The new Genasun Overdrive (GO) feature is available for all GV-5, GV-5-MOD, GV-10, and GVB-8 controllers. This feature can be included in the firmware with the Custom Voltage (CV) version for lead acid and lithium versions. This feature is in addition to all the other Genasun capabilities that make Genasun unique in the off-grid market.

The GV-5 and GV-5-MOD are still rated with a max output current of 5A, but GO allows the charge controllers to be paired safely with panels/arrays providing up to 15 A of current without reducing the charge controller’s efficiency or performance.

The GVB-8 charge controller with GO has a reduced input current limiting threshold, averaging an approximate maximum of 8.3A so that it can be utilized with input sources that can potentially exceed 9.0A. The GV-10 operates similarly to the GVB-8 with reduced current limiting, though instead of limiting its input current to ~8.3A on average, it limits its output power to ~132W on average.

Oversizing your panels/array will ensure more energy delivery to the battery when you need it most, for example, during months with lower solar irradiations or in the early and late hours of the day.

What makes GO unique and when is it useful to use?

Most of the charge controllers on the market can shave power off oversized solar panels for a limited period by over-warming the controller, which affects their performance and longevity. GO allows the GV controllers to handle “unlimited power” and keep the controller in a safe condition and operating at full efficiency. While this means that larger panels will be significantly limited, there are situations in which GO can provide important advantages:

1. Why get a larger controller if you can use the Genasun Overdrive – Off-grid solar systems are designed to account for periods with lower solar irradiation.  This type of system design requires a larger solar panel to compensate for the periods of low solar irradiation, and the larger solar panel requires the use of a larger charge controller.  But now, the GV controllers with GO can handle a large panel/array to get the maximum power available from the panel/array in the winter, and GO will manage the extra power the system collects in the summer.
2. More solar energy in the early or late hours of the day – The energy produced by a solar panel follows a bell-shaped Gaussian curve. Oversizing the panel makes it possible to enlarge the curve, providing more energy to the battery in the early and late hours of the day.

   

3. Keep your battery charged with a constant current – Use the GV-5 or GV-5-MOD with GO to provide a constant output charge of 5A, the GV-10 with a limited output power of ~132W,  or the GVB-8 to regulate a continuous input current of 8.3A to unattended systems with steady power draws where it’s important to get continuous charge current from the solar panel(s) even in the worst conditions. The GV-5’s limited output is also important for many lower-capacity Lithium battery configurations that require a low charge current to prevent damaging Lithium cells.
4. Extend the battery lifetime – The battery pack is still one of the more expensive components of an off-grid solar system, while panels keep getting cheaper. Using the GV-5, GV-10, or GVB-8 with GO paired with large (or multiple) panels can reduce deep discharge events of the battery in the worst periods of the year, consequently improving performance and extending the battery’s longevity.

With the introduction of Genasun Overdrive, the GV-5 and GV-5-MOD monitor the input current every 5 ms, slightly increasing its self-consumption to 190 uA, which remains the lowest self-consumption on the market by far. A few other changes have been updated to the manual with the introduction of GO, as well.  For example, the LED status indicators work somewhat differently in units with the GO update. Please refer to the latest manual for more details.

If you have questions about Genasun Overdrive, please drop us an email as always.