DS-100C I-V CURVE TRACER User Manual
Contents
1. Manufacture dby Ray dee Ine dayst da Abuqierque NM ar ystar inc ENERGY ENGINEERING DS 100C A isi PHOTOVOLTAIC I V CURVE TRACER AN 7 N Pre Charge Fuse if present Voltage Sense Connector Positive PV System Connector Negative PV System Connector Disconnect Switch Voltage Range Switch AC Supply Input amp Fuse DC Supply Input O 0o N oo Ro m DC Supply Input Fuse On Off Switch Full Charge Indicator AUX USB Port Main USB Port Thermocouple Inputs RS 232 Serial Port Connector AUX Analog Inputs Irradiance Inputs Figure 8 Face plate of the DS Tracer DS 100C Operating Manual page C13 Pre Charge Fuse Note New tracer configuration do not use a pre charge fuse The DS Tracer uses a pre charge circuit to apply a negative voltage to the DS Tracer load capacitors before taking a curve The pre charge fuse if present capacitors are sweeping an l V curve Typically this fuse blows if the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch is turned on or off during the pre charge cycle Replace the fuse with only a 1 4 A Fast 3AG fuse Refer to the section 5 0 Pre Charge Precautions for more details and information on the potential damage the pre charge can do to thin film PV modules DM Note Only replace this or any other fuse with the DS Tracer completely disconnected from the PV array PV 8 Voltage Sense Connectors When an l V curve is taken the load curren2. Do not connect the DS Tracer to anything other than an open circuited PV system Be sure the PV array is electrically isolated from power conditioning equipment such as charge controllers or inverters DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start page 3 Do not connect the DS Tracer to a PV system with an open circuit voltage greater than 600 Volts Do not connect the DS Tracer to any PV system with a short circuit current greater than maximum for your unit 100 Amperes for a standard DS 100C A The DS Tracer RS 232 and USB ports irradiance inputs temperature inputs auxiliary analog inputs and auxiliary charge inputs are all referenced to the same electrical common inside the tracer Therefore these devices must be either electrically floating or referenced to the same electrical common However all of these connections are electrically isolated from the PV inputs Connecting Your Computer to the DS Tracer The DS 100C IV Tracer provides two interfaces an RS 232 and USB port The RS 232 interface uses a standard female 9 pin connector as shown in Figure 8 The standard USB connection is labeled Main USB Either of these connections may be used depending on the configuration of the computer running the IVPC program Though only one of these ports should be connected at a time Note Special USB drivers must be installed on the computer in order to use the USB port See the section Appendix C DS 100 USB
3. IV Curves ct projects C dstrac 1 Y software test9 iva C data C floppy 1 C setup Cancel C setup2 E tdat J C testdata x Make Directory Figure 7 Change Directory dialog box DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start page 11 Summary of Steps for Taking IV Curves 1 Connect your computer to the DS Tracer and start IVPC for Turn the power switch of the DS Tracer ON You can connect one or two pyranometers directly to the DS 100C If pyranometers are connected you must enter correct pyranometer constants in IVPC Referto the IVPC manual for details You may connect one or two thermocouples directly to the DS 100C Refer to the IVPC manual for details Open the PV array system switch to isolate the PV array under test NEVER try to take a curve of a PV array connected to a battery or inverter With the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch in the OFF position connect the PV system to the DS Tracer front panel using the leads provided Red is positive black is negative Plug the red and black leads and the voltage sense plug into the mating connectors on the DS Tracer then connect the negative lead to the PV array followed by the positive red lead Be sure to connect the tracer to the PV system through a system disconnect switch rated for Isc and Voc Refer to the discussion of the DISCONNECT switch in the section 2 0 Panel Layout Set the voltage range switch to the desired setting Vu
4. PRE CHARGE fuse This 1 4 Amp fast blow fuse protects the DS Tracer pre charge circuitry See section 5 0 Pre Charge Precautions for more details This fuse may blow if the DS Tracer connection and disconnection sequences are not followed exactly Replace only with a 1 4 Amp fast blow fuse A third user replaceable fuse is the 2 Amp fast blow DC charging fuse This fuse should only blow if a DC source voltage exceeds the rating on the DS Tracer panel Replace only with a 2 Amp fast blow DC charging fuse There is an internal fuse on the power supply board battery circuit This fuse is installed as protection when the DS Tracer is removed from its case during repairs Contact Daystar Inc if you suspect that this fuse has blown page C24 DS 100C Operating Manual 5 0 Pre Charge Precautions In order to compensate for voltage drops across the test leads the DS Tracer pre charges the capacitive load to 25 V When an I V curve is taken the PV module voltage will start at 25 V and increase to 0 V lac and continue to Voc Most PV modules single crystal silicon for example can easily withstand this negative pre charge voltage However this pre charge voltage can damage some thin film modules particularly those with very low Voc values Higher voltage modules have more cells in series and therefore the pre charge voltage is spread across more cells Only individual low voltage thin film modules are affected It is not a co
5. Drivers for details on installing these drivers Connecting a PV Module to the DS Tracer The DS Tracer is connected to the PV array or module with the test leads provided Before connecting a PV module be sure the DS Tracer power switch is ON and the DISCONNECT switch is in the OFF position Plug the test lead into the DS Tracer being sure to match the red and black connectors The Voltage Sense connector is keyed and can only be inserted in one way A For safety it is recommended that connections be made to a circuit that can be isolated from the PV array with a system switch rated at full PV power Refer to section 2 0 Panel Layout for details page 4 IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start DS 100C Operating Manual With the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch still OFF attach the test leads to your PV module By making connections with the PV system disconnect switch off the chance of electric shock is avoided After connecting the test leads close the PV system switch At this point PV voltage should be present at the DS Tracer Turn the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch to ON Note For normal operation the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch should always be the last switch closed and the first switch opened Starting IVPC The following description assumes the use of IVPC 2 X IVPC opens to the Data Grid window shown in Figure 1 IVPC Data Grid window The Data Grid is a spread sheet that lists all of the I V curve data files stored in the current dire
