[RE-wrenches] generator tripping GFCI

[Jay]

Hi Dave

I’ve already suggested that. However the house hasn’t finished final sign off due to C19 and gross incompetence from the county process, so it’s not possible, yet. 

It’s entirely possible that at least part of the issue could be poor quality GFCI or good quality and overly sensitive. 

 I’ve already suggested changing a few of the GFCI to different brands to see if this will fix the issue. Even if the issue is some basic problem with generator output, harmonics etc. 

And possibly trying this for the breakers but they are damn expensive and again odd they trip at the end and the outlets at the beginning. 

I’ll have to wait for the loaner generator to show up and then I’ll have more data to share 

Thanks

Jay












> On Dec 20, 2020, at 9:52 AM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar <offgridsolar at sti.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> One way to troubleshoot this is by elimination. The genset would be a start. The GFCI itself. I have had to switch from the contractor grade GFCI to a quality make in new construction.
> 
>  Since this is new I would make sure on the AC panel, critical loads like the house pump or fire pumps and refrigerator/ freezer were not put on GFCI. I have seen some very bad things happen from this circuit that have nothing to do with ground faults. The same for AFCI or my guaranteed income source from grid-tie inverters.
> 
> 
> Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
> "we go where powerlines don't"
> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
> e-mail offgridsolar at sti.net
> text 209 813 0060
> 
> On Sat, 19 Dec 2020 15:33:36 -0700, jay <jay.peltz at gmail.com> wrote:
> > HI All,
> > 
> > I have a client with a older Kohler 8-10kw generator, VFX 3648 stacked
> > inverters, newer rolls batteries. its been installed and operating normally
> > for 10+ years.
> > 
> > Customer had to upgrade the house for code, which involved installing GFCI
> > outlets and GFCI breakers.  
> > 
> > Since then the  GFI outlets trip every time the generator starts but only
> > after 3-30 minutes.   They work normally on the inverters. And if you do a
> > bypass/generator direct the GFI outlets don’t trip.
> > 
> > The GFI breakers trip when the generator is about to turn off, not during
> > warm down but say 30 minutes before it will turn off.  So charging current
> > is at the lowest. And again they all work normally on the inverters and all
> > the rest of the charge cycle.
> > 
> > 
> > Voltage is a bit high, around 254v-259v from the generator but it is the
> > whole time and seems to stable voltage. But if the voltage was the issue
> > the outlets would keep tripping.  If it was too high for the breakers, why
> > at the end and not the beginning?
> > 
> > I’m thinking its possibly a control board in the generator that’s not
> > working well.  Can’t keep up with the PF for the inverters, etc.  
> > 
> > Buts its a new issue I’ve not run across.
> > 
> > Any ideas?
> > 
> > thanks
> > 
> > jay
> > 
> > peltz power
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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