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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Usually those portable generators have
very poor wave forms, with a big spike on the leading edge of the
sine wave. Frequency regulation also can be all over the place as
it gulps gas and sputters on impurities, etc. When they get
loaded, you keep the nasty little spike, but then the whole wave
just squashes down too. I've seen the peak (which should be 169v
on a 117 v pure sine) hitting under 140 v peak. <br>
I usually recommend charging with cheap gennies in the day, and
limiting other loads. He definitely can't blame the inverter, as
the generator power is just passing through a transfer switch
straight to the loads when its running. You're right to try
backing down the charge rate and watch the generator waveform. If
you don't have an oscilloscope, a Fluke 87 can capture the peaks
in fast capture mode. Todd is also on to something, that
generator doesn't have full output at 120 v, so you need a
transformer to get a balanced full output from it. Maxing out one
leg, while the other leg is unloaded will eventually cause uneven
wear of the generator.<br>
<br>
Ray Walters<br>
<br>
On 1/27/2013 4:20 PM, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:toddcory@finestplanet.com">toddcory@finestplanet.com</a> wrote:<br>
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<blockquote cite="mid:1359328832.498819161@webmail.finestplanet.com"
type="cite"><font face="arial" size="2">
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;">just curious... is this a 240
volt genny with only one leg loaded?</p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;"> </p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;">todd</p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;"> </p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;"> </p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;"> </p>
<p style="margin:0;padding:0;">On Sunday, January 27, 2013
1:34pm, "Greg Egan" <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:greg@remotepowerinc.com"><greg@remotepowerinc.com></a> said:<br>
<br>
</p>
<div id="SafeStyles1359328796"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Wrenchers
and Wrenchettes,<br>
<br>
A customer has a husq. 5500 generator and an Outback
inverter. His lights flicker in the house when he's
charging. Recently his generator died and he's having it
repaired next week. I think he thinks the inverter is
causing the problem. My understanding is that some
generators have less accurate voltage regulators than others
and the ones with the cheaper regulators have a hard time
regulating when connected to a non linear load such as a
battery charger. I don't have a way to look at the sine
wave but I suspect this is the problem here. <br>
<br>
The trouble shooting I was planning was to take his
(repaired) generator and connect it to the inverter and put
a 15 amp charging load on the genny and turn on some
lights. If they flicker, start backing off on the charging
amps and see if the flickering goes to zero as the charging
load on the genset goes to zero. The logic here is that if
we take the charging load out of the circuit and the lights
stop flickering and the genny stops surging, that what we
have is an AVR that doesn't like the battery charger as a
load and is "confused" by it. Would this be correct?<br>
<br>
If it is a VR problem I think switching to a Honda EU series
inverter will solve the problem but customer doesn't want to
buy a new genny. I read a post in the archives regarding
generator compatibility and they recommended adding a
resistive load when the charger is running. I've also heard
there was a way of correcting compatibility problems with a
capacitor. If this is so, has anyone done it before and if
so do you know the size and type of cap I'd need and where I
would connect it in the circuit? <br>
<br>
I called Outback Tech support and the person I talked to
didn't seem to really know what I was talking about. If I
get this resolved I'll probably forward the solution to
Outback for their FAQ's<br>
<br>
Thanks for the assist - I appreciate it!<br>
</span>
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<p class="sig" style="margin:0;padding:0;">Greg Egan<br>
<br>
<img moz-do-not-send="true"
src="cid:part1.08000802.05080600@1359328832.3659"
alt="Remote Power Inc."><br>
<br>
ph (907)457-4299<br>
fx (907)457-4290<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.remotepowerinc.com">www.remotepowerinc.com</a></p>
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<br>
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