Magnum Energy ME-ARC Remote User Manual

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Setup

◊ Set Absorb Done (SOC) – This setting can be used if a battery monitor kit is installed

and you want to use the SOC (State of Charge) of the battery bank to determine when the

batteries are fully charged. During the Absorption charge mode, once the METER: 05B Battery

SOC menu reaches the Absorb Done SOC setting, the charger transfers to the fi nal charge

stage (see 03G Final Charge Stage).
Note: The SOC is the best way to determine when the batteries are fully charged, and is

helpful because any DC loads or other charge sources connected to the battery bank will not

affect the SOC reading.
Default setting: 100%
Range: 50-100%

Info: A ME-BMK is required in order to use the Absorb Done SOC setting. If a Absorb

Done SOC setting is selected and there is no ME-BMK installed in the system, or if a

valid SOC number is not displayed under the METER: 05B Battery SOC menu (i.e.,

Think’n, No Comm, Power-up Fault, or Factory Fault are not valid SOC numbers), then

the inverter/charger will not connect to the incoming AC input.
Info: If the Absorb Done SOC setting is used when charging from a generator source,

then it is recommended that a setting of less than 100% be used (usually around

90% is acceptable). Running the generator higher than the 90% setting is sometimes

considered an ineffi cient use of fuel. However, if a setting lower than 100% is used,

then at least once a week the batteries should be charged to 100% to ensure damage

is not done to the batteries by not bringing them to a full charge state.

Info: If the Absorb Done SOC setting is active, the charger will go into Bulk charge

mode each time AC is connected.

• 03E Max Charge Rate – This setting is the maximum charge rate allowed to charge the

batteries during Bulk, Absorption, Float, and Equalize charging; and is provided to limit the

charge rate to the battery bank to prevent battery overheating caused by charging at too high

a charge rate. A 100% setting uses the maximum charging capability of the inverter/charger

to charge the batteries if needed, while a 0% setting minimizes the charging current while

continuing to allow pass-thru current.
The Max Charge Rate setting is provided as a percentage of the inverter/charger’s maximum

charging capability. Refer to the label on the side of the inverter (or owner’s manual) to de-

termine the inverter’s maximum charge rate. See the example below for information on how

to determine your inverter’s Max Charge Rate setting.
Default setting: 100%
Range: 0-100%

Example: The max charge rate of the inverter/charger is 120 amps and you need to limit the

charge rate to 72 amps. Choose a Max Charge Rate = 60% (i.e., 72 amps = 60% of 120 amps).

Info: If the Maximum Charge Rate setting is 0%, the topology of the Magnum inverter

(when connected to an AC source) overrides the 0% setting and starts charging if the

battery voltage is: <12 VDC (12-volt models), <22 VDC (24-volt models), or <44 VDC

(48-volt models).

How do I determine where to set my Maximum Charge Rate? Generally, set to a C/5* rate

(C = the total AH capacity of the battery bank – using the 20-hour AH rate). The C/5 rate is usu-

ally used when the objective is to quickly charge the batteries (i.e., 400 AH ÷ 5 = 80 amp max

charge rate). A lower rate such as C/20* is used when the batteries need to be charged as slowly.
* C/5 or C/20 rate – charge rates are commonly expressed as a ratio of the total amp-hour (AH)

capacity of the battery bank. For example, with a 400 AH battery bank (C = 400), the C/5 charge

rate is 80 A (400/5 = 80 A).