Understanding the WatchMon - Control Logic - Charging settings

Technician admin screen for the "WatchMon" supervisor hardware to configure the  Charging control logic.

Navigate to the screen via the  Control Logic option on the Menu then choose the Charging tab. Editing only available when in Technician mode.

Objective

1. Adjust the control parameter to suit the ESS application.
2. Save.
3. Monitor using the telemetry and chart screens.

Charging / Balancing process flow

The following logic outlines some of the key steps, this is not comprehensive as there are many additional parameters that can handle further edge cases.

Note: 

• it is important that the Initial Bypass Amp threshold can be achieved by the hardware 
• If you reduce the Balancing current below Initial Bypass Amp the system will not move to Limited mode

Typical Hardware settings

Field Definitions 

Charging- Overall State: Depending on state will engage or disengage the relay (and/or communicate with the remote charger equipment). The thresholds are the normal operating parameters used for the battery.

• ON  state
• OFF state 
• LIMP (Limited Power)
• ON transitioning to OFF:  The state is currently ON however the rules will switch OFF if the state continues for threshold stop period.
• OFF transitioning to ON:  The state is currently OFF however the rules will switch ON if the elapsed restart interval has occurred.

Charging - Operating Mode:

Charging Mode:  Operating mode for the critical control logic.

• Auto:  Will adopt the state calculated based on thresholds specified.
• ManualOn:  Will for the system state ON.
• ManualOff:  Will force the system state OFF.

Allow Limited:  Will enable the limited power mode of operation to ensure limited charging mode when cells are in bypass or the cell voltages are below their low voltage threshold.

Delay transition - Stop:  Ensures that the state change from ON to OFF must exceed beyond the period specified in seconds.

Delay transition - Restart:  Ensures that the state change from OFF to ON must exceed beyond the period specified in seconds.

Cell Hi Cutout (CV10):  Cell voltage threshold to charge up to, if above will stop when enabled to monitor.

Cell Hi Resume (CV8):  Cell voltage to resume / recover the charging process once the actuals have dropped below the threshold specified.

Limited Power Cell Volt (CV5): Cell voltage that when below will hold the charging process in limited power state until the system recharges above this threshold. This is typically the lowest voltage that if below you want the batteries charged at a slower rate of charge.

Lo Cell Celcius (CT3): Cell temperature threshold that is OK to operate, if below will stop the charging state when monitoring is enabled.

Hi Cell Celcius (CT6): Cell temperature threshold that is OK to operate, if above will stop the charging state when monitoring is enabled.

Lo Ambient (BT3): WatchMon supervisor temperature threshold that is OK to operate, if below will stop the charging when monitoring is enabled.

Hi Ambient (BT6): WatchMon supervisor temperature threshold that is OK to operate, if above will stop the charging when monitoring is enabled.

Supply Hi Cutout: WatchMon supply voltage threshold that is OK to operate, if above will stop charging when monitoring is enabled.

Supply Hi Resume:  The WatchMon supply voltage to resume / recover the charging process once the cells have dropped to the threshold specified.

Shunt Hi Cutout (QV8): The shunt voltage threshold to charge up to, if above will stop when enabled to monitor.

Shunt Hi Resume (QV7): The shunt voltage threshold to resume / recover the charging process once the actuals have dropped

 below the threshold specified.

Limited Power Shunt Volt (QV4): The shunt voltage that when below will hold the charging process in limited power state until the system recharges above this threshold. This is typically the lowest voltage that if below you want the batteries charged at a slower rate of charge.

SoC% Hi Cutout (BS5): The shunt State of charge (SoC%) threshold that is OK to operate, if above will stop charging when monitoring is enabled.

SoC% Hi Resume (BS4): The shunt State of charge (SoC%) threshold to resume / recover the charging process once the cells have dropped to the threshold specified.

Bypass Initial (CA1): The CellMon bypass current threshold that when above will change operating state. Typically from high power to low power (limited) charging rate if the monitoring function has been enabled. Normally this feature requires remote communication to the charging system. The target parameters are configured on the remote tab.

Bypass Final (CA2): The CellMon bypass current threshold that when all CellMons are above this threshold will result in the system determining that all CellMon's have been re-balanced (equalised) and charging is completed for this session.

Bypass Session (CA3): Values for the latest bypass session.

Bypass Complete:  Indicator that Bypass is complete

Bypass thermal relief:  Indicator that bypass is in thermal relief.

Status RX: Flashes as status telemetry is received (hover over will display time received).

Setup RX: Flashes when setup configuration is received (hover over will display time received).

Action button / process link events

Edit: This button opens up fields to editing, only available when in Technician mode.

Undo:  Restores values to last saved values and returns to read only mode.

Save:  Saves values into system and returns to read only mode.  This only works when connected by a USB.  If saving whilst connected via WiFi the following Error message appears.

Default:  Restore values to default for Discharging control logic.

Pressing the  Edit button will make the options UNDO - SAVE and DEFAULT buttons available.