.0-23.50V
LVD, current compensated/
adaptive,
11.0-12.2V/ 22.0-24.4V
LVD 11.5V/ 23V
In this menu, you can set 5 different
Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD)
modes to protect the battery from
being discharged deeply.
See section 5.4.1 for details.
The default low voltage disconnect
(LVD) setting is Mode 1 - Disconnect
at 11.4 V (at nominal load current)
up to 11.9 V (at no load current).
LVD 11.0V/ 22V
6.1.3 Night light function (type)
Description Displays Settings
Night light function OFF
Night light function
Dusk to Dawn
In this menu, you can set the type of
night light function or switch off the
night light function of your Solar
ChargeMaster controller.
See section 5.4.2 for details.
The default setting of night light
function type is OFF. Night light function
Evening/Morning
Function Setting Settings menu
Function Setting Settings menu
Function Setting Settings menu