RENOGY RNG-KIT-STCS100D-VOY20-US 100W Solar Suitcase Solar Suitcase User Manual

: June 5, 2024
: Renogy

RNG-KIT-STCS100D-VOY20-US 100W Solar Suitcase Solar Suitcase

SOLAR SUITCASE
100W
Solar Suitcase w/ Voyager

Version 2.0

Important Safety Instructions

Please save these instructions.

This manual contains important safety, installation, and operating instructions for the charge controller. The following symbols are used throughout the manual to indicate potentially dangerous conditions or important safety information.

WARNING Indicates a potentially dangerous condition. Use extreme caution when performing this task.

CAUTION Indicates a critical procedure for safe and proper operation of the controller

NOTE Indicates a procedure or function that is important to the safe and proper operation of the controller.

General Safety Information

Read and follow all instructions and precautions mentioned in this user manual before beginning the installation.
There are no serviceable parts for this controller. Do NOT disassemble or attempt to repair the controller.
Make sure all connections going into and from the controller are tight.

Battery Safety

Use only sealed lead-acid, flooded, gel or lithium (LFP) batteries which must be deep cycle.
Explosive battery gases may be present while charging. Be certain there is enough ventilation to release the gases.
Be careful when working with large lead acid batteries. Wear eye protection and have fresh water available in case there is contact with the battery acid.
Carefully read battery manuals before operation.
Do NOT let the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery touch each other.
Recycle battery when it is replaced.
Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and activate material shedding on them. Too high of an equalizing charge or too long of one may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery used in the system.
Equalization is carried out only for nonsealed / vented/ flooded / wet cell lead acid batteries.
Do NOT equalize sealed / VRLA type AGM / Gel cell batteries UNLESS permitted by battery manufacturer.

General Information

The Renogy Solar Suitcase combine highly efficient monocrystalline solar panels with a 20A Voyager charge controller to create an easy-to-use, `plug and play’ system.

This system is specifically designed for mobile off-grid applications, where space and weight limitations are abundant. The Solar Suitcase models support 12V deep cycle battery varieties such as sealed-lead acid, gel, and flooded. With built-in tilting stands, these panels can be adjusted at different angles to maximize the power output throughout the seasons.

The alligator clips included in this package make it easy to connect the panel to a battery in seconds. If one ever needs to connect a battery with a different type of end terminal, the alligator clips are attached via MC4 Connectors.

Key Features

Easy to read LCD displaying solar charge information
7 Battery Type Compatible Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO, Gel, AGM, Flooded, and Calcium
4 Stage charging: Bulk, Boost. Float, and Equalization
Temperature compensation and correcting the charging and discharging parameters automatically, improving battery lifetime.
Protection against: overcharging, over-discharging, overload, short-circuit, and reverse polarity.
Negative ground controller.
Tilting stand for maximum solar generating potential.
Convenient storage case for easy transportation.

PWM Technology

The Voyager utilizes Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology for battery charging. Battery charging is a current based process so controlling the current will control the battery voltage. For the most accurate return of capacity, and for the prevention of excessive gassing pressure, the battery is required to be controlled by specified voltage regulation set points for Absorption, Float, and Equalization charging stages. The charge controller uses automatic duty cycle conversion, creating pulses of current to charge the battery. The duty cycle is proportional to the difference between the sensed battery voltage and the specified voltage regulation set point. Once the battery reached the specified voltage range, pulse current charging mode allows the battery to react and allows for an acceptable rate of charge for the battery level.

Four Charging Stages

Bulk Charge: This algorithm is used for day to day charging. It uses 100% of available solar power to recharge the battery and is equivalent to constant current.

Boost Charge: When the battery has charged to the Boost voltage set- point, it undergoes an absorption stage which is equivalent to constant voltage regulation to prevent heating and excessive gassing in the battery. The default time for this is 120 minutes for the Voyager.

