[RE-wrenches] Recommendations for A/B battery switch

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

Hi Wrenches & Happy New Year!

I have a client who wants to switch between two 24v 800 a/h battery banks. I 
know this isn’t a recommended strategy and have advised him accordingly but he 
still insists this is a method he wants to use in his off-grid system. None of 
the A/B type switches I look at are really designed for regular use or that 
high an amp requirement. Is there a commercial product anyone has used that 
might do the job?

Thanks in advance!

Ron

Best Regards,
Ron Young
Solareagle.com 

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[RE-wrenches] Magnum problem

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

Hello Wrenches,

I am completely stumped. I built a Magnum 4448 panel for a client and it was 
installed by an electrician. It was thoroughly tested before going out the door 
on all functions and pre-programmed for the off-grid site. Electrician just had 
to hang it on the wall and make 4 connections, AC IN, AC OUT, BATTERY, PV. 
Somehow the system wouldn’t go into charge mode. The site is a 3 hour trip each 
way. The electrician was baffled, he had experience installing solar but very 
limited so I went to the site to see what the problem was. After spending a day 
checking out the inverter with two different generators, checking all the 
connections, AC at the inputs at the inverter and at the outputs on the 
breakers, and even removed the cover from the inverter to make sure some 
connections had not shaken loose inside the box on the long bumpy road into the 
property. Everything checked out. So assuming the AC board in the inverter was 
faulty I ordered a new unit to replace and that has now been done. SAME 
PROBLEM! I’m wondering now if it’s possible that the Magnum remote monitor 
could be the problem. It functions properly on every setting but is it possible 
there is an internal fault? Could it prevent the automatic charge cycle from 
initiating? Seems unlikely to me because the inverter can go into charge mode 
even without the monitor. I also tried replacing the connection cable between 
the monitor and inverter but no luck. 

The generators are both small, one a Honda 2kW and the other a Champion 3.8kW. 
Neither is ideal but I have had no issues with these types of generators in the 
past and the client has ordered a larger 10kW unit but we don’t have it yet to 
test. Generators have been run with Eco Mode off. Output to the house on bypass 
is consistent and without problem.

Any suggestions - this is just confounding.

Ron


earthRight Products - Solareagle.com 

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[RE-wrenches] Charger recommendations

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a standalone 48v high amp charger (min. 
100a). I have a client with a large battery bank that needs a minimum 85a 
charge but his all-in-one inverter/charger won’t deliver more than 40. Finding 
high amp 48v chargers has proven to be a challenge. Victron has one but not 
sure if there’s anything else out there.

Ron

earthRight Products - Solareagle.com 
Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products
1-877-925-2929

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[RE-wrenches] Magnum issues?

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

I’m in Canada, on the west coast, and while the supply chain issues over the 
last 2 years with Magnum inverters were severe they seem to have eased over the 
last few months. However I have just had a local service depot tell me that 
repair boards are unavailable and to get back to them in 4 - 6 months!! Just 
asking my U.S. colleagues, have you had the same experience in the last few 
months or is this just a local issue?

Ron Young

earthRight Products - Solareagle.com 
Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products


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Re: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex AC Fault 186.6v

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

Back in the mid ’90’s one of my businesses used colour laser copiers worth $50k 
each. Located at the end of a long rural route the voltage would whiplash 
through a wild range depending on demand upstream (mostly low voltage). It kept 
blowing the $5,000 lasers out of the copiers until the techs realized the 
problem after installing a data meter. Problem was solved by installing an 
isolating voltage conditioner.

Best Regards,
Ron Young
earthRight Products - Solareagle.com 
Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products
1-877-925-2929





