inverter air con

Discussions about any 240V powered device ..., installation, faults, advice, TV\'s etc'
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dapope
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Re: inverter air con

Post by dapope »

Something is not right .. Hopefully T1 will be along to have a look. I do wonder if the leads to the inverter from the batteries are heavy enough..
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Re: inverter air con

Post by Kappy »

BTW I appreciate advice on the best way to disconnect my solar panels, as I need to relocate a few to install my http://www.mygenerator.com.au/dometic-h ... ioner.html.

I believe the panels still generate electricity, even exposed to a little light.
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Re: inverter air con

Post by BruceS »

Kappy I understand it this way ....
Although it has a 'high' voltage there is very little current involved unless you have something/anything turned on.
So if you ensure you have your solar controller turned off, there will be very little 'current interruption' meaning minimal sparking or arcing.
Simply throwing a blanket over your panels is another way of doing it.
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Re: inverter air con

Post by T1 Terry »

Kappy wrote:
T1 Terry wrote:
Kappy wrote:Not sure if this is the place for this, anywho I turned on my HWS to 240 volt using my inverter to measure how it would go.

Went away for a while and on return checked voltage percentage and still at 100% when checking water temp discovered no power from house batteries.

Discovered system had tripped at circuit breaker, reset power and withing minutes circuit breaker tripped again.

Seems as though my U beaut HWS is giving me the irits again.

HWS works fine on mains 240v,

I sort of had an understanding that a 2000 watt inverter may run the HWS, thought I read it on another post.

Any clues more than welcome.
Circuit breakers have a nasty habit of doing that, I have gone back to fuses because of this problem. Use mega fuses and fuse holder in place of the circuit breaker and this should solve that part of the problem. A 250 amp fuse should cover the total load of the inverter and fridge, actually is all your system 24vincluding the inverter? If so the fuse size can be reduced to 125 amps, mega fuses are good for up to 32v and not arc over.

T1 Terry
Terry

The circuit breaker that tripped is is 70 amp type, located below regulator in pic.DSC_0015 (640x360).jpg

The other pic depicts my 2000 watt inverter.
DSC_0016_1 (640x360).jpg
Currently I have 4 100 ah AGM batteries, I believe are only about 12 months old.
Any idea what cost to convert to lithium.

Most of my system is 24 volt except for HWS, microwave TV's and 1 electric cooktop element.

Still learning about all this stuff.
Kappy wrote:Bought myself a reasonable quality Multimeter on the weekend, well better than my $10 supercheap special.

Anyway had a lay this morning, turn off everything else and connected a 1400 watt old style toaster to inverter.

Prior to turning toaster on voltage showing 26 volts as close to inverter inlet as I could get.

With toaster on the voltage started dropping slowly by about .02 to .2 volts.

Stilling showing around 23 voits when breaker tripped and instantly showed 7 . something Volts as it tripped.

Not sure if I'm doing correctly and what that indicates,whether I need batteries or new inverter either way it will cost $$$$$$$$

If I'm gonna spend money I may as well upgrade with enough power to be off the grid as long as possible. So welcome suggestions.

I currently have 3 Suntech 200 watt panels with a total 600 watts and a 2000 watt 24 volt inverter and 4 100 ah AMG batteries.

I heard somewhere if I add panels of a lesser wattage then the 200 watt panels are reduced to the lowest size pane any thoughts on that.

I'm a little hamstrung by isolation so advise in greatly appreciated.
Has the wiring been upgraded and the power supply moved from the Steca to battery? Are you still using the same circuit breaker?
1400w plus 10% for inverter losses = 1540w divided by 23v = 67 amps, that 70 amp circuit breaker if you are still using it would over heat and trip out after a few mins under that sort of load.

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Re: inverter air con

Post by T1 Terry »

Kappy wrote:BTW I appreciate advice on the best way to disconnect my solar panels, as I need to relocate a few to install my http://www.mygenerator.com.au/dometic-h ... ioner.html.

I believe the panels still generate electricity, even exposed to a little light.
I'll go along with Bruce's suggestion, throw a blanket over the panel, then disconnect it, the current (amps) will drop to almost nothing so they are safe to disconnect without getting bit, 28v @ 5 amps or so can get the heart thumping just from the arc without getting bit :lol:
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Re: inverter air con

Post by Kappy »

T1 Terry wrote:
Kappy wrote:
T1 Terry wrote: Circuit breakers have a nasty habit of doing that, I have gone back to fuses because of this problem. Use mega fuses and fuse holder in place of the circuit breaker and this should solve that part of the problem. A 250 amp fuse should cover the total load of the inverter and fridge, actually is all your system 24vincluding the inverter? If so the fuse size can be reduced to 125 amps, mega fuses are good for up to 32v and not arc over.

