WESTERN CO WRM15 dualB Dual Battery MPPT Charge Controller User Manual

June 15, 2024
WESTERN CO

WESTERN CO WRM15 dualB Dual Battery MPPT Charge Controller

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-
PRODUCT

Product Information

  • Specifications:
    • Model: WRM15 dualB / dualB-E
    • Type: Dual Battery MPPT Charge Controller Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) technology
    • Wide range of PV module voltage: VPAN Max 100V
    • Maximum PV module power: 250Wp for 12V batteries, 500Wp for 24V batteries
    • Compatible battery types: sealed or GEL, free acid, and lithium batteries
  • Temperature compensated charging voltage
    • Automatic recognition of 12V/24V battery
    • 18 load management programs
    • Modbus communication port on RS485
    • Wireless Bluetooth remote control and Android/iOS application
    • USB port for mobile phone charging
    • Battery reverse polarity protection
    • Low battery protection
    • Over-temperature protection
    • Overload protection
    • IP20 rating

Product Usage Instructions

  • Electrical Connection:
    • Install the WRM15 dualB/dualB-E in a dry and well-ventilated place. Mount it on a non-flammable surface and position it to allow at least 10 centimeters of clearance around the device for natural convection cooling.
    • Connect the device: Connect the PV module, battery, and load as shown in the figure below (Fig. 2). Use appropriate cable sections as indicated in the figure.
    • The WRM15 dualB/dualB-E will automatically recognize the battery’s nominal voltage and adjust its operating thresholds accordingly.
  • Connection Diagram:
    • USB port for charging a mobile phone or similar device.*
    • Port for connecting a Bluetooth wireless modem.
    • Dip switch for setting the address on the WBUS communication bus.*
    • Port for connecting the WBUS communication bus. Available only in the WRM15 dualB version.
  • FAQ:
    • Q: What is the maximum PV module voltage supported by the WRM15 dualB?
    • A: The WRM15 dualB supports a maximum PV module voltage of 100V.
    • Q: Can I charge my mobile phone using the USB port on the WRM15 dualB?
    • A: Yes, the USB port on the WRM15 dualB can be used to charge a mobile phone or similar device.
    • Q: Is the WRM15 dualB compatible with lithium batteries?
    • A: Yes, the WRM15 dualB is compatible with lithium batteries, as well as sealed or GEL and free acid batteries.

CHARGE CONTROLLER FOR DUAL BATTERY

PV CHARGE CONTROLLER FOR DUAL BATTERY
WRM15 dualB
with load output and USB port
WRM15 dualB-E

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
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WRM15 dualB is a device to charge up to two batteries from PV module.It is specially designed for application on boat or camper where there are two batteries: the first one is for feeding the on-board service and the other for starting the engine and engine services. WRM15 dualB normally gives priority to the battery 1 (on-board services) and then manages the battery 2 (starter). Battery 2 is still constantly monitored and, if its voltage drops below a certain minimum voltage level, it starts to charge. To guarantee the charge of both batteries without running the engine both during rest periods with passengers on board and during the parking period without people on board, it is advisable to size properly the PV module connected to the board system WRM15 dualB implements a charging circuit MPPT and step-down type, which guarantees the maximum power charging from the PV module with any module that has a maximum power voltage (Vmp) higher than the battery voltage and is within maximum voltage limits (Voc) under 100V. WRM15 dualB is monitored through an application installed on Android / iOS smartphone that connects via Bluetooth® to the device and allows to visualize the operating status and set some of its functionalities. Two versions of the controller are available, one called WRM15 dualB and WRM15 dualB-E, which differ because the dualB version also implements the load output and a USB port for charging smartphones, tablets or battery banks.

