Trace/Kohler light flicker [RE-wrenches]

[Joe Schwartz, Home Power]

<x-flowed>Hello wrenches,

I just received this inquiry from a Home Power reader. Any of you 
ever run across this situation?  My suggestion was to temporarily 
take the Trace out of the loop and run the problematic lighting 
circuit/circuits directly off the generator. This should isolate the 
problem.

The Trace SW's in charge mode have an awful power factor. Think this 
could be messing with the generator voltage regulation?

Thanks,

Joe


ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Dear Joe:

I am an avid reader of Homepower and read it cover to cover slowly. 
Mr. Perez has been extremely helpful with a problem I have had with 
an intertie problem I have had with my utility.

I have a Trace Power Panel with 2-SW5548 inverters, 32-Trojan L-16 
batteries,  24 Siemens 100 watt panels, and a Kohler 8.5 RMY genset.

  I am having a problem with the genset.  It is set up for 120-240v 
operation.  The problem is when the genset is running the lighting 
flickers from voltage fluctuation. Every type of light bulb does this 
you can even see this if the TV is on.  I have talked to Trace and 
they say that when the genset is running it powers the AC loads and 
operates as a battery charger.

I recently had a Kohler authorized technician investigate the 
problem.  He set up the generator on a resistive load bank and the 
generator worked fine.  His diagnosis is that the inverters are 
causing the genset voltage regulator to become unstable.  He verified 
that with me by showing me the voltage fluctate on an analog and 
digital voltmeter.

Have you ever had similar situations?  Is there any possible 
solution?  I am very interested in your opinion and think very highly 
of the staff at Homepower Magazine.




-------------

Joe Schwartz
Home Power Magazine
PO Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520  USA
email:joe.schwartz at homepower.com
Web: http://www.homepower.com

- - - - - - -
To send a message:
 RE-wrenches at topica.com

The archive of previous messages: 
 http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

To unsubscribe send a message to: 
 RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

To check out the other RE-Wrench participants:
 www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine: 
 www.homepower.com

For info contact list moderator by email:
 michael.welch at homepower.com

___________________________________________________________
T O P I C A  http://www.topica.com/t/17
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics

</x-flowed>