<html>
<body>
I would also look at the loads. From an earlier post of yours it
appeared that the system ran more normally when <u>not</u> connected to
the house loads, but still cycled. <br><br>
Could something on the load side be shorting, or could there be a huge
load trying to kick on that doesn't really start? It may well be a
situation where two (or more) things are going on simultaneously.
My approach would be to continue to isolate components and run several
different tests on all components. <br><br>
Good luck <br><br>
Drake <br><br>
<br>
At 08:51 PM 12/28/2008, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<font face="Helvetica, 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:<br>
</font><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
<font face="Helvetica, 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? </font></blockquote><br><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Mick,<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>referring to<br>
</font><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>there's not an auto-idle switch
on that genset which may have accidentally been set for auto, is
there?<br>
</font></blockquote><br>
<font face="Helvetica, 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.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Ron<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>On 27-Dec-08, at 1:23 PM, mick
abraham wrote:<br>
</font><br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Ron wrote: "The owner told
me...that someone had wired a switch incorrectly<br>
and when he turned it on the system "shut down". He then
re-wired it and<br>
everything appeared ok but I'm wondering if this fried a
board."<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Mick replies: I've seen several
times with Outback and other brands (going as<br>
far back as the Trace SW) where the inverter responds to an accidental
short<br>
circuit in the household wiring by shutting itself off quicker than a
circuit<br>
breaker can open. I'll bet that is what your customer
experienced...possibly<br>
due to a nicked hot wire in that new switch box shorting out to
ground.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>I suspect that (part of your
customer's report) is completely unrelated to<br>
your present problem scenario. If it was my headache I would beg,
borrow,<br>
or...rent a second generator to insert temporarily instead of the Honda
3800.<br>
That's the most conclusive way to determine fault or no-fault on the
generator.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Sometimes a genset will operate
non-inverter loads OK and will exhibit normal<br>
looking voltage etc. but there still could be transients or spikes
which<br>
render this input AC power unacceptable to the inverter/charger.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Thinking...there's not an
auto-idle switch on that genset which may have<br>
accidentally been set for auto, is there?<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Mick Abraham, Proprietor<br>
<a href="http://www.abrahamsolar.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.abrahamsolar.com</a><br>
Voice: 970-731-4675</font></blockquote><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi Mick & Jay,<br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
Darryl,<br>
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?<br><br>
BTW, it's a very small generator, Honda
3800.</blockquote></blockquote><br>
Ron<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>
_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List Address:
<a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">
RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Options & settings:<br>
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a>
<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List-Archive:
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" eudora="autourl">
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Check out participant bios:<br>
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
</blockquote><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>
_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List Address:
<a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">
RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Options & settings:<br>
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a>
<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List-Archive:
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" eudora="autourl">
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4>Check out participant bios:<br>
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</font><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>
List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org<br><br>
Options & settings:<br>
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" eudora="autourl">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a>
<br><br>
List-Archive:
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" eudora="autourl">
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" eudora="autourl">
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>
Check out participant bios:<br>
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.members.re-wrenches.org</a></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Drake Chamberlin<br>
Athens Electric<br>
OH License 44810<br>
CO License 3773<br>
740-448-7328<br>
740-856-9648 </body>
</html>