DOMETIC SC480 Solar Charge Controller User Manual

DOMETIC SC480 Solar Charge Controller

Copyright
© 2023 Dometic Group. The visual appearance of the contents of this manual is protected by copyright and design law. The underlying technical design and the products contained herein may be protected by design, patent or pending patent. The trademarks mentioned in this manual belong to Dometic Sweden AB. All rights are reserved.

Important notes

Please read these instructions carefully and follow all instructions, guidelines, and warnings included in this product manual to ensure that you install, use, and maintain the product properly at all times. These instructions MUST stay with this product. By using the product, you hereby confirm that you have read all instructions, guidelines, and warnings carefully and that you understand and agree to abide by the terms and conditions as set forth herein. You agree to use this product only for the intended purpose and application and by the instructions, guidelines, and warnings as outlined in this product manual as well as by all applicable laws and regulations. A failure to read and follow the instructions and warnings set forth herein may result in an injury to yourself and others, damage to your product or damage to other property in the vicinity. This product manual, including the instructions, guidelines, and warnings, and related documentation, may be subject to changes and updates. For up-to-date product information, please visit documents.dometic.com.

Explanation of symbols

• DANGER! Indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.
• WARNING! Indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
• CAUTION! Indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.
• NOTICE! Indicates a situation that, if not avoided, can result in property damage.

General safety instructions

Also, observe the safety instructions and stipulations issued by the vehicle manufacturer and authorized workshops.

WARNING! Electrocution hazard.

• Installation and removal of the device may only be carried out by qualified personnel.
• Do not operate the device if it is visibly damaged.
• If this device’s power cable is damaged, the power cable must be replaced in order to prevent safety hazards.
• This device may only be repaired by qualified personnel. Improper repairs can lead to considerable hazards.
• If you disassemble the device: Detach all connections. Ensure that no voltage is present on any of the inputs and outputs.
• Do not use the device in wet conditions or submerge in any liquid. Store in a dry place.
• Only use accessories that are recommended by the manufacturer.
• Do not modify or adapt any of the components in any way.
• Disconnect the device from the power supply:
  • Before each cleaning and maintenance
  • After use
  • Before changing a fuse
  • Before carrying out electrical welding work or work on the electrical system

WARNING! Health hazard

• This device can be used by children aged from 8 years and above and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the device in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.
• Electrical devices are not toys. Always keep and use the device out of the reach of very young children.
• Children must be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the device.
• Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children without supervision.

NOTICE! Damage hazard

• Before start-up, check that the voltage specification on the data plate is the same as that of the power supply.
• Ensure that other objects cannot cause a short circuit at the contacts of the device.
• Ensure that the negative and positive poles never come into contact.

Installing the device safely
DANGER! Explosion hazard
Never mount the device in areas where there is a risk of gas or dust explosion.

WARNING! Risk of injury

• The device must be mounted and fastened in such a way that it cannot fall down.
• When positioning the device, ensure that all cables are suitably secured to avoid any form of trip hazard.

NOTICE! Damage hazard

• Do not place the device near heat sources (heaters, direct sunlight, gas ovens, etc.).
• Mount the device in a dry location where it is protected against splashing water.

Safety when connecting the device electrically

• DANGER! Electrocution hazard
  If you are working on electrical systems, ensure that there is somebody close at hand who can help you in emergencies.

• WARNING! Electrocution hazard

  • Observe the recommended cable cross-sections.
  • Lay the cables so that they cannot be damaged by the doors or the hood. Crushed cables can lead to serious injury.

• NOTICE! Damage hazard

  • Use ductwork or cable ducts if it is necessary to lay cables through metal panels or other panels with sharp edges.
  • Do not lay the cable so that it is loose or heavily kinked.
  • Fasten the cables securely.
  • Do not pull on the cables.

Operating the device safely

• WARNING! Explosion hazard
  • Only use the device in closed, well-ventilated rooms.
  • Do not operate the device under the following conditions:
  • In salty, wet or damp environments
  • In the vicinity of corrosive fumes
  • In the vicinity of combustible materials
  • In areas where there is a danger of explosions
• WARNING! Electrocution hazard
  • Observe that parts of the device may still conduct voltage even if the fuse has blown.
  • Do not disconnect any cables when the device is still in use.
• NOTICE! Damage hazard
  • Ensure that the air inlets and outlets of the device are not covered.
  • Ensure a good ventilation.
  • The device shall not be exposed to rain.

