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<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I
would first isolate your system. turn off all loads on the inverter, &
REPOLE. check the AC input AT the inverter, checking ALL AC input connections,
pull on the wires , make sure they are tight. Ck the AC voltage at the
generator then at the inverter. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Is it
possible to run a separate wire from the gen to the inverter? sometime the
conduit fills w/ water or mice have chewed wires ect, Ck the temp
sensor & remove it during testing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>With
the E panel their is an outlet plug in your heat gun , loading the
generator, still have fluctuating voltages?If the batteries are low I
would, while watching the AC input voltage & Hzs, lower the charge
rate to the batteries & watch these readings. Stabilize at a lower
current?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Do you
have a small portable gen that you can being? try that. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>All
else fails you have brought the other inverter w/ you I sometimes find it less
time consuming to swap inverters to check, then boards. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I have
replaced quite a few boards & yes there have been times that the AC
board was faulty & the generator never connected. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>OB is
quite good sending boards I would REPLACE ALL if they will send them to you, AC,
DC, & Control, If it is remote & you don't want to go back &
forth wait until you get the boards.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=200080011-29122008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>As
posted below, you have looked at most of these things I have suggested but the
inverters,usually can w/stand a quick short,shutting the inverter down.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>R
Young<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December 28, 2008 8:51 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
RE-wrenches<BR><B>Subject:</B> [RE-wrenches] Outback VFX input voltage
cycling<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>This thread seems to have died ... somehow it got mixed in with the
"strings of different orientation" thread. If anyone has further input I would
very much appreciate it as I have to schedule a long trip to remedy this and
want to have as much ammunition as possible. Again, to restate the
problem:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">an Outback VFX3524 inverter installed on an E-panel
in a remote off-grid location. Voltage at the inverter input terminals is
fluctuating between 110 & 140+ volts continuously. AC in will not
connect so batteries can't charge. Output voltage measured at the inverter
output terminals is steady at 122v. When all household loads are
turned off the input terminal voltage stabilizes but AC In still does not
connect.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Generator does not seem to be at fault as output
measured at the gen. is stable even under load. System was working for about
1 1/2 years but under new ownership has been badly monitored and batteries
have become totally discharged.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>I'm trying to determine if this is a circuit board problem so I can
perform a rescue mission by pulling some boards from an in-stock inverter,
Outback tech support are on holidays. Anyone had a similar
problem? <SPAN class=Apple-tab-span
style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Mick,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>referring to</FONT></DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>there's not an auto-idle switch on that genset which may have
accidentally been set for auto, is there?</FONT></DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>His generator was actually running in idle mode, operating the
household loads when I got there and the first thing I discovered was that the
voltage was ~90 volts coming in to the inverter. I manually switched the
generator to full speed and then checked the voltage again, that is where I
found the rapid fluctuations occurring at the inverter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Ron</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>On 27-Dec-08, at 1:23 PM, mick abraham wrote:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Ron wrote: "The owner told me...that someone had wired a switch
incorrectly</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>and when he turned it on the system "shut down". He then re-wired it
and</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>everything appeared ok but I'm wondering if this fried a
board."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Mick replies: I've seen several times with Outback and other brands
(going as</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>far back as the Trace SW) where the inverter responds to an
accidental short</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>circuit in the household wiring by shutting itself off quicker than a
circuit</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>breaker can open. I'll bet that is what your customer
experienced...possibly</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>due to a nicked hot wire in that new switch box shorting out to
ground.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>I suspect that (part of your customer's report) is completely
unrelated to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>your present problem scenario. If it was my headache I would beg,
borrow,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>or...rent a second generator to insert temporarily instead of the
Honda 3800.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>That's the most conclusive way to determine fault or no-fault on the
generator.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Sometimes a genset will operate non-inverter loads OK and will
exhibit normal</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>looking voltage etc. but there still could be transients or spikes
which</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>render this input AC power unacceptable to the
inverter/charger.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Thinking...there's not an auto-idle switch on that genset which may
have</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>accidentally been set for auto, is there?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 17px; MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 14px Helvetica"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Mick Abraham, Proprietor</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>www.abrahamsolar.com</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 14px Helvetica" face=Helvetica
size=4>Voice: 970-731-4675</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Hi Mick & Jay,</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">I disconnected the gen. line to the inverter and
tested the output and got steady voltage. I then re-connected the inverter
and tested the gen. output from a different outlet and got steady voltage,
both around 122v. So I've ruled out the generator. It was my first
suspicion.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">I have also noticed that when the household loads
are off the inverter output appears stable, doesn't fluctuate except about
every 20 seconds inverter audibly, the voltage drops from around 120 to
110 then resumes - as if the input was momentarily dropped.</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Darryl,</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">I did play with the AC charge current lowering it
to around 5 aac but it didn't seem to make a difference. The owner told
me, as an afterthought that someone had wired a switch incorrectly and
when he turned it on the system "shut down". He then re-wired it and
everything appeared ok but I'm wondering if this fried a board. I know
there is an ac control board in there ... could this be it?</DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">BTW, it's a very small generator, Honda
3800.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Ron</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
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