Guru
Joined: 21/06/2018
Location: AustraliaPosts: 1106
| Posted: 11:10am 08 Mar 2024 |
The new Nano controller board is of course not as simple as fixed resistors and comparators etc to make decisions. After the controller PCB is loaded with the parts it must have a pre programmed Nano inserted into it.
Now we need a laptop running the Arduino environment and a suitable USB cable to suit your Nano USB to Laptop connector and away we go. You open a serial console window from the Arduino software and type a ? and a menu is presented. First we select "load default values" which gives us a good starting point.
Next we work our way through the menu items one by one and calibrate the various parameters of DC IN Volts, AC OUT Volts and AC Current, Temperatures for Fan ON for the Toroid and Heatsink and a shut down over temperature parameter to give the inverter a spell to cool down.
That is where the Nano comes into its own, all the changeable things we may want to vary are done with the laptop and keyboard, no soldering required. The sorts of functions provided by the Nano include automatically closing a high current contactor after pre-charge has finished. Ramping up the mains, providing drive for an AC output relay so the load is only connected when the mains is up.
It has the 20 character 4 line display for display of VinDC, Vout AC, Amps out AC, toroid and heatsink temperatures and whether the fans are running or not. The controller board has an adjustment for AC output current trip that allows adjustment from ~ 8A to 75A AC.
There is a simple front panel connector to drive 3 LEDs for Mains on (flashing green)
Overcurrent trip Red and Vin Low/Vcap error lamp also Red. There is also a push button to reset the over current latch. I will post this now before I lose it.
Edited 2024-03-08 21:42 by wiseguy