Raydec MT5 User manual
MT5 Multi-Tracer Operating Manual page
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1. Contents
1. Contents...................................................................................................................2
2. Introduction ..............................................................................................................6
3. Setup........................................................................................................................7
3.1. Hardware Installation ........................................................................................7
3.1.1. Mounting....................................................................................................8
3.1.2. AC Power...................................................................................................8
3.1.3. Ventilation................................................................................................10
3.1.4. Connections.............................................................................................10
Load Control.......................................................................................................10
PV Module Connections.....................................................................................11
Wire Size and Voltage Drop ...............................................................................14
Aux Input Connections .......................................................................................15
Thermocouple Connections................................................................................16
Keyboard and Video Monitor..............................................................................17
3.1.5. Power Up.................................................................................................18
3.1.6. Network....................................................................................................18
3.1.7. Setting the Time.......................................................................................18
4. MT5 System Configuration and Use ......................................................................19
4.1. Real-Time Data Tab........................................................................................20
4.2. IV Curve Data Tab..........................................................................................21
4.3. Settings Tab....................................................................................................22
4.3.1. Global Load & IV Curve Control...............................................................22
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Global Load Mode..............................................................................................22
Global IV Curve Mode........................................................................................23
4.3.2. Module Channel Settings.........................................................................24
Module Channel & Description Fields.................................................................25
Load Mode..........................................................................................................25
Enable Auto IV Curves .......................................................................................26
Integration Period...............................................................................................26
Aperture & Total Area.........................................................................................27
Advanced Power Tracking..................................................................................27
Associated Temperatures, Irradiance and Aux Data..........................................28
4.3.3. Aux Input Scales......................................................................................31
4.3.4. Temperature Setup..................................................................................33
4.3.5. IV Curve Setup ........................................................................................34
4.3.6. Data Logging ...........................................................................................35
4.4. System Tab.....................................................................................................36
4.4.1. Date & Time.............................................................................................36
Manual Time & Date...........................................................................................36
Automatically Set Time.......................................................................................37
4.4.2. Network Settings......................................................................................39
4.4.3. Users .......................................................................................................40
4.4.4. Calibration................................................................................................40
4.5. Help Tab .........................................................................................................41
4.6. Direct Hardware Interface...............................................................................43
5. Multi-Tracer Data ...................................................................................................44
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5.1. Performance Data...........................................................................................44
5.1.1. Data Logging Interval...............................................................................44
5.1.2. Load Mode...............................................................................................45
5.2. IV Curve Data .................................................................................................46
5.3. Accessing Data Files ......................................................................................47
6. Network Connection...............................................................................................49
6.1. Networking Basics ..........................................................................................49
6.1.1. Network Change via Keyboard and Monitor ............................................50
6.1.2. Network Change via Temporary Network................................................51
6.2. Testing Network Connection...........................................................................53
6.3. Advanced Network Settings............................................................................55
6.3.1. Gateway Address ....................................................................................55
6.3.2. DNS 1 & 2................................................................................................55
6.3.3. MAC Address...........................................................................................55
6.4. Network Security, Usernames and Passwords...............................................56
6.4.1. Web Interface Access Control .................................................................56
6.4.2. FTP Access .............................................................................................58
6.4.3. Resetting Passwords...............................................................................59
6.4.4. Security Limitations..................................................................................59
7. Calibration..............................................................................................................60
7.1. Module Voltage Calibration.............................................................................61
7.2. Module Current Calibration.............................................................................64
7.3. Aux Input Calibration.......................................................................................66
8. Changing Module Grounding .................................................................................67
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9. Status Indicators ....................................................................................................70
9.1. MT5 Controller Status LED’s...........................................................................70
9.2. MT5 Load Unit Status LED’s...........................................................................71
10. System Expansion and Configuration....................................................................72
10.1. Connecting a new load ...................................................................................72
10.2. Learning The System Configuration................................................................73
10.3. Show System Configuration............................................................................74
11. Maintenance ..........................................................................................................75
11.1. MT5 Controller................................................................................................75
11.1.1. MT5 Load Unit.........................................................................................75
Appendix A - Multi-Tracer Connectors.....................................................78
Appendix B - Peak-Power Tracking.........................................................79
Appendix C - Module Fuse Replacement ................................................81
Appendix D - Replaceable Parts..............................................................83
Appendix E - Specifications.....................................................................84
Appendix F - Network Access and Ports..................................................88
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2. Introduction
The Multi-Tracer 5 System (MT5) provides a complete, self-contained, electrical load
and data acquisition system for collecting performance data of photovoltaic modules.
