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3kw inverter

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 denn
(@denn)
Active Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 13
Topic starter  

im a beginner and have yet to discover how to calculate surge.  in building my system i need to know if the 3kw 24vly dc to 220ac would start two 3/4hp 1495 watt 6.5 amp well pumps.  i am building a system using 9 355 watt panels and intend two use 2 s340 on 4 pannels and the 3kw on 4 more, leaving one to go with expansion.  thanks


   
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(@sid-genetry-solar)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2883
 

Well, off the top...depends on what inverter you're referring to.  It's not clear, as I cannot find anything by searching what you've provided ("24lvy").

If you're looking at the MakeSkyBlue 3KVA-24-230 ( https://makeskyblue.com/products/3kva-hybrid-mppt-solar-inverter-24v-dc-to-230v-ac ) then the answer is more than likely "definitely not."  I am taking a wild guess that it is the inverter you're referring to, simply because you mention "3kw" and the fact that you posted in the MakeSkyBlue subforum.

 

IF IT IS THE INVERTER you're referring to...

There is a big difference between power measured as VA (volt amps) and W (watts).  Manufacturers like to use VA to rate their inverters, as it makes the number look better--but then you get caught with an inverter that won't do what you need.

The above link rates the inverter at "3000VA/2400W."  In other words, the inverter cannot sustain the running power of both pumps (3000W).

And HF inverters (which the MSB is) are at best very poor at handling surges.  Most cheaper units (i.e. Chinese-made) are horrible at handling surge loads.

 

So in short to the best of my guess: no, that inverter won't run the pumps.  Probably won't be able to start even one of them--and even if it does, trying to start the 2nd one will result in the inverter overloading and stalling the first pump.  Been there, done that with HF inverters.

 

EDIT: You need to provide a LOT more details/links as to what exactly the equipment you're referring to.  I have no idea what you're referring to with "2 s340 on 4 pannels".


   
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 denn
(@denn)
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Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 13
Topic starter  

thanks for reply.  Ok, because of reviews from actual customers i do wish to use sky blue for my system, which currently consists of nothing but 9, 355 watt panels with a voc of 47.45, and 1 3500 watt pure sine wave inverter.  You are correct about the msb 3kw off grid tie inverter being the one i was refering to.  i wish to go with 24vlt battery system and build it in a way that if one charge controler fails it will not stop the entire system.  the two well pumps are my biggest concern and my biggest draw.  the controller i am referring to is the msb 30 amp charge controler which has a 720 watt max pv  input, if i understand the volt rating then it is capable of between 37 and 105 volts.  i am new to solar and would greatly appreciate any info you could provide.  HF vrs LF inverters?  does msb make a LF inverter that would handel the load?  Again thanks for your reply and help in the matter.


   
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(@thebutcher)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 355
 

To be honest seeing someone considering a MakeSkyBlue inverter fills me with all kinds of trepidation.  Whilst their solar battery chargers do work the firmware is shall we say a little 'quirky' and lacks some fairly important items for a battery charger.  For the record I do own 3 of their chargers so I'm not talking out my ... hat ... on this.  If the firmware in their inverter follows the same path in terms of features and quality it's not going to be a smooth ride.  The quality of the program in the device these days really does matter as a lot of what the inverter does, AC waveform, protection systems etc, is all done by/under control of it.  This doesn't even consider the hardware itself, which given MakeSkyBlue, isn't going to be particularly high either.

Do your homework on this before clicking purchase.


   
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(@thebutcher)
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(@sid-genetry-solar)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2883
 
Posted by: @thebutcher
Worthwhile reading ...

Definitely interesting--though it was nothing but disgruntled customers reporting there 😉.  Would be interesting to see an honest review of one of those units actually working (if there is such a thing, haha!)


   
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(@thebutcher)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 355
 

Yeah, true, but distilling it down, doesn't meet the specs; didn't have the functionality stated; went bang.  All good enough reasons individually to not buy one, IMO.


