|
 |
A PDA or organizer
(handheld) with a screen resolution of 320 x 320 pixels allows the
control and the visualisation of many relevant values in any Outback
Power system. It also serves for communications over telephone networks.
In a minimum configuration, Outback's Mate (rev 4 or higher), a
Bluetooth module (see picture below) and a Palm PDA like this is all
you need.
The following examples show you how it works. The screens are created by a PC, but they are looking very similar on a Palm.
The software to control the system can easily be customised. User manuals, different languages, photos, guided tours,...
And the PDA comes with a WLAN module, when you are feeling bad, you can
read your favorite websites well under your blanket in bed. |
 |
Main Screen
This is the start up screen, right before the remote control receives informations from the Outback system.
On top there is the menu bar. All the different
screens can be accessed from here.
On the left side there are three buttons by which the
inverter and the genset can bei switched on and
off. As the PDA has a touch screen, the buttons have simply to be "pressed" to control the system.
The right part of the screen is reserved for changing messages about the different system states and error messages.
|
 |
The remote control is now connected to a simple system, only two different solar chargers are connected to the Hub.
Down left the overall current to the batteries and the battery voltage are displayed.
In the menu "Device/Port" the port numbers and the device types are
listed. If you choose either from this menu, the available informations
for the selected device are coming up.
|
 |
In this case it is the
MPPT solar charger FM80. In the moment it is not working. The reason is
that I have done these first screen shots in my workshop, and the
2,36kW above is a fake.
The three control buttons are disabled as no inverter is installed in the system. |
 |
This is my mobile system. |
 |
The solar charger is top right, whereas the modem (under the sales brochures) and the antenna are located on the left side.
Everything else is explained elsewhere. |
 |
700W PV on top of the trailer |
|
|
The remote control is now connected to my mobile system,
there are two inverters, one solar charger and an Ah-Meter (FLEXnet).
An AC source is seen now on the FX input, the second button
(behind the menu) is enabled. "Press" the button if you would like to
recharge the battery.
|
|
|
Meanwhile the AC source is used. The grid in my home is a bit weak.
Some of the Ah-meter values are shown.
|
|
|
Now the aux contact is on (maybe the genset had been started).
MX values are displayed.
Go now to the center menu in order to see a graph with some plotted values.
|
 |
Plot
The graphical representation is always running in the background. You
will see it after pressing one of the PDA's buttons or the menu
item (see image above) has been selected.
In this example four variables are displayed:
battery voltage (red)
generator current (black)
inverter current (blue)
charger current (yellow)
After some 20s the AC input is used,
after 1.5min the charger current limit is raised in the FX setup menu,
then after three minutes the AC input is no more available (charge
current = 0), and the inverter does the work (blue). About four minutes
after the start of the plot the load is doubled (2kW), 30s later again
back to 1kW, and in the end the load is switched off. The red line
shows clearly the reaction of the battery. |
 |
Connection via cable
This is simple to use.
The LED in the PDA connector signalises the data stream.
The green cable is the data cable that comes from Outback's Hub. |
 |
Connection via Bluetooth
The PDA has an integrated Bluetooth module. Together with the Bluetooth class 1 module for the Mate and an appropriate antenna
longe distance connections can be realised. |
 |
Modem connection, system side
This is a modem for the system site. Down right there is the SIM data card which has to be inserted in the slot of the modem.
The modem fits directly to Outback's Mate.
On the left side, between modem and Mate, the connectors for the
antenna and the power supply (which is the system battery) are
situated.
Provided with a good antenna, you will have a good reception where
normal cell phones do not work at all. In the modem terminal (see last
image) is a simple means to find the best place for the antenna (button
"check signal"). |
 |
Modem connection, two similar modems
Another possibility is the use of a modem that is similar to the system modem.
In the same manner a plein old telephone system modem can be utilised. |
 |
Use of your own mobile phone
More convenient is often the use of a cellular phone with an IrDA or
Bluetooth port. In the latter case you can keep your phone in your
pocket.
Ugly telephone, old camera, bad photo, however, the equipment itself works pretty well. |
 |
Modem terminal
There are several modem terminals available within the PDA remote control software. This is
for a so called "cellular engine" (same modem as on the system side,
see photo above) which is connected to the PDA.
There are other similar terminals for cellular phones that communicate over BT or IrDA.
The connection is very simple, fill in the system's telephone number in
the text box and press the dial button (after it shows the text "hang
up"). As soon as the connection is established, the main screen with the (now remote) system's informations is shown.
Directly connected to the Mate, you can even see the raw data coming in...
|
|
