Need help with Morningstar MPPT CC setting switches

[BigT]

My Morningstar SS-MPPT-15L charge controller has four little switches on it for setting it up: Battery Type, Load Control, Auto-Equalization, and Communication-Meter.  

Unfortunately, I don't know what most of this means.  

Battery Type looks pretty straight forward: Switch #1 turned On and jumper removed (ON).

The others, however, are a bit of a mystery to me.  

#2:  "Low Voltage Disconnect / Reconnect.  Switch Off: LVD = 11.50V, LVR = 12.60V.  Switch On: LVD = 11.00V, LVR = 12.10V  (???).

#3: Auto-Equalization. The "ON" setting shows (AGM/flooded battery type only), so this looks pretty straight forward.  (ON).  

#4: Communication-Meter / MODBUS.  When they say "Morningstar Remote Meter, does the remote temp sensor count, or are they referring only to the optional, digital remote meter (RM-1)?  It looks like I'd also need a special PC adapter if I turned #4 to the "ON" position.  It also mentions "3rd party devices" (a laptop?), which doesn't sound like it applies to me, so this too seems pretty self-explanatory.  (OFF?)

I'm running a single, 12V Northstar Group 24 AGM, mounted under the hood and connected to the van's alternator.  

 

[MikeRuth]

Ok here ya go,
First on the Battery type you didn't mention what you have but set it as shown in the diagram by either using or not the jumper and setting the switch, Indeed this is an easy one.

Second the Load control or low Voltage disconnect and reconnect values. You don't need to set these different than factory as long as you not connecting a load to the CC it'self. Most folks draw there load directly from the battery. But if for expample you had a light connected to the load terminal and that drew down the battery to less than the LVD then it disconnect the light until the battery voltage was brought back up to the LVR reconnect setting. Simple

Third If your using a Lead Acid flooded battery then yes auto EQ can be turned on, if I recall right these perform that once a month. Sealed and AGM's I believe this should be off.

Fourth the morning-star units use a custom BUS for the CC and a meter to talk to each other, it has nothing to do with the remote battery monitor.
the Switch changes the RJ-45 Jack into a serial bus Jack and then a special adapter that MorningStar sells is used to convert it to a serial adapter.

Hope that clears it up

 

[BigT]

Ok here ya go,

Hope that clears it up

Uhm, well, no, not really.  In fact I'm even more confused now..   :huh:  Thanks, though.  

I'm running a 12V Northstar Group 24 AGM.  

#1 looks pretty straight forward: Switch in the ON position and jumper removed.

#2?  Not so straight forward as I don't know what my factory LVD/LVR is to start with.  If I did, I imagine this too would be a no-brainer.  

#3 (& I don't mean to argue) The manual says ON, and in parentheses, "AGM, flooded type only" (see attached photo above).  

#4 Most of the things you listed are Greek to me.  Reading the manual again (and again) I don't see a switch position that applies to me at all.  

In grade school my reading comprehension was college level, but now that I'm almost 50, it seems to have reversed, leaving me with grade school reading skills. 

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Many charge controllers have the capability to power a separate load directly while also charging a battery.  Something like that is used to run , say, a water pump to keep a cattle watering trough way out in the middle of nowhere filled.  They want it so it only runs when the sun is shining.  In cases like that, the Low Voltage Disconnect and Low Voltage Reconnect will discontinue sending power to the direct load whenever the battery voltage drops down to a preset point (in order to send ALL the power to the battery)  and it will not start sending power back to the direct load until the batter state of charge goes back up to the Low Voltage Reconnect point. 

We don't USE that feature on our rigs, so you can just ignore that setting.  Doesn't matter which one is the default.  It only affects the Direct Load terminals.

As for the direction concerning auto equalization, I agree that it ain't all that clear.  I suspect it's a translation problem.  Reminds me of a manual that came with a Yamaha motorcycle I once owned.  It was obvious that somebody had translated the manual from Japanese into Turkish, or something, and then somebody else had translated the Turkish into UK English.  I mean, who "decarbonizes" their muffler?

Anyway, all you need to know is that AGM batteries are NEVER equalized, and you don't want your charge controller to do it automatically for you every 28 days.  So turn auto equalization OFF.

Really, all you need to do is tell your controller that you have an AGM battery, via the jumper and Switch 1.

Regards
John

 

[highdesertranger]

actually if your muffler is also a spark arrestor you must decarbonize it according to manufacturers spec. on all small engines that have a spark arrestor this must be done. we do this service to our Honda generator that we pump water with twice a year. so I know it sounds funny but there is truth to the statement. I also do it to my quads once a year. highdesertranger

 

[BigT]

So the Communication-meter (#4 switch) is an either/or choice too?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

So the Communication-meter (#4 switch) is an either/or choice too?

The switch is set one way to use the Morningstar RM1 Remote Meter, and set the other way to send data to a laptop.  If you're not doing either, it doesn't matter which setting is used.

Regards
John