6. However the displayed l V curve will not include current values higher than 10 Amperes External Command Set Typically the IVPC program controls the DS 100C however you can write your own program if necessary Some users may want to write software to perform custom tracer operations This is possible using the following commands sent to the DS 100C through its RS 232 serial or USB control ports The DS 100C sends a prompt character gt when it is ready to receive a command line Commands should only be sent to the DS Tracer after receiving this prompt Each command has a unigue one character start code indicating the type of command followed by comma delineated parameters as reguired After receiving a command line the DS Tracer attempts to perform the requested operation If the command and its parameters can be decoded properly the DS Tracer sends a followed by a carriage return ASCII ODH to indicate that the command was accepted If the command was not accepted the DS Tracer will return an error line in place of the line It is this return line that should be checked following all commands Refer to Appendix B DS Tracer ERROR CODES for a list of error messages Each command of the DS Tracer is described below with an example of a proper command line and responses from the DS Tracer Note Optional parameters are shown with brackets DS 100C Operating Manual Read amp V B IVPC Software Refe
7. allow any switching transients to settle before ls is reached This method allows a true short circuit current reading to be made The DS Tracer allows 5 seconds for a curve to reach open circuit voltage At this point the circuitry discharges the capacitors through a resistive load The complete cycle actually begins with a discharge of any residual voltage on the capacitors This discharge is followed by 7 seconds of pre charge 5 seconds to take the curve and finally another 5 seconds for discharge The initial discharge cycle is not normally needed However it ensures that the load capacitors are ready to accept a pre charge The initial discharge if needed may take up to 5 seconds The DS Tracer uses an SCR to close the circuit between the PV system and the load capacitors SCRs are susceptible to false triggering turn on if the voltage across them is increased too rapidly The DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch uses two 1MA resistors one each for the positive and negative leads across the disconnect switch contacts These resistors allow the SCR to see the PV system voltage before the DISCONNECT switch is closed thereby preventing the SCR from false triggering when the disconnect switch is closed Under normal operating conditions this switch should always be the last switch closed and the first switch opened when making PV system connections A Note In an emergency situation it is recommended that the PV system switch be opened
8. as shown in Figure 4 The status message indicates that a curve can be taken by using the mouse to press the Take Curve button or by pressing Alt T JI PC for Windows 2 63 New Curve 1 i Press Take Curve Alt T when ready mare Version WV HIGH 6O0V Ines VERS 5 21 100C LOW 150 V I LOW 10 A e Curve Taken by John Doe Figure 4 DS Tracer is pre charged and ready to immediately take the curve page 8 IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start DS 100C Operating Manual After pressing Take Curve the DS Tracer takes approximately 6 seconds to take the curve and plot the data as shown in Figure 5 You may save this data by selecting Save l V Curve from the File menu The curve is stored in the current directory and the Data Grid is updated E IVPC for Windows V2 5a TESTN2 IVA File Edit View Options Normalize Window Peak Power W 53 19 Fill Factor 737 Vpk Y 13 574 Voc Y 16 837 Name Test Ipk 4 3 918 Isc A 4 286 Site DayStar Sub System Stingi Module N A Irad 1 W m 903 Irrad 2 W m 0 0 Temp 1 C 46 0 Temp 2 C o0 Misc Po 10 Date 02 17 1998 Volts V Time 15 04 35 Firmware Version v HIGH 600 Y HIGH 100 A ol Take Curve VERS 5 15C v LOW 150 Y 1L0W 10 A Comments Curve Taken by John Rossell Figure 5 Example of I V curve DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation amp Quick Start page 9 You
9. can return to the Data Grid without closing the curve window by using the Window menu shown in Figure 6 Closing the I V curve window will also return you to the Data Grid window mel I PC for Windows Y 2 63 I Curve Data Grid File Edit View Options Normalize Window C File Name Curve Name v 1 Lu Curve Data Grid ALIVA 2 B2 IVA V A2 IV 3 AL IVA Pt MAZIVA 4 AS IVA 22 B1 IVA rT ZOO 07 37 Y B2 IVA 04 11 2001 15 08 32 BIN IVA 04 11 2001 15 07 37 AA IVA 04 12 2001 10 49 26 2 AS IVA 04 12 2001 10 50 57 Figure 6 Moving to the Data Grid with the Window menu If You Get an Error There are several error messages you may see when taking a curve The DS Tracer automatically turns itself off when it does not receive a command for 15 minutes This features helps to protect the DS Tracer battery Ifthe DS Tracer has been on for more than 15 minutes without taking a curve it will power down and you will receive an error indicating that the DS Tracer does not respond Simply turn the DS Tracer switch off wait several seconds and turn it back on Allow the tracer approximately 10 seconds to initialize Then pressYes to retry as indicated on the error dialog box Other errors occur if the PV array voltage is too high or if it is zero or negative Simply follow the IVPC directions given when the error occurs Most errors happen as soon as you chose New LV Curve from the File menu Most often you ca
10. does not reach lsc Pre charge fuse has blown check and replace DS Tracer Stops Working Locks Up Battery out of power charge battery Unknown Reasons reset DS Tracer by recycling power Cannot establish connection of external computer to DS Tracer DS Tracer is not turned on or has turned itself off DS Tracer RS 232 or USB port is not connected to computer IVPC is set to wrong COM port DS Tracer will not accept external command Parameters are not properly formatted Irradiance readings are incorrect Pyranometer coefficients are incorrect Analog circuit requires factory calibration DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix A IV Curve ASCII File Format Note Each line of the IVA format starts with a unique ID letter followed by a space The ID letter and space should be used to decode this file Line page A39 arrangements are subject to change as additional information is added to this file format E m AN D m AN T m AN S m WB M P m MC RU IT Nx WHY VOM WEY SK WW VEL curve name date time site sub sysi module temperat temperat tem ture 41 ture 2 irradiance 1 irradiance 2 miscellaneous short circuit current open circuit voltage current voltage at peak power at peak power peak power fill factor THERE CAN BE 0 TO 257 I V DATA PAIRS current current
11. first The DS 100C disconnect switch is not rated to break significant current at high voltage Some PV systems are sensitive to how quickly an l V curve is taken The speed of a curve is most easily expressed in volts per second by taking the PV short circuit current in Amps l and dividing it by the DS Tracer load capacitance in Farads Refer to page C20 DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix D DS 100C Technical Specifications for the values of load capacitance for each position of the voltage range switch For example if using a load capacitance value of 0 005 F low range and a PV system with an lsc of 20A the rate would be Rate 20A 0 005 F 4000 V S When comparing this value to the PV system it is best to normalize this rate to an individual PV cell This can be done by dividing the rate by the number of PV cells in series If the previous example had fifty cells in series the rate of each cell would be 4000 V S 50 280 V S Different PV technologies vary in their sensitivity to the charge rate It is left to the user to determine if there is reason for concern Often the PV module manufacturer can provide information concerning how quickly an l V curve can be swept on their modules Daystar Inc will also provide any assistance possible DS 100C Operating Manual page C21 4 0 Maintenance Battery Charging and Care The DS Tracer contains a 12 Volt sealed maintenance free lead acid battery A 5 AH Cyclon brand 08
