Quantum Harvest 3000-60 TSW User manual

Quantum Harvest Model 3000-60 TSW
quantumharvest.net
Owner's Manual
Faraday
Enclosures
Portable Solar
Power Stations
®
®

Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of a Quantum Harvest EMP protected* portable solar
power station! hese units have been carefully designed and hand-crafted to provide many
years of trouble-free operation. In the unlikely event of malfunction, we offer a 1 year warranty
on the batteries (if provided by us.); 3 years on the inverter and charge controllers; 5 years on
everything else. For warranty details, see page 34.
o obtain maximum performance and long life from your new power station, it is
important to gain a basic understanding of how such units operate and their limitations. he
heart of the unit, and it's main component, is the battery bank. his is where the energy from
the solar panels or the included 120 volt AC battery charger is stored for later use. he
particular batteries I have selected are state of the art deep-cycle Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
medical-grade batteries. hese batteries are maintenance free and can be stored and used in any
position. Since they do not give off gases as they charge, there is no danger of fire and they
never need to have water added.
o obtain maximum life from these, or any other batteries, it is important to try to avoid
deep cycling, that is, drawing them down flat before allowing them to recharge. Sometimes this
cannot be avoided, but if at all possible, strive to avoid doing so.
Another important component is the inverter. his is the device that converts the low
voltage DC current from the batteries into the high voltage AC current that we are familiar
with. (All Quantum Harvest power stations also have 12 volt DC receptacles and USB charging
sockets for the appropriate devices, in addition to standard 120 volt AC house current.) he
inverter is protected internally from overheating and low battery voltage, and externally from
over-current draw by a 400 ampere ANL type fuse. he Model 3000 will sustain a continuous
3000 watts of current, and will briefly provide up to 6000 surge watts, to start motors and other
inductive loads. he inverter relies on air flow around and through the unit to cool it, therefore
it is imperative that the inverter not be used with the enclosure door closed.
Another important part is the solar panels. We currently offer a choice of a 100 watt
single-panel mobile assembly, as well as a 200 watt dual-panel mobile assembly, and a 300
watt, three panel assembly. All our models of power stations can also be purchased without
solar panels, allowing the client to supply their own panels, if they so desire. We recommend an
absolute minimum of 100 watts rated panel capacity, and 200 or even 300 watts would be
better. If unsure, email us at [email protected] with the specifications of the
proposed panels and we can quickly look them up and confirm whether or not they will work.
1

*A quick note on EMP
An EMP, or Electro-Magnetic Pulse is a devastating phenomenon that, while harmless to living
things, absolutely destroys anything electronic. t consists of extremely powerful electromagnetic fields
building and collapsing hundreds of thousands of times per second. This induces potentially huge
electric currents in anything that conducts electricity, causing components connected to said conductor
to burn out. An EMP can be caused by either a deliberate, high-altitude nuclear warhead detonation,
or can be caused naturally by a solar event called a Coronal Mass Ejection, or CME.
All Quantum Harvest power units are built into a specially designed enclosure, more
properly called a Faraday Cage, named after Michael Faraday, an early pioneer in
electromagnetic research. The purpose of a Faraday cage is to intercept and divert
electromagnetic energy away from the box's interior, thus protecting the contents.
The principles involved are fairly simple, but the proper execution is critical. n order
for the enclosure to be useful, it must have a door, but any opening larger than a square
centimeter or so allows too much energy to penetrate the interior, thus defeating the purpose of
the Faraday cage.
The solution to this conundrum is to gasket the door with a special type of conductive
gasket, mated to a copper or silver strip that is electrically bonded to the main box. The key is
to have very low electrical resistance between the door and the enclosure, with no gaps. This is
not as easy as it sounds, and requires special materials designed specifically for this
application.
My experience with Faraday apparatus comes from 8 years experience with very
powerful industrial machines called RF welders. These machines use extremely powerful and
focused bursts of electromagnetic energy to weld and form plastic parts. These machines
basically create a local EMP every time they fire, and it is critical that stray energy be confined
and dissipated safely to avoid damage to other sensitive electrical machinery.
2

