Hi Ray, Our work is almost exclusively off-grid so wasn't able to test if same result charging from grid. These sites also had previously installed generators of different types, all tested out fine, commonly 12 kW or better capacity. Can't think of a single issue where Magnums exhibited any of the same problems. Replaced inverters, problem solved and then moved onto other tasks.
Kevin -----Original Message----- From: RE-wrenches [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Ray Walters Sent: March 20, 2015 9:15 AM To: RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] outback radian question Hi Kevin; That makes sense, if the charger is enough of a reactive load, it could introduce noise into the entire system. Just something like a hair dryer can put noise into the entire system. Did it improve with large enough generators, or not? Was this a problem when charging from the grid? Did you have any issues with controls not working on the Magnums? Thanks, R.Ray Walters CTO, Solarray, Inc Nabcep Certified PV Installer, Licensed Master Electrician Solar Design Engineer 303 505-8760 On 3/19/2015 3:40 PM, Kevin Pegg wrote: > Hi Ray, > > This is a bit of old news for us, goes back probably 8 years ago or so, so > this is from memory and have not been able to locate the testing reports we > created. > > We conducted extensive testing of the issue, were able to easily replicate > it, didn't matter what generator being used. There was some harmonics and > "noise" on the line that was specifically caused by the Outback charging > circuit. > > We presented this information to Outback, and the response was something of > the line of "ya we know but don't think it's a problem and so won't be any > effort to resolve". Where we work in Canada and the north the winter sun is > quite scarce and such being reliant on generators was a reality. And the most > problematic loads were furnace boiler control systems that of course the > clients needed to run. > > At the time we moved to Magnum units primarily, and then to Xantrex XW once > available. The issues were immediately and permanently solved by replacing > the inverter with another brand. > > It certainly jaded my opinion of Outback as we had to replace several systems > at our cost. > > Kevin > > -----Original Message----- > From: RE-wrenches [mailto:[email protected]]On > Behalf Of Ray Walters > Sent: March 19, 2015 9:05 AM > To: RE-wrenches > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] outback radian question > > > Hi Kevin; > > I have both a comment and a question: > > Comment) I thought that while charging, the AC loads were simply powered > directly by the generator, and the inverters were operating strictly as > chargers. My experience is that it is almost always an issue of poor > waveform regulation with the generator. This is easy to check with a > Fluke 87 or 89. Set to quick peak capture, and see what the peak of the > waveform is. A clean sine wave of 120 vac will have a peak that is 1.41 > times the RMS, or 169 vac. I've seen them as low as 135, or > alternatively have weird spikes into the 200s. > Of course a scope reading is better, but not everyone can afford those. > > Question) Which inverter did you switch to that cured the problem? > > Thanks, > > R.Ray Walters > CTO, Solarray, Inc > Nabcep Certified PV Installer, > Licensed Master Electrician > Solar Design Engineer > 303 505-8760 > > On 3/18/2015 9:20 PM, Kevin Pegg wrote: >> This sounds like the exact same issue with the FX and VFX inverters. Meter >> the power quality while under charge - nasty. We found a lot of computerized >> control systems on furnaces and boilers would either reject the power and >> not power up, or would behave erratically, some would be ok if you powered >> it up before generator on, some not. They were fine on inverter, fine on >> generator, but under charge bad. >> >> Ended up swapping out a lot of inverters since customers were not so keen on >> certain loads not operating properly when under generator charge. >> >> Kevin >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: RE-wrenches [mailto:[email protected]]On >> Behalf Of jay peltz >> Sent: March 18, 2015 5:32 PM >> To: RE-wrenches >> Subject: [RE-wrenches] outback radian question >> >> >> HI All, >> >> My question is. are there any known issues with the Radian interfacing with >> a generator? >> >> I have a customer with flickering lights. >> The lights are LED ( some dimmer/some on/off) >> >> The generator supplier says that there are lots of problems with the Radian. >> I've not heard this and don't believe it. >> >> symptoms: >> radian alone: no flicker >> generator alone: no flicker >> generator/charging flicker. >> different generator: no flicker. >> >> So there is no doubt its the generator. >> >> I'm trying to get more information to go back to the customer. >> >> Thanks >> >> jay >> >> peltz power >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance List Address: [email protected] Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance List Address: [email protected] Change listserver email address & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out or update participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