Float Charge: After Boost Charge, the controller will reduce the battery voltage to a float voltage set point. Once the battery is fully charged, there will be no more chemical reactions and all the charge current would turn into heat or gas. Because of this, the charge controller will reduce the voltage charge to smaller quantity, while lightly The Voyager charge controller has a 4-stage battery charging algorithm for a rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging. They include: Bulk Charge, Boost Charge, Float Charge, and Equalization. charging the battery. The purpose for this is to offset the power consumption while maintaining a full battery storage capacity. In the event that a load drawn from the battery exceeds the charge current, the controller will no longer be able to maintain the battery to a Float set point and the controller will end the float charge stage and refer back to bulk charging.

Equalization: Is carried out every 28 days of the month. It is intentional overcharging of the battery for a controlled period of time. Certain types of batteries benefit from periodic equalizing charge, which can stir the electrolyte, balance battery voltage and complete chemical reaction. Equalizing charge increases the battery voltage, higher than the standard complement voltage, which gasifies the battery electrolyte.

WARNING Once equalization is active in the battery charging, it will not exit this stage unless there is adequate charging current from the solar panel. There should be NO load
on the batteries when in equalization charging stage.

WARNING Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and activate material shedding on them. Too high of equalizing charge or for too long may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery used in the system.

WARNING Equalization may increase battery voltage to a level damaging to sensitive DC loads. Ensure that all load allowable input voltages are greater than the equalizing
charging set point volta.

Included Components

MC4 to Alligator Clips w/ Fuse Used for connecting charge controller to battery. The entire cable from the charge controller to the alligator clips measures 9.9 feet with an inline fuse of 10A

Optional Components

Optional components that require a separate purchase:

Remote Temperature Sensor Measures the temperature at the battery and uses this data for very accurate temperature compensation. The sensor is supplied with a 9.9 feet cable length that connects to the charge controller.

Identification of Parts

parts key

Key Parts

20A Voyager Charge Controller
Junction Box
MC4 Connectors
Tilt Stands
Battery Alligator Clips
In-line fuse (10A)
Latch
Handle
Case (Not pictured)

Key Parts

Backlit LCD
AMP/VOLT Button
BATTERY TYPE Button
LED Bar
Remote Temperature Sensor Port
Battery Terminals
Solar Terminals

Installation

1. Unlatch and unfold unit then connect MC4 Connectors
connection parts

2. Connect Battery Alligator Clips to 12V Battery

3. Unscrew butterfly nut tilt to desired angle and lock butterfly nut

To maximize the output, adjust the angle of the suitcase regularly to track the sun’s movement throughout the season

output

Operation

When the controller powers on, the Voyager will run a self-quality check mode and automatically display the figures on LCD before going into auto work.

|

Self-test starts, digital meter segments test

---|---
|

Software version test

|

Rated voltage Test

|

Rated Current Test

|

External battery temperature sensor test (if connected)

Selecting Battery Type

WARNING Incorrect battery type setting may damage your battery. Please check your battery manufacturer’s specifications to when selecting battery type.

The Voyager provides 7 battery types for selection: Lithium-ion, LiFePO4, LTO, Gel, AGM, Flooded, and Calcium Battery.

Press and hold the BATTERY TYPE Button for 3 seconds to go into battery selection mode. Press the BATTERY TYPE Button until the desired battery is displayed. After a few seconds, the highlighted battery type will automatically be selected.