Table of Contents
S ecifications.......................................................................................Page 4
Note on Batteries.................................................................................Page 5
Section 1............Ca acities and recommended usages.....................Page 6-7
Section 2............Controls/Circuit Protection Devices.......................Page 8-10
Section 3.............External Ports and Connectors..............................Page 11-13
Section 4A.....General O eration and Routine Maintenance..........Page 14
Section 4B..........Using the 220 volt sub-system................................Page 15
Section 4C..Using the Solar Panel Assembly(s) and AC charger....Page 16-19
Section 5.............Using Booster Cables..............................................Page 20-22
Section 6A.....Power Board Removal, Re-installation......................Page 23-25
Section 6B......Battery Removal, Re-installation...............................Page 26-28
Section 6C.....Soft-start Module Removal, Re-installation..............Page 29
Section 6D...........Control Panel Removal, Re-installation..............Page 30-32
Troubleshooting...................................................................................Page 33
Contact Information...........................................................................Page 33
Warranty Information........................................................................Page 34
Addendum A....Re lacement of Solar Panel Diodes........................Page 35-36
Addendum B....By assing the Soft-start Module.............................Page 37
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Base Unit S ecifications
Assembled Dimensions: 30.5”H x 47.5”O.A.L x 19.5”W
Assembled Weight: 430 lbs.
Inverter: Samlex America 3000 watt true sine-wave
Battery Bank: 4 AGM Deep-Cycle Batteries, 110 amp/hrs each.
Battery Bank Ca acity: 440 Amp/hours, 5,280 Watt/hours
AC Charger: 20 Amp Smart Battery Charger
Solar Charger/Controller: Instapark 60 Amp MPP Solar Power Charge
Controller.
Solar Panel Assembly S ecifications
(300 Watt Model)
Assembled and folded Dimensions: 50.75”H x 8”D x 25.5”W
Unfolded Dimensions: 47.75”H x 60”W
Assembled Weight: 68.2 lbs.
Rated Out ut (Nominal) Optimum Operating Voltage (Vmp): 18.9V
Optimum Operating Current (Imp): 15.87 A
Open - Circuit Voltage (Voc): 22.5 V
Short- Circuit Current (Isc): 17.25 A
Maximum Power at S C: 300 W
Operating Module emperature: -40°C to + 90°C
4

In this manual, the following symbols are used to
highlight im ortant facts:
Denotes circumstances where failure to follow the procedures
outlined in the manual may result in property damage.
Denotes circumstances where failure to follow the procedures
outlined in the manual may result in personal injury or death.
Always remember that electricity is utterly devoid of mercy and
never grants second chances!
Note on Batteries
his Quantum Harvest power station is designed to use AGM batteries
that measure 12.91” Long, by 6.77” Wide by 9.29” High. he particular
battery model we use is the UB121100 110AH model. Other models of
similar dimensions and specifications will also work.
*Caution* Although the low voltage at the battery terminals
means that electrical shock or electrocution is im ossible,
nonetheless, batteries store an enormous amount of otential energy,
that if accidentally released by a short-circuit, can melt metal tools, start
fires and cause ersonal injury. Eye rotection MUST BE WORN
whenever working with batteries of this size, and extreme care must be
exercised at all times. Anything electrical is unforgiving of mistakes.
!Warning! Note that although the voltage at the battery
terminals is insufficient to shock a erson, the current coming
from the inverter rece tacles is 120 volt house current, and that
is indeed ca able of inflicting a severe, otentially fatal shock.
Always be sure that extension cords are not frayed or worn, and that all
equi ment lugged into the inverter is in a safe condition.
5

Section 1: Ca acities and recommended usages
his 3,000 watt model is the next-to-largest true sine-wave unit we currently produce,
and with it's premium, industrial-grade Samlex inverter with proven soft-start technology, will
reliably start and power anything within it's capability, even fussy items that will not run with
cheaper, modified sine-wave inverters. It will run full-size refrigerators and freezers, table saws
and chop saws, as well as any hand-held tools, such as drills, grinders and circular saws, etc. It
will also, of course, power smaller items such as Vs, cell phones,laptops, tablets, etc.
his Model is available with an optional transformer and proprietary soft-start
mechanism to augment the built-in system in the inverter, which allows it to reliably start and
power up to to a 1 hp submersible well pump. It is NO recommended to power large resistive
loads like central air-conditioners,water heaters and electric space heaters, as well as large
electric motors, such as industrial air compressors, etc.
Used within it's limits, this unit will provide many years of trouble-free service, and be a
joy to own and use. But like most things, if you push it beyond it's limits, you will be plagued
by expensive repairs and poor performance.
his machine contains a battery bank of four, 110 amp/hour batteries, for a total capacity
of 440 amp/hrs. How much real power is that? If we multiply the 440 amp/hours by the
nominal voltage (12 volts), we get a capacity of 5,280 watt/hours (watts = volts times amps).
his machine will run a full-sized refrigerator or freezer for several days, even without the
solar panels hooked up.
On the next page is a partial list of common electrical appliances and their approximate
loads, provided in part by the good folks at: http://www.energy.gov
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7

