More Trouble with SW+ [RE-wrenches]

[Ray Walters]

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Hi All;

I'm using the 30 amp twistlock outlet on the genny, no GFI, but these 
Yamahas have an electronic overload circuit, not just a standard breaker. 
Again the same generator worked with another SW+ and a DR. We have a higher 
impedance ground at this site than the other. (very rocky, no well casing.) 
I think we may be on to something: the filter caps combined with the less 
than perfect grounding are tripping the electronics on the Yamaha. Wouldn't 
the caps look like a dead short for a few milliseconds in this situation? 
That with the ultra fast overload protection circuit on the Yamaha could do 
it. When I measured the VAC at AC 2 IN, it didn't even drop at all, so this 
is happening in less than 100 milliseconds from the time the relays connect 
to charge the caps until the Yamaha disconnects.
Now the fun, can we bypass the caps, or do some other external trick to 
keep the Yamaha from tripping? I could try driving an additional ground 
rod, or I heard about a new grounding system that drives several sections 
of rod down about 40 ft like a mini well drilling rig. Ground Impedance 
drops dramatically, but I'm sure its pricey. We definitely could use more 
grounding here for lightning protection as well.
Xantrex should definitely be doing testing with the new inverter generators 
from Yamaha and Honda. That's all I'm selling for backup charging these 
days, since they are so much more efficient with the Xantrex chargers. I 
think several others of you on the list will attest to this.
Once more its the little Mom & Pop installers in the boonies that get to 
work all this out for free! I'm use to it.....I mean what would I do with 
the spare time and money anyway??

Your Private, (definitely not for profit) Remote Research Institute

Ray



>Hi Ray,
>
>I don't think this is a software issue, as both units you tried should be 
>the same version. Does the generator have a GFCI breaker on the output? 
>The EMI filter caps on the AC1 and 2 inputs may be causing enough leakage 
>current to make some GFCI's think there is a ground fault when the relays 
>close, which could explain what you are seeing. We have tested the Plus 
>units on a lot of different generators and haven't had any problems, but 
>most had standard breakers.
>
>Contact our tech support guys at the numbers below to get some more help 
>with this.
>
>Thanks
>
>Mark
>
>1-800-670-0707
>1-800-446-6180
>Tech Support
>
>Email: customerservice at xantrex.com
>
>
>Mark Edmunds
>Xantrex Technology Inc.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ray Walters [mailto:ray at solarray.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2004 12:44 PM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Cc: erichl at directpower.com
>Subject: More Trouble with SW+ [RE-wrenches]
>
>  "When we start the generator, AC2 blinks
>on, and I have confirmed 120 VAC at the inverter AC input. The problem
>begins after 30 seconds, when the inverter begins battery charging.
>The  bulk charge light comes on for about a second, the generator doesn't
>lug down or anything, but then it trips the generator's overload circuit.
>We set the AC in on the inverter down to 5 amps it doesn't make a
>difference. We also tried using AC1 input, and it did the same thing."
>
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Ray Walters
ray at solarray.com
President, SolarRay, Inc.
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer
BS Mechanical Engineering, UT Austin 88
Returned US Peace Corps Volunteer 

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