Intelligent battery monitoring to prevent unwanted switching

Some battery combiners (also called voltage controlled relay, or split charge relay) will disconnect a battery in case of a short but high amperage load. A battery combiner also may fail to connect a large but discharged battery bank because the DC voltage immediately drops below the disengage value once the batteries are connected.
The software of the Cyrix-ct 12/24 does more than simply connect and disconnect based on battery voltage and with a fixed time delay. The Cyrix-ct 12/24 looks at the general trend (voltage increasing or decreasing) and reverses a previous action only if the trend has reversed during a certain period of time. The time delay depends on the voltage deviation from the trend.
(for Battery Combiners with multiple engage/disengage profiles, please see the Cyrix-i 400)

Long bolts to allow connection of more than one power cable

Cyrix 12/24-120: 13 mm (M6) Cyrix 12/24-230: 16 mm (M8)

Protection against overheating (due to a long duration overload e.g.)

The Cyrix will disengage in case of excessive contact temperature, and reengage again after it has cooled down.

LED status indication (Cyrix 12/24 230 only)
LED on: engaged LED 10 s flash: disengaged
LED 2 s flash: connecting LED 2 s blink: disconnecting
LED 0,25 s blink: alarm (over temperature; voltage > 16 V; both batteries < 10 V; one battery < 2 V)
(multiply by two for 24 V)

12/24 V auto ranging

The Cyrix-ct 12/24 automatically detects system voltage.

No voltage loss

Cyrix battery combiners are an excellent replacement for diode isolators. The main feature is that there is virtually no voltage loss so that the output voltage of alternators or battery chargers does not need to be increased.

Prioritising the starter battery

In a typical setup the alternator is directly connected to the starter battery. The accessory battery, and possibly also a bow thruster and other batteries are each connected to the starter battery with Cyrix battery combiners. When a Cyrix senses that the starter battery has reached the connect voltage it will engage, to allow for parallel charging of the other batteries.

Bidirectional voltage sensing and power supply from both batteries

The Cyrix senses the voltage of both connected batteries. It will therefore also engage if for example the accessory battery is being charged by a battery charger.
The Cyrix-ct 12/24 has a dual power supply. It will therefore also close if the voltage on one battery is too low to operate the Cyrix.
In order to prevent unexpected operation during installation or when one battery has been disconnected, the Cyrix-ct 12/24 will not close if the voltage on one of the two battery connections is lower than 2 V (12 V battery) or 4 V (24 V battery).

Parallel connection in case of emergency (Start Assist)

The Cyrix can also be engaged with a push button (Cyrix remains engaged during 30 seconds) or a switch to connect batteries in parallel manually. This is especially useful in case of emergency when the starter battery is discharged or damaged.

Use the AC Current sensor to measure and visualise the solar production of a PV Inverter. The measurements will be visible on the GX device and on the VRM Portal.

The sensor is a simple external current sensor, which measures AC Current. Together with the voltage measurements is calculated into Apparent Power (VA) and Energy (kWh). The sensor can be wired to either the AUX input or the Temperature-input of Multi and Quattro inverter/chargers.

Diode Battery Combiners are used to guarantee continuous DC power to mission critical equipment, such as an electronic engine control system. With a diode battery combiner two or more DC power sources can be used in parallel to supply the mission critical load. Failure of one source will not interrupt power to the critical load.

The Argo Battery Combiners feature a low voltage drop thanks to the use of Schottky diodes: at low current the voltage drop is approximately 0,3 V and at the rated output approximately 0,45 V.

Warning: hot surface, mount the Argo Diode Battery Combiner on non-flammable surface only!

The problem: the service life of an expensive battery bank can be substantially shortened due to state of charge unbalance

One battery with a slightly higher internal leakage current in a 24V or 48V bank of several series/parallel connected batteries will cause undercharge of that battery and parallel connected batteries, and overcharge of the series connected batteries. Moreover, when new cells or batteries are connected in series, they should all have the same initial state of charge. Small differences will be ironed out during absorption or equalize charging, but large differences will result in damage due to excessive gassing (caused by overcharging) of the batteries with the higher initial state of charge and sulphation (caused by undercharging) of the batteries with the lower initial state of charge.

The Solution: battery balancing

The Battery Balancer equalizes the state of charge of two series connected 12V batteries, or of several parallel strings of series connected batteries.
When the charge voltage of a 24V battery system increases to more than 27,3V, the Battery Balancer will turn on and compare the voltage over the two series connected batteries. The Battery Balancer will draw a current of up to 0,7A from the battery (or parallel connected batteries) with the highest voltage. The resulting charge current differential will ensure that all batteries will converge to the same state of charge.

If needed, several balancers can be paralleled.
A 48V battery bank can be balanced with three Battery Balancers.

