[RE-wrenches] Generac EcoGen 6

[Matthew Sirum]

Greetings Dave,

Which Generac controller is on this 6kW EcoGen?  Some of the Generac
controller instructions I have seen state that once the controller
control panel fuse is removed and/or the connections to the starting
battery are disconnected the exercise programming will need to be
re-entered.  If you have not already done so, you may want to check
the controller programing and specifically the exercise feature
programming.  I'm wondering if this may be causing the issue you are
observing.  Date and time may need to be set for the controller as
well.  I believe the EcoGen models may come from the factory ready for
2-wire start, so hopefully the start feature programing does not need
to be re-entered as well.  The appropriate Generac controller
instructions for the controller model you are working with should
provide the password and lead you through the necessary steps.

I also like the suggestions of checking the 2-wire start circuit
conductors.  I would remove these 2 wires from their connections at
the generator and see if the issue persists.

Best of luck.  Let us know how this issue works out.

Best regards,

MATT

Matthew Sirum
P.O. Box 1227
Greenfield, MA 01302-1227  USA
phone: +1.413.773.0611
email: matthewsi...@gmail.com


 Original Message Bellow 

[RE-wrenches] Generac EcoGen 6

Dave Palumbo palumbo131m at gmail.com
Fri Dec 30 06:14:48 PST 2016

Wrenches,

I have a 6 kW Generac EcoGen (1,300 hrs on it) with a new problem.

. After swapping in a new battery the other day  the generator now
starts and runs when its start switch is positioned to Auto.

. The OutBack inverter w Mate2 is not calling for an auto start.

. Even when the EcoGen is disconnected from the off grid house it
still starts and runs every time the start switch is set to Auto.

How do I clear this problem and get this gen back to normal?

Thanks and Happy New Year,

Dave

David Palumbo

Independent Power LLC

462 Solar Way Drive

Hyde Park, VT 05655

802-371-8678 cell

802-888-4917 home
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Conext SW 4024 with bad firmware

[Tump]

Jay I too find this firmware issue questionable. there IS settings on this AGS 
& Inverter for disconnect using voltage AND or  hz.  Again voltage 110/55Hz is 
what I will usually start out with.These additional settings; cool down time 
and spin down time, I set to the lowest setting possible. This being said….. I 
would not be a bit surprised that some bonehead code writer had NO idea what Hz 
was when and IF he set this to 40 Hz.  Happy new year to all! TUMP
> On Dec 31, 2016, at 12:39 PM, jay  wrote:
> 
> HI Hugh,
> 
> Interesting problem your describe which I've not seen before.
> 
> I’m curious about your comments on Outback.  
> I’ve found them to be quite programable in regards to disconnecting from a 
> generator.  
> You can set voltage and cycles. Default comes in at 60 cycles which is 1 
> second and way too long.  
> Setting it down to around 10 cycles  works with every generator I’ve tried, 
> and from my measurements the inverter seems to be switching on cycles, not 
> voltage.
> But maybe I misunderstood what you were saying?
> 
> But I know in the old days before inverters got so programable ( or poorly 
> programed in the case of the new SW) that out here on the west coast we 
> installed a contactor which was controlled via either AGS or manual remote 
> start.  It shuts the AC off in a hard way yes, and you sure might get a light 
> flicker but you don’t get the voltage/Hz sag being a problem here.
> 
> And I’m not sure but seems to me that some of the older generators used to 
> come with an internal contactor that did this?
> But none that I’m seeing now do. 
> Maybe others can comment on that.
> 
> And finally I’m curious about how important the cool down period is.  
> How I set my generator run times, by the time its told to shut down its not 
> running all that hard, which shouldn’t be a problem.
> But again, I’ll defer to the genny experts here.
> 
> Happy new year 
> 
> jay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Dec 30, 2016, at 1:13 AM, Hugh Piggott > > wrote:
>> 
>> hi Lou,
>> 
>> I don’t wish to contradict this version of events but if true then it will 
>> make the inverter unsuitable for most generators.  Here is another scenario 
>> I have seen a few times that looks similar but can be fixed.
>> 
>> The inverter charges the battery etc. and decides to turn off the generator. 
>>  It disconnects.  It may or may not have its own “cool down” time for the 
>> generator.  It then tells the generator to stop.  At this point the 
>> generator control circuit may decide to run a further cool down period.  
>> Meantime incoming AC voltage is still visible to the inverter.  The inverter 
>> may then decide that it is obliged to connect to this running generator.  
>> After any chosen “warm up period” it may go ahead and synch with the running 
>> generator and start to draw power just before and during the point where 
>> fuel is shut off and it dies.  This causes power quality problems and errors 
>> in some inverters.  Maybe better firmware could fix this.  Victron inverters 
>> are designed to disconnect on a falling voltage every time, and they do so 
>> gracefully.  With SMA inverters and Outbacks it’s better avoided.
>> 
>> The best fix for this is to make sure that the generator does not have its 
>> own cool down period.  If you can access and edit this parameter in the 
>> generator this is best.  Another fix is to set a longer warmup time in the 
>> inverter software but this can cause issues where the generator is being 
>> started to meet a high load.  In the case of an SMA inverter you can get a 
>> fix to it using “genman mode”.
>> 
>> I just wonder if you have witnessed the process and checked whether the 
>> generator’s own built-in cool down period could be the cause.
>> 
>> cheers
>> Hugh
>> 
>>> On 30 Dec 2016, at 00:43, Lou Russo >> > wrote:
>>> 
>>> Thanks to all for the input and suggestions, it is much appreciated. Just 
>>> to be clear about the situation, the inverter has already made the AC 
>>> transfer, which goes smoothly. The AC IN light is off. At this point the 
>>> generator is unloaded and there is no battery charging happening. The 
>>> inverter is carrying the loads.  From what Schnieder tells me is that the 
>>> software is telling the inverter to follow the Hertz of the generator until 
>>> it's below 40 Hertz. 
>>> 
>>> I do believe that manual start is best as it keeps the user in tune with 
>>> system. It is what I do at my own home. Unfortunately most clients want the 
>>> autostart and don't want to think about it. This is typically not deal 
>>> breaker for me and I will push a client only so far on it. In this 
>>> particular situation the system is 500 ft away from the home. So the 
>>> autostart is mandatory. 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> _
> 
> ___
> List sponsored 