NOTE

Lithium ion batteries shown in the LCD indicate different types shown below: Lithium Cobalt Oxide LiCoO2 (LCO) battery Lithium Manganese Oxide LiMn2O4 (LMQ) battery Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) battery Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide LiNiCoAlo2 (NCA) battery LiFePO4 battery indicates Lithium-iron Phosphate or LFP Battery LTO Battery indicates Lithium Titanate Oxidized, Li4Ti5O12 Battery

AMP/VOLT Button

Pressing the AMP/VOLT Button will sequence through the following display parameters: Battery Voltage, Charging Current, Charged Capacity (Amp-hour), and Battery Temperature (if external temperature sensor connected)
Normal Sequencing Display

sequencing display

NOTE The following is an alternative display voltage for when the battery is Fully charged

LED Display

led display

LED Behavior

LED Indicators

| | |
LED Color| RED| BLUE| RED| ORANGE| GREEN
Bulk charging
( BV < 11.5V )| ON| Blitz| ON| OFF| OFF
Bulk charging
( 11.5V < BV < 12.5V )| ON| ON| ON| OFF| OFF
Bulk charging
( BV > 12.5V )| ON| ON| Aus| ON| OFF
Absorption charging| ON| ON| Aus| Aus| ON
Float charging| ON| OFF| Aus| Aus| ON
Solar weak
( Dawn or Dusk )| FLASH| OFF|

According to BV

| OFF
In the night| Aus| OFF| OFF

NOTE BV = Battery Voltage

LED Error Behavior

LED Indicators

| | | | Error Code| Screen
LED Color| RED| BLUE| RED| ORANGE| GREEN| GREEN| |
Solar good, BV < 3V| ON| OFF| FLASH| OFF| OFF| OFF| ‘b01’| FLASH
Solar good
battery reversed| ON| OFF| FLASH| OFF| OFF| OFF| ‘b02’| FLASH
Solar good,
battery over-voltage| ON| OFF| FLASH| FLASH| FLASH| OFF| ‘b03’| FLASH
Solar off,
battery over-voltage| OFF| OFF| FLASH| FLASH| FLASH| OFF| ‘b03’| FLASH
Solar good,
battery over 65℃| ON| OFF| FLASH| FLASH| FLASH| OFF| ‘b04’| FLASH
Battery good,
solar reversed| FLASH| OFF|

According to BV

| OFF| ‘PO1’| FLASH
Battery good,
solar overvoltage| FLASH| OFF| OFF| ‘PO2’| FLASH
Over Temperature
Protection| | ‘otP’| FLASH

System Status Troubleshooting

Description	Troubleshoot
Battery over voltage	Use a multi-meter to check the voltage of the battery.

Make sure the battery voltage is not exceeding the rated specification of the charge controller.
Disconnect battery.
Charge controller does not
charge during daytime when
the sun is shining on the
solar panels.| Confirm that there is a tight and correct connection from the battery bank to the charge controller and the solar panels to the charge controller. Use a multi-meter to check if the polarity of the solar modules has been reversed on the charge controller’s solar terminals.
Everything is connected
correctly, but the LCD on the
controller does not turn on| Check the rated battery voltage. The LCD will not display on the charge controller unless there is at least 9V coming from the battery bank.

Maintenance

For best controller performance, it is recommended to preform maintenance tasks occasionally.

Check wiring going into the charge controller. Make sure there is no wire damage or wear.
Tighten all terminals and inspect any loose, broken, or burnt connections 3. Confirm LCD and LED readings are consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can the kit charge two or more 12V batteries connected in parallel? A. Yes, it’s possible if the batteries have the same type and capacity and are wired in parallel as a single 12V battery bank.
Q. Is there any risk that the solar kit will overcharge my battery? A. One of the functions of the solar charge controller is to ensure that your battery is not overcharged; therefore there is no risk of overcharge.
Q. Can I extend the battery leads? A. Yes, it’s possible please choose the same size of cable for extension. However, there longer the extension, the greater the line loss. A bigger gauge will be required for longer runs.
Q. Do I need to clean the solar panels? A. Yes, it is recommended to clean glass surface for better performance. Dust and dirt should first be swept off the panel surface using a soft brush. When the sweeping is complete, use a wet cloth to wipe the panel surface to remove the remaining dirt and grime.
Q. Can rain damage the solar kit? A. The solar panels and charge controller are both fully waterproof (IP66, IP65).