12. yyy or Vue Leave the voltage range switch in the VHIGH position unless taking a curve of a high current gt 50 Amperes low voltage lt 24 Volts PV array Turn the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch to the ON position The DS Tracer is now ready to take I V curves From the File menu in IVPC select New I V Curve To take another l V curve of the same PV system repeat step 9 To test another PV subsystem turn the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch to OFF and open the PV system disconnect switch Remove the cables and repeat steps 5 through 9 DM WARNING Disconnecting cables when the array disconnect switch is ON may 10 11 result in electrical arcing and may damage the DS Tracer and or injure the operator When finished taking curves turn the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch to the OFF position and open the PV system disconnect switch Disconnect the DS Tracer from the PV system Remove the positive red lead first followed by the negative lead Switch off the power to the DS Tracer page C12 2 0 Panel Layout DS 100C Operating Manual This section describes the DS 100C photovoltaic I V curve tracer in more detail The DS Tracer generates a complete current voltage I V curve that characterizes the photovoltaic system under test Figure 8 shows the front panel layout of the DS 100C Each of the key components is described in detail in the following section AX E DISCONNECT oO viow RANGE vinx
13. 09 0012 manufactured by Hawker Energy The battery is designed for 400 cycles of a 50 percent discharge Using the DS Tracer for 6 hours continuously discharges the battery 50 percent If the DS Tracer were used for 6 hours every day the battery should have a minimum life of 13 months one discharge charge cycle a day Fully charging the DS Tracer after every use increases battery life The DS Tracer is programmed to turn itself off after 15 minutes without a command This eliminates the possibility of completely discharging the battery if the DS Tracer power is accidentally left on The DS Tracer battery may be charged in two ways AC line power or a DC source such as a PV module The DS 100C has a universal AC power supply and therefore will work with single phase AC line voltages from 85 Vac to 264 Vac 50 60Hz To charge the battery from AC line power simply connect the tracer to the AC source with the AC power cord provided The tracer will immediately start charging the battery Battery charging is independent of using the DS 100C tracer Therefore the tracer may be used to take curves using AC power The battery will continue to charge while the tracer is used DM NOTE In order to minimize potential ground loops and maximize safety it is recommend that the DS 100C NOT be connected to AC power when taking curves However this is only to eliminate In addition to using AC power you can connect a DC supply such as a PV module t
14. 2 INPUT LESS THAN OR EQUAL ZERO VOLTS The take I V curve command cannot continue because the PV system voltage is less than or egual to 0 V Check PV system and DS Tracer disconnect switches This error can also be caused by a reverse polarity on the DS Tracer to PV system connection ERROR 40 DISCONNECT SWITCH IS OFF The DS Tracer is trying to take an I V curve but the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch is off ERROR 50 INVALID NUMERIC PARAMETER Parameter must represent valid numeric value ERROR 60 INVALID ANALOG I O CHANNEL tt The DS Tracer accepts channel numbers 0 through 13 ERROR 63 DSP ERROR DS Tracer DSP board has an error Usually an A D has failed or the connect to the DSP board has failed ERROR UNKNOWN ERROR Some type of unknown error has occurred Check parameters for proper syntax page C42 DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix C DS 100 USB Drivers In order to use the DS 100C USB port for tracer control the DS 100 USB drivers must be installed on the computer running IVPC Two drivers will be installed The primary driver will be a USB device driver labeled DS 100 IV Tracer The second driver will be a virtual COM port also labeled DS 100 Tracer This virtual COM port will function as a conventional COM port IVPC version 2 X and lower only work with COM ports and therefore require the virtual COM port New versions of IVPC will not need this virtual COM port but still
15. IONS MANUAL KKK A WARNING THIS INSTRUMENT MAY PRESENT AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD WHICH CAN RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IF THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT FOLLOWED THIS INSTRUMENT MUST ONLY BE USED FOR TAKING ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND VOLTAGE l V CURVES OF PHOTOVOLTAIC PV SOLAR MODULES THIS INSTRUMENT MUST NOT BE USED BEYOND ITS OPERATING RANGE THIS INSTRUMENT MUST NOT BE USED BY PERSONNEL WHO DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE HANDLING HIGH VOLTAGE DC AND PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES THIS INSTRUMENT MUST NOT BE USED DURING RAIN SNOW SLEET OR IN ANY AREA OF HIGH MOISTURE SUCH AS AREAS WITH STANDING WATER OR MUD THIS INSTRUMENT MUST NOT BE USED IF IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS DESCRIBED IN THIS USER MANUAL DS TRACER Operating Manual page v NOMENCLATURE A Hz HIGH LOW Voc Amperes or Amp Hertz Current Current at peak power Short Circuit Current The maximum current a photovoltaic cell can generate with the output terminals shorted Current Voltage Photovoltaic Voltage High voltage range 600 Volts Low voltage range 150 Volts Open Circuit Voltage The maximum voltage a photovoltaic cell can generate with the output terminals open circuited Voltage at peak power DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start page 1 1 0 Installation 8 Taking IV Curves Basic Description The standard DS 100C Tracer has two user selectable current ranges 10 and 100 Amperes three automatically selected vo
16. Use of PV system disconnect switch Voltage Range Switch The voltage range switch changes the electrical configuration of the capacitors that form the load for the PV array It will not affect the measurement range of the l V curve but it does affect how quickly an l V curve is taken In the low voltage setting the DS Tracer has more load capacitance and therefore a curve is swept slower Note This affects how quickly the PV array sweeps from lsc to Voc It does not affect how long it takes a curve to plot in IVPC The higher lsc and the lower Voc the more quickly a curve is taken If curves are swept too fast the dynamic characteristics of the PV array can become DS 100C Operating Manual page C15 significant and affect the accuracy of an l V curve Under most circumstances the DS Tracer can be left in the Vio range However the low voltage range Will give a better curve of low voltage high current PV systems for example 60 Amps 12 Volts Refer to section 3 0 Theory for more details on DS Tracer capacitance A NOTE Leave the voltage range switch on the DS Tracer in the HIGH position unless taking a high current low voltage l V curve AC Power Entry amp Fuse The DS Tracer battery is recharged by connecting the DS Tracer to an AC power source with the cord provided It is not necessary for the tracer to be ON Refer to section 4 0 for details of battery charging ON Off Switch This switch turns on the DS Tra
