2019 COMMENDATION
BUSINESS:
REDARC Electronics
PRODUCT:
Manager30
AWARD CATEGORY:
Product or Service Design
INDUSTRY SECTOR:
Products - Automotive/Transport
DESIGN:
REDARC Electronics
EXPORTING to:
United States of America, Canada, Mexico
1: BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
The Manager30 is a complete charging solution for your Auxiliary/ House Battery. The system incorporates 12V Solar, 110V AC and 12/24V DC inputs to provide a 12V charging output at a maximum 30A rating. The system also includes a Remote Monitor which provides State of Charge of the Auxiliary battery.
2: DESIGN CHALLENGE:
The Manager30 design focussed on adaptation of existing technologies into a globally compliant and regionally relevant platform. Firstly, development of a product compliance specification, designed to meet the requirements of targeted global markets dictated a number of design criteria that must be met. The idea was to develop a single platform that would meet the required compliance specifications for all regions. Next any regional specific functional specifications needed to be considered and designed into each product SKU. For example, the North American specification required a 110V input and much lower operating temperature requirements, along with French & Spanish language options.
3: DESIGN SOLUTION:
The Manager30 provides the North American Recreational Vehicle(RV) enthusiast with an all-in-one system to take care of their Auxiliary or House battery. It provides real-time stats and information on their battery State of Charge (SoC), Solar generation and power consumption, whilst providing power from multiple inputs simultaneously. The Manager30 provides the functions of AC Charger, DC Charger, Solar Regulator, Remote Monitor, Battery Isolator and Load Disconnect all in one kit. Being 6 products in 1 means a simplified installation for the installer and a single system for the
consumer.
4: DESIGN IMPACT:
The Manager30 is used for battery maintenance and charging in an RV. The consumer can focus on their holiday, their family or their dinner instead of worrying about their power system. Prior to launching the Manager30 into the North American market, REDARC had already received pre-orders to purchase the product and since launch sales levels have been beyond our monthly forecast in the short time the product has been in the market. Less wiring for the installer means less complexity, less complexity means better reliability and a more efficient manufacture process, which results in better profits and minimised warranties.
5: OTHER KEY FEATURES:
The Manager30 is designed to charge all common automotive battery chemistries including Standard Lead-Acid, AGM, Gel, Lead Crystal, Calcium Content and LiFePO4 type batteries. The Charge also features a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Regulator algorithm designed to get the most power from your solar panels, even in low light conditions or when shaded. The Manager30 is designed to charge from multiple sources simultaneously to charge the auxiliary/house battery. If the solar power input is available the maximum available solar power will be used before
topping up the output charging current from another source if available (e.g. mains). Priority is given to Solar, then to AC Mains power and then to DC Vehicle power, in order to minimise the overall load on the vehicle alternator. The Manager30 will also charge from wind and fuel generators. Feedback from early users of the Manager30 has demonstrated the appeal of the product to our export customers "We at Expedition Overland have always had a significant demand on our power (battery) systems within our trucks. We finally got the chance to start testing the Manager30 in late 2018, and now all of our primary expedition vehicle have the installed." Clay Croft, Expedition Overland.