Samlexpower MSK-10A User manual

Solar
Charge
Controller
MSK-10A
Please read this
manual BEFORE
using your
Charge
Controller
Owner's
Manual

2 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC.
OWNER'S MANUAL | Index
SECTION 1
Safety Instructions................................................................. 3
SECTION 2
General Information, Features & Layout ............................... 5
SECTION 3
Installation ........................................................................... 7
SECTION 4
Operation ........................................................................ 13
SECTION 5
Protections & Troubleshooting ........................................... 22
SECTION 6
Specications ...................................................................... 26
SECTION 7
Warranty ........................................................................ 28

2 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC. SAMLEX AMERICA INC. | 3
SECTION 1 | Safety Instructions
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THE CHARGE CONTROLLER.
FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY / DAMAGE TO THE
CONTROLLER.
The following safety symbols will be used in this manual to highlight safety
and information:
WARNING!
Indicates possibility of physical harm to the user in case of non-compliance.
!CAUTION!
Indicates possibility of damage to the equipment in case of non-compliance.
i
INFO
Indicates useful supplemental information.
WARNINGS !CAUTIONS!
1. This Charge Controller is not waterproof (Ingress Protection Rating is IP-30). PLEASE
ENSURE THAT THE UNIT IS INSTALLED IN DRY, COOL AND WELL VENTILATED ENVI-
RONMENT.
2. Ground the Negative of the battery as follows:
• to Earth Ground in shore installations
• to Chassis Ground in Negative grounded mobile installations
3. There are no user serviceable parts inside the controller. Do not disassemble or
attempt to repair it.
4. Install external fuses / breakers as required.
5. Disconnect the PV Panel(s) and fuse / breakers near to battery before installing or
adjusting the controller.
6. Conrm that power connections are tightened to avoid excessive heating from
loose connection.
7. The charge controller has been set to optimally charge 12V / 24V Lead Acid
Batteries (Sealed/AGM)
8. Comply with battery manufacturer’s recommendations.
9. Avoid charging damaged, defective or old battery.
10. Ensure correct polarity is maintained when connecting the Charge Controller to the
battery - Connect the Positive output terminal to the Positive Battery Post and the
Negative output terminal to the Negative Battery Post.
11. When charging, removal of the battery from the vehicle is not necessary provided
the battery is being charged in a well-ventilated area.

4 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC.
SECTION 1 | Safety Instructions
12. Batteries contain very corrosive diluted Sulphuric Acid as electrolyte. Precautions
should be taken to prevent contact with skin, eyes or clothing. If battery acid
makes contact with skin or clothing, ush immediately with water. See a doctor
immediately.
13. Batteries generate Hydrogen and Oxygen during charging resulting in evolution of
explosive gas mixture in non-sealed batteries. Care should be taken to ventilate the
battery area when non-sealed batteries are used and follow battery manufacturer’s
recommendations.
14. Ensure there are no ammable substances, explosive gases, ames, smoke or spark
near the battery or the PV Panel(s).
15. Use caution to reduce the risk of dropping a metal tool on the battery. It could
spark or short circuit the battery or other electrical parts and could cause an
explosion.
16. Remove metal items like rings, bracelets and watches when working with batteries.
Batteries can produce a short circuit current high enough to weld a ring or the like
to metal and thus cause a severe burn.
17. If you need to remove a battery, always remove the ground terminal from the bat-
tery rst. Make sure that all the accessories are off so that you do not cause a spark.
18. PV Panel(s) generate electrical power when exposed to sunlight. Place a dark cover
over the panels when handling panels that have bare, un-insulated output wires.
Accidental shorting of panel terminals or wiring connected to the panels can result
in spark causing personal injury or a re hazard.
19. It is important that the battery gets fully charged frequently (at least once per
week). Otherwise, the battery can become permanently damaged due to under
charging. Partially charged batteries can quickly sulfate internally which is an ir-
reversible condition. It is good practice to prevent a battery from being discharged
below 50%. Deeper discharging severely shortens battery life.
20. Keep the surface of PV Panel(s) clean from dust. Clean with a soft cloth. Do not
walk on the panels.
21. Installation and wiring must comply with the local and National Electrical Codes
and must be done by a certied electrician.