17. a gr ade e tt 15 le 15 F ll Gharge Indicator tete maakeel elada n 15 Aux Charge Power 8 Fuse vanana 16 RS 232 SerlallBOrt ic tct eter ec ote iere t be e e edet 16 Main USB Pot oi ERE ER ERR BE EPA RANT 16 Aux USB POM iir eee pide 16 Irradiance le CEET M os ated 17 Thermocouple Inp ts 22 2 2 2 22 act tdem ed had ee dtt aal ala aed ad rot eed ts 17 Aux Analog Inputs csi Ae ot t de etd A tb es 17 page ii DS TRACER Operating Manual 3 00 Theory Of Operation Ee 18 4 0 Maintenance de T 21 Battery Charging and Care nene 21 Exterior Cleaning eret det Peel ette tret edad ta jaa toe repris 22 Transportation ur a 23 DssrraceriFUses c4 RR RN A tn at 23 5 0 Pre Charge Precaution enne cet etececcnesecedscededadenepeeedetcervesuecseeddenceteseeevseedeesteresd 24 6 0 DS 100C Additional Capabilities 2 122001210n0nnennnnnnnannanannnnnnnnennnnanannnennnnannna 25 Temperature amp Irradiance INPUtS e 25 Temperature Connections saia a aae aE aAA EA RENARE AE ANAE 25 Irradiance Connechons 00 cceccceececeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeneceeeeeeeeeestneeees 25 M ltiple GurrentRangE 13 eerte tete reed eee eH EE 26 External Comimand educa ec e e pe ped regere dade ue RR uan 26 Read VB ara Aoi bk dee x eom dace eebe tege Ae 27 Auto Zero l amp V Z od sete eO item tme 27 Pre Gurve E eee d etas Shs dee opc Rose teet ea ate det dieu ae 28 Read Analog Inp
18. a high current range curve Read DS Tracer Version V This command reads the software version number current and voltage ranges Format yy Example command V response response VERS 6 0C response V LOW 150V response V HI 600V response I LOW 10A page 34 IVPC Software Reference DS 100C Operating Manual response I HI 100A response Get Information G This command gets various DS Tracer information depending on the parameters used Currently two version are define Get Configuration G C Example command G C response response 123456 tracer serial number response 8 13 06 date of manufacture response 9600 RS 232 port baud rate response 9600 secondary port baud rate response 600 nominal high voltage range response 150 nominal low voltage range response 100 nominal high current range response 10 nominal low current range response T thermocouple 1 type response T thermocouple 2 type response gt Get Calibration Constants G B Example command G B response response 123450 tracer serial number response 8 13 06 calibration date response 0 6 0 6V voltage constant NA response 6 1056 6V range voltage constant response 60 1439 60V range voltage constant DS 100C Operating Manual respon respon respon respon respon respon
19. cer power This switch should be on before connections are made to a PV array The curve tracer takes approximately 10 seconds to initialize after it is turned on Be sure to allow for this before attempting to use IVPC to operate the tracer If you attempt to communicate with the tracer before it completes initialization you will receive an error in IVPC It makes no difference if it is on or off while connecting to the control computer Of course it must be on to take an l V curve The DS Tracer automatically turns itself off if a curve has not be taken for 15 minutes This feature protects the DS Tracer battery If you suspect that the DS Tracer has turned itself off simply Switch the power switch off wait several seconds and turn the switch back on Full Charge Indicator When this LED lights its indicates that the DS Tracer battery is fully charged Sometimes this LED will turn on for several seconds if the AC power cord is page C16 DS 100C Operating Manual unplugged before the battery is fully charged This occurrence does not indicate a fully charged battery Aux Charge Power 8 Fuse The Aux Charge connector is a standard banana jack connector used to recharge the battery from a DC power source such as a PV module Do not exceed the input voltage A fuse protects the tracer from excess current RS 232 Serial Port AIl DS Tracer operations are controlled with commands sent to the DS Tracer through this serial port or th
20. ctors S This command returns the floating point conversion constant for the PV voltage and current inputs for the specified gain codes There is a different conversion constant for each gain code The integer values returned by the DS Tracer for the PV voltage and current values are multiplied by these constants to convert these values to engineering units The constants are returned in IEEE single precision 32 bit binary format Format Si Dlcna ni n2 Voltage gain code 0 1 2 or 3 Current gain code 0 1 2 or 3 Gain Codes 0 1 10 2 100 3 1000 IEEE 32 bit floating point format 1 sign bit 8 bit signed exponent 23 1 bit mantissa Refer to IEEE documentation for more details Example command S 0 1 response page 32 IVPC Software Reference 4 byte 32 bit t 4 byte 32 bit response gt t voltage cons current cons can can DS 100C Operating Manual DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Software Reference page 33 Take I V Curve T This command causes the DS Tracer to take an l V curve using the specified current range The I V curve data is accessed with the Transfer command X Format IS Use low current range EHA Use high current range Example 1 command T L response response gt Take low current curve Example 2 command T H response response Take
21. ctory When starting IVPC for the first time the Data Grid may be empty if no I V curves have been taken EMIVPC for Windows 2 5a I V Curve Data Grid File Edit View Options Mormalize Window TEST1 IVA 600 1 11 11 1998 ACME IVA 600 2 09 28 1997 TESTN2 IVA 1000 3 ACME1 IVA 1002 3 09 25 1997 TEST IVA 1004 2 01 18 1998 QW IVA 1011 2 Figure 1 IVPC Data Grid window The Data Grid can be thought of as a detailed directory of the l V curves However in addition to file names you can display other curve data such as peak power or module ID Refer to the IVPC Reference Manual for directions for changing the data displayed Use the Data Grid to locate and display I V curves that were taken previously and stored DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation amp Quick Start page 5 Taking an I V Curve Before taking a curve the DS Tracer should be turned on and connected to the PV system Your computer should be connected to the DS Tracer and running IVPC From the File menu shown in Figure 2 select New l V Curve or press Ctrl N control and N keys at the same time CAP for Windows Y 2 63 I Y Curve Da File Edit view Options Normalize Window About IVPC New I V Curve Ctrl N 04 1 Save Curve Ctrl 5 04 1 Merge Files Ctrl R 04 1 Delete Curve Ctrl L Change Directory Ctrl D Print Ctrl P Exit Figure 2 Select New Curve in the File menu to take an l V curve A Note Some figures shown in this manual
22. current current current value voltage value value voltage value value voltage value value voltage value value voltage value page B40 DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix B DS Tracer ERROR CODES ERROR 10 I O ERROR RS 232 serial communications error Baud rate parity number of data bits or number of stop bits is incorrect DS Tracer uses 9600 baud no parity 8 data bits and 1 stop bit ERROR 13 UNKNOWN COMMAND Command is not recognized by the DS Tracer This may be due to a syntax error ERROR 14 BUFFER OVERFLOW Internal command line buffer overflow Total number of characters in command line cannot exceed 255 ERROR 15 COMMAND LINE OVERFLOW A command has been sent to the DS Tracer before the previous command has finished Wait for return prompt ERROR 16 PARAMETER TOO LONG The maximum length of any command line parameter is 15 characters ERROR 17 TOO MANY PARAMETERS A maximum of 16 parameters including command code are allowed ERROR 30 OVER MAXIMUM VOLTAGE The take I V curve command cannot continue because the PV system voltage exceeds the maximum voltage range this PV system cannot be tested with the DS Tracer ERROR 31 OVER LOW VOLTAGE RANGE The take I V curve command cannot continue because the PV system voltage exceeds the low voltage range switch to high voltage range DS 100C Operating Manual page B41 ERROR 3
