[RE-wrenches] Interesting gen start problem

[Ray]

I've had problems with several manufacturers' onboard relays, and 12 v 
outputs.  For instance I now always use a 2nd relay controlled by the 
onboard relay, even for little things like Zephyr Power Vents.  If you 
look at the new relays compared to say the old Trace SW relays, they're 
just not near the same.

That's concerning that over current would fry the whole Radian control 
board.   On Midnite Classics, if you exceeded the 200mA 12v output, it 
just shut the output off.

Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760

On 12/14/18 6:58 AM, dan at foxfire-energy.com wrote:
> OBTW. the FNDC is a dry contact.
>
> db
>
>
> Dan Brown
> Foxfire Energy Corp.
> Renewable Energy Systems
> (802)-483-2564
> www.Foxfire-Energy.com <http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com>
> NABCEP #092907-44
>
>
>     -------- Original Message --------
>     Subject: [RE-wrenches] Interesting gen start problem
>     From: William Miller <william at millersolar.com
>     <mailto:william at millersolar.com>>
>     Date: Thu, December 13, 2018 3:11 pm
>     To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>>
>
>     Friends:
>     While I’d like to think I have seen everything, I came across this
>     scenario recently that surprised me:
>     We replace an existing FX system that had a generator component. 
>     Since the
>     FX inverter can only provide 12 volts for generator start, and we
>     did not see a relay in the power room, we assumed there was a 12
>     volt coil relay in the generator room.  Turns out this was not the
>     case.
>     Generators use the cranking battery voltage (B+) to power control
>     circuits.  The B+ to start control relays is completed by a
>     contact closure.  In this case, there was no relay.  Instead the
>     original installer use the 12 volts from the FX inverters to
>     provide substitute B+ to the generator control circuitry.
>     The end result is we burned up the Radian control board.
>     Apparently the FX inverter had enough 12 volt capability to make
>     this work, but the Radians did not.
>     When we began troubleshooting, our first clue something was wrong
>     was that there was no relay.  Our second clue was that one of
>     the12 volt start leads was grounded. We also burned up a relay in
>     the generator.
>     I hope this little cautionary tale helps one of you avoid a burned
>     up control board someday, somewhere. This problem was a big headache.
>     William
>     PS: Here is a web page
>     <http://www.millersolar.com/MillerSolar/Portfolio/Inverters/battery_iinverters/TT-Radian/TT_Radian.html>
>     on this particular installation.  On this project we incorporated
>     some of the GSLC wiring innovations discussed in this forum.
>     Wm
>     Gradient Cap_mini
>     Lic 773985
>     millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
>     805-438-5600
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