Advice required on Steca controller

[John Dunkley]

I have a Steca PR1515 controller and would appreciate some advice/tuition
regarding using the SOC or VOL (Voltage) display option on this controller.

As I have an inverter connected directly to my 200ah batteries, the SOC does
not read correctly, as I understand the Steca only displays/monitor current
drawn through the controller, not something connected directly to the
battery as my inverter is.

Does displaying the Vol option as against the SOC option have any bearing on
the charge/float/boost/equalisation operation of this controller?

Any other thing I should be aware of using the VOL display option.

JD

 

[Peter Mounsey]

I have a Steca PR1515 controller and would appreciate some advice/tuition
regarding using the SOC or VOL (Voltage) display option on this controller.

As I have an inverter connected directly to my 200ah batteries, the SOC does
not read correctly, as I understand the Steca only displays/monitor current
drawn through the controller, not something connected directly to the
battery as my inverter is.

Does displaying the Vol option as against the SOC option have any bearing on
the charge/float/boost/equalisation operation of this controller?

Any other thing I should be aware of using the VOL display option.

JD

It's disappointing that the SOC doesn't read accurately on these regulators.
Mine also doesn't fully charge the batteries and wastes huge amounts of
solar energy.
As I use it at a holiday home, I disconnect it when I'm there and let the
solar o/p go straight to the batteries as I always use more than the panels
produce.. This produces an awful lot more useful charging than with the
Steca in circuit. (I have had the unit replaced - no different). My panels
will feed 10A direct, 7A through the Steca and 5A indicated on the lcd. I'm
not impressed with these units at all and just use it to regulate when the
house is empty.
Pete.

 

[samc]

It's disappointing that the SOC doesn't read accurately on these regulators.
Mine also doesn't fully charge the batteries and wastes huge amounts of
solar energy.
As I use it at a holiday home, I disconnect it when I'm there and let the
solar o/p go straight to the batteries as I always use more than the panels
produce.. This produces an awful lot more useful charging than with the
Steca in circuit. (I have had the unit replaced - no different). My panels
will feed 10A direct, 7A through the Steca and 5A indicated on the lcd. I'm
not impressed with these units at all and just use it to regulate when the
house is empty.
Pete.

please dont dis this controller , things to bare in mind : sollect the
correct batt type (gel/liquid) and charging type (s.o.c/voltage) . the
s.o.c will never read correctly if you keep disconnecting the
controller! or drawing direct from the batt . I use mine set to voltage
guided control and as soon as I start to draw from the batt the via the
controller or striate from the batt the controller compensates very
fast. my array (1x 80w panel) has a rated short circuit current of 4.8A
and a rated current of 4.5A (@17.5v) and I regualy see 5A being taken by
the batt/loads .

 

[John Dunkley]

As the original poster of this topic, I raised the question after reading
the Stecca manual which says:

"The SOC control is the factory setting. This way the charging procedure
and the deep discharging protection are controlled by the calculated SOC
value for ideal battery usage. Only fixed voltage thresholds are used during
voltage guided control"

This is what is confusing me. I don't really understand this last paragraph
and would like some clarification regarding it.

JD

 

[samc]

As the original poster of this topic, I raised the question after reading
the Stecca manual which says:

"The SOC control is the factory setting. This way the charging procedure
and the deep discharging protection are controlled by the calculated SOC
value for ideal battery usage. Only fixed voltage thresholds are used during
voltage guided control"

This is what is confusing me. I don't really understand this last paragraph
and would like some clarification regarding it.

JD

hi john dunkley to answer your original question , the acronym s.o.c
stands for state of charge and in relation to your controller it is a
calculation that the controller caries out to determine the % charge the
batt bank has and to then decide how to charge the batt if you look at
the spec's in the manual it tells you what charge will be applied at
certion % thresh holds . this calculation also accounts for batt age .
vol or voltage guided control instead uses voltage set points .
an eg from the manual is : grater than 12.4 (24.8v in a 24v system)
causes the controller to apply a flote charge which the manual tells me
is 13.9v for liquid batt (27.8v for 24v system) . choose the vol option
if your going to use current directly from the batt (inverter e.t.c) or
your going to use another charging source that bypasses the controller
e.g genny , windgenny or mains charger .
hope this helps iron's most things out regards samc.

 

[John Dunkley]

Thanks samc - I'll study your reply and let you know if it sinks in to my
aged brain!

JD

 

[[email protected]]

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:49:32 +0100, samc

s.o.c will never read correctly if you keep disconnecting the
controller! or drawing direct from the batt .

The question is whether NOT drawing the load from the controller
affects the unit's charging logic/performance.

I have a GCR2000 controller which has "STECA" inside it somewhere so I
am interested in a definitive answer to this... my inverter is
connected directly to the batteries too.

 

[samc]

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:49:32 +0100, samc


The question is whether NOT drawing the load from the controller
affects the unit's charging logic/performance.

I have a GCR2000 controller which has "STECA" inside it somewhere so I
am interested in a definitive answer to this... my inverter is
connected directly to the batteries too.

I don't know if i can help you , the steca pr controllers and others use
the atonicII i.c goto the steca site http://www.steca-solar.de/ and see
if any one of the controllers looks like your one ?
anyone else know of a gcr2000 ?

 

[Eric Desrochers]

SOC measure consumption and charge current to calculate the state of
charge.

VOL measure actual voltage to calculate the state of charge.

If you supply and/or consumate energy directly from the battery, the
Steca have no mean of knowing this and its calculations will be off.

Then use the VOL setting and everything will be alright. I do this in
my camper van, since external charging is provided by the van's
alternator.

In your case, the VOL setting is mandated. Getting "why" or not is not
important... please just do it