23. daystar inc daystar inc daystar inc Energy Engineering DS 100C I V CURVE TRACER User Manual Daystar Inc 3240 Majestic Ridge Version 6 01 Las Cruces NM 88011 November 2011 575 522 4943 pvvern zianet com http www daystarpv com This I V curve tracer was built to Daystar Inc specifications by Raydec Inc 8210 La Mirada Suite 700 Albuquerque New Mexico 87109 DS TRACER Operating Manual page i CONTENTS CONTENTS iii i WARNINGS 550 gege SEENEN iv NOMENCLATURE a a r e Ea r aa p aa aaa a aa a aa aaa aaa Aa aa aa EE v 1 0 Installation amp Taking IV Curves onnnonniccnninnnsncnnccnrcrcnerrernrcn recrear 1 Basic Description meni eet a E 1 INPC Installation c aee f ated tet erede aaa EEDS TEN 2 Precautions x PE Ea EP RUE EROR ie ap vaala 2 Connecting Your Computer to the D G Tracer 3 Connecting a PV Module to the DS Tracer cccccccececececeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeteeeees 3 Starting VI 4 TTaking an l V Curves aa Aet a etch A tu e re aa i rt 5 If You Get an EMO 3 eet a ad taa epe ete 9 Displaying Saved Cunmves eee eee ener nnne 10 Summary of Steps for Taking IV Curves ees 11 2 0 Pan l L y t iii iiec iere inen EHI A e akna tipi daa miuke inkad 12 Pre Charge Euse xi o me E OE tes erede f d Eae E etn 13 PV amp Voltage Sense Connechors aora A rA EEA Eada Ca Sata Tekane RAA 13 DISCONNECT Switch 13 Voltage Range Swoimi re Fe te AAA een E 14 AG Power Entry 8 FUSE a ene c ide eei
24. e USB port This port is a standard 9 pin RS 232 port This port is configured as a DCE device Normally the DS Tracer functions are controlled with the IVPC software but you can create your own software using the DS Tracer command codes described in section 6 0 DS 100C Additional Capabilities The DS Tracer uses the following RS 232 format 9600 Baud No parity 8 data bits 1 stop bit Main USB Port All DS Tracer operations are controlled with commands sent to the DS Tracer through this USB port or the RS 232 port This port is a standard USB Type B port Normally the DS Tracer functions are controlled with the IVPC software but you can create your own software using the DS Tracer command codes described in section 6 0 DS 100C Additional Capabilities Aux USB Port This port supports auxiliary DS 100C operations This port is a standard USB Type A port This port is NOT used to control the DS 100C IV tracer It is meant DS 100C Operating Manual page C17 to be used to update the IV curve tracer internal firmware and to load updated calibration constants In the event that an update is needed the proper use of this port will be described at that time This port may also be used for advanced features in future releases of DS 100C firmware or IVPC Irradiance Inputs The model DS 100C has two irradiance inputs for measuring pyranometers These inputs measure DC voltages only In order to use a reference cell the cell must have a shu
25. emperature Measurement Range 30 C to 120 C Accuracy 1 C Resolution 0 1 C Irradiance Measurement Ranges 5 V 500 mV 50 mV 5 mV Accuracy 0 196 of Range Resolution 1 65 536 of Range DS 100C Operating Manual page D45 Power Supply Power 85 Vac to 264 Vac V 50 60 Hz ac Battery 5 A Hr sealed lead acid Hawker Energy Products 0809 0020 Hours of Use Up to 13 Hours on a full charge Charge Time Less than 8 hrs Load Capacitors Low Voltage Range Capacitance 5 000 uf Voltage Limit 350 V dc High Voltage Range Capacitance 1 600 uf Voltage Limit 700 V dc Approximate Size amp Weight 18 x 14 x8 46cm X 36 cm X 20 cm 28 Ibs 13 kg
26. itor load reaches V data sampling stops The DS Tracer employs two high speed analog to digital converters to sample the current and voltage One converter digitizes the array voltage while the other digitizes the array current The DS Tracer analyzes the digitized values saves those that show significant change and transfers the data set to the control computer The data set includes the I V curve data plus values of open circuit voltage V and short circuit current Peak power voltage at peak power Vpk Current at peak power lpk and fill factor are calculated and displayed with the curve Irradiance and temperature data and array identification may be added to each data set The irradiance and temperature data are either entered by the operator using IVPC or sampled by the DS 100C The DS Tracer sweeps an l V curve by switching the PV system to a bank of capacitors As these capacitors charge the PV system voltage increases until open circuit voltage is reached While the voltage is increasing and the current to the capacitors is decreasing from its maximum short circuit value the voltage and current are sampled by high speed analog to digital converters These data points define the l V curve Before acquiring data the DS Tracer reverse charges its capacitive load to approximately 25 V This negative pre charge is used to offset any voltage DS 100C Operating Manual page C19 drops created by the test leads and to
27. ltage ranges 600 V 60 V and 6 Volts two irradiance and two temperature measurement inputs Unless otherwise noted this manual refers to standard DS 100C models Note The three measurement voltage ranges listed here should not be confused with the load ranges Vuen and V oy selected with the range switch A computer running the IVPC for Windows program controls the DS Tracer See the IVPC Reference Manual The computer running the IVPC application may be connected to the DS Tracer by RS 232 serial or USB Most DS Tracer operations are performed with the IVPC program Refer to the IVPC manual for details on operating the DS100C IV Tracer However the basic steps for using the DS Tracer are Connect the DS Tracer to the computer either RS 232 or USB Turn on the tracer power and connect DS Tracer test leads to PV array Connect pyranometers and thermocouples to DS Tracer Install and run IVPC for Windows see the IVPC manual for details From File menu select New l V Curve Enter curve information and take curve Save curve data To proceed with the Installation amp Quick Start you will need the following e DS Tracer l V curve tracer and test leads e IVPC CD ROM PC computer running the Microsoft Windows operating system page 2 IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start DS 100C Operating Manual Serial or USB cable to connect your computer to the DS Tracer IVPC Installation IVPC is written f
