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

[Roy Dyngen]

Hello Daryl,

I would agree with those that are pointing to the batteries/cables as the
source of your problem.  If it were not a battery/cable issue, with a
voltage drop as large as you are experiencing, it would mean an awful lot of
power being dissipated somewhere.  If this was not in loads and internal to
the inverter, I believe the smoke would have been let out of the inverter.

Roy Dyngen
Xantrex Technology Inc.

-----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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