Blue Sky Solar Boost 2000 - Manual (Page 5)

Installation and Operation Manual
4
Battery Voltage displays battery voltage as measured at the Solar Boost 2000 battery terminals. The battery
voltage measurement system is highly accurate. However, when high charge current is delivered to the battery, the
displayed voltage will be somewhat higher than actual battery terminal voltage. This is due to voltage drop in the
wires between the Solar Boost 2000 and battery. Error can be minimized by using large low resistance wires and
connections to the battery as described in the Installation section. The displayed voltage will be highly accurate
when output charge current is low or zero.
The front panel serves as a heat sink for
power control devices. It is normal for the
front panel to be warm during operation.
PANEL LAYOUT
Figure 1
MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKING (MPPT)
MPPT and associated current boost operation is fully automatic and will function whenever sufficient PV
voltage and current are available. The percent increase you will receive in Output Charge Current relative to Solar
Panel Current is variable, and will change with operating conditions. When conditions are such that sufficient PV
voltage and current are not available to produce an increase in output current, Solar Boost 2000 will operate as a high
performance series pass PWM controller. Boost performance can be easily monitored using the digital display.
Whenever Output Charge Current is greater than Solar Panel Current, MPPT current boost is functioning. A minimum
PV current of just under one amp is required before MPPT can begin to operate.
The principal operating conditions which affect current boost performance are battery voltage and PV array
temperature. At constant solar intensity the power available from a PV array changes with PV array temperature. A PV
array’s power vs. temperature characteristic is such that a cool PV array can produce a higher voltage, and therefore
more power, than a hot PV array. When PV voltage is sufficiently high for MPPT to operate, Solar Boost 2000 delivers
a constant power output to the battery. Since output power is essentially constant while MPPT is operating, a decrease
in battery voltage produces a corresponding increase in charge current. This means that the greatest current increase
occurs with a combination of cool ambient temperature and low battery voltage. Solar Boost 2000 delivers the highest
charge current increase when you need it most, in cold weather with a discharged battery.