Allan,
I have a recent power issue come up with a Magnum inverter. A customer
tried to operate her Splindide washer/dryer but the motor would not
start. I looked at the waveform with a scope and RMS voltage and
frequency were fine. The waveform looked good until the motor tried to
start. The washer was putting a jagged noise riding on the sine wave.
The voltage and waveform still looked OK other than the noise. Mostly
sure that this was the cause, I grabbed a 600 watt cheap import sine
wave inverter and connected the washer. Same ripple was present on the
waveform but the $400 inverter would run the washer motor fine. It
also ran fine with a 1600 watt Honda inverter/generator. I have
written to Magnum about this and had no response to date (about 4 days
now).
Have you looked at the waveform while operating the igniter? Perhaps
this is a similar problem.
Kindest Regards,
Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar
(928) 941-1660
Renewable Energy Products, Service and Installation
Mailing Address (NO SHIPPING):
Box 11114
11279 S. Glenwood Ave
Yuma, AZ 85367
Shipping and retail store (NO MAIL):
2998 Shari Ave
Yuma, AZ 85365
On Feb 9, 2009, at 11:16 AM, Allan Sindelar wrote:
Wrenches,
We have an unusual problem, and I need to know if anyone else has
had this or a related problem, and what to do about it.
This concerns a new off-grid residential system, very conventional:
1,800W PV, Midnite E-Panel with Magnum MS4448-AE inverter, MX60, 16
S-460s, installed summer 2008. This existing home is being
extensively remodeled, and the home is not yet occupied. A local
mechanical contractor installed a new infloor radiant (gypcrete)
hydronic heating system using a Netherlands-made (German company)
Buderus GB142 high-efficiency boiler. The problem is that the boiler
won't start reliably on the inverter. It appears that the hot-
surface igniter does not get full AC voltage (it runs on straight
120V AC, but is supplied through the boiler's control circuitry). We
tested the igniter by disconnecting it and plugging it straight into
inverter AC and it lit right up.
The mechanical contractor has tried a replacement Buderus GB142
boiler with the same result. I was told that they brought out a
generator and it also failed to ignite on generator AC, but not
knowing the generator used or the way it was wired (I believe an
extension cord to a portable) I don't put much weight on this data.
They also took a Lochinvar Boiler to the site to test the theory
that a different manufacturer's boiler might work. The Lochinvar
boiler, which uses a different control and a spark ignition rather
than a hot surface igniter, worked on site without any problems.
I'm looking for solutions. Magnum tech support had not heard of
this. Have you?
Also, if indeed we have an inverter that is incapable of running
this load, how do we make it right to the homeowner and the
mechanical contractor? What should be Magnum's obligation? What
should be ours? This issue hasn't come up here since the days when
the Trace SW mod-sine series was the waveform standard.
Thanks,
Allan Sindelar
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