SW4024 and Pizzo Ignitors [RE-wrenches]

[sunwise]

Nice call Matt,

If you are right, it might also be worth looking at what the SW's Max
Charge Amps are set at as well as the Max AC2 Amps overall setting is
at.  I don't have a manual handy to say what the menu numbers or titles
are but the Battery Charging setting is generally set fairly high and
the Max Amps Input(?) setting will throttle back on the charging amps to
stay within the maximum generator output parameters.  Provide a little
breathing room between stated generator output and the SW settings.

Also, remember that with igniters that fire a pilot that satisfies a
thermocouple, there is a delay before the burner firing (perhaps a
minute or two, and a failing thermocouple itself could be the culprit). 

If a glow-bar is used, either temporary to ignite a pilot or a regular
glow-bar igniter, each could be adversely effected by the lower
operating voltages of an overloaded generator.

Kurt Nelson

-----Original Message-----
From: matthew tritt [mailto:solarone at charter.net] 
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 8:53 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: SW4024 and Pizzo Ignitors [RE-wrenches]

Scott,

My bet is that the genset isn't powerful enough to both run the ignitor
and
charge batteries at the same time. A bigger generator is the answer (if
your
customer doesn't want to buy another stove!) I find old stoves for my
clients all the time which use a standing pilot or a match! (The old
ones
are better anyway.
;-)_

Good luck

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "scott" <scott at backwoodssolar.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 2:48 PM
Subject: SW4024 and Pizzo Ignitors [RE-wrenches]


> Any comments on this query? Many thanks.  Scott
>
> Hi,
>
> I have an off-grid house powered by solar, an SW4024, and an Onan 4kw
> generator (everything bought from you except the generator).  My
oven/stove
> is a current model Whirlpool (I think) propane stove with electronic
> ignition.  The lighters are pizzo spark ignitors, not glow plug
heaters.
>
> I've got a very odd and annoying problem that I can't figure out and
was
> hoping you might have some ideas.  When running the generator (SW4024
is
> charging the batteries and passing the generator power through to the
> house), the ignitor for the oven will not operate.  The stove-top
burners
> work fine.  When the generator is off and I'm running the SW4024 on
> batteries, the oven usually works fine, but with certain other
appliances
> turned on the oven still sometimes doesn't work.  In particular, when
we
run
> our christmas tree lights the oven ignitor won't work.
>
> I originally guessed that the ignitor control was sensitive to the
power
> factor, and tried using a couple of different value motor run caps.
> Interestingly, this made the situation worse.  With the caps on, the
oven
> would never work.  Presumably if caps make it worse, more inductance
might
> help, but I'm not sure how to add inductance.  I was going to try an
> isolation transformer next, but thought I'd check to see if you have
had
any
> experience with this and had any ideas.
>
>
>
> Backwoods Solar Electric Systems www.backwoodssolar.com
>
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