Section 2: Controls/Circuit Protection Devices
here is one main fuse, a 400 ampere ANL type fuse,
shown to the right, located beside the inverter. here is
one spare fuse included in the spare parts kit. o
replace the fuse, first, be sure the main switch is turned
off, then, using a 9/16” wrench, remove the two nuts.
Lift the fuse out and place the new one over the studs;
reapply the nuts, being careful to not over-tighten.
Detail of Main Control Panel
Anderson connector for Voltage/Charging am s meter 220 volt AC
breaker
booster cables 220 volt system on/off switch
Polarity indicator LEDs for use
with the booster cables
(see section 5)
12 Volt DC cigarette
lighter-style outlets
USB charger orts (2) 120 volt AC outlets
Inverter start button 220 volt AC outlet
Main Switch; 4 ositions available.
Off osition isolates the inverter and control anel from the batteries.
Position #1 is the normal use osition in which the unit draws from the internal battery bank.
Position #1&2 is the osition used when using the booster cables, and allows the unit to run
from both the internal battery bank and the vehicle's charging system.
Position #2 is not normally used, and allows the load to be run directly from an automobile's
charging system, by assing the internal battery bank.
8

Detail of Main Panel Circuit Breakers
40 amp for AC charger
30 amp for right-most
120volt outlets
30 amp for left-most 120volt
outlets
20 amp for 12 volt DC outlets
5 amp for USB charger, 20 amp, 220 volt AC breaker
and soft-start module
control system
Detail of AC Charger
Battery voltage selector
Battery type selector
Max. charge current
selector
Initiate charging sequence button Display toggle between % charge and
battery voltage button
9

Detail of Solar Charger/Controller
and related circuit-breakers
he solar charge controller is completely automatic, and requires no user intervention or
maintenance.
Steady red light indicates batteries
are being charged, blinking red light
indicates full charge.
Yellow light indicates connection to
battery bank.
Green light in the middle may be
ignored in this application.
Right; he solar charge controller is
protected by 2, 70-amp circuit-breakers.
It is recommended that they be kept in
the disconnected position (shown) until
the solar panels are plugged in; then
push the red levers down to latch,
turning the breakers on. o shut off,
depress the red button to the left of the
levers. hese breakers both must be
engaged to charge the batteries from the
solar panels.
10

Section 3: External Ports and Connectors
The external orts/connectors for attaching the ower cord for the AC charger and the solar
anels are located on the latch side of the unit.
External Connector Location
AC Charger ort
Insert the plug into the socket with the silver tab on top, and turned slightly to the left. Push it in fully
and gently twist it clockwise until it latches. o remove, use your thumb to pull the silver tab toward
you, then twist the plug counter-clockwise and pull it out of the socket.
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Solar Panel Connector Port
Due to the large amount of
amperage the solar charge
controller is able to handle, this
model uses a heavy-duty 2 pin
intermediary connector to handle
multiple solar panels. o connect,
lift the cover, and oriented as
shown with the boss on top, slide
the connector into the socket.
Please note that the cover has a
latch-pawl to prevent the jack from
creeping out. o remove, lift the
cover slightly to disengage the
latch, and remove the jack.
(Although both connectors are
shown connected in the upper
photo for illustration purposes, it
is not recommended that both the
AC charger and the solar charger
operate at the same time.)
12

Right; he intermediary solar
panel cable plugged into the base
unit.
he solar panel assemblies
simply plug into the
intermediary cable junction box
13

Section 4A: General O eration and Maintenance
WARNING! The base unit is NOT water- roof, and must be stored and
used in a dry location. Wind-driven rain will ruin the inverter, and
worse, set u conditions where eo le or ets may be
electrocuted. The solar anel assemblies may, however be
safely used outdoors in any weather, so long as care is taken
to revent wind and falling objects like tree limbs, etc. from causing
damage.
Also, lease take note that in addition to the above very real
danger, the warranty does not cover water or other weather-related
damage to any of the com onents!
o use the unit, unplug the AC charger cord if it is connected, then wheel the unit to a
convenient location. Open the cabinet door and turn the main switch clockwise to position #1
and then press the inverter start button to initialize the inverter. Connect any loads to the
appropriate receptacles. Be sure to keep the door open so as to allow adequate airflow for
inverter cooling.
Note that it is not necessary to have the solar panels connected in order to use the power
station, but if they are not connected (and in direct sunlight), you will only have what power is
in the batteries. here is no easy way to tell exactly how much charge remains in the batteries,
so the best measure we have is to watch the battery bank voltage, which is shown on the control
panel's digital display.
Battery voltage gradients change over time as the batteries age, but a good rule of thumb
is that 12.8 to 14 volts is a reading for a battery pretty much fully charged. When the voltage
drops to 12.1 to 12.3 volts, the batteries are usually about one half to two-thirds discharged.
Voltage of 11.0 to 11.9 mean that the battery is pretty much exhausted, and voltages below
about 10.5 will cause the inverter to shut off. hese numbers are only approximate, experience
is still the best teacher!
Please note that the voltage readings, to be accurate, must be read under
a no-load condition. The voltage will be much lower when the batteries are
under load.
14

