[RE-wrenches] Magnum inverters (not really a power factor issue)

Matt Tritt solarone at charter.net
Mon Aug 3 10:43:41 PDT 2009 

I'm hoping that it WILL be embarrassingly simple! I'm glad this wasn't 
something I installed since you all know what it's like to find errors 
is someone else's work. ;-)

Matt

dan at foxfire-energy.com wrote:

>
> Boy, This reminds me of a problem I had a few years ago -- don't 
> remember the particulars, except that it was embarrassingly simple -- 
> like a missing connection or something. db
>
> Dan Brown
> President
> Foxfire Energy Corp.
> Renewable Energy Systems
> (802)-483-2564
> www.Foxfire-Energy.com <http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com>
> NABCEP #092907-44
>
>     -------- Original Message --------
>     Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Magnum inverters (not really a power factor
>     issue)
>     From: boB Gudgel <boB at midnitesolar.com>
>     Date: Sun, August 02, 2009 12:53 am
>     To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
>     Darryl Thayer wrote:
>> The 120 leg to leg, that is strange. Is it possible the Inverter
>     has an output not split phase? perhaps 2 phase or 4 phase? giving
>     the phase to neutral a normal value and the phase to phase a weird
>     value? I do not think thy would build it this way.
>>
>>
>     Matt said:
>     "When I checked phase to phase I also only got 120"
>
>     OK, Matt, that part passed right through me... Hmmmm.... (60 Hz
>     Hmmmm... too)
>
>     boB
>
>
>
>> --- On Sat, 8/1/09, Matt Tritt <solarone at charter.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> From: Matt Tritt <solarone at charter.net>
>>> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Magnum inverters (not really a power
>     factor issue)
>>> To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>> Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009, 10:43 PM
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The next time I'm up there I'll take another tech
>>> with me, plenty of
>>> meters and go through every DC and AC connection (they all
>>> looked good
>>> first time around) to try and get to the bottom of the
>>> problem prior to
>>> taking a harder look at Magnum. I have to say, though, that
>>> I have
>>> heard a couple of comments that tend to suggest that the
>>> inverter might
>>> turn out to be one logical place to look. I like these
>>> inverters a lot,
>>> and I really hope that we find some other issue.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> To replay the symptoms, there is no audible or visual (as
>>> in motor
>>> starter noises or dimming light) indication that the pump
>>> is attempting
>>> to do anything other than sit there when inverter voltage
>>> is connected
>>> to it. When the genny power is applied, there is a
>>> discernable working
>>> under a load sound from the engine, and the pump works. I
>>> only had the
>>> homeowner's lousy dime store anaglog meter to work
>>> with, but the
>>> voltage from the inverter was right on 120 volts per leg.
>>> When I
>>> checked phase to phase I also only got 120 - that's
>>> kind of weird, but
>>> it might simply be the meter. All the household loads run
>>> flawlessly
>>> (but this is a pretty fundamental cabin, so the TV and DVD
>>> player are
>>> the most exotic things plugged in. The run to the pump is
>>> adequately
>>> sized - - - - - in other words, it all seems run of the
>>> mill, except
>>> that the pump only ran successfully one time and not on any
>>> further
>>> attempts. Golly..
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Matt
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> boB Gudgel wrote:
>>> Larry
>>> Crutcher, Starlight Solar wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey Matt,
>>>
>>> I sure wish their techie's would get to the bottom of
>>> it. I am getting
>>> gun-shy about selling Magnum and they are about the best
>>> available for
>>> small 12 volt systems. I have spend hours trying to solve
>>> the problem.
>>> My customer is still not a happy camper.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Larry Crutcher
>>>
>>>
>>> Starlight Solar
>>>
>>>
>>> (928) 941-1660
>>>
>>>
>>> Renewable Energy Products, Service and Installation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Can you get someone to look at the voltage and/or current
>>> going into
>>> that pump ?? Scope ? Meter ?
>>> Even a
>>>
>>>
>>> power factor meter would have both voltage and current
>>> measurements.
>>> Some even have a mediocre scope built in.
>>>
>>>
>>> A scope AND a meter is best of course.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Need stats. AC an DC side. AC voltage at
>>> the pump and at the
>>> inverter.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Must have more information. Yes, it
>>> ~could~ be a Magnum inverter
>>> issue, but need more information other than "it
>>> doesn't work"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Does the voltage dip when the pump tries to start ?
>>> What is the
>>> maximum Ac and DC current ? Most basic info for
>>> troubleshooting.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The inverter manufacturer can probably help somewhat if
>>> they have this
>>> info.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Just a suggestion here.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> boB
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Aug 1, 2009, at 4:28 PM, Matt Tritt wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I took boB's advice and
>>> talked to Magnum
>>> about the problem. Their take on it? "Hmmm, beats
>>> me!" I might be
>>> paraphrasing, but that's the drift. All in all, I'd
>>> say that the
>>> suggestions from the group are at least as good as the
>>> one's from the
>>> manufacturer.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Matt T
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Don't forget, this is a
>>> Magnum inverter
>>> and Magnum has issues. I have two customers with
>>> Magnum problems. One
>>> is a washer that will work perfectly on a cheap
>>> import inverter; the
>>> other has a Vizio TV that works fine on shore power
>>> and generator.
>>> Soooo...maybe there are pumps and other items that
>>> are anti-Magnum.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Larry Crutcher
>>>
>>>
>>> Starlight Solar
>>>
>>>
>>> (928) 941-1660
>>>
>>>
>>> Renewable Energy Products, Service and Installation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Options & settings:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List-Archive:
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List rules & etiquette:
>>>
>>>
>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>     <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Check out participant bios:
>>>
>>>
>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Options & settings:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List-Archive:
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> List rules & etiquette:
>>>
>>>
>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>     <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Check out participant bios:
>>>
>>>
>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com>
>>> Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.39/2275 - Release
>>> Date: 08/01/09 09:38:00
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>>
>>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>> Options & settings:
>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>> List-Archive:
>     http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>>
>>> List rules & etiquette:
>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>     <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>>
>>> Check out participant bios:
>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>>
>> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>
>> Options & settings:
>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List-Archive:
>     http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>>
>> List rules & etiquette:
>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>     <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>>
>> Check out participant bios:
>> www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>>
>>
>>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
>     List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
>     Options & settings:
>     http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>     List-Archive:
>     http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>     List rules & etiquette:
>     www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>     <http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm>
>
>     Check out participant bios:
>     www.members.re-wrenches.org <http://www.members.re-wrenches.org>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>_______________________________________________
>List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
>List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
>Options & settings:
>http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
>List rules & etiquette:
>www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
>Check out participant bios:
>www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>  
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.42/2278 - Release Date: 08/02/09 17:56:00
>
>  
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20090803/11ce45fd/attachment-0003.html>

More information about the RE-wrenches mailing list