  • MPPT Technology (Maximum Power Point Tracker).
  • Dual battery management: Charging priority to the primary battery and then the secondary.
  • Wide range of PV module voltage: VPAN max 100V
  • Maximum PV module power: 250Wp for batteries at 12V and 500Wp for batteries at 24V.
  • Suitable for: GEL, sealed, lead acid and lithium-ion batteries.
  • Charging voltage compensated in temperature.
  • 12V / 24V battery voltage auto detection
  • 18 load management programs
  • Modbus on RS485 communication port (provided by Western CO. WBUS communication protocol)
  • Remote control wireless Bluetooth®and application Android/iOS.
  • USB port for the charge of the mobile phone.
  • Battery protection to prevent reverse polarity.
  • Low battery protection.
  • Overtemperature protection.
  • Overload protection.
  • IP20
    • only in WRM15 dual B versionWESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1 \(2\)

Installation overview

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
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Pic.1 Installation overview

  1. Blocking diode: prevents battery discharge to the PV module during the night, that is when the PV module has no voltage.
  2. Charging circuit with maximum power point track of the PV module.
  3. Diverter circuit that charges the primary battery (battery 1) or the secondary battery (battery 2).
  4. Output charging control circuit that is always powered exclusively by the primary battery (battery 1) available only in WRM15 dual B version

Electrical connection

  1. Install WRM15 dualB/dualB-E in a dry and adequately ventilated place. Fasten on a non-combustible surface and position so to leave a space without obstacles of at least 10 cm in the proximity of the device to allow cooling by natural air convection.
  2. Connect in the following order: the load , the sensor for measuring battery temperature (supplied), PV module and finally the primary battery (battery 1) as in pic. 2. At the connection of the battery the controller turns on and begins to operate. Use appropriate cable sections as indicated in pic.2. WRM15 dualB/dualB-E automatically recognizes the nominal battery voltage, and adapt its operating thresholds.
  3. Connect the secondary battery (battery 2). One flash of LED battery 2 indicates that the secondary battery has been recognized properly. If it does not, this means that the secondary battery is not recognized and will be never loaded. It is not compulsory to connect the secondary battery so, if not connected, the WRM15 dualB/dualB-E will load only the primary battery.
  4. Connect the Bluetooth® modem to the controller and test the connection through the application on smartphone.
  5. Set the management program for the appropriate load to the application using the Bluetooth® connection on a smartphone or tablet.

WIRING

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
\(5\)

Pic.2 Connection diagram

  1. USB port to charge a mobile phone or a similar device. *
  2. Port to connect wireless Bluetooth® modem.
  3. Dip switch to set address on the communication bus WBUS *
  4. Port to connect WBUS communication bus.
    • available only in version WRM15 dualB

Notifications

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
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Management of primary

Management of primary and secondary battery
On camper or boat electrical systems there are two batteries: one for the engine/starter and the other for on-boardservices when the vehicle is stationary with the engine off. The battery for services has to be connected to battery 1 (primary) of WRM15 dualB/dualB-E whereas the starter battery has to be connected on the input of battery 2 (secondary). WRM15 dualB/dualB-E monitors the voltage of both batteries and choose to load the one or the other in compliance of the logic showed in Pic. 3. If there aren’t alarm condition on battery 2 then will be loaded battery 1 first and in this case the voltage of battery 1 reaches the charging end (Veoc) maintained for a Tabs period. After that the load for battery 1 is deactivated and is maintained superior than VExitFloat voltage. On the contrary when the voltage of battery 1 goes below this threshold its load is reactivated. When the voltage of battery 2 goes below the AlertVBatt2 threshold, independently from the voltage of battery l,will be activated the charge on battery 2 up to the attainment of the charging end voltage (Veoc). Tabs, VExitFloat, AlertVBatt2 parameters are settable through Bluetooth interface.

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
\(7\)

Bluetooth® control

  • Through an Android or Apple portable device where is installed the APP named WRM Monitor available for free on Google Play or Apple Store, is possible to check the working status and set up some settings on WRM15 dualB/dualB-E.WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1 \(9\)WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1 \(10\)
  • Pic. 4 Bluetooth control

Parameters for battery

Parameters for battery 1:

Battery Type:

@12V @24V Description
Flood Flood Pb flood battery with charging end voltage (Veoc) compensated in

temperature as in the diagram of Pic. 6
Seal| Seal| Pb seal battery AGM/VRLA or GEL with charging end voltage (Veoc) compensated in temperature as in the diagram of Pic. 6
Lithium 14.0V| Lithium 24.0V| Lithium ion battery. Please check the manual of the battery used so to select the charging end voltage more appropriate. When selected the type of Lithium battery the charging end voltage (Veoc) is not compensated in temperature but is fixed to the selected value.