Technical Specifications

Solar Panel Parameters

Description – 100 W Parameters
Maximum Power – 100 W
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) – 24.3 V
Short Circuit Current (Isc) – 2 x 2.73 A
Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp) – 20.3 V
Maximum Power Current (Imp) – 2 x 2.47 A
Cell Type – Monocrystalline
Operating Temperature – −40°F to +185°F
Folded Size – 24.8x 20.0 x 2.8 inches
Net Weight – 21.2 lb

Charge Controller Parameters

Electrical Parameters

Model Rating – 20A
Normal Battery Voltage – 12V
Maximum Solar Voltage(OCV) – 26V
Maximum Battery Voltage – 17V
Rated Charging Current – 20A
Battery Start Charging Voltage – 3

Electrical Protection and Feature

Spark-free protection. Reverse polarity solar and battery connection
Reverse current from battery to solar panel protection at night
Over temperature protection with derating charging current
Transient overvoltage protection, at the solar input and battery output protects against surge voltage

Grounding – Common Negative
EMC Conformity – FCC Part-15 class B compliant; EN55022:2010;
Self-consumption – < 8mA

Mechanical Parameters

Dimensions – L6.38 x W3.82 x H1.34 inches
Weight – 0.88 lbs.
Mounting – Vertical Wall Mounting
Ingress Protection Rating – IP65
Maximum Terminals Wire Size – 10AWG ( 5 mm2 )
Terminals Screw Torque – 13 lbf·in
Operating Temperature – -40 ℉ to +140 ℉
Meter Operating Temperature – -4 ℉ to +140 ℉
Storage Temperature Range – –40 ℉ to +185 ℉
Temp. Comp. Coefficient – -24mV / °C
Temp. Comp. Range – -4°F ~ 122°F
Operating Humidity – 100% ( No condensation )

Battery Charging Parameters

Charging Stages

Soft-Charge – Output battery voltage is 3V-10VDC, Current = half of the solar panel current

Bulk – 10VDC to 14VDC Current = Rated Charge Current

Absorption @ 25°C – Constant voltage until current drops to 0.75/1.0 amps and holds for 30s.Minimum 2 hours charging time and maximum 4 hours’ time out If charging current < 0.2A, stage will end.

Li-ion LiFePO4 LTO GEL AGM WET CALCIUM 12.6V 14.4V 14.0V 14.1V 14.4V 14.7 V 14.9 V

Equalization – Only Wet (Flooded) or Calcium Batteries will equalize, 2 hours maximum
Wet (Flooded) = if discharge below 11.5V OR every 28 days charging period.
Calcium = every charging cycle (Wet (Flooded) 15.5V) (Calcium 15.5V)

Float – Li-ion LiFePO4 LTO GEL AGM WET CALCIUM N/A N/A N/A 13.6V 13.6V 13.6V 13.6V

Under Voltage Recharging – Li-ion LiFePO4 LTO GEL AGM WET CALCIUM 12.0V 13.4V 13.4V 12.8V 12.8V 12.8V 12.8V

Charging Parameters Glossary

Equalization Voltage –equalization voltage is a corrective over-charge of the battery. The user should consult their battery manufacturer regarding specific battery equalization capacity. This parameter sets the equalization voltage to set the battery at when it reaches the equalization state.

Boost Voltage –users should check with their battery manufacturer for proper charging parameters. In this stage, users set the boost voltage where the battery will reach a voltage level and remain there until the battery undergoes an absorption stage

Float Voltage –once the charge controller recognizes the set float voltage, it will commence floating. The battery is supposed to be fully charged in his state, and the charge current is reduced to maintain battery stability levels.

State of Charge 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0

12 V Battery
12.7 12.5 12.42 12.32 12.20 12.06 11.9 11.75 11.58 11.31 10.5

Volts per Cell
2.12 2.08 2.07 2.05 2.03 2.01 1.98 1.96 1.93 1.89 1.75

17

509 mm [20.0 in] 53 mm[2.1in] 97 mm [3.8in]