28. may be different than your version of IVPC Please refer to the IVPC manual for the most up to date information on using IVPC page 6 IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC will open a new curve window as shown in Figure 3 This window provides areas to enter curve information identifying the l V curve The DS Tracer takes up to 12 seconds to initialize the tracer hardware Typically you will enter curve data during this delay For example if not using the Auto feature to read an irradiance or temperature channel you could enter a value manually at this time A status message indicating that the DS Tracer is pre charging is displayed in the area normally used to plot the curve ipi xi CA File Edit View Options Normalize Window 8 x Peak Power W 0 00 Fill Factor 0 0 Vpk V 0 000 Voc V 0 000 Name PRT Ipk A 0 000 Isc A 0 000 Site Daysta Sub System String 1 Module N A Irrad 1 42m 9030 Irrad 2 zm Ion Pre Charging DS Tracer Temp 810 a0 Temp 2 C 00 Misc Date 10 18 2002 Time 09 12 49 Firmware Version H v HIGH 600 V I HIGH 100 A e Take Curve VERS 5 21 100C v LOW 150 Y I LOW 10 A C Figure 3 New Curve screen while DS Tracer is pre charging Auto ETE DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start page 7 After initialization the status message changes and the Take Curve button is enabled
29. n correct the problem and continue without having to restart The most common problem results from a communication error This is usually due to not setting the correct COM port in IVPC The COM port settings must match the actual COM port on your computer Note If the COM port is a virtual page 10 IVPC Installation 8 Auick Start DS 100C Operating Manual COM port such as those created by USB to serial adapters or by the DS 100C USB drivers used for IVPC version 2 X and older it is possible that this COM port number has been inadvertently changed Use the Windows device manager to confirm the current COM port setting of the virtual COM port The COM port number set for this virtual port must match the COM port number set in IVPC Displaying Saved Curves Stored l V curves are selected from the Data Grid The Data Grid displays the curve files in the current directory Be sure to set the current working directory to the sub directory where the curves are stored Use the Change Directory command in the File menu to select a new directory as shown in Figure 7 To display a curve shown on the Data Grid double click anywhere on the row for that curve A window very similar to the one used to take a curve is displayed More than one curve window may be open at the same time Use the Window menu to return to the Data Grid and select another curve The Window menu is also used to switch between curve windows Change Directory 4 X
30. ncern for systems with many modules in series You can avoid damage to a thin film module by inserting a by pass diode across the module terminals as shown in Figure 10 This diode limits the reverse voltage to approximately 1 V maximum Locating the diode at the PV module terminals allows the pre charge to still offset voltage drops across the test leads The by pass diode should be rated to handle the instantaneous peak current created by shorting the pre charge capacitor through the by pass diode Due to circuit resistances this current will not exceed 250 A and can last less than 2 ms The diode reverse voltage rating must be greater than module Voc A Motorola MR750 series rectifier is recommend This rectifier has a reverse voltage rating of 50 V and can handle peak currents over 300 A System Disconnect Switch Test Lead PV Array Figure 10 Use of by pass diode to protect thin film PV modules DS 100C Operating Manual page C25 6 0 DS 100C Additional Capabilities The DS 100C tracer has auxiliary capabilities These include analog circuits for reading external temperatures and irradiances Temperature amp Irradiance Inputs The DS 100C has two thermocouple temperature inputs and two dual 5 way binding posts for connecting pyranometers You do not need to use these inputs to take l V curves The temperature and irradiance inputs are enabled using the AUTO feature of IVPC When a curve is taken
31. nt resistor attached to convert the cell current to a voltage Refer to the IVPC Manual and Appendix C DS Tracer Technical Specifications for details on the voltage range of the irradiance inputs These inputs are differential but there is a 10 K resistor form the negative black input and the internal circuit common Therefore the pyranometer can be either electrically referenced to the same common as the other inputs such as the computer or it can be electrically floating Thermocouple Inputs The standard model DS 100C is configured with two Type T thermocouple inputs for measuring PV array module temperatures Refer to the IVPC manual for details on making temperature measurements and Appendix C DS 100 USB Drivers for details Aux Analog Inputs This auxiliary analog input connection is currently disabled However implementation is expected n future releases of IVPC and DS 100C firmware page C18 DS 100C Operating Manual 3 0 Theory of Operation The DS Tracer obtains an l V curve by varying the electrical impedance connected across the PV array output terminals Varying the impedance from zero to infinity causes the array operating point to change from I to V e The DS Tracer accomplishes this impedance change by connecting the array to a capacitive load As the capacitor charges the array moves through its operating range and presents a set of current and voltage values that form the l V curve When the capac
32. o the DC input connector This feature is useful when working in remote locations without AC power Connect a DC Voltage source within the range specified on the DS Tracer front panel to the DC Power connector This is a page C22 DS 100C Operating Manual standard banana jack connector Connect the DC positive and negative to the red and black jacks respectively The charge circuit uses a maximum of 1 A and requires a minimum of 16 V If using a PV module for recharging the open circuit voltage of this module should not exceed the maximum rating shown on the DS Tracer front panel If you connect a supply that produces less than 1A the DS Tracer simply takes longer to recharge The internal charging circuitry limits the DC charging current Therefore power sources with current capabilities greater than 2 A can be used For example a 5 A PV module could be used The DS Tracer will only draw the current it needs for charging The automatic charging system maintains the battery at its peak charge level and will not overcharge the battery When the battery is fully charged the full charge indicator comes on You do not need to turn the DS Tracer on to recharge the battery Operating the tracer will not affect the time it takes to recharge It will not harm the battery to leave the DS Tracer connected to the power source after the battery is fully charged Note The full charge indicator may come on for a short time if the charging power i
33. or use with Windows 98 2000 XP which must be running to operate IVPC To install IVPC insert the IVPC CD ROM in your computer Open the IVPC CD ROM and run the setup exe program by double click with the mouse The setup program will prompt you for information on where you want to install IVPC If you are unsure use the defaults which create an IVPC sub directory off of the root directory on drive C IVPC Setup automatically installs the necessary files in the IVPC directory and makes additions to your Windows system directory Precautions There are several precautions to observe before using the DS Tracer and IVPC to take l V curves The DS Tracer battery should be fully charged The DS 100C has a universal power supply that works with AC line voltages from 85 Vac to 264 Vac 50 60 Hz The DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch should be in the OFF position and the DS Tracer power should be turned on when making or breaking connections to a PV system or when changing the voltage range switch The DS Tracer should be connected to the PV array through a PV system disconnect switch capable of interrupting the short circuit current of the array at peak power voltage This ensures that you can disconnect the DS Tracer if a problem occurs Refer to the DISCONNECT switch discussion in section 2 0 Panel Layout for details A NOTE The DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch is not rated to interrupt high voltage systems producing more than five amps
