A mystery to me..... [RE-wrenches]

Sun Oct 19 14:04:44 PDT 2003

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Matt,
  I'm sure you're right. Thanks so much (and thanks Jeff and Clive) and this 
is what makes this list so valuable. Thanks, Michael!
Daryl
Penobscot Solar Design 

Matt Tritt writes: 

> Hi Daryl, 
> 
> Ooooh. 16.7 volts when a heavy load is applied HAS to mean a problem with
> the battery/cables.

> 
> How often do they equalize with the generator? Perhaps they only run on
> solar and never bother with frequent heavy charging? This also sounds like
> things may appear normal under light loads (surface charge readings) but go
> in the toilet when substantial demands are put on the bank. 
> 
> Matt T
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <penobscotsolar at midmaine.com>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2003 1:34 PM
> Subject: Re: A mystery to me..... [RE-wrenches] 
> 
> 
>> Hi Matt,
>>   Thanks, I checked the batteries somewhat but I'll do better when I next
> go
>> up there. One thing I left out is that when the leg with the well pump
> went
>> on and dragged the inverter down the battery bank went down to 16.7 volts
>> from 54.4 v Do you still think it might be the batteries? I hear you when
>> you say more than one crimp could be bad..... Remember, this is a single
>> series string of 2 volt cells.
>> Daryl
>> Penobscot Solar Design 
>>
>> 
>>
>> Matt Tritt writes: 
>>
>> > Daryl,
>> >
>> > I'd bet that the problem is with the batteries, not the inverter.
>> >
>> > I would check for a bad inter-battery connection or a series-string
>> > connection, possibly a bad crimp(s). Dropping to 27.2 volts would
>> > indicate that the problem is at the end of a 4 battery string.
>> >
>> > Matt T
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: penobscotsolar at midmaine.com [mailto:penobscotsolar at midmaine.com]
>> > Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 2:19 PM
>> > To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>> > Subject: A mystery to me..... [RE-wrenches]
>> >
>> >
>> > Hello all,
>> >    I'm having no success in troubleshooting a system we installed almost
>> > two
>> > years ago that is three hours travel time each way. It has operated
>> > flawlessly since installation. We have had no lightning in the area for
>> > months.
>> >    The system is an SW4048-PP with 24 Surrette KS-25 batteries. It was
>> > originally set up for generator only use (against my recommendations)
>> > but
>> > they quickly added a 1.2 KW array within the year. We aded an Outback
>> > MX-60
>> > to the system this last July.
>> >    I arrived at the site with replacement inverter in hand. We started
>> > up
>> > the original inverter with manual bypass breakers both off. It ran fine,
>> >
>> > starting up and going into search after 20 seconds or so. Setting it to
>> > ON,
>> > again, it ran fine. We turned off the main in the house and threw the
>> > inverter breaker in the bypass and it continued to run fine. We turned
>> > off
>> > all the breakers in the main panel and turned the main on and it ran
>> > fine.
>> > We threw the first breaker and it continued to run fine. We turned off
>> > the
>> > first breaker and continued in this manner until we threw a breaker (
>> > labeled track lighting) and I saw the battery voltage suddenly drop from
>> >
>> > 54.4 volts to 27.2. The inverter shut down with no error reading and
>> > without
>> > any breaker tripping anywhere. We shut off this breaker and turned the
>> > inverter back on. It ran fine.
>> >     We continued on and found 2 breakers which powered sub-panels both
>> > had
>> > the same effect. One sub powered a Grundfos 1/3 hp SQ-O series 110 VAC
>> > submersible, among other things (mostly lights in the room where the sub
>> >
>> > panel is). It seemed as though certain loads were dragging the inverter
>> > down.
>> >     To shorten this story, we replaced the inverter and voila! the same
>> > problem!!!!!
>> >     When they power the house with the generator through the manual
>> > bypass
>> > switch everything runs fine. The system has separate structure ground
>> > (for
>> > the array) and system ground (the electrical systems ground)
>> >      WHAT AM I MISSING???
>> > Daryl
>> > Penobscot Solar Design
>> >
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