MM5 troubleshooting [RE-wrenches]

[William Korthof]

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Personally, I like to make suggestions and try to "steer" toward
cost effective and environmentally preferable choices, but I don't
like to second guess customer preferences.

Certain applications aren't particularly cost effective or optimal.
And so??? Example: homeowner wants premium $75/sq ft granite
tile for the entry flooring instead of good quality $5/ft ceramic tile.
That choice really is up to the customer, not the contractor.
Same goes for solar electric customers, IMHO.
I'm a strong proponent of CFLs and other energy saving choices,
but not everyone is interested.

As for the religious topic of whether electric water (or space heat
or electric cooking) is "acceptable" there are some solid rational
arguments on both sides. I'll leave it there...

As to the MM5000 situation, I'll report that one of our customers
also had his inverter cut out (and not cut back in)...during a utility
outage, if the batteries get discharged, the inverter will cut out
and won't necessarily restart even when the battery voltage or
utility come back on line. Cycle the inverter and it should come
back on line.

Observation 1... 200Ah battery pack sounds rather small for a
customer who want to sustain major loads.
Observation 2... a GREAT way to cut electric water heater use
is with solar hot water panels... and that can sometimes obviate
the electric/propane/natural gas discussion anyway.


/wk

>Hello wrenches and Mark Robinson:
>     I have a customer who has two Advanced Energy Inc's MM5 inverters.  I
>have one question.  If the inverter was in back-up power mode due to a
>utility power outage, and the inverter shut off because of low battery
>voltage, would the inverter re-start after a utility power is restored.  My
>bet is No.
>     The reason I ask, is because the customer called us (during Outback
>Power factory training) upset that her power went out and both inverters
>shut off.  Luckily, she has finally learned how to re-start the inverters.
>The inverters did re-start, but she is questioning the systems integrity.
>She said that the inverters both turned off twice in a two day period, but I
>am not sure she was there, or aware of what was happening.
>     She claims that there were no power outages, but how could she be so
>sure since she wasn't home, and the inverters back up the loads anyway.  If
>there was an outage, I would not be surprised if she did loose power,
>considering that the medium sized battery bank quickly discharges under her
>large loads.
>     Please don't question my integrity as a system designer when I say what
>I am about to say, because I tried to change my customers mind, and offered
>other solutions.  I have to admit, I think it is humorous that she chose to
>install a six thousand dollar inverter dedicated to run a hot water heater,
>just so that she doesn't have to change over to propane.  When the hot water
>heater gets older, we intend to change it over to propane.  In the mean
>time, she discharges her two 48v/200 Ah sealed VR solar, C&D Technologies
>batteries in less than three hours.
>     My guess is that either; lightning or voltage spikes caused the
>inverters to shut down or utility power outages caused low battery cut-out.
>     Of course, if AEI evercame out with the monitor, we would not be
>guessing what the problem was.
>Nick
>Alternative Power Systems
>www.alternativepowersystems.com
>aps at sbcglobal.net
>135 Colfax Ave.
>Grass Valley, CA 95945
>(530) 274-0588 phone
>(530) 274-0589 fax
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Palumbo, Independent Power & Light" <ipl at sover.net>
>To: "Wrenches" <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 5:55 AM
>Subject: AGM batteries - Concorde vs. Lifeline [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> > I have a prospective customer for an RV system questioning my choice of
> > Concorde AGM batteries. She has seen and heard that most RVer's use
>Lifeline
> > AGM batteries. She asks "which is the better battery?" Not having any
> > experience with Lifeline batteries I throw this question out to the group.
> >
> > Dave
> >
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>
>- - - -
>To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>
>Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/
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