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

Darryl Thayer daryl_solar at yahoo.com
Sat Aug 1 20:57:53 PDT 2009


Yes Matt it was an SW

--- 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, 10:51 PM
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
>  
> Good point, Darryl. The resting DC volts were only at 51.6
> according to
> the Magnum meter, kind of on the low side. I was not able
> to measure
> any sag on the DC side because there wuz only one of me and
> I ain't
> Plastic Man. I bet that the inverter you measued the 60 Hz
> on the DC
> side was an SW, right? They all have an odd ability to
> loosen the DC
> inverter cables over time because of this harmonic vibe,
> especially the
> Al lugs they used to use back in the day. I had several
> problems with
> tripping (no, not that kind) breakers before I changes to
> better cable
> lugs.
> 
> 
> 
> Matt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Darryl Thayer wrote:
> 
>   Don't know if this will help, but an experiance
> of mine on starting a large motor, using a battery and
> inverter.  The motor would not start, or if it did if would
> quit in 10, or 20 min.  The battery had capacity to run the
> motor for 5 or 6 hrs to 50% DoD yet the inverter would kick
> out.  I had reason to beleive the output wave form was bad
> also.  I solved the problem by greatly increasing the
> battery size and the cables.  I did not change the inverter
> at all.  
> 
> What I think was happening is the high current draw of the
> inverter to serve the load reduced the battery voltage, but
> not just the average battery voltage but the 60 cycle peak
> voltage drop/ of the battery.  The load of the inverter on
> the battery is like pulses, my amp clamp shows an AC current
> on the battery leads.  If I had a scope, I would guess the
> inverter is seeing a fluxuating voltage on the battery.  My
> grandson has a 1 Farad Capacitor in his sterio system,
> perhaps this would fix the problem.  BoB what do you think?
> Darryl
> 
> --- On Sat, 8/1/09, boB Gudgel <boB at midnitesolar.com>
> wrote:
> 
>   
>   
>     From: boB Gudgel <boB at midnitesolar.com>
> 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, 6:22 PM
> 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
>     
>    
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