[RE-wrenches] Tiny load problem

[bob]

HI Phil,

I am going to be using Magnum AE inverters.

I plan on doing everything you mentioned I just would rather not have the
inverter running all night just to feed a 26 watt load. I can only guess how
much DC a 4000 watt inverter will use to supply 26 watts of AC.

The customer still has not decided what he will use for a generator. When he
makes that decision I will decide on a single or dual inverter. His loads
will be handled with a single inverter; the 2nd is just to cut the generator
run time. 

Winters around here are from no sun to 1 hour average a day, sometimes for 2
to 3 weeks at a time. For several years they took Syracuse off the solar
charts, it is that bad and even worse where we are from the lake effect
storms.

 

Later,

Bob

 

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Phil
Undercuffler
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 6:36 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Tiny load problem

 

If the normal connected loads are within the capacity of a single inverter
(which may actually be possible -- I run my whole house off one Outback
FX2024, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and all) then you can just
leave one of the inverters in sleep mode or disable output but leave
input/charging enabled.  

Which inverters are you planning on using for the generator charging?
Depending upon which brand or how sophisticated you want to be, there are a
couple ways to skin this cat.  Easiest and cheapest is to simply not connect
up any AC output wiring or stacking cables to the second inverter, and
program it to stay asleep and charge only when it sees AC input power. 

I used to be religious about making sure my inverter was asleep, and even
had a second baby inverter to power a handful of full time or sensitive
loads.  However, it got difficult trying to explain why you couldn't just
plug the vacuum cleaner into just-any-old-outlet, and as my electronic
widget count expanded it became less and less advantageous to have that baby
inverter.

Phil Undercuffler
Conergy





On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 9:58 AM, bob <reellison at gmail.com> wrote:

I am sizing a system that will have dual inverters to shorten generator
charging in the winter and enough solar to charge the rest of the time. 

Here's the problem, the inverter will not be able to get into sleep mode at
night.

 

There are 2 cell chargers and a "cpap" machine having to run all night.

It only totals 26 watts, has anyone found a better way to do this without
having to keep an inverter awake to produce 26 watts?

I would like to dedicate a Morningstar 300 watt inverter for the job but the
system is 24 volts and Morningstar has no plans to make one in 24 volts.

 

Anyone got any other ideas, or am I best to just deal with it?

 

Thanks,

Bob


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