charge controller

[windpower4me]

I recently purchased a trace c 40 controller.The question I have is does this unit provide different stages of charge to the batteries,and when the batteries are full then divert the in comming charge to a load dump,or does it function as one or the other.Either as a charge controlleror or soely as a load dump control.

tks.Robert

[kurt]

http://www.kyocerasolar.com/pdf/specsheets/c40rev_c.pdf

[Titantornado]

Yes it does.  Look at the user manual that came with it, and you'll see that it goes through several stages.  Bulk and float.  With each voltage and amperage are regulated by high speed switching (PWM) of your dumpload.  The current and voltage are manipulated by variating the on-off time, by letting the battery take the incoming charge, or activating the dumpload, which basically uses up the incoming power (and then some) so the battery doesn't get overcharged.  So, you got to make sure your dumpload is a wattage that is at least as large as your maximum incoming source.

In short, the controller is nothing more than a fancy switch that turns the dumpload on and off as needed to maintain safe battery conditions.

[kenputer]

It can only be used for one function at a time not both.

[Birdmanjack]

Same controller I have. It works great but you have to hook it up so when the batteries are charged it can switch over to the dump load. When the batteries get ready to go into float the led which blinks green every few seconds will start blinking faster then will go on solid green. Now it is diverting power to your dump load. If I can be any further help let me know. If you want to e-mail me direct thats ok to my addy is ahurlburt#@stny.rr.com. Remove the # and you have my addy. Hope this helps.