The MT5 collects two types of data; continuous performance under load, and IV curves.
When not taking IV curves, the MT5 operates the PV modules under load conditions
defined by the user. While under load, the MT5 samples module voltage and current.
Additionally, the system samples temperatures and a set of auxiliary (Aux) inputs (e.g.,
pyranometers). The MT5 samples all values once per second and averages these
values over a period defined by the user.
The MT5 also takes periodic IV curves of each module. The period is set by the user.
For example, the system can be setup to take curves once each hour.
An MT5 System consists of one MT5 Controller and one to four load units. An MT5
Controller operates the load units and also samples data from the temperature and
auxiliary input connections. A standard MT5 Controller has 24 temperature
(thermocouple) inputs and 8 Aux inputs. An MT5 Load Unit provides an electrical load
and data acquisition for up to 16 photovoltaic (PV) modules. The actual load
configurations are defined by the user when their MT5 is ordered.
The MT5 system is self-contained and once setup, the MT5 will collect and store data
internally without any other external equipment. The MT5 is a network device. This
means that it connects to an existing computer network via common Ethernet cables
and uses standard TCP/IP protocols.
A web browser provides the primary user interface for configuring and monitoring the
MT5 system. Currently, the MT5 system only supports the Mozilla Firefox browser. The
MT5 runs an internal web server. No special software is needed to interact with the MT.
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3. Setup
Basic setup of the MT5 System is straight forward and requires a few key steps:
1) Hardware Installation.
2) Establish a network connection.
3) Configure operating parameters.
Each of these is discussed, in detail, in the following sections
3.1. Hardware Installation
Follow these basic steps for proper installation:
1) Mount the MT5 Controller and Load Unit(s).
2) Connect AC power (but leave units turned off).
3) Connect MT5 Load unit(s) to MT5 Control Unit using provided cable.
4) Connect PV modules, temperature sensors, and other signals.
5) Power up the MT5 Load and Control units.
6) Allow approximately 2 minutes for the MT5 System to boot.
7) Test Network Connection.
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3.1.1. Mounting
Mount the MT5 Controller and Load units in standard 19-inch equipment rack or on a
stable surface. Each controller and load requires AC power and each load must connect
to the controller with a load control cable. See Appendix E - Specifications, for detailed
power requirements.
The load unit dissipates energy as warm air. Fans are mounted on the bottom of the
load unit. Make sure the airflow is not blocked. See the discussion of ventilation below
for more details. The cooling fans are relatively noisy when running at full power (up to
86 dB). Therefore, consider fan noise when locating the system.
3.1.2. AC Power
Both the MT5 Controller and Load units require AC power. Raydec strongly
recommends powering the MT5 Controller and Load units through an uninterruptible
power supply (UPS). The MT5 System includes an internal computer and, as with any
computer, clean and stable power helps to ensure trouble-free operation. In addition to
helping to prevent system damage, a UPS also reduces the possibility of losing data.
Each load unit requires an external electrical ground. Although the AC power cord
connects the Load unit chassis to AC power ground, this ground connection cannot
handle the potential worst-case ground-fault currents from the connected PV modules.
Therefore, additional grounding is used to ensure safe operation of the unit under worst-
case conditions. Figure 1, shows the grounding lug mounted on the MT5 Load units.
This lug accommodates wires from #4 to 1/0 AWG.
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Figure 1. Grounding lug.
Raydec recommends connecting the largest gauge wire possible in your installation
from this external ground point to earth ground. Note: That this external ground is not
needed for proper operation, nor is the unit unsafe without this connection. However,
this connection provides additional safety if the MT5 Load Unit experiences a
catastrophic failure requiring that all module currents be shunted to ground.
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3.1.3. Ventilation
The MT5 Load Units dissipate the electrical energy from the modules as heat in the
form of warm air. It is critical that the MT5 Load unit have adequate ventilation that
allows cool ambient air to enter the front and exit the back of the load unit with minimal
airflow restriction. Raydec recommends a minimum of 1 foot (12 “or 30 cm) of clearance
between the load fan intakes and exhaust, and surrounding surfaces.
Take care to avoid allowing the warm exhaust air to re-circulate to the fan intake. This
will cause the MT5 Load Unit to overheat requiring that it shutdown, and possibly
damage the unit.