We recommend to use only Lithium-ion batteries with BMS (Battery Management System) integrated wiht nominal voltage 12.6V o 25.2V

The BMS of the ha sto ensure the equalization of the cells and the protection on the maximum voltage of charge and discharge.

Please contact Western CO. to chose the best lithium ion battery to be installed with the WRM15 dualB.

It is absolutely forbidden to connect WRM15 dualB to lithium batteries witout integrated BMS . As a matter of fact BMS protects the battery from conditions of anomalous working that might cause fire on the battery itself.

Lithium 14.1V| Lithium 24.2V
Lithium 14.2V| Lithium 24.4V
Lithium 14.3V| Lithium 24.6V
Lithium 14.4V| Lithium 24.8V
Lithium 14.5V| Lithium 25.0V
Lithium 14.6V| Lithium 25.2V
Lithium 14.7V| Lithium 25.4V

  • Low Battery Voltage: Protect the battery from deep discharge. Set the theresold of the battery voltage under which the WRM15 dualB disconnects the load. When the system work with batteries at 12V can be set the following parameters: from 10.8V to 12.5V. In case of battery at 24V can be set parameters from 21.6V to 25.0V.
  • *Low Battery Output Voltage:** Battery voltage above which the WRM15 dualB exit from the protection of battery discharge. At 12V can be set the following parameters from 12.7V to 13.7V. In case of battery at 24V can be set the following parameters from 25.4V to 27.4V.
  • Load Mode: Determine the program of the turning on of the load:
Always On Load always on both during the day and at night
[x] hour after sunset Load on from sunset for x hours where x can be settled

from 1 to 16.
On only at Night| Load on only at night
On only during the Day| Load on only during the day

  • Sunset Threshold PV Voltage: WRM15 dualB detects the day when the voltage of the PV module exceeds this threshold. Settable with the following values 2,0V , 3,28V 4,56V and 5,84V.

  • Absorption Time: Period of time during with primary battery remains at voltage charging end (Veoc). Passed this period, the primary battery is considered charged and then enter in the float status where the voltage charging end decreases at the value of 13.4V (26.8V @24V). when there is the secondary battery the float status is not carried out but the charge is commuted on the secondary battery.
    Absorption Time parameters can be settled from 1 to 8 hours.

  • Float Output Voltage: Once the primary battery is in float mode it exits from this status when it is under the threshold of Float Output Voltage.

  • Parameters for battery 2:

  • Battery Type: Set the typology of battery 2. Accept the same parameters settable for battery 1. Alert Battery Voltage: Is the alarm voltage on battery 2 under which WRM15 dualB/dualB-E starts the priority charge on the secondary battery.

Others:

Password: is possible to set a password to protect the access through application on smartphone. Once you’ve modified the default password (1234) of the WRM15 dualB/dualB-E with your smartphone and you try to access with another device, will be required to insert the password. In case of wrong keying in the connection WRM15 dualB/dualB-E do not admit the operation. This prevent from unauthorized access to your device. If by chance you forgot the password you’ve settled on the device and you’re unable to connect, you have to set againthe default password (1234). Once you connect to the device, when the is activated the page of request password, setall the switches ON (point 3 in Pic. 2) for at least 2 seconds. Then put them all on OFF position for at least 2 seconds and then put them again ON for another 2 seconds. At this point the WRM15 dualB/dualB-E has changed the password 1234. After that, insert it on the page of request password and you’ll have positive access to your device. available only in WRM15 dualB version

Dimensions

WESTERN-CO-WRM15-dualB-Dual-Battery-MPPT-Charge-Controller-FIG-1
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Electrical features

| | Nominal battery voltage 12V| Nominal battery voltage 24V
---|---|---|---
| | Min| Typ| Max| Min| Typ| Max
Battery voltage| Vbatt| 10V| | 17V| 20V| | 34V
Open circuit module voltage| Vpan| 20V| –| 100V| 40V| –| 100V
Module voltage| ipan| –| –| 15A| –| –| 15A
Maximum module power| Pmax| –| –| 250W| –| –| 500W
Load output voltage*| Vload| –| Battery

voltage

| –| –| Battery

voltage

| –
Load voltage| Iload| –| –| 15A| –| –| 15A
Charging voltage at 25 ° C SEAL program (default)| Vch| | 14.4V| | | 28.8V|
Charging voltage at 25 ° C program FLOOD| Vch| | 14.8V| | | 29.6V|
Charging voltage at 25 ° C program LEO| Vch| | 14.4V| | | 28.8V|
Charging voltage for Li program (
)| Vch| 14.0V| –| 14.7V| 28.0V| –| 29.4V
Compensation of Vch function of battery

temperature (Tbatt)

| Vtadj| –| -24 mV/°C| –| –| -48 mV/°C| –
Low battery voltage (adjustable)*| Vlb| 10.8V| 11.4V

