<div dir="ltr">Thanks for the advice, everyone! The problem has been ongoing since the system was first installed, it didn't just crop up. I have checked the battery bank (8x L-16) under load with a thermal imager and voltmeter and refractometer, no issues with cell voltage, SG or bad connections. I'll be looking into the Franklin Sub Drive and will report back as far as 2-wire. <div><br></div><div>Everything here seems to me to be pointing towards an antiquated 2-wire well pump with the internal hard start cap possibly blown, or the rotor sticky with sediment. It'll be a hard sell to get a new well pump set....but when we started talking auto gen start for a boost, an old honda 6500kw (that runs the well pump fine) that doesn't have a remote start port for the Magnum AGS (Honda piggyback wiring harness nightmare I'd have to homebrew), I went into "won't touch that with a 10-foot pole" mode....and the local Honda shop said I'd be nuts to attempt it.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks again, all -- I'll report back. The system is no longer accessible, this'll be a springtime project.<br><div><br></div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">Dan Fink</span><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">Adjunct Professor of Solar Energy Technology, Ecotech Institute</div><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">IREC Certified Instructor™ for: </div><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">~ PV Installation Professional</div><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">~ Small Wind Installer</div><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">Executive Director, Buckville Energy</div><div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers™<br><a href="tel:970.672.4342" value="+19706724342" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">970.672.4342</a></div><br> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Dec 11, 2016 at 1:39 AM, Ray Walters <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ray@solarray.com" target="_blank">ray@solarray.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Hey Dan;<br>
<br>
If this just problem just started, I'm with Drake, you could have a
premature cell failure. I also agree with Allan, 2 wire pumps are
certainly problematic on inverters. Many well service folks don't
even install them because they don't last near as long as 3 wire
pumps, so your customer may end up needing to replace the pump soon
anyway.<br>
We've used the Franklin Sub Drive with a 1.5 Hp Pump that would
start on an SW 4024, but not on an Outback VFX3524. Worked well, no
call backs. I'm not sure if they will work with a 2 wire pump
though.<br>
Before you take that long trip, have the customer check individual
battery voltages while the pump is running.<br>
<pre class="m_8803494620961200903moz-signature" cols="72">R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
<a href="tel:(303)%20505-8760" value="+13035058760" target="_blank">303 505-8760</a></pre><div><div class="h5">
<div class="m_8803494620961200903moz-cite-prefix">On 12/10/2016 3:43 PM,
<a class="m_8803494620961200903moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:drake.chamberlin@redwoodalliance.org" target="_blank">drake.chamberlin@<wbr>redwoodalliance.org</a> wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">Have you checked the condition of the batteries.
Unless the L-16s are Rolls or East Penn, it might be about time
for some cells to be going bad. <br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote><br>
----- Original Message -----<br>
<div id="m_8803494620961200903origionalMessageFromField" style="width:100%;background:rgb(228,228,228)">
<div style="font-weight:bold">From:</div>
"RE-wrenches" <a class="m_8803494620961200903moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank"><re-wrenches@lists.re-<wbr>wrenches.org></a></div>
<br>
<div id="m_8803494620961200903origionalMessageToField" style="font-weight:bold">To:</div>
"RE-wrenches" <a class="m_8803494620961200903moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank"><re-wrenches@lists.re-<wbr>wrenches.org></a><br>
<div id="m_8803494620961200903origionalMessageSentField" style="font-weight:bold">Cc:</div>
<br>
<div style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</div>
Sat, 10 Dec 2016 10:39:30 -0700<br>
<div id="m_8803494620961200903origionalMessageSubjectField" style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</div>
Re: [RE-wrenches] Retrofit variable speed drive to old well
pump?<br>
<br>
<br>
<div dir="ltr">Michael; Battery bank voltage at 75% SOC is
around 24.7v, so it's in the ballpark and the battery bank has
only about 3 years on it (8 x L-16) and not much abuse.</div>
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Fink</span>
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Professor of Solar Energy Technology,
Ecotech Institute</div>
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<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Dec 10, 2016 at 10:34 AM,
Shasta Daiku <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mjmorningstar@gmail.com" target="_blank">mjmorningstar@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>What is the battery voltage when the client says that
SOC is %75?
<div><br>
</div>
<div>VFD driven pumps are three phase. There are single
phase “soft start” controllers for pumps and motors
designed for that application, but not for a two wire
fed submersible pump. The pump, for mechanical
reasons, not just electrical, may may be resisting
start up. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Michael</div>
<div><br>
<div>
<blockquote><span></span>
<div>On Dec 10, 2016, at 9:11 AM, Dan Fink <<a href="mailto:danbob88@gmail.com" target="_blank">danbob88@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:</div>
<br class="m_8803494620961200903m_-2623845610230117014Apple-interchange-newline">
<div><span></span>
<div dir="ltr">Hi Bob; I checked the connections
for corrosion, and the wire size looks like
"the usual" for up here in this area, it's
only about 100 feet and the usual well depth
around here is 350 ft. Running stouter wire
might be an option to consider...but that's a
lot of digging. I'm just hoping VSD might be a
quick and dirty solution.</div>
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<div><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">Dan
Fink</span>
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Professor of Solar
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<div class="m_8803494620961200903h5">
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Dec 10,
2016 at 9:53 AM, RE Ellison <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:reellison@gmail.com" target="_blank">reellison@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<div>Don't know about the variable
speed but are the wires feeding
the pump large enough for the
distance?</div>
<div>Sounds like it might be voltage
starved because of a high
resistance / bad connection or a
long wire run and the need for a
larger wire ?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Just a thought,</div>
<div>Bob Ellison</div>
<div>
<div class="m_8803494620961200903m_-2623845610230117014h5">
<div><br>
On Dec 10, 2016, at 11:39 AM,
Dan Fink <<a href="mailto:danbob88@gmail.com" target="_blank">danbob88@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">Esteemed
Wrenches;
<div><br>
<div>I have a client in
a very remote mountain
location who is having
trouble with his
inverter starting his
well pump when battery
state of charge is
below 75%. 24v system,
Magnum inverter. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>It's a 2-wire pump,
unknown age, model,
horsepower, or well
depth. It has always
given him trouble,
that's why he upgraded
to 24v, and the
situation is better,
but not ideal yet. I
don't think adding a
hard start capacitor
would help as there
should be one inside
the pump itself,
though I suppose it
could be blown.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Because of the
distance and the rough
road, it would be
super expensive for a
well company to come
up there, pull the old
pump and set a new,
modern soft-start one.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Has anyone here had
any experience with
retrofitting variable
speed drive units to
an unknown pump? If
so, what models have
you tried and what do
you prefer?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thanks; </div>
<div><br style="clear:both">
<div>
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Fink</span>
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Solar Energy
Technology,
Ecotech
Institute</div>
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Certified
Instructor™
for: </div>
<div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">~
PV
Installation
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<div style="font-size:12.8000001907349px">~
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Installer</div>
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Director,
Buckville
Energy</div>
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