Note: If operating the MT5 System inside an air conditioned area, the heat from the MT5
will add to the load on the air conditioning system. This will require the cooling system
work harder to remove this heat from the room. Or conversely, this heat will help warm
a room in winter months. The MT5 load dissipates all of the PV module power as warm
air, plus some small additional power from the load unit circuitry.
The MT5 Control unit dissipates little power and no special precautions or ventilation is
needed.
3.1.4. Connections
The MT5 has several specific connections and each is described below. The MT5
system comes with all the connectors needed. The manufacturer and part numbers of
each connector are listed in Appendix A.
Load Control
Each MT5 Control unit can control up to four MT5 Load Units. For a typical system with
one controller and one load, connect the load unit to the Load 1 port of the controller.
Use the 1-meter load control cable provided. Longer cables may be used if necessary.
Contact Raydec if you need a longer load control cable.
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PV Module Connections
The Multi-Tracer uses a 5-pin connector for each PV module input. The connector and
each pin function is shown in Figure 2.
Vsense +
Vsense -
PV -
GND
PV +
Figure 2. Multi-Tracer PV module input connector.
Depending on the size of the wires used, the module connector strain relief may be
attached in one of two positions as shown in Figure 3.
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Figure 3. Module connector strain relief options.
The Multi-Tracer supports grounding either the module negative or module positive
terminal. Therefore, each channel must be wired as a positive or negative ground
channel. Most modules are connected using negative grounding, and, by default, all
Multi-Tracer channels are configured this way unless positive grounding is specified by
the customer when the unit is ordered. Note: A simple wiring modification is required
inside the Multi-Tracer to convert the given channel from positive to negative grounding.
Please see the section 8 “Changing Module Grounding” for details.
The module connects to the Multi-Tracer in one of two ways, either the positive input
(PV+) and ground (GND) or to the negative input (PV-) and ground (GND). Never
connect a module to PV+ and PV- at the same time. No damage should result, but the
unit will not function properly.
The voltage sense lead is connected the same regardless of the grounding scheme.
While the diagrams below show the shield of the voltage sense cable connected to
ground at the Multi-Tracer, other shielding connections may perform better depending
on the specifics of the installation. Generally, it is better to connect a shield at one end
only.
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+ Voltage Sense
- Voltage Sense
+ PV
- PV
Ground
PV
Module
+
-
No Connection
Figure 4. Multi-Tracer PV module wiring for negative grounding.
+ Voltage Sense
- Voltage Sense
+ PV
- PV
Ground
PV
Module
+
-
No Connection
Figure 5. Multi-Tracer PV module wiring for positive grounding.
Four wires connect the PV module to the Multi-Tracer:
•Positive PV Power Lead (Large Gauge).
•Negative PV Power Lead (Large Gauge).
•Positive Voltage Sense Lead
•Negative Voltage Sense Lead
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Use a shielded-pair wire with a voltage rating greater than Voc of the PV module for the
voltage sense lead. Connect the shield of this cable to the GND pin of the Multi-Tracer
module connector or other suitable ground point. Connect the shield at one end only.
Keep the power leads as short as possible and use #10 AWG wire. This is the largest
wire that can be used with the Multi-Tracer connectors.
Wire Size and Voltage Drop
The MT Multi-Tracer loads operate in the first quadrant. This means that they only
dissipate power and only operate where the voltage is positive and the current is flowing
from the PV module into the Multi-Tracer. While the 4-wire module connection, with
separate voltage sense, eliminates any measurement error due to voltage drop along
the power wires, this voltage drop still exists.
Table 1 shows the approximate wire resistance for several gauges of wire. Note: The
largest wire the MT5 module connectors accommodate is #10 AWG. This is highlighted
in the wire table. The total wire length is the combined (or round-trip) distance of the
positive and negative module power leads.
As an example, the voltage drop at 10 A is shown. The significance of this voltage drop
is that it limits how close to a true short-circuit the PV module can operate.
For most applications, these voltages drops are insignificant as far as any discrepancy
between true short-circuit current and the minimum or near short-circuit current
measured by the Multi-Tracer.
Table 1. Module Wiring Resistance Chart.
Wire
Gauge
(AWG)
Res.
(mOhms/
Ft)
Resistance for
50 ft
(100 ft round trip)
(Ohms)
Voltage
Drop
@ 10 A
Res.