4 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC. SAMLEX AMERICA INC. | 5
SECTION 2 | General Information, Features
& Layout
2.1 GENERAL INFORMATION
MSK-10A is a 10A rated, Series Type of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) Charge Control-
ler. It is based on an advanced design using a microcontroller for digital accuracy and
fully automatic operation. It can be used for 12V or 24V battery systems.
2.2 FEATURES
- Advanced microcontroller based, high performance design for digital accuracy and fully
automatic and intelligent operation
- Series Type PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) charging for low loss, higher efciency
charging and longer battery life
- Up to 50V Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) and up to 10A Short Circuit Current (Isc) of PV
Panel(s) - enables use of up to 150W of 12V Nominal panels for 12V battery and up to
300W, 24V Nominal panels for 24V Nominal battery.
- Dual voltage capability – can be used with 12V / 24V Nominal PV Panel(s) / batteries. 12V /
24V Nominal Battery System is detected automatically: Battery voltage < 18V is detected as
12V Nominal battery and >18V is detected as 24V Nominal battery
- 4 stages of charging for 100% return of capacity and for longer battery life
• Normal: Bulk Stage gAbsorption Stage gFloat Stage
• Once every 28 days or, if battery voltage drops to 11.1/22.2V: Bulk Stage gEqualization
Stage gFloat Stage
- Set for charging sealed/AGM Lead Acid Battery
- User friendly LED display for monitoring of operation and self diagnostics for
troubleshooting
- Integrated or optional external Temperature Sensor for temperature compensation to
ensure improved charging of batteries that experience wider temperature variations
during the year
- MOSFET based reverse current blocking for night-time battery discharge prevention. This
allows much lower losses as compared to Diode based blocking
- Protections: (i) PV over current (ii) PV short circuit (iii) PV reverse polarity (iv) PV over
voltage (v) High voltage transients on PV input (vi) Battery reverse polarity (vii) Battery
over voltage (viii) Battery over discharge (ix) Controller / battery overtemperature (x) Over
voltage, overload and short circuit protections on Load Terminals
2.3 APPLICATIONS
- Recreational / Service Vehicles
- Off grid
- Portable Charging Kits
- Boats and marine crafts
- Field work / mobile ofces
- Telecommunications

6 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC.
2.4 LAYOUT
LEGEND FOR FIG 2.1
Item No. Description Item No. Description
1 PV Status LED 6A Battery Terminal (+)
2 Battery Status LED 6B Battery Terminal (–)
3 Load Status LED 7A Load Terminal (+)
4 Load On/Off Button
Also used for clearing fault 7B Load Terminal (–)
5A PV Input Terminal (+) 8 *Connector for optional remote
battery temperature sensor
"MSK-TS"
5B PV Input Terminal (–) 9 RS-485 Communication Port
(NOT USED)
* If the temperature sensor is short-circuited or damaged, the controller will charge or
discharge at the default temperature setting of 25°C.
SECTION 2 | General Information, Features
& Layout
1 2 3
4
5A
5A
5B
5B
6A
6A
6B
6B
7A
7A
7B
7B
98
Fig 2.1: Layout of Charge Controller MSK-10A

6 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC. SAMLEX AMERICA INC. | 7
SECTION 3 | Installation
3.1 SAFETY
WARNING! !CAUTION!
PLEASE READ ALL THE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN IN SECTION 1 BEFORE
INSTALLING AND OPERATING THE CONTROLLER. FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THE
RECOMMENDATIONS MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY / DAMAGE TO THE KIT.
DO NOT USE THE UNIT IN WET ENVIRONMENT
• Please note that this unit is not waterproof (its Ingress Protection Rating is
IP-30). Hence, please ensure that the unit is installed in dry environment.
GROUNDING
• Ground the Negative terminal of the battery to Earth Ground in shore
installation and to the Chassis Ground in Negative grounded mobile
installations.
BATTERY TYPES
• The unit has been set to optimally charge 12/24V, sealed (AGM) Lead Acid
Batteries
MISE EN GARDE! !ATTENTION!
VEUILLEZ LIRE TOUTES LES INSTRUCTIONS DE SÉCURITÉ DONNÉES DANS LA
SECTION 1 AVANT D'INSTALLER ET D'UTILISER LE CONTRÔLEUR. NON-RESPECT
DE LA LES RECOMMANDATIONS PEUVENT PROVOQUER DES BLESSURES OU
ENDOMMAGER LE KIT.
N'UTILISEZ PAS L'APPAREIL DANS UN ENVIRONNEMENT HUMIDE
• Veuillez noter que cet appareil n'est pas étanche (son indice de protection
d'entrée est ip-30). Par conséquent, veuillez vous assurer que l'unité est installée
dans un environnement sec.
MISE À LA TERRE
• Mettez à la terre la borne négative de la batterie à la terre à la terre dans
l'installation à terre et à la masse du châssis dans les installations mobiles à la
terre négative.
TYPES DE BATTERIE
• L'unité a été réglée pour charger de manière optimale des batteries au plomb
scellées (AGM) de 12/24V