Section 4B: Using the 220 volt system
he Model 3000 is the only one of our systems that features an on-demand 220 volt
system with a specially designed soft-start system to power common deep-well submersible
pumps up to 1 hp. Since the transformer bleeds off about 20 watts of power even when unused,
it is recommended to leave it powered down when not in use to conserve battery power.
here is a switch on the upper right of the control panel that when in the “on” position,
supplies power to the transformer; turn it on, (there should be a faint humming sound beneath
the control panel when the transformer is energized.),and plug in the power cord for the pump.
Be sure the 20 amp double circuit-breaker in the upper right-most corner is also in the “on”
position. Everything else is fully automatic.
Transformer power on/off switch 220 volt, 20 amp circuit-breaker
220 volt twist-lock receptacle
he 220 volt system includes our proprietary soft-start
module, pictured on the right. It's purpose is to reduce the
amount of current required to start the pump motor; this allows a
smaller load to be passed to the inverter, allowing any given
sized inverter to start and run a disproportionately large motor.
It accomplishes this by sensing when the pressure switch
turns the pump on, and activating a mechanism that starts the
load at a smaller voltage, and ramping up the voltage to
normal line-level over a period of several seconds.
When the pressure switch on the pump is satisfied and
switches off, the soft-starter switches off and resets for
the next cycle.
he soft-starter has 2 LEDs that are visible by
looking down on the left (hinge) side by the end of the
control panel. Under normal operation, the green LED comes on when the module senses the
pump has started, and a few seconds later, the yellow LED lights to indicate the soft-start cycle
is complete, and the voltage going to the pump is at normal line-level.
In the event of a failure of the module, it may be bypassed. Instructions are on page 37.
15

Section 4C: Using the solar anel assembly(s), and AC
Charger
o use the mobile solar panel assembly, wheel it to a location with a good Southern
exposure to the sun, and if using the 200 or 300 watt multiple panel models, retract the wheel
assemblies as shown in the pictures below, release the latch and unfold the panels, then loosen
the knobs and position the support struts such that the panels face the sun at approximately a 45
degree angle, and re-tighten the knobs. Uncoil as much cable as needed to reach the connector
box, and plug it in. Be sure both solar charge controller circuit-breakers are switched on.
Procedure is the same for the 100 watt single-panel model except that the wheels must be
locked with the brake knobs to prevent rolling.
The solar anel assembly has been built to be as sturdy as ossible, but
remember that the anels themselves are made of a low-iron glass, that
while quite robust, is nonetheless glass, and WILL BREAK if the
anels are dro ed or fall onto a hard surface or object. The warranty DOES
NOT cover broken solar anels!! Take care in setting u the anels so that the
wind will not blow them over, and that they do not ti over. It is
recommended that they be guyed in lace in otentially windy situations.
On the multi- anel models; it is vital that the wheel assemblies be
retracted to allow the anels to sit directly on the ground/floor when the
anels are being used and also when they are being stored, otherwise the
wheels will allow the unit to roll forward and colla se, falling onto the backs
of the anels, ossibly resulting in breakage! The single- anel model must
likewise have the wheels locked in the same situations for the same reasons.
The only time the wheels are lowered/unlocked is when the units are being
moved!
16

300 watt Solar Panel Assembly Use Instructions
Right; his is the panel assembly in the
parked position. Note that the wheel struts are
unlocked, allowing the assembly to rest on the
rubber bumpers on the bottom, and the brace
is folded out to provide support.
Right; his shows the wheel strut locked in the transport
position. o unlock, pull the gold colored knob out and twist
it 90 degrees either way to lock it in the retracted position.
Note that the wheel struts will only be in this position when
the assembly is being wheeled around.
Right; Detail of the wheel strut in the unlocked position.
hey must be in this position whenever the assembly is being
used, or is parked.
17

Above; o use the assembly, wheel it to the desired location, unlock and raise the wheel struts,
release the rubber latch on top, and unfold as shown. Be careful to not pinch your fingers
between the panels! (Been there, done that!)
Below; he top support gusset is velcroed to the back of the middle panel. Detach it and slip it
over the pins on top of the assembly to provide structural rigidity.
18