(mOhms/m)
Resistance for
15 m
(30 m round trip)
(Ohms)
Voltage
Drop
@ 10 A
#14
2.61
0.261
2.61
8.56
0.257
2.57
#12
1.64
0.164
1.64
5.38
0.161
1.61
#10
1.03
0.103
1.03
3.38
0.101
1.01
#8
0.65
0.065
0.65
2.13
0.064
0.64
#6
0.41
0.041
0.41
1.35
0.041
0.41
#4
0.26
0.026
0.26
0.85
0.026
0.26
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Table 1 shows wire sizes larger than #10 (the maximum that fits the MT5 Module
connectors). If #10 AWG wire is too small to avoid excessive voltages drops, larger wire
can be used by transitioning from the larger wire to a #10 wire near the Multi-Tracer
load unit. For example, by mounting a terminal block near the load unit.
Aux Input Connections
The Multi-Tracer uses a 3-pin connector for each auxiliary (Aux) input. These are
typically used for pyranometers but may be used for any DC voltage signal within the
input range of +/- 5V.
The connector and each pin function is shown in Figure 6.
Signal +(1)
Signal - (2)
GND/Shield (3)
Figure 6. Multi-Tracer Aux input connector.
Note: The Multi-Tracer makes a differential measurement between the signal positive
and negative inputs. However, this signal must be referenced to the Multi-Tracer ground
(GND). If the signal source (pyranometer) does not reference to ground, then add a
reference to ground at this connector. For example, place a jumper from signal negative
to the GND connection.
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Other referencing techniques may be more appropriate. For example, a resistance
rather than a direct shorting jumper. Different grounding schemes may have significant
impact on signal noise. If noise appears to be a problem, try alternate methods of
referencing the signal and alternate connections for the signal cable shield.
Thermocouple Connections
The MT5 Controller accepts standard mini-thermocouple plugs as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Type T Mini-thermocouple plug.
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Keyboard and Video Monitor
The MT5 control unit supports a keyboard and video monitor. A common USB type
computer keyboard can be connected to either of the two USB host ports on the front
panel of the MT5 control unit. A computer monitor can be connected to the video port.
This video port is a standard VGA analog video connector.
Figure 8. Video and USB Connections.
Use of the keyboard and monitor is optional and is only necessary for reconfiguring the
system as described in section 10 “System Expansion and Configuration” or as an
alternate user interface when changing network settings as described in section 6.1.1
“Network Change via Keyboard and Monitor.”
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3.1.5. Power Up
Once all AC power, control, module, and signal connection have been made, turn on
the AC power switches of both the load and control unit. The system takes
approximately 2 minutes to completely power up and boot. The Multi-Tracer will
automatically begin collecting data as soon as it completes its startup process.
3.1.6. Network
Interaction with the Multi-Tracer system requires a functioning network connection to the
unit. This network connection is the primary user interface to the unit. Please refer to the
section 6 “Network Connection” for details on setting up and testing the network
connection to the Multi-Tracer.
3.1.7. Setting the Time
The first thing to do after getting the MT5 system running and establishing a network
connection is to set the system date and time. This is done using the “Systems” menu in
the software as described in section 4.4.1 “Date & Time”. There are numerous other
user settings that affect how the data are collected. Refer to the following section “MT5
Configuration and Use” for details on all of the available settings.
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4. MT5 System Configuration and Use
The MT5 system automatically collects data any time it is turned on. However there are
parameters and settings that can be customized. The MT5 collects two forms of data;
performance data under load, and IV curves (see section 5 “Multi-Tracer Data”).
A web browser provides the Multi-Tracer user interface. Currently, Mozilla Firefox is the
only browser fully compatible with the MT5 system. All interface pages have a common
layout with menu selection tabs, as shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10. Each of these tab
menu items are discussed in the following sections.
Figure 9. Multi-Tracer real-time data page.
Figure 10. Menu selection tabs.
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The system supports two levels of access control “user” and “administrator”. Use the
“Admin” link, shown below, to go to the administrator .
Figure 11. Administrator Link.
See section 6.4 “Network Security, Usernames and Passwords” for details on users and
access control. The following descriptions assume no security access limits (the default
for new MT5 systems) or that administrator access is in use.
4.1. Real-Time Data Tab
The “Real-Time Data” tab is the main MT5 data page. It shows the latest measurements
updated once per second. This page only displays data and provides no other features.
Figure 12. Real-time data tables.
Table of contents
