[RE-wrenches] Soft Start Modules for Well and Sewage Pumps?

Jeff Clearwater jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com
Fri Jul 26 16:15:39 EDT 2019


Hey Jerry,

I think the issue is capacitor start motors can't handle VFDs.  but 
there are other approaches to soft start - still learning.  Thanks for 
the reference!

Best,

Jeff

Jerry Shafer wrote on 7/26/19 12:59 PM:

> Wrenches
> I have quite a few freq drives on single phase, the controller came 
> from ABB, the pic attached is reference only, it was for a AC chiller 
> grid connected not off grid but the controller works either way
> Jerry
>
> On Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 12:47 PM Jeff Clearwater 
> <jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com <mailto:jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com>> 
> wrote:
>
>     Thanks Chris!
>
>     Unfortunately I'm finding that unless you build an integrated
>     control - motor combo that can soft start like Franklin did - the
>     majority of single phase motors can't use soft start.  That is
>     probably a 3-phase motor in that pump that they have an inverter
>     for in the controls - or they used a shaded pole or spit capacitor
>     single phase motor which can use soft start - at least that is
>     what my initial research and phone call to the pump control
>     company has thus far revealed.
>
>     Apparently you can play with the voltage-amperage tradeoffs when
>     you have the 3 magnetic fields interaction - single phase doesn't
>     allow you much room to wiggle.
>
>     I do see single phase soft-starts on the market - still
>     researching but that's my initial findings.
>
>     Anyone know differently?
>
>     Thanks!
>
>     Jeff
>
>
>
>     chris at OasisMontana.com <mailto:chris at OasisMontana.com> wrote on
>     7/26/19 9:27 AM:
>
>>     Here at the Oasis home/office, we have a Goulds 3 hp 240VAC soft
>>     start pump (#18GS30, w/ Franklin motor HS09970 and #3AS30 Aquavar
>>     Solo controller); it’s been running off of my 2011 Radian GS8048
>>     since 2016, when I had to drill a new well (the water table is
>>     dropping) and pump from about 300 ft. depth.I have 3500 ft. of
>>     drip irrigation, a big garden and the usual domestic water
>>     loads.It’s worked flawlessly since its inception, and I cannot
>>     speak more highly of Goulds pumps.My first one lasted 23 years
>>     (it was a 1.5HP model).
>>
>>     Best,
>>
>>     Chris Daum
>>
>>     Oasis Montana Inc.
>>
>>     406-777-4309 or 4321
>>
>>     406-777-4309 fax
>>
>>     www.oasismontana.com <http://www.oasismontana.com>
>>
>>     *From:*RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> *On Behalf Of
>>     *Dana
>>     *Sent:* Friday, July 26, 2019 9:34 AM
>>     *To:* 'Jeff Clearwater' <jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com>
>>     <mailto:jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com>; 'RE-wrenches'
>>     <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>     *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Soft Start Modules for Well and
>>     Sewage Pumps?
>>
>>     Yes I have used soft starts offgrid with SW & VFX for 15+ years,
>>     in spite of doing load evaluations & others installing what ever
>>     they normally used. It has been a great rescue device. Well pump,
>>     2 dish washers, booster pump, etc.
>>
>>     Dana Orzel                              Great Solar Works, Inc.
>>
>>     *C - 208.721.7003 dana at solarwork.com <mailto:dana at solarwork.com>*
>>
>>     Idaho Contractor - # 028765         Idaho PV # 028374
>>
>>     NABCEP # 051112-136 www.solarwork.com <http://www.solarwork.com>
>>
>>     _"Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" _
>>
>>     *P*Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>>
>>     *From:*RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>> *On Behalf Of
>>     *Jeff Clearwater
>>     *Sent:* Friday, July 26, 2019 8:04 AM
>>     *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>>
>>     *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Soft Start Modules for Well and Sewage
>>     Pumps?
>>
>>     Hey Wrenches,
>>
>>     Anyone have success using soft-start modules on well and sewage
>>     pumps to lower the surge for off-grid inverters?
>>
>>     The baby we are trying to tame is a 2 HP 15 amp, 53 LRA Omnivore
>>     Grinder Pump - LSG200 series - single phase 230 Vac.
>>
>>     Thanks!
>>
>>     Jeff
>>
>>
>>     ~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>     Jeff Clearwater
>>     Village Power Design
>>     linkedin <https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-clearwater-0622a312/>
>>     www.villagepowerdesign.com <http://www.villagepowerdesign.com>
>>     cell - 413-559-9763
>>     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>
>>     Jeff Clearwater wrote on 7/26/19 6:32 AM:
>>
>>         *Thanks Ray and Jerry,
>>
>>         Great to hear from you both with your years of combined
>>         experience :)*
>>
>>         *So yes looking at the 5 sec has me switching back to a
>>         trusty Radian - _even then from what you are saying it may
>>         not work._*
>>
>>         And you are right Ray -  Outback is careful to rate the
>>         "overload capability" in KVA rather than KW due most likely
>>         to voltage sag of course.
>>
>>         *So this 53 LRA 2 HP motor - if I can only trust the 5 second
>>         (50 A) might not start - especially with other loads on the
>>         system?*
>>
>>         *RADIAN SURGE RATINGS:*
>>
>>         *Maximum Output Current*
>>         1 ms peak 100 Amps AC at 240 VAC, 200 Amps AC at 120 VAC
