FX control of Onan [RE-wrenches]

[Randy Brooks]

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Fellow Wrenches,

To hopefully help others avoid this mistake, I'll share one of mine.

We just completed an off grid system using a FLEXware 500 with two  
VFX3648 inverters, MX60, HUB, and MATE, coupled with an Onan GRCA,  
12kW, propane generator (installed by others) with two wire remote  
start.

After reviewing the auto start section of the Onan manual (not very  
detailed), it appeared we could connect the FX AUX relay directly to  
the two wire remote start circuit of the generator - wrong!

When we switched the Onan to "Auto", it immediately started, even  
though there had been no command from the FX to start.  As soon as  
the Onan came up to speed, the MATE began to beep and flash through  
menu screens repeatedly.  We shut off the Onan immediately, but the  
MATE kept beeping and flashing until we disconnected it.  With the  
Onan control switch in the "Off" position, we plugged the MATE back  
in.  After going through the welcome, software version, and polling  
screens the MATE again began beeping and flashing menus repeatedly  
until it was unplugged.  Resetting the whole FX system made no  
difference.

A call to OutBack tech support indicated we had probably fried the  
MATE.  OutBack sent us a new MATE overnight.  The new MATE worked.   
We installed a relay between the FX AUX output and the Onan remote  
start circuit, and everything worked fine.

After carefully reading the Onan manual again, I found that the  
neutral of the Onan two wire auto start circuit is connected to the  
neutral of the generator AC output.  So we likely sent AC through the  
FX AUX relay.  It's surprising we didn't fry anything else.

So we'll be using a relay for all two wire start circuits in the future.

take care,

Randy Brooks
Brooks Solar, Inc.
Solar Power for People
140 Columbia View
Chelan, WA  98816
509-682-9646
info at BrooksSolar.com
www.BrooksSolar.com


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