Introduction, Mate overview, Figure 1 – Outback Power Systems MATE Serial Communications Guide User Manual

Page 4

Mate Serial Communication Guide

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Rev 4.04 10/21/08 Tel 360 435 6030 Fax 360 435 6019

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to describe the hardware and software protocols required to

communicate with the OutBack Power Systems Mate

remote controller via a PC. This information is

only relevant to Mate Code Revisions 4.00 and greater.

Mate Overview

The Mate controller is designed to report status and control the operating modes of OutBack

Power Systems power conversion equipment. The Mate communicates with OutBack products through a
proprietary serial communication link, and receives pre defined status pages from whatever type of
OutBack product it is connected to. The Mate is also capable of issuing commands to OutBack products.
At this point, commands are limited to controlling an FX inverter. The Mate can be directly connected
to a single OutBack device, or to multiple devices using an OutBack HUB.

Figure 1A shows the Mate directly connected to an OutBack FX or MX, obviously only the

device directly connected to the Mate can be controlled.

Figure 1B shows the Mate connected to an OutBack

STACK board. This is a low cost stacking board that allows the
FX’s to communicate with each other as is required for stacking.
The STACK board also has jacks to connect each device to a Mate.
The Mate can only communicate with the device that is plugged
into a corresponding jack. By manually plugging and unplugging
the Mate, all the devices can be setup and programmed. Plugging
the Mate into the master inverter, allows the Mate to control the
entire system via the master FX. In figure 1B FX1 would be
programmed as the master, and FX 2 as the slave. To control the
system as a whole the Mate would be normally left connected to
FX 1. In this configuration the Mate would only report the status of
FX 1, it does not have any ‘knowledge’ of FX 2. FX 1
communicates with FX 2 directly as a stacked pair, so when the
Mate tells FX 1 to turn on/off or change modes, FX 2 will follow
suit. At this time OutBack offers a STACK2 and a STACK4, for 2
and 4 FX units respectively.

Figure 1C shows a Mate connected to an OutBack HUB. The HUB allows the Mate to

communicate with up to 10 products simultaneously. All products connected to the HUB can report back
status to the Mate, but PC control of all the products is still via the master.

MATE

FX or MX

MATE

STACK2

STACK4

FX 1

FX 2

MATE

HUB4or

HUB10

FX 1

FX 2

Figure 1