34. rence page 27 This command reads the DS 100C current and voltage analog to digital converters ADCs and repeatedly outputs their 16 bit integer values until another command is received Note Any command sent to it to stop this command is ignored Typically this command is used to calibrate the DS Tracer Note These values may or may not have had offset correction applied depending on the whether the Z parameter is passed see below Format Bnl n2 2 nl n2 Gain Codes 0 1X 1 10X 2 100X 3 1000X Example command response response response delay response response used used used B OF 1 Wa sagas 2889 3046 2838 Voltage gain code 0 1 2 or 3 Current gain code 0 1 2 or 3 Use current offset values see auto zero for 600 V not used for current for 60 V 100 A for 6 V 10 A not used for any measurements Ot UB AT Voltage A D Output Current A D Output Continues until any other command is received Auto Zero amp V Z This sets the current circuit offset to the current reads form the PV voltage and current channels Therefore this command should only be used when the current page 28 IVPC Software Reference DS 100C Operating Manual and voltage values are known to be true zeros This command is typically used for calibration purposes Format Aa ilo Hz nl Voltage gain code 0 1 2 or 3 n2 Cur
35. rent gain code 0 1 2 or 3 Gain Codes 0 1X used for 600 V not used for current 1 10X used for 60 V 100 A 2 100X used for 6 V 10 A 3 1000X not used for any measurements Example command Z 0 1 response response gt Pre Curve E This command initiates the pre curve sequence The sequence has up to a 5 second discharge of the tracer load capacitors followed by a 7 second pre charge Format EU Start pre curve sequenc Example command E response 7 to 12 second delay response DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Software Reference page 29 Read Analog Input R The read analog command has a form for reading a specified analog input channel a form for auto calibrating the gain of the analog circuits and a form for defining the averaging period for analog readings The analog channels are not related to the circuits used for the current and voltage readings The analog channels refer to the irradiance pyranometer and temperature readings as well as auxiliary analog port and internal readings such as battery voltage Format Option 1 RoDISmnm2 4 Read input n1 0 13 n2 Pyranometer constant in W m2 volt Only needed if nl 2 or 3 Option 2 R C Calibrate analog board circuits Option 3 SR Pp Set analog averaging period t in microseconds Option 1 reads one of 14 possible analog inputs It returns a numeric value for the channel page 30 IVPC Sof
36. require the USB driver installation IVPC 2 X and lower only support COM ports 1 through 4 Therefore after being created the virtual COM port must be assigned a COM port number in this range It is common for the operating system to assign a COM port number outside this range even if a COM port number from 1 to 4 is not in use Use the Windows OS device manager to change the COM port number assigned to this virtual COM port Often Windows will warn that this COM port is in use But if you know that it is not in use you can reassign it to the necessary value from 1 to 4 After changing the COM port assignment it is best to restart the computer to ensure proper operation Consult the Microsoft documentation and help system for details on using the device manager Note If you have a conventional RS 232 COM port available there is no advantage to using the DS 100C USB port and it is not necessary to install these USB drivers However many modern notebook computers do not have COM ports and therefore it is necessary to install these DS 100 USB drivers The DS 100 USB drivers are located on the IVPC CD ROM supplied with the tracer in the DS 100 USB Drivers folder This folder contains detailed instructions on how to install the drivers for your version of the operating system DS 100C Operating Manual page C43 Note These instructions are not specific to the DS 100C and where provided by the USB hardware manufacturer Therefore
37. respon respon respon respon respon Se se se se se se se se se se se NI O 4 4 Y Sis 4 Ness ft 0 0123 209 10 0839 0 0529 00 0 00183E 3 00381E 2 99992 T 1 00094E 0 299 IVPC Software Reference 600V range voltage p C OA range current 500 mV analog cons page 35 constant OA current constant NA 10A range current constant constant 1000A current constant NA 5 mV analog constant 50 mV analog constant tant 5 V analog constant CJC offset page 36 IVPC Software Reference DS 100C Operating Manual Disable Power Down W Normally the DS Tracer turns itself off after 15 minutes without any activity This command disables this feature until the DS Tracer is reset by turning power off Format WW Example command w response response gt Enable Power Down P Normally the DS Tracer turns itself off after 15 minutes without any activity This command enables this feature By default this feature is enable This command is only necessary if the power down feature has been disabled using the W command Format WD rr Example command P response response Transfer Curve Data X This command is used to transfer curve data from the DS Tracer The command transfers the l V curve data in binary format If there are no errors thi
38. s command returns followed by a 1056 byte binary data record Format NT Transfer last data record DS 100C Operating Manual Binary int in in ch ch in in Fh Fh Fh Fh Fh M int Format IEEE 32 bit floating point 1 sign bit L10al Loat Loat LOAI Loat oat IVPC Software Reference page 37 format Voc Curve Voc ISC Curve Isc Num Points Number of data points mof V Gain V gain code used I Gain gain code used Volts 256 Array of voltage data KE Amps 256 Array of current data SEH t Vscale Voltage constant t Iscale Current constant t Temp1 Temperature 1 t Temp2 Temperature 2 t Irradl Irradiance 1 t Irrad2 Irradiance 2 8 bit MSB 8 bit LSB format Refer to Example command response response response NI Wk 1056 binary bytes Ns 8 bit signed exponent 23 1 bi t mantissa IEEE documentation for more details page 38 Trouble Shooting DS 10 125 Operating Manual 7 0 Troubleshooting Data is not plotted after taking an l V curve Proper connection has not been made to PV system check DISCONNECT switch I V curve is flat PV short circuit current exceeds current range check current range setting Check for bad connections to PV module or array I V curve does not start at 0 V
39. s removed before the DS Tracer is fully charged This occurrence does not indicate that the battery is fully charged During charging the front panel of the DS 100C near the irradiance connectors may get slightly warm Exterior Cleaning The exterior surface of the DS Tracer may be cleaned with a soft cloth damped with water or a mild soap only Do not use detergents abrasive cleansers or other solvents DS 100C Operating Manual page C23 Transportation Treat the DS Tracer as you would a notebook computer The DS Tracer is mounted in a heavy duty case butthis is NOT adeguate to ship the unit as freight without using a shipping container Because of its weight it will likely be damaged if it is dropped or tossed Due to airline security Daystar does not recommend attempting to carry the tracer on board a commercial airplane as carry on baggage A shipping container with foam packing is supplied as standard equipment with all DS 100C curve tracers Daystar strongly recommends using this case anytime the DS 100C is shipped DS Tracer Fuses The DS Tracer has three externally accessible fuses The first of the external fuses is located in the AC input power receptacle Power line surges or internal faults can cause this fuse to fail Return the DS Tracer for repairs if this fuse blows repeatedly Replace this fuse with the type indicated on the DS Tracer panel A user accessible fuse is located on the front panel and is labeled