[RE-wrenches] Conext SW 4024 with bad firmware

[jay]

HI Hugh,

Interesting problem your describe which I've not seen before.

I’m curious about your comments on Outback.  
I’ve found them to be quite programable in regards to disconnecting from a 
generator.  
You can set voltage and cycles. Default comes in at 60 cycles which is 1 second 
and way too long.  
Setting it down to around 10 cycles  works with every generator I’ve tried, and 
from my measurements the inverter seems to be switching on cycles, not voltage.
But maybe I misunderstood what you were saying?

But I know in the old days before inverters got so programable ( or poorly 
programed in the case of the new SW) that out here on the west coast we 
installed a contactor which was controlled via either AGS or manual remote 
start.  It shuts the AC off in a hard way yes, and you sure might get a light 
flicker but you don’t get the voltage/Hz sag being a problem here.

And I’m not sure but seems to me that some of the older generators used to come 
with an internal contactor that did this?
But none that I’m seeing now do. 
Maybe others can comment on that.

And finally I’m curious about how important the cool down period is.  
How I set my generator run times, by the time its told to shut down its not 
running all that hard, which shouldn’t be a problem.
But again, I’ll defer to the genny experts here.

Happy new year 

jay







> On Dec 30, 2016, at 1:13 AM, Hugh Piggott  wrote:
> 
> hi Lou,
> 
> I don’t wish to contradict this version of events but if true then it will 
> make the inverter unsuitable for most generators.  Here is another scenario I 
> have seen a few times that looks similar but can be fixed.
> 
> The inverter charges the battery etc. and decides to turn off the generator.  
> It disconnects.  It may or may not have its own “cool down” time for the 
> generator.  It then tells the generator to stop.  At this point the generator 
> control circuit may decide to run a further cool down period.  Meantime 
> incoming AC voltage is still visible to the inverter.  The inverter may then 
> decide that it is obliged to connect to this running generator.  After any 
> chosen “warm up period” it may go ahead and synch with the running generator 
> and start to draw power just before and during the point where fuel is shut 
> off and it dies.  This causes power quality problems and errors in some 
> inverters.  Maybe better firmware could fix this.  Victron inverters are 
> designed to disconnect on a falling voltage every time, and they do so 
> gracefully.  With SMA inverters and Outbacks it’s better avoided.
> 
> The best fix for this is to make sure that the generator does not have its 
> own cool down period.  If you can access and edit this parameter in the 
> generator this is best.  Another fix is to set a longer warmup time in the 
> inverter software but this can cause issues where the generator is being 
> started to meet a high load.  In the case of an SMA inverter you can get a 
> fix to it using “genman mode”.
> 
> I just wonder if you have witnessed the process and checked whether the 
> generator’s own built-in cool down period could be the cause.
> 
> cheers
> Hugh
> 
>> On 30 Dec 2016, at 00:43, Lou Russo > > wrote:
>> 
>> Thanks to all for the input and suggestions, it is much appreciated. Just to 
>> be clear about the situation, the inverter has already made the AC transfer, 
>> which goes smoothly. The AC IN light is off. At this point the generator is 
>> unloaded and there is no battery charging happening. The inverter is 
>> carrying the loads.  From what Schnieder tells me is that the software is 
>> telling the inverter to follow the Hertz of the generator until it's below 
>> 40 Hertz. 
>> 
>> I do believe that manual start is best as it keeps the user in tune with 
>> system. It is what I do at my own home. Unfortunately most clients want the 
>> autostart and don't want to think about it. This is typically not deal 
>> breaker for me and I will push a client only so far on it. In this 
>> particular situation the system is 500 ft away from the home. So the 
>> autostart is mandatory. 
>> 
>> 
> 
> _

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Re: [RE-wrenches] Generac EcoGen 6

[Chris Mason]

Does it ruin for 20 mins then stop? Exercise.

On Dec 30, 2016 10:14, "Dave Palumbo"  wrote:

> Wrenches,
>
>
>
> I have a 6 kW Generac EcoGen (1,300 hrs on it) with a new problem.
>
> · After swapping in a new battery the other day  the generator
> now starts and runs when its start switch is positioned to Auto.
>
> · The OutBack inverter w Mate2 is not calling for an auto start.
>
> · Even when the EcoGen is disconnected from the off grid house it
> still starts and runs every time the start switch is set to Auto.
>
>
>
> How do I clear this problem and get this gen back to normal?
>
>
>
> Thanks and Happy New Year,
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> David Palumbo
>
> Independent Power LLC
>
> 462 Solar Way Drive
>
> Hyde Park, VT 05655
>
> 802-371-8678 <(802)%20371-8678> cell
>
> 802-888-4917 <(802)%20888-4917> home
>
>
>
>
>
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