Re: [RE-wrenches] Magnum inverters (not really a power factor issue)

[boB Gudgel]

Darryl Thayer wrote:
Don't know if this will help, but an experiance of mine on starting a large motor, using a battery and inverter.  The motor would not start, or if it did if would quit in 10, or 20 min.  The battery had capacity to run the motor for 5 or 6 hrs to 50% DoD yet the inverter would kick out.  I had reason to beleive the output wave form was bad also.  I solved the problem by greatly increasing the battery size and the cables.  I did not change the inverter at all.  

What I think was happening is the high current draw of the inverter to serve 
the load reduced the battery voltage, but not just the average battery voltage 
but the 60 cycle peak voltage drop/ of the battery.  The load of the inverter 
on the battery is like pulses, my amp clamp shows an AC current on the battery 
leads.  If I had a scope, I would guess the inverter is seeing a fluxuating 
voltage on the battery.  My grandson has a 1 Farad Capacitor in his sterio 
system, perhaps this would fix the problem.  BoB what do you think?
Darryl
  
Try it.  Put it right across the inverter DC terminals if you do try 
it.   Sometimes, higher capacitance can actually make things worse, 
like, raising the peak
DC voltage seen at the inverter terminals due to L-C resonance.
boB




--- On Sat, 8/1/09, boB Gudgel <b...@midnitesolar.com> wrote:

  
From: boB Gudgel <b...@midnitesolar.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Magnum inverters (not really a power factor issue)
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org>
Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009, 6:22 PM
Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar
wrote:
    
Hey Matt, 
I sure wish their techie's would get to the bottom of
      
it. I am getting gun-shy about selling Magnum and they are
about the best available for small 12 volt systems. I have
spend hours trying to solve the problem. My customer is
still not a happy camper.
    
Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar
(928) 941-1660
Renewable Energy Products, Service and Installation
      
Can you get someone to look at the voltage and/or current
going into that pump ??   Scope
?   Meter ?  Even a
power factor meter would have both voltage and current
measurements.  Some even have a mediocre scope built
in.
A scope AND a meter is best of course.

Need  stats.  AC an DC side.  AC voltage at
the pump and at the inverter.

Must have more information.    Yes, it ~could~ be
a Magnum inverter issue, but need more information other
than "it doesn't work"

Does the voltage dip when the pump tries to start ? 
What is the maximum Ac and DC current ?  Most basic
info for troubleshooting.

The inverter manufacturer can probably help somewhat if
they have this info.

Just a suggestion here.

boB




    

On Aug 1, 2009, at 4:28 PM, Matt Tritt wrote:

      
I took boB's advice and talked to Magnum about the
        
problem. Their take on it? "Hmmm, beats me!" I might be
paraphrasing, but that's the drift. All in all, I'd say that
the suggestions from the group are at least as good as the
one's from the manufacturer.
    
Matt T

Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar wrote:
        
Don't forget, this is a Magnum inverter and
          
Magnum has issues. I have  two customers with Magnum
problems. One is a washer that will work  perfectly on
a cheap import inverter; the other has a Vizio TV that 
works fine on shore power and generator. Soooo...maybe there
are pumps  and other items that are anti-Magnum.
    
Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar
(928) 941-1660
Renewable Energy Products, Service and
          
Installation
    
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