Magnum Energy AC Load Diversion Controller (ACLD-40) - Manual (Page 8)

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2015 Sensata Technologies
Introduction
1.0 Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the ACLD-40 (AC Load Diversion - 4.0kW) controller. The
ACLD-40 (also know as the ACLD) is designed to be used in an AC coupled system—networked
with a MS-PAE Series 1 inverter—to provide three-stage battery charging and to divert any excess
power to a resistive load.
The ACLD-40 controller includes the following features:
• Automatic three-stage battery regulation (with adjustable voltage and charging parameters).
• Controls up to 4000 watts of excess power to prevent battery overcharge.
• Automatic battery temperature compensation—provides optimum charging even during
extreme temperature changes (when using the inverter’s Battery Temperature Sensor).
• A networked diversion device—using inverter and network ports.
• ON/OFF mounted switch with status/fault indicator LED; operation and power information
is provided when using the inverter’s remote.
• Designed to work with MS-PAE Series inverters to prevent battery overcharging.
• Diversion load is isolated from in-home AC loads and receives PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
voltage—prevents AC line disturbance by providing smooth transition when regulating.
• Allows the use of resistive AC household loads (i.e., water heater tanks) instead of expensive
and hard to fi nd DC loads to divert excess current.
• Does not require additional/external sensors to monitor battery inverter output current,
battery voltage, or battery type.
1.1 What is an AC Load Diversion Controller (ACLD)?
The basic operating concept of an AC or DC diversion controller is quite simple. Monitor the battery
bank, and if an energy source (e.g. solar panel, wind generator, etc.) should cause the battery
to rise to a predetermined voltage level, connect a diversion load of suffi cient size to prevent the
battery from being overcharged. By diverting the unused energy that your solar panel or wind
generator is producing, you can make use of it—such as heating a hot water or heating a room.
The ACLD-40 is an AC load diversion controller that maximizes the use of onsite-generated power
(i.e., renewable energy) by diverting any excess energy to resistive loads on the AC side. By
diverting the excess current on the AC side and not on the DC side (through the battery-based
inverter), there is less strain on the battery-based inverter. Also, since the wiring is on the AC
side, there is less voltage drop, less expensive system wires and diversion loads, and fewer issues
when trying to determine how to size the diversion loads/hardware.
1.2 What is an AC Coupled system, and why do I need an ACLD?
Many homeowners utilize renewable energy (i.e., PV, wind, etc.) by installing a high effi ciency,
battery-less, grid-tie inverter (also known as an utility-interactive inverter) to offset their power
consumption from the utility grid. However, these homeowners soon learn that when a utility
power outage occurs, the grid-tie inverter is required to shut down. This can cause considerable
frustration as the homeowner realizes that the critical loads in the home (refrigerator, lights, water
pump, etc.) are no longer powered and all the energy produced by the renewable energy source
is being wasted while the utility power is out.
To overcome some of the disadvantages of a battery-less, grid-tie inverter; homeowners add a
battery-based inverter and batteries to power critical loads during a utility power outage. However,
the generated power from the renewable energy continues to be wasted until the utility power
returns.
1 This manual will specifi cally refer to the MS-PAE Series to work with the ACLD-40. How-
ever, the ACLD will work with any battery-based inverter that provides a MagNet communications
port and has an output of 230 or 240 VAC (50 or 60 Hz). This means the MS-PAE Series, MS-E
Series, or MS-PE Series inverters will work with the ACLD-40.