LED indicators

Green: on (battery voltage > 27,3V)
Orange: lower battery leg active (deviation > 0,1V)
Orange: upper battery leg active (deviation > 0,1V)
Red: alarm (deviation > 0,2V). Remains on until the deviation has reduced to less than 0,14V, or until system voltage drops to less than 26,6V.

Alarm relay

Normally open. The alarm relay closes when the red LED switches on and opens when the red LED switches off.

Alarm reset

Two terminals are available to connect a push button. Interconnecting the two terminals resets the relay.
The reset condition will remain active until the alarm is over. Thereafter the relay will close again when a new alarm occurs.

Even more insight and control with the midpoint monitoring function of the BMV-702 Battery Monitor

The BMV-702 measures the midpoint of a string of cells or batteries. It displays the deviation from the ideal midpoint in volts or percent.
Separate deviation percentages can be set to trigger a visual/audible alarm and to close a potential free relay contact for remote alarm purposes.
Please see the manual of the BMV-702 for more information about battery balancing.

Learn more about batteries and battery charging

The BatteryProtect disconnects the battery from non essential loads before it is completely discharged (which would damage the battery) or before it has insufficient power left to crank the engine.

The BatteryProtect is not designed for reverse currents from charging sources

12/24V auto ranging

The BatteryProtect automatically detects system voltage

Programming made easy

The BatteryProtect can be set to engage / disengage at several different voltages.
The seven segment display will indicate which setting has been chosen.

A special setting for Li-ion batteries

In this mode the BatteryProtect can be controlled by the VE.Bus BMS.
Note: the BatteryProtect can also be used as a charge interrupter in between a battery charger and a Li-ion
battery. See connection diagram in the manual.

Ultra low current consumption

This is important in case of Li-ion batteries, especially after low voltage shutdown.
Please see our Li-ion battery datasheet and the VE.Bus BMS manual for more information.

Over voltage protection

To prevent damage to sensitive loads due to over voltage, the load is disconnected whenever the DC voltage exceeds 16V respectively 32V.

Ignition proof

No relays but MOSFET switches, and therefore no sparks.

Delayed alarm output

The alarm output is activated if the battery voltage drops below the preset disconnect level during more than 12 seconds. Starting the engine will therefore not activate the alarm. The alarm output is a short circuit proof open collector output to the negative (minus) rail, max. current 50 mA. The alarm output is typically used to activate a buzzer, LED or relay.

Delayed load disconnect and delayed reconnect

The load will be disconnected 90 seconds after the alarm has been activated. If the battery voltage increases again to the connect threshold within this time period (after the engine has been started for example), the load will not be disconnected.
The load will be reconnected 30 seconds after the battery voltage has increased to more than the preset reconnect voltage.

Protects the battery against excessive discharge and can be used as a system on/off switch

The Smart BatteryProtect disconnects the battery from non-essential loads before it is completely discharged (which would damage the battery) or before it has insufficient power left to crank the engine.
The on/off input can be used as a system on/off switch.

12/24V auto ranging

The Smart BatteryProtect automatically detects system voltage one time only.

Bluetooth: programming made easy

When using Bluetooth to program the Smart BatteryProtect any required engage/disengage levels can be set.
Alternatively, one of nine predefined engage/disengage levels can be set with the programming pin (see manual).
If required, Bluetooth can be disabled.

A special setting for Li-ion batteries

In this mode the BatteryProtect can be controlled by the VE.Bus BMS.
Note: the BatteryProtect can also be used as a charge interrupter in between a battery charger and a Li-ion battery. See connection diagram in the manual.

Ultra-low current consumption

This is important in case of Li-ion batteries, especially after low voltage shutdown.
Please see our Li-ion battery datasheet and the VE.Bus BMS manual for more information.

Over voltage protection

To prevent damage to sensitive loads due to over voltage, the load is disconnected whenever the DC voltage exceeds 16.3V respectively 32.6V.

Ignition proof

No relays but MOSFET switches, and therefore no sparks.

Delayed alarm output

The alarm output is activated if the battery voltage drops below the preset disconnect level during more than 12 seconds.
Starting the engine will therefore not activate the alarm. The alarm output is a short circuit proof open collector output to the negative (minus) rail, max. current 50 mA. The alarm output is typically used to activate a buzzer, LED or relay.

Delayed load disconnect and delayed reconnect

The load will be disconnected 90 seconds after the battery voltage drops below the preset level. If the battery voltage increases again to the connect threshold within this time period (after the engine has been started for example), the load will not be disconnected.
The load will be reconnected 30 seconds after the battery voltage has increased to more than the preset reconnect voltage.

The ET112 (for single phase max. 100A) and the ET340 (for three phase max. 65A) Energy Meters are typically used in an Energy Storage System.

The EM24 is for 3 phase monitoring only.

To measure the power and energy of the whole application at the distribution box. Or to measure the output of a PV Inverter, to display the data on the Color Control GX and the VRM Portal.