40. t flows through the test lead into the large red and black PV connectors The red and black connectors go to PV array positive and negative terminals respectively The PV array voltage is measured separately to avoid measurement errors caused by voltage drops in the test leads The test leads incorporate voltage sense wires that run between the Voltage Sense connector and the ends of the test leads DISCONNECT Switch The DISCONNECT switch is used to isolate the DS Tracer from the PV array when connecting or disconnecting the test leads between the tracer and PV system Having this switch in the OFF position ensures that no significant current can flow into the DS Tracer while making or breaking connections This feature prevents the possibility of an electrical arc and protects the user from possible injury Although the DISCONNECT switch should always be OFF when page C14 DS 100C Operating Manual connecting or disconnecting the test leads it becomes more important at higher PV voltages A Note the DS Tracer DISCONNECT switch is not rated to break the electrical current at the full voltage and current rating of the DS Tracer The DS Tracer should always be connected through a PV system disconnect rated at the PV system Voc and Isc values as shown in Figure 9 A system switch provides a way to break a circuit should the DS Tracer have a major internal failure System Disconnect Switch Test Lead PV Array Figure 9
41. the temperature and iradiance inputs are sampled immediately before the DS 100C takes a curve Refer to the IVPC operating manual for details on using these inputs when taking l V curves Temperature Connections Two standard thermocouple connectors are available on the front of the DS 100C A standard DS 100C comes with Type T thermocouple connectors In order to accurately acquire temperature data only matching thermocouple types can be used The thermocouple inputs are electrically isolated from the PV system but not isolated from other analog circuits or the computer connections Therefore it is necessary that the thermocouple be electrically insulated when bonded to a surface Irradiance Connections There are two dual 5 way binding posts for pyranometer inputs located on the front panel of the DS 100C These programmable inputs can accommodate 5 V signals and accurately measure millivolt signals These inputs can be used for any analog voltage measurement within the range of the DS 100C Refer to the page 26 IVPC Software Reference DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix D DS 100C Technical Specifications for details on measurement ranges Multiple Current Ranges The standard DS 100C includes two current ranges 10 Amperes and 100 Amperes Before a l V curve is taken you may select one of these two ranges using IVPC You will not damage the DS 100 by inadvertently selecting the low range when the high range is required
42. these instructions will not refer to the DS 100 IV Tracer driver by name When you first connect the DS 100C to your computer using the USB connection Windows will recognize that new hardware has been connected and begin the process of installing the driver The instructions on the CD ROM provide much more detail but in general you will want to have Windows use the drivers in the driver folder on the IVPC CD ROM using the Have Disk option Follow the steps as outlined in the driver installation instructions After installation confirm that the assigned COM port number is appropriate and if necessary change it to a number form 1 to 4 as described above Also be sure to set the COM port number in IVPC to match this setting page D44 DS 100C Operating Manual Appendix D DS 100C Technical Specifications PV Voltage Measurements Gain Code 0 Range 600 V dc Accuracy Larger of 0 596 of reading or 0 28 V Resolution 18 mV Gain Code 1 Range 60 Vdc Accuracy Larger of 0 5 of reading or 28 mV Resolution 1 8 mV Gain Code 2 Range 6 Vdc Accuracy Larger of 0 5 of reading or 2 8 mV Resolution 0 18 mV PV Current Measurements Gain Code 1 Range 100 A dc Accuracy Larger of 0 5 of reading or 45 m A Resolution 3 mA Gain Code 2 Range 10A de Accuracy Larger of 0 5 of reading or 4 5 mA Resolution 0 3 mA RANGE switch settings VHIGH 600 V dc max VLOW 300 V dc max T
43. tware Reference DS 100C Operating Manual OO oO OO JO Om Go h gt OS Description Temperature 1 Temperature 2 Irradiance 1 Irradiance 2 Battery Voltage 4 V Reference OV Reference for 5 0 V scale 0 4 V Reference OV Reference for 0 50 V scale 40 mV Reference OV Reference for 50 mV scale 4 mV Reference OV Reference for 5 mV scale Thermocouple Reference Junction Temp PV Voltage N aa OWN A Option 2 is used to calibrate the gain of the analog circuit based on the 4 V internal reference The option 2 format does not return any values Option 3 sets the averaging period for all analog readings The default value is 16 667 microseconds This is equal to 1 60 Hz ac power cycle Averaging over one AC cycle helps to reduce AC noise picked up the thermocouples and pyranometers This value is limited to a maximum of 65 535 A value of 0 disables all averaging The most common reason to use this command would be to set the tracer to cancel power line noise that is not 60Hz For example 50 Hz In that case the averaging constant should be set to 20000 Example 1 command R 5 Read 2 5 V reference response response 2 499 response Example 2 command R C Calibrate response DS 100C Operating Manual IVPC Software Reference page 31 response gt Example 3 command R Z 16667 Set averaging period to 1 60 Hz period response response PV V amp I Scales Fa
44. ut Rc eet t t en tette et iet bre e etit et 29 PV V amp I Scales Factors E 31 Take FV CUNE T senectt ERR RUPEE TR RR E RR PH RP ERES 33 Read DS Tracer Version V ded e d i ERR T Tae ie un ud 33 Geriorna ton e WEE 34 Disable Power Down WI 36 Enable Power Down Ri zip teeth teen erste edades 36 Transfer Curve Data X eene enne nennen nnns 36 7 0 Troubl shooting cn ritenere tree Ee NET na meat aa ini 38 Appendix A IV Curve ASCII File Format eese eeennenennnnn nennen nnn nnns 39 Appendix B DS Tracer ERROR CODES nninaennnnannnnannnnnananaaenannannnnaenannanannanannannaa 40 Appendix C DS 100 USB Drivers aennnnennnnannnaannannannnnannnnnanannnnananannnnannnnaannnnanannannna 42 Appendix D DS 100C Technical Specifications eese 44 DS TRACER Operating Manual page iii PV Voltage Measurements eene 44 PV Current Measurements eem eene rennen rennen 44 RANGE switchisettlnigs or ER TEGERE HR Etre 44 Temperature Measurement eene nnns 44 Irradiance Measurement e eere 44 Power Supply unde e pese egre pee eec Pr pene 45 Load CAPAS ee LT 45 Approximate Size amp Wennt ece nsa a In ees 45 page iv DS TRACER Operating Manual WARNINGS THE IMPROPER USE OF THIS INSTRUMENT CAN PRESENT AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY THIS INSTRUMENT SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS DESCRIBED IN THIS OPERAT
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