Safety precautions when handling batteries

• WARNING! Risk of injury
  • Batteries contain aggressive and caustic acids. Avoid battery fluid coming into contact with your body. If your skin does come into contact with battery fluid, wash that part of your body thoroughly with water. If you sustain any injuries from acids, contact a doctor immediately.
  • When working on batteries, do not wear any metal objects such as watches or rings. Lead acid bat-teries can cause short circuits that can cause serious injuries.
  • Only use insulated tools.
  • Wear goggles and protective clothing when working on batteries. Do not touch your eyes when working on batteries.
• CAUTION! Explosion hazard
  • Never attempt to charge a frozen or defective battery. Place the battery in a frost-free area and wait until the battery has acclimatized to the ambient temperature. Then start the charging process.
  • Do not smoke, use an open flame, or cause sparking near the engine or a battery.
• NOTICE! Damage hazard
  • Only use rechargeable batteries.
  • Prevent any metal parts from falling on the battery. This can cause sparks or short-circuit the battery and other electrical parts.
  • Ensure that the polarity is correct when connecting the battery.
  • Follow the instructions of the battery manufacturer and those of the manufacturer of the system or vehicle in which the battery is used.
  • If the battery has to be removed, first disconnect the ground connection. Disconnect all connec-tions and all consumers from the battery before removing it.
  • Only store fully charged batteries. Recharge stored batteries regularly.
  • Do not carry the battery by its terminals.

Safety precautions when handling lithium batteries

• CAUTION! Risk of injury
  Only use batteries with integrated battery management system and cell balancing.

• NOTICE! Damage hazard

  • Only install the battery in environments with an ambient temperature of at least 0 °C.
  • Avoid deep discharge of the batteries.

Safety precautions when handling lead acid batteries

• CAUTION! Health hazard
  The water-acid liquid inside the battery can evaporate and cause an acidic odor. Use the battery only in a well-ventilated area.

• NOTICE! Damage hazard

  • The battery is not sealed. Do not turn the battery on its side or upside down. Place the battery on a horizontal surface.
  • Check the acid level for open lead acid batteries regularly.
  • Immediately recharge deeply discharged lead acid batteries to avoid sulfation.

Target Group
The electrical power supply must be connected by a qualified electrician who has demonstrated skill and knowledge related to the construction and operation of electrical equipment and installations, and who is familiar with the applicable regulations of the country in which the equipment is to be installed and/or used, and has received safety training to identify and avoid the hazards involved.

Scope of delivery

Accessories

Intended use

The solar charge controller is intended to ensure the correct charging voltage of the house battery when being charged by solar panels using microprocessor controlled IU0U charging programs and to protect the battery against over voltage and deep discharge.

Additionally the solar charge controller secures a sufficient state of charge of the starting battery to ensure the start-ing of the engine. The solar charge controller is only suitable for controlling solar modules. The solar charge controller is not suitable for controlling other charging sources. The solar charge controller is intended for charging the following battery types:

• Lead acid batteries
• Lead gel batteries
• Absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries
• LiFePO4 batteries

The solar charge controller is not intended for charging other types of batteries (e.g., NiCd, NiMH, etc.). The solar charge controller is suitable for:

• Installation in recreational vehicles
• Stationary or mobile use
• Indoor use

The solar charge controller is not suitable for:

• Mains operation
• Outdoor use

The energy output of connected solar panels must not exceed the maximum output stated in the technical data. This product is only suitable for the intended purpose and application in accordance with these instructions. This manual provides information that is necessary for proper installation and/or operation of the product. Poor in-stallation and/or improper operating or maintenance will result in unsatisfactory performance and a possible failure.
The manufacturer accepts no liability for any injury or damage to the product resulting from:

• Incorrect assembly or connection, including excess voltage
• Incorrect maintenance or use of spare parts other than original spare parts provided by the manufacturer
• Alterations to the product without express permission from the manufacturer
• Use for purposes other than those described in this manual

Dometic reserves the right to change product appearance and product specifications.

Technical description

General description
The solar charge controller offers the following functions:

• Microprocessor-controlled, temperature-compensated IUOU charging programs for various battery types
• Maximum power peak tracking (MPPT)
• Bluetooth connection for data and function display on the mobile app

The solar charge controller has the following protective mechanisms:

• High voltage protection
• Low voltage protection
• High temperature protection
• Low temperature protection (only LiFePO4 batteries with connected temperature sensor)
• Battery overcharge protection (only with connected temperature sensor)
• Reverse current protection
• Short circuit protection
• Reverse polarity protection for solar panel inputs

The temperature sensor monitors the battery temperature during the charging process to control and adjust the charging voltage accordingly. The solar charge controller can be adapted to different battery types of the house battery via DIP switches. Optionally the TD283 touch display (accessory) can be connected for displaying external data and the progress of the charging process.