(default)

| 12.2V| 21.6V| 22.8V

(default)

| 24.4V
Low battery output voltage| Vout_lb| 12.4V| 13.8V| 13.8V| 24.8V| 27.6V| 27.6V
Detection voltage during the day (adjustable)
| Vday| 2.4V| 4.8V

(default)

| 9.6V| 4.8V| 9.6V

(default)

| 19.2V
Detection voltage: VNIGHT Vday = -0.8V*| Vnight| 1.6V| –| 8.8V| 4.0V| –| 18.4V
Voltage for Float phase (Adjustable)| VFlt at 25 ° C| 13.2V| 13.4V

(default)

| 14.4V| 26.4V| 26.8V

(default)

| 28.8V
Phase Absorption Time (Adjustable)| TAbsorption| 1.0 h| 3.0 h

(default)

| 4.0 h| 1.0 h| 3.0 h

(default)

| 4.0 h
Self-consumption| isleep| | 12.7mA

(Vbat 14,0V)

| | | 17,7mA

(Vbat 28,0V)

|
Working temperature:| Tamb| -10°C| | 50 ° C| -10°C| | 50 ° C
Dissipated power| Pdiss| | | 20 W| | | 29 W
Section to terminals| | 1mm2| | 10mm2| 1mm2| | 10mm2
Protection degree| | | IP20| | | IP20|
Weight| | –| 515 g| –| –| 515 g| –

available only in WRM15 dualB version

Warranty

Western CO. Sr1 guarantees the good quality and good design of its own Products obliging itself, during the warranty period of 5 (five) years, to repair or replace at its sole discretion, for free, those defective parts owing to poor quality of material or defect in workmanship. The defective product must be returned to Western CO. Sr1 or to the company delegated by Western CO. to make product support, at customer’s expenses, together with a copy of the invoice both for repairing and warranty  replacement. The costs of re-installation of the equipment will be borne by the customer.Western CO. Sr1 will bear the transport expenses of the repaired or replaced product. The warranty does not cover Products that, according to our discretion, are defective due to natural wear, showing damages caused by incompetence or negligence of the customer, imperfect installation, by tampering or other interventions different by the instructions supplied by us. The warranty is not valid also in case of damages coming from:

  • transport and/or incorrect storage of the product.
  • force majeure or catastrophic events (frost to temperatures below -20 0 C, fire, flood, lightning, vandalism, and so on).

All of the abovementioned guarantees are the sole and exclusive agreement which supersedes any proposal or agreement, oral or written, and any other communication made between the manufacturer and the purchaser in respect of the above. For any dispute the jurisdiction is Ascoli Piceno.

Waste disposal

Western CO. as manufacturer of the electrical device herein described and in accordance with DL 07/25/2005 n 151, informs the consumer that this product, once abandoned, must be delivered to an authorized collection centre or, in case of purchase of an equivalent equipment, it can be returned free of charge to the distributor of the new equipment. The penalties will be applied by individual Municipalities.

CONTACT

  • WESTERN CO. Srl
  • Via Pasubio, 1
  • 63074 San Benedetto del Tronto (AP)
  • phone: (+39) 0735 751248 fax: (+39) 0735 751254
  • e-mail: info@western.it.
  • web: www.western.it.
  • WESTERN CO. S.r.l.
  • Via Pasubio, 1 – 63074 San Benedetto del Tronto (AP)
  • Tel. +39 0735 751248 –
  • Fax + 39 0735 751254
  • info@western.it.
  • www.western.it.

This document is the property of WESTERN CO. Srl – All rights are reserved – Reproduction and use of information contained within this document is forbidden without the written consent of WESTERN CO. Srl. Copyright © 2018 – Western CO. Srl

References

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