Simple to configure load on/off based on battery voltage, but is there a way to do so based on Solar voltage? I would feel more comfortable knowing that my loads were disconnected when it was dark, or the solar panel was covered in snow, as opposed to when the battery voltage was within certain limits.
There is a streetlight function, see Section 5.2.2 of the manual. This detects sunrise and sunset. This may be suitable. Try the options in the demo mode of the VictronConnect app first.
That works the opposite way, If I understand correctly, that is, enabling the load at dusk. I want to disable the load at dusk. I can add an external light-sensitive switch, but wondered if the MPPT controller itself had that capability.
This is why I told you to try the demo option because you would find that you can tell it to stay off at sunset and turn on at dawn as I have just found.
AHA.
Thank you. I did not understand that the Streetlight function could be configured to do what I wanted. I initially thought it was only an “on at dusk, off at sunrise” feature.
No, sorry if I am wrong, but I still do not see how the “Streetlight” function can be configured to work. I see how to turn the load off at sunset. But reading the “Sunrise” action on page 25, and the example program shown on page 26, it seems that at sunrise the controller always turns the load output off. I see no Sunrise option to turn the load “on”. This is truly a “Streetlight” function, that is, to control a “night light” in various ways. It does use the solar voltage as a trigger instead of the battery voltage. I would love for you to show me what I am missing, and thank you for spending your time.
Craig
OK, I have never done this myself, bit I believe it should work. On the “At sunrise” input you can choose “Switch on before sunrise” and below this set it to 0 hours 0 minutes. Further down you can also choose panel voltage triggers, again you need to see if these are helpful for your case.
By the way, you have not specified which MPPT you have so I chose one at random, a 75/15. They should all be similar.
Thank you again for taking the time for me. I am not in front of my Model “100/20”, but I agree, all the controllers in this class seem to work the same. I see the ability to set the time before sunrise to switch the load on, but it also seems clear, at least as the guide is written, that at actual sunrise in StreetLight mode the load will switch off (page 25, “Setting the sunrise action”). I have never seen the description of “panel voltage triggers”, but they sound interesting. Where in the guide are they described?