NEW FROM AMPAIR – THE VOYAGER™ VS50
DUAL CHANNEL WIND/SOLAR
CHARGE CONTROLLER
Two for the price
of one!
The New Voyager™
VS50 battery charge controller from Dorset based Ampair, the world renowned wind driven generator manufacturer, now allows
for up to 300 watts of wind input and depending on model, inputs of up to 300 watts of solar at 12 volt, 600 watts of solar
at 24 volt and 1200 watts of solar at 48 volt. All to be controlled by one box, saving both cost and space.
This technically advanced controller uses a state of
the art “energy state taper charge method”. This results in zero overcharging because the battery
state determines the amount of charge accepted and gives exceptionally low gassing, non-destructive micro equalization at
each full charge and no Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) or Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI).
The Voyager™ is available in 12V, 24V &
48V versions. Separate LED charge indicators are used for each channel and Both PV and Wind regulators use battery voltage
sense leads to deliver a better charging profile. The unit also features a Battery Ammeter and a Battery Voltmeter.
Also built in to the new VS50 range is a wind turbine
parking brake. This enables the user, at the twist of a switch, to stop/ park the generator. Under normal
sailing situations this is adequate. However, in strong winds and storms this switch may be used to slow the generator down,
before it is physically turned out of the wind and a blade tied down with a rope.
The regulator has been especially produced to be used with an Ampair 300 wind generator and optimizes
battery charging. When the batteries have reached their maximum charge voltage the regulator circuitry
automatically diverts the wind turbine’s surplus power to the dump load resistors. This means that,
even with batteries fully charged, the generator continues to operate and provides useable power as soon as an electrical
load is applied.
When used in conjunction
with a solar array the solar channel will simply switch the array on and off, thus obviating the need for a dump load.
The input from either source (channel) should not
exceed 25A under normal working conditions, giving a total combined input of 50A. It can be used with or without one solar
array. It cannot be used to regulate two Ampair 300 wind generators or two solar arrays without modification.
It is suitable for flooded lead acid or sealed lead acid (gel or AGM) batteries. The electronics of the charge regulator are
fully potted to protect from humidity and vibration.
Blocking diodes (a blocking diode is a one-way electronic valve that allows current to flow in
one direction but not the other) have been fitted in the Voyager regulator for four main reasons:
To
prevent the discharge of current from the batteries into the PV panels when the cells are generating no electricity.
To prevent a damaged PV panel from draining the battery and drawing power from the remaining good
panels.
To prevent the wind generator from charging across the solar PV
To prevent the solar PV from charging across the wind generator
