Outback FX monitor

[Derek Broughton]

Does anybody have any experience monitoring an Outback inverter (without an
Outback Mate)?

I'm looking at this device with an RJ45 plug and thinking it must be sitting
there just dieing to tell me what it's doing, so I'm wondering what I would
need to use for a data logger.

Basically, I want something that will store any data provided by the FX,
probably on a USB memory stick, with minimal power requirements, that I can
then upload to my PC on demand.

 

[Steve Spence]

You need the "mate" to set up the inverter.

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

 

[Derek Broughton]

You need the "mate" to set up the inverter.

In the first place, you don't. The inverter works just fine without one. I
think you need a Mate if you get into using two or more inverters to
provide +/- 120VAC. However, if I had an interface that could log the
output, I could probably program the control options too. Anyway, if the
Mate actually provided the store-and-dump options I want, I'd buy one -
it's probably cheaper than doing it myself, but afaict, it doesn't.

 

[Derek Broughton]

Get the Mate. I tried going the same way, just buying the FX.

The Mate does so many things it's not funny. Setting charge rate.
Setting battery cut-out and in, setting search watts, monitoring
battery level, and *IT* will talk to a computer through a simple serial
port.

But as far as I can see, it has no _storage_, so I have to keep a computer
attached to it all the time. That's unreasonable in a system where I'm
trying to limit every watt of unnecessary power. Especially considering
that the FX could never go idle, because it would have at least the
computer plugged in. I do have an old Palm PDA, that could conceivably be
plugged into the Mate for logging.

You *can* use an FX without one; but you'll be running on factory
defaults, and you have to fiddle with a jumper to even have it turn on.

I never had to bother with any jumpers. Works fine. Defaults are not
_quite_ what I would like.

 

[Steve Spence]

How do you tell the outback what types of batteries you are charging
without the mate?

Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust
http://www.green-trust.org

Contributing Editor
http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

 

[Derek Broughton]

How do you tell the outback what types of batteries you are charging
without the mate?

I don't know how much it would matter, but my Outback is only used to charge
batteries in extreme need. I'm off-grid, so my batteries are primarily
charged by a (Trace) charge controller. If I don't get enough sun or wind,
and the batteries get too low, the inverter cuts out - and at a higher
voltage than it did with my previous inverter - and then I plug the
generator in through the FX for an hour or two. I've never even tried to
give it a full charge. The Outback FAQ site assures me I don't _have_ to
have a Mate. The price of a Mate just seems way out of line compared to
the FX, when you don't even have to have one. I think they sell the FX as
a loss leader to get you to buy all the neat accessories.

 

[Derek Broughton]

Ok, I see what you want; a Mate that does data storage, like one of
those DataWorker M-50s or something.
Yep.

Did you ask OutBack? Go check out their Forum. They're really helpful
guys.

I just found that earlier today. They're planning a WebMate that will do
this (_in conjunction_ with a Mate) and predicting a $500 price tag! By
the time I get a Mate and a WebMate, I could practically buy another FX!
They seem happy enough to hand out the protocol spec for the serial port on
the Mate, so I've asked for that.

When I first plugged in my FX, it just sat there. Asked OutBack, they
told me to pull of and put back on a jumper down in the main board,
accessable from the AC input area, and it worked as an ON/OFF switch.

I'm guessing they improved that. Or else they just provided clear written
instructions and I don't remember following them

OutBack FX's trip out at the high end at, I seem to remember, 40v DC
(the 24V versions).

Mine's tripped much lower than that - around 30V.

At the low end, *WITH A MATE*, you can select the cut-out voltage to
match your batteries, down to 20V DC, I think.

Yeah, mine can go there, but I'm happy enough with the 22V that it's
quitting at, now.

No, the FX works just fine without a MATE. But it really DANCES with
one ;-).

I'm getting that impression

Since I (eventually) want to get a second FX, so I can get 240V (and a
backup in case the first one fails), I'll need the Mate, anyway, so I'm not
against spending the money for one, but I'm definitely not forking out
another $500 for the WebMate.

 

[Derek Broughton]

Did you see that software one, that OutBack is giving out free (the
demo version) with the inverters now?

http://www.righthandengineering.com/hm_wvmfx.htm

I got all the specs for that with my inverter - they didn't actually give me
the demo software.

It logs, and registered versions are something like 60$.
You plug a pc into the MATE with a serial cable.

The problem is that you then have a 50W (or so) permanent load attached to
your inverter. I'd have to buy two new panels just to run it (Not to
mention that it requires the Evil OS).