T1 Terry
Terry

The circuit breaker that tripped is is 70 amp type, located below regulator in pic.DSC_0015 (640x360).jpg

The other pic depicts my 2000 watt inverter.
DSC_0016_1 (640x360).jpg
Currently I have 4 100 ah AGM batteries, I believe are only about 12 months old.
Any idea what cost to convert to lithium.

Most of my system is 24 volt except for HWS, microwave TV's and 1 electric cooktop element.

Still learning about all this stuff.
Kappy wrote:Bought myself a reasonable quality Multimeter on the weekend, well better than my $10 supercheap special.

Anyway had a lay this morning, turn off everything else and connected a 1400 watt old style toaster to inverter.

Prior to turning toaster on voltage showing 26 volts as close to inverter inlet as I could get.

With toaster on the voltage started dropping slowly by about .02 to .2 volts.

Stilling showing around 23 voits when breaker tripped and instantly showed 7 . something Volts as it tripped.

Not sure if I'm doing correctly and what that indicates,whether I need batteries or new inverter either way it will cost $$$$$$$$

If I'm gonna spend money I may as well upgrade with enough power to be off the grid as long as possible. So welcome suggestions.

I currently have 3 Suntech 200 watt panels with a total 600 watts and a 2000 watt 24 volt inverter and 4 100 ah AMG batteries.

I heard somewhere if I add panels of a lesser wattage then the 200 watt panels are reduced to the lowest size pane any thoughts on that.

I'm a little hamstrung by isolation so advise in greatly appreciated.
Has the wiring been upgraded and the power supply moved from the Steca to battery? Are you still using the same circuit breaker?
1400w plus 10% for inverter losses = 1540w divided by 23v = 67 amps, that 70 amp circuit breaker if you are still using it would over heat and trip out after a few mins under that sort of load.

T1 Terry
No Terry, nothing has been done as far as any upgrades, untill today I wasn't sure about earlier tests.

I get the wiring aspect, but don't understand tthe moving power from the Solar charge controllar.

It seems as the house lighting and fridge are powered direct from the Steca, I can turn them off with the light switch.

As stated before electricity isn't my forte.

I can fabricate steel, weld it a little carpentry etc, I can even fabricate without hard plans but AC/DC is a little vague.

Any suggestions on fuse replacement.

Apologies for being a little thick here.
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Kappy

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Kappy
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Re: inverter air con

Post by Kappy »

Cheers

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Re: inverter air con

Post by T1 Terry »

Go with the first one, the fuse, only the inverter needs to be connected from the battery, through the fuse and then to the inverter. Both the positive and negative cable need to be 0 gauge or heavier, like battery cable in a truck like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-metre-RED- ... XQOQdRHFbW you will need someone to crimp the lugs on the cable end as well so it might be better to measure the lengths required, 1 from the battery positive to the fuse (short as possible) 1 from the fuse to the inverter positive and one from the battery negative to the inverter negative. Let the cable maker known what size holes you need in the cable terminals, 8mm or 10mm (the size of the threaded part of the bolt, not the size spanner needed) for each end of each cable.
If you measure the total lengths I can make them up for you and supply the fuse and holder as well if that makes it any easier.

T1 Terry
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Re: inverter air con

Post by Kappy »

Thanks Terry for persevering with me, think I'm starting to get it sorta.

Here is a pic of my wiring, seems to be a bit of a spaghetti western, I have figured out the wiring both + and -going to the inverter is 6 gauge, running from 2 terminals attached to the bin wall.
DSC_0045_1 (640x360).jpg
I did a further test this morning just to get my head around it all, with my multi-meter at the battery terminals, showing 27 volts.

When turning on the toaster that is actually 1450 watt the voltage dropped rapidly to 25.12 Volts and stayed there until the cut out tripped about 3 or so minutes later.

The next pic shows the 4 gauge wiring going to terminals on the Bin wall and the 6 gauge wiring going to the Inverter.

The dilemma now is there seems to be 2 positive and 2 negative outputs from the battery, which one's should be connected to the invertor and should there be any going to the terminals on the bin wall?
Battery to inverter (640x360).jpg
Need to know which one to measure.

As I'm a bit fractious about cooking me or any thing else, guidance on the best way to disconnect would be appreciated.
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Re: inverter air con

Post by T1 Terry »

The second photo explains it much better, the inverter is not going through the Steca controller but from the battery cable stud on the firewall. The cables from the positive stud and from the negative stud to the inverter needs to be at least 2 gauge but 0 gauge cable would be better, 6 B&S is too small.
Now I need to know which cut out trips, is it a circuit breaker some where or is it the inverter itself that cuts out?

T1 Terry
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