8 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC.
SECTION 3 | Installation
3.2 DIMENSIONAL DRAWING
Dimensional drawing is given at Fig 3.1 below:
126
+ – + – + –
Height: 37
NOTE: All dimensions are in mm
69.3
6
138.6
Mounting Hole: 4.3 mm
Terminals: 4 mm2
4.3
34.65
Fig 3.1: Dimensional Drawing of Charge Controller MSK-10A
3.3 MOUNTING
Refer to Fig 3.2
When mounting the controller, ensure free air through the ventilation slots at the
bottom of the unit. There should be at least 6 inches (150 mm) of clearance above
and below the controller to allow for cooling. If mounted in an enclosure, forced air
ventilation is highly recommended.
WARNING!
RISK OF EXPLOSION! NEVER INSTALL THE CONTROLLER IN A SEALED ENCLO-
SURE WITH FLOODED BATTERIES! DO NOT INSTALL IN A CONFINED AREA
WHERE BATTERY GASSES CAN ACCUMULATE.
MISE EN GARDE!
RISQUE D'EXPLOSION! N'INSTALLEZ JAMAIS LE CONTRÔLEUR DANS UN
BOÎTIER SCELLÉ AVEC DES BATTERIES INONDÉES! NE PAS INSTALLER DANS
UNE ZONE CONFINÉE OÙ DES GAZ DE BATTERIE PEUVENT S'ACCUMULER.

8 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC. SAMLEX AMERICA INC. | 9
3.3.1 Step 1: Choose Mounting Location
Locate the controller in area protected from direct sun, high temperature, and water.
Make sure there is good ventilation.
3.3.2 Step 2: Check For Clearance
Place the controller in the location where it will be mounted. Verify that there is suf-
cient room to run wires and that there is sufcient room above and below the controller
for airow.
3.3.3 Step 3: Mark Holes
Use a pencil or pen to mark the 2 mounting hole locations on the mounting surface,
(Refer to the dimensional drawing in Fig 3.1)
3.3.4 Step 4: Drill Holes
Remove the controller and drill 2 holes in the marked locations. Use drill size #29 for #8
self tapping screws.
3.3.5 Step 5: Secure Controller
Place the controller on the surface and align the mounting holes with the drilled holes
in Step 3.3.4. Secure the controller in place using 2, #8 self tapping screws.
3.4 CONNECTIONS
+
12V/24V
Battery
12V/24VDC
Load (<10A)
e.g. Light
Light Switch “S1”
rated for 10A
Ground the Negative Terminal
of the battery as follows, if required by code:
• Ground to Earth Ground in shore installations
• Ground to Chassis Ground in Negative Grounded
mobile installations
12V/24V
Inverter Optional
Temp
Sensor
MSK-TS
120 VAC
Fuse F2 Fuse
F1
(15A)
Solar Panel
or Array
MSK-10A
+ –
NOTE: Maximum current on the Load
Terminals should be limited to 10A
Fig 3.2: Wiring Diagram
SECTION 3 | Installation

10 | SAMLEX AMERICA INC.
SECTION 3 | Installation
3.4.1 Step1: Battery Connection
WARNING!
RISK OF EXPLOSION OR FIRE! NEVER SHORT CIRCUIT BATTERY POSITIVE (+)
AND NEGATIVE (-).
MISE EN GARDE!
RISQUE D'EXPLOSION OU D'INCENDIE! NE COURT-CIRCUITEZ JAMAIS LA
BATTERIE POSITIF (+) ET NÉGATIF (-).
Refer to Fig 3.2
Before the battery is connected, make sure that battery voltage is greater than 8V so
as to start up the controller. If the battery system voltage is 24V, make sure the battery
voltage is not less than 18V to ensure that battery system voltage is correctly sensed as
24V (auto sensing feature for battery system voltage will erroneously sense voltage <
18V as 12V battery system). Battery system voltage will be sensed automatically when
the controller starts up for the rst time. 15A fuse "F1" is used to protect the cable run
from the battery to the charge controller against short circuit. Install the fuse not more
than 7" from the battery Positive terminal. Do not insert the fuse at this time.
3.4.2 Step 2: Load Connection through Load Terminals (Limited to 10A)
Refer to Fig 3.2
The Load Terminals of the controller can be connected to such electrical devices as lights
and other devices with load current of up to 10A. Controller provides power to the
load(s) through the battery.
When load(s) are fed from the Load Terminals, the controller will provide the following
protections on the load side:
Protect the battery as follows:
- Battery Low Voltage Alarm (≤12V/24V): Battery Status LED (2, Fig 2.1) will be steady OR-
ANGE. Output will still be available at Load Terminals. This condition will be auto reset at
12.2 / 24.4V
WARNING!
CURRENT OUTPUT ON THE LOAD TERMINALS IS LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM
OF 10A. IF HEAVIER LOADS DRAWING MORE THAN 10A LIKE INVERTER ETC.
ARE REQUIRED TO BE POWERED, CONNECT THEM DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY
THROUGH APPROPRIATE FUSE "F2" THAT SHOULD MATCH THE DC INPUT CUR-
RENT OF THE INVERTER. THIS FUSE SHOULD ALSO BE INSTALLED WITHIN 7" OF
THE BATTERY (+) TERMINAL.