Hello, I have a setup of a MPPT 75/10, an 12V AGM battery 38Ah, a monocrystalline solar panel 30W/12V and a 12V DC Lamp.
I'm trying to simulate a streetlight system using the MPPT (lights on at night/ lights off at day). I'm using a VE.Direct USB cable to connect to my PC and to change the settings with the VictronConnect app. What I am trying to do now is to understand how the Streetlight function within the VictronConnect app works. I've understood that Load Output function serves as a "Protective Function" for the battery, in case it gets overdischarged or when the voltage goes below a specific value (conv. and user def. algorithms). Also I've read that the "Load Output" function has priority upon the "Street Light" one, which means that if the battery gets overdischarged at night, the lights will still go off and the "Streetlight function" won't work until the next cycle.
I've read the manual: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect:mppt-solarchargers#streetlight_settings , but there are still things unclear for me.
1) How the MPPT gets the time of the sunset/sunrise if I choose the "Switch on till sunrise" and "Switch off" at sunrise options and what is actually happening behind the Applications Interface? Is the app accessing some API to get the sunrise and sunset time according to my geographical location? What happens if I change the time and geographical position of my PC?
2)How the "Night detection voltage level" and the "Day detection voltage level works"? It sais that it can be used to adjust the detection to match the panel configuration. As I understood it tracks the Solar Panel voltage and it turns on and off the light when the voltage is below or above the inserted values by the user. What I tried was inserting some values in these sections: (11.4V for night detection, 11.9V for day detection). During the day the panel gives apx. 12V so that means that at night the value will decrease below the 11.4V, the MPPT will understand that is night and the lights will turn on. I haven't tried it outside in real conditions, but in the room, if I flip over the solar panel and the voltage gets to 2-3V still nothing happens.
3) How these 2 options stated above work together?
Do they have the same priority in the code or the sunset/sunrise option has priority upon the voltage level detection. Because even if I flip over my panel in the room (trying to simulate night) nothing will happen. I've also tried plugging out the solar panel from MPPT to simulate pitch-black but still nothing happened. Does it mean that I won't be able to simulate the night since the night/day detection isn't working separately from the sunset/sunrise option?
For example I chose these settings:
At sunset: Switch on till sunrise
At sunrise: Switch off
Night detection voltage level: 11.4V (according to the min. detectable value from the manual)
Night detection delay: 0m
Day detection voltage level: 11.9V
Day detection delay: 0m
Gradual dimming speed: 0s/%
Mid-point shift: 0m
Should I expect that with these options, somehow at sunset time the DC lamp wil turn on and at sunset will turn off? What are the night/ day detection voltage level option used for if they can't work separately from the sunset/sunrise function.
Do you have any idea of how can I make it work?