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> On Dec 8, 2022, at 1:22 PM, Barton Churchill via RE-wrenches 
>  wrote:
> 
> I’ve seen services at the end of utility lines have wildly fluctuating 
> voltage, especially during high demand winter months. When voltage goes below 
> or above inverter set points the inverter will disconnect with a fault like 
> you listed. Changing inverters will only help if the new one has a larger 
> voltage window. Otherwise get the utility to install a meter for a month or 
> two, if there is a problem, they have to fix it. Also, if load side mains are 
> undersized for actual load the voltage can drop at the inverter (and 
> everywhere else) causing the same thing.
> From: RE-wrenches  on behalf of 
> Sam Haraldson via RE-wrenches 
> Sent: Thursday, December 8, 2022 2:13:23 PM
> To: RE-wrenches 
> Cc: Sam Haraldson 
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex AC Fault 186.6v
>  
> Howdy Wrenches,
> 
> Any "old timers" here care to chime in with some basic info on what I might 
> be heading out to see at a 10+ year old ground mount?  It's a Xantrex 
> displaying the message AC Fault 186.6v.  I'm prepared to head out there and 
> troubleshoot blind if no one has anything to offer up but figured why not 
> post a quick message here in case anyone has insight they wish to share with 
> me prior to my visit next week.  
> 
> Subsequently since this is a ground mount it doesn't need rapid shutdown so 
> if the inverter has failed I probably have some decent options to replace it. 
>  If you've had good luck with a particular brand to use for swaps please 
> share that intel as well.  I don't know how big the array is so all I'm 
> looking for is brands and not models.  
> 
> Most appreciated,
> Sam
> Sam Haraldson    
> Installation & Service Manager
>  
> 
> 
> | o. (406) 551-6135   
>  
> 
>
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
>  
> 
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> There are two 

Re: [RE-wrenches] Magnum Inverters

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

I have been waiting literally months for delivery of 4024 and 4448 PAE 
inverters both this year and 2021. It seems Magnum has dropped through the 
cracks in the floorboards. My supplier, the largest in Canada, has no idea of 
future shipments, they just show up without advance notice. I think Magnum is 
in trouble.

Ron Young
earthRight Solar - Solareagle.com

> On Jul 20, 2022, at 8:08 AM, Luke Christy via RE-wrenches 
>  wrote:
> 
> Hi Jeremy,
> Check with Zonna Energy in PA. I use them for almost all of my off-grid 
> equipment now and have been very happy with the service and pricing. They 
> normally stock Magnum equipment but I have not checked on inverters in a 
> while. 
> 
> 
> Luke Christy
> 719-588-3044
> sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
> 
> 
>> On Jul 20, 2022, at 5:29 AM, Jeremy Rodriguez via RE-wrenches 
>> > > wrote:
>> 
>> Does anyone have a source these days for Magnum Energy Inverters? 
>> Contact me off list if needed. 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Jeremy Rodriguez 
>> Solar Installation / Design Expert 
>> All Solar, Inc.
>> 1453 M St
>> Penrose Colorado 81240
>> 
>> Sent by Jeremy's iPhone. Sorry for typos and shorthand. 
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[RE-wrenches] Leakage of current

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

I have a customer that has self installed an array on a metal roof using APS 
Rapid shutdown devices. The roof rack is standard rails and L-feet. It is a 
high voltage system that will be connected to a Sol-Ark but it has yet to be 
connected, just MC cables from each set of 8 panels (3 altogether) run back to 
the location where the Sol-Ark will be installed. He raised a concern about 
what he described as leakage of current to the metal roof:

"I did experience noticeable “leakage” of current to our roof prior to 
installation of the ground cable...Working around the metal roof one could 
definitely feel the tingle of the current, and it persisted until I had the 
ground cable connected.”

My only guess is that possibly the APS devices are leaking at connection point 
but not sure how to check or he had an unprotected end of the MC cable touching 
the roof but that wouldn’t leak with the APS shutoff installed as it would need 
a signal from the transmitter that is not yet installed in the Sol-Ark. The 
panels are LG375’s.

Ron
earthRight Solar - Solareagle.com 
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[RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark install

[Ron Young via RE-wrenches]

Hi Wrenches, trying to wrap my head around a first time Sol-Ark install. 
Because the max DC voltage is 500v at 18a  and the PV I’m using is 40v DC each 
I will have to create three strings each 480v. What would be the best choice 
for a home run wire? I’ve always used smaller strings with micro inverters, a 
combiner at the array and a single Teck home run cable but the string inverter 
presents a different scenario and it looks like I’ll need to use three home run 
cables, one for each string. 

Ron Young

earthRight Products - Solareagle.com
Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products


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