>>         100 ms RMS 70.7 Amps AC at 240 VAC
>>
>>         *Overload Capability*
>>         100 ms surge 16.97 kVa
>>         5 seconds 12 kVa
>>         30 minute 9 kVa
>>
>>         *Other's experience with 2 HP sewage pump or well pump motors
>>         on a Radian?
>>
>>         Thanks!
>>
>>         Jeff*
>>
>>
>>         Ray wrote on 7/25/19 5:48 PM:
>>
>>             I only look at the 5 sec and 30 sec surge ratings to get
>>             an idea what an inverter can really do in the real
>>             world.  All those millisecond ratings/ in rush current
>>             specs won't get a pump or motor started, and will
>>             basically just get you into trouble. The reason they have
>>             those ratings in amps and not watts, is that the voltage
>>             craters during that 100mS surge.
>>
>>             I can't tell you how many times we tried to start a pump,
>>             compressor, or large table saw, and the inverter just
>>             shut off, even though the "in rush current" was within
>>             the theoretical inverter capacity.  Actual Wrench list
>>             testimonials are much more valuable than those arcane specs.
>>
>>             Ray Walters
>>
>>             Remote Solar
>>
>>             303 505-8760
>>
>>             On 7/25/19 5:15 PM, Jeff Clearwater wrote:
>>
>>                 *Hey There Wrenches,*
>>
>>                 So be advised that after a little research the SW
>>                 dual stack will NOT double the surge ratings of a
>>                 single SW.
>>
>>                 But that brings me to my second question:
>>                 *
>>                 What inverter surge rating should one refer to when
>>                 looking at maximum Inrush or LRA - 1ms?  100ms?  1 sec?*
>>
>>                 *Your engineering wisdom welcomed!*
>>
>>                 Thanks,
>>
>>                 Jeff
>>
>>
>>
>>                 Jeff Clearwater wrote on 7/23/19 8:27 PM:
>>
>>                     Thanks for the tip!  I'll check the firmware.
>>
>>                     Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar wrote on 7/22/19 9:11 AM:
>>
>>                         Hi Jeff,
>>
>>                         I am not going to guess if this will work, it
>>                         should.  I use XW's because they start
>>                         anything I have come across.
>>
>>                         If you do this, make sure but SW's have the
>>                         latest and same firmware. There were problems
>>                         with stacked SW's early on in their development.
>>
>>                         **Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar**
>>
>>                         **"we go where powerlines don't"**
>>
>>                         **http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/**
>>
>>                         **e-mail offgridsolar at sti.net
>>                         <mailto:offgridsolar at sti.net>**
>>
>>                         **text 209 813 0060**
>>
>>                         On Mon, 22 Jul 2019 07:26:07 -0700, Jeff
>>                         Clearwater <jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com>
>>                         <mailto:jeffc at villagepowerdesign.com> wrote:
>>
>>                             Hey Esteemed Wrenches,
>>
>>                             So I recently built a power trailer with
>>                             a single 4 KW (4048) Schneider SW for a
>>                             client with a moderate cabin lifestyle.
>>
>>                             But he lives on a high hill and even
>>                             though his 2 HP Macerator is only rated
>>                             at 15 amps continuous that baby starts up
>>                             with a whopping kick - probably close to
>>                             or at it's 53 Amps Locked Rotor rating.
>>
>>                             *The SW has the following surge capability:*
>>
>>                             *SW 4048 Rated @ 240 Volts:*
>>                             Continuous - 15.2 Amps 3700 Watts
>>                             30 Minutes - 18.3 Amps 4400 Watts
>>                             5 Secs - 29.2 Amps 7000 Watts
>>                             Max (100ms?) - 41 Amps - 9840 Watts
>>
>>                             Can I be confidant that 2 stacked SWs
>>                             will start this baby?
>>
>>                             *Any experience with similar macerators -
>>                             or simply educated guesses?
>>                             *
>>                             Thanks!
>>
>>                             Jeff
>>
>>                         -- 
>>
>>                         **Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar**
>>
>>                         **"we go where powerlines don't"**
>>
>>                         **http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/**
>>
>>                         **e-mail offgridsolar at sti.net
>>                         <mailto:offgridsolar at sti.net>**
>>
>>                         **text 209 813 0060**
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>     -- 
>>     ~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>     Jeff Clearwater
>>     Village Power Design
>>     linkedin <https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-clearwater-0622a312/>
>>     www.villagepowerdesign.com <http://www.villagepowerdesign.com>
>>     cell - 413-559-9763
>>     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>
>>
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