Connections and controls
Table 1: Connections and controls

LED indicators
Table 2: LED indicators

Battery charging function
A main charging cycle of the house battery is initiated after the house battery voltage has fallen below the reset voltage.
A main charging cycle of the starting battery is initiated in the following events:

• After falling below the low reset voltage of the starting battery (charging phase of the house battery is not con-sidered).
• After falling below the reset voltage of the starting battery when the house battery is in trickle charging phase (Float).

1. Pulse
   With a voltage between 8 and 10.5 V, a reduced current will be delivered every 5 s (timeout 4 h).

2. Reconditioning phase
   With a voltage between 10.5 V and 12 V, a reduced current will be delivered (timeout 8 h).

3. Constant current phase (Bulk)
   House battery (B1): With a voltage between 12 V and U1 (maximum voltage of the selected charging curve), the maximum current will be delivered. The maximum delivered current is dependent on the power of the installed solar panels (Wp) and the solar charge controller used:

   • SC330: 20 A
   • SC480: 30 A
   • Starting battery (B2): With a voltage between 12 V and 14.2 V, a maximum current of a 10 A will be delivered.

4. Constant voltage phase (Absorption)
   House battery (B1): With a voltage equal to U1 (maximum voltage of the selected charging curve) a constant volt-age equal U1 will be delivered. The delivered current will decrease as the battery state of charge (SoC) increases. The constant voltage phase is limited depending on the charging program selected (see chapter Setting the charg ing program on page 19).
   Starting battery (B2): A constant voltage of 14.2 V will be delivered for 15 min.

5. Desulfation
   NOTE Only for AGM2 batteries if the charging program is selected (see chapter Setting the charging pro gram on page 19).
   House battery (B1): The current pulses while the battery voltage rises to U3 to remove sulfate from the lead plates of the battery and restore battery capacity. This phase ends after U3 is reached (timeout 2 h).

6. Trickle charging phase (Float)
   House battery (B1): The trickle charging phase keeps a constant voltage (U2) related to the selected charging curve. As soon as the battery voltage has dropped to a certain value the device re-enters the constant current phase.

7. Temperature sensor

  * With the temperature sensor connected the solar charge controller adapts the charging voltage (for lead batteries) or the charging current (for LiFePO4 batteries) according to the measured temperature at the battery.
  *  **For lead batteries:** Without the temperature sensor connected or if the temperature sensor is defective, the charg-ing voltage is referenced to 20 °C.
  *  **For LiFePO4 batteries:** Without the temperature sensor connected, the solar charge controller does not work.

Installation

Installation location
Observe the following instructions when selecting an installation location:

• Install the device close to the batteries to keep the battery connection cable as short as possible.
• Ensure that the mounting surface is solid and level.
• Choose a location that is well-ventilated and protected from moisture and dust.
• Keep a distance of 10 cm to all sides around the device.

Mounting the solar charge controller
NOTICE! Damage hazard
Before drilling any holes, ensure that no electrical cables or other parts of the vehicle can be damaged by drilling, sawing, or filing.

• Mount the solar charge controller with the 4 screws provided vertically on a wall with the terminals pointing down.

Connecting the solar charge controller

• WARNING! Electrocution hazard

  • Completely cover all solar panels with an opaque material during installation to prevent electricity from being generated.
  • Observe the recommended cable cross sections, cable lengths, and fuse.

• CAUTION! Fire hazard
  Place the fuses near the batteries to protect the cables from short circuits and possible burning.

• NOTICE! Damage hazard

  • Do not reverse the polarity.
  • Do not connect the negative terminal of the solar panel to ground (chassis). Always use the solar charge controller terminal for connection to the negative pole of solar panels.

Observe the following instructions when connecting the solar charge controller:

• Connect the house battery before connecting the solar panels.
• Do not use ferrules. Strip the cable ends at 10 mm.
• Connect several solar panels only in parallel and up to the rated power of the solar charge controller.
• In the case of two or more batteries, parallel connection is permissible if the batteries are of the same type, ca-pacity, and age. Connect the batteries diagonally.
• To ensure measuring the internal temperature of the battery connect the temperature sensor provided to the negative terminal of the house battery.
• Use suitable measuring instruments:
  • Multimeter with DC voltage measurement, 200 V or autoscale Amperometric clamp with direct measurement (100 A scale or higher)

Connection variant A (SC330 only)
Connection variant for solar panel outputs ≤ 240 Wp.

• To connect the solar charge controller proceed as shown in Fig. 4 on page 14.

Table 3: Connection diagram SC330

Table 4: Color coding

Connection variant B (SC330 only)
Connection variant for solar panel outputs ≥ 240 Wp.

• To connect the solar charge controller proceed as shown in Fig. 5 on page 15.

Table 5: Connection diagram SC330

Table 6: Color coding

Connection variant C (SC480 only)
To connect the solar charge controller proceed as shown in Fig. 6 on page 16.

Table 7: Connection diagram SC480

Table 8: Color coding

Connection variant D (SC480 only)

• To connect the solar charge controller proceed as shown in Fig. 7 on page 18.

Table 9: Connection diagram SC480

Table 10: Color coding

Operation

Setting the charging program

• NOTICE! Damage hazard
  • Only use batteries that are suitable for the specified charging voltage.
  • Use a small screwdriver to carefully move the DIP switches to the required position.

Select the charging program suitable for the type of house battery used based on the battery manufacturer’s specifications, the information on the charging curves (see chapter Battery charging function on page 10), and the technical data (see chapter Technical data on page 23). The specified charging times apply to an average ambient temperature of 20 °C.

• Slide the DIP switches to the position shown in the table below to set the charging program for the respective type of house battery.
  Table 11: Charging curve configuration

Performing the system operation check
The solar charge controller regulates the charging of up to two batteries: One house battery (B1) and one starting battery (B2), with priority charging to the house battery.

The house battery will be charged under the following conditions:

• The connected solar panels deliver a voltage >16 V.
• The battery voltage is >8 V.

The house battery will be charged with the selected charging curve (see chapter Setting the Charging Program on page 19).
The starting battery will be charged under the following conditions:

• The house battery is in trickle charging phase (float) and the starting battery has a voltage of <12.5 V.
• The starting battery has a voltage of <11.9 V for 20 min.

Every charging phase has a maximum run time except the trickle charging phase (float) which constantly monitors the state of charge (SoC) and, if necessary, delivers an impulse current to keep the battery 100 % charged.

1. Cover all solar panels with an opaque cloth or material to prevent the production of electricity.

2. If installed, turn off and disconnect any other auxiliary power sources (e.g., battery chargers).

3. Measure the voltage of the batteries (value 1) with the voltmeter.

4. Remove the covering from all solar panels. Ensure direct sunlight for optimal performance of the solar panels.

5. Measure the voltage of the batteries (value 2) with the voltmeter. Compare value 2 with value 1 of the previous measurement.
   Value 2 should be higher than value 1.

6. Check the charging current using the mobile app, an ammeter or optionally the TD283 touch display (accessory).

Downloading the SunControl app
The solar charge controller can be monitored and controlled via Bluetooth using an app that can be installed on a compatible device.

• Download the SunControl app from App Store or Google Play: qr.dometic.com/beWnPI.
• Note that the SunControl app may not be available in your country.

Cleaning and maintenance

• NOTICE! Damage hazard
  • Never clean the device under running water or in dish water.
  • Do not use sharp or hard objects, abrasive cleaning agents or bleach during cleaning as these can damage the device.
• Occasionally clean the product with a damp cloth.
• Regularly check live cables or lines for insulation faults, breaks, or loose connections.

Replacing the fuse

WARNING! Electrocution hazard
The device fuse may only be replaced by qualified personnel.

• Replace the fuse as shown in Fig. 8 on page 21. Use the spare fuse provided.

Troubleshooting

Disposal

Recycling packaging material: Place the packaging material in the appropriate recycling waste bins wherever possible.

Recycling products with non-replaceable batteries, rechargeable batteries or light sources:

• If the product contains any non-replaceable batteries, rechargeable batteries or light sources, you don’t have to remove them before disposal.
• If you wish to finally dispose of the product, ask your local recycling centre or specialist dealer for details about how to do this by the applicable disposal regulations.
• The product can be disposed of free of charge.

Warranty

The statutory warranty period applies. If the product is defective, please contact the manufacturer’s branch in your country (see dometic.com/dealer) or your retailer.
For repair and warranty processing, please include the following documents when you send in the device:

• A copy of the receipt with the purchasing date
• A reason for the claim or description of the fault

Note that self-repair or nonprofessional repair can have safety consequences and might void the warranty.

Technical data

Hereby, Dometic Mobile Power Italy S.r.l. declares that the radio equipment types SC330 and SC480 comply with Directive 2014/53/EU. The full text of the EU Declaration of Conformity is available at the following internet address: documents.dometic.com

YOUR LOCAL DEALER
dometic.com/dealer
YOUR LOCAL SUPPORT
dometic.com/contact
YOUR LOCAL SALES OFFICE
dometic.com/sales-offices

A complete list of Dometic companies, which comprise the Dometic Group, can be found in the public filings of: DOMETIC GROUP AB • Hemärnsgatan 15 • SE-17154 Solna • Sweden

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