   
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 denn
(@denn)
Active Member
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 13
Topic starter  

i am definatly  doing more research, however, it doesnt change the fact that myself, and others like me, simply cannot afford the Rolex time piece and must find a reasonable Timex.  that being said, perhaps i should look at PWM controllers again.  the best defence against this jab war we are in is to get as many as possible off grid and back to an independent lifestyle, and with the economy like it is i truly want my system build to be within a poor mans budget.


   
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(@sid-genetry-solar)
Member Admin
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2883
 
Posted by: @denn
i am definatly doing more research, however, it doesnt change the fact that myself, and others like me, simply cannot afford the Rolex time piece and must find a reasonable Timex

Well, if the Timex won't keep time...then it is a total waste of money, and you end up spending a lot more in the end.

I've bought a cheap Chinese HF inverter before (the SwiPower 3kw)--it's real cheap, but completely useless if you run ANYTHING except resistive loads (i.e. heaters).  Try to start a handsaw with the 'fridge running?  The 'fridge compressor is going to stall (which then goes through an overheat thermal protection cycle).  It was a total joke--though in it's defense, I somehow did not burn it up.  Admire the junk here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/124247095731

Let me just say: if you need to run 2 water pumps, you are probably going to be FAR better off with an "8kw" Power Jack inverter (which will overheat much past 3-4kw in the first place...but will handle significant surge startups).

Like someone else posted on a different forum, it is best to "buy once, cry once."


   
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(@thebutcher)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 355
 

A 1000% step up from the MSB would be the MPP Solar range of all-in-ones.  Yes, they cost more and yes they will have trouble starting those water pumps but they do explain that in the documents and recommend a unit with 3 to 7 times the run rating of the motor to cope with the start up and the same thing explained by Sid above will apply if you exceed the instantaneous power rating of the inverter.  It's the nature of these things.  Once you exceed the power rating the AC waveform goes to hell and the inverter also considerably drops the peak voltage of the AC to stop itself from blowing up.  That will likely cause AC line driven motors that are under load to stall.


   
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(@dickson)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1047
 

 if you exceed the instantaneous power rating of the inverter.  It's the nature of these things.  Once you exceed the power rating the AC waveform goes to hell and the inverter also considerably drops the peak voltage of the AC to stop itself from blowing up.  That will likely cause AC line driven motors that are under load to stall.

I  watch the AC votage  of starting a microwve oven  go from  116vac  down to  99 vac  on my  8kw powerjack  and the  rev 11.1  control board  shut down the inverter and save the FETs and not  blowing up  . This happen when the battery  is low  at  49v DC .    


   
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(@thebutcher)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 355
 

Not sure if that's a deliberate effect or just a side effect of the sine being crushed flat under 'high' (high for PJ 😉 ) load due to the 'voltage' of the transformer not being a good match with the battery voltage.  Sid could probably comment about it.

Some HF inverters just produce horrible waveforms, like Sids' example posted elsewhere while others produce a few cycles of distorted sine while they let the HVDC drop to reduce the AC peak voltage and thereby limit current but once the initial distorted cycle or two is past the waveform is pretty sinusoidal.  Once the inverter sees current is more agreeable the HVDC is allowed to slowly rise back to normal (~170VDC for 120VAC, 340VDC for 240VAC) with the sine climbing back to normal instep with that.


   
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(@dickson)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1047
 

Not sure if that's a deliberate effect or just a side effect of the sine being crushed flat under 'high' (high for PJ 😉 ) load due to the 'voltage' of the transformer not being a good match with the battery voltage.

The battery  at 60 v DC the  microwave  oven will  start  and the AC voltage will  drop from 116vac to 106vac .  The  voltage  will  go back up to 116vac and the microwave oven  will run normal .   The  powerjack  will make a warping  noise  for 5 sec  and shut down  if the  AC voltage drop below 99vac  and the red  alarm light  stay on  .   This is a good feature  for the rev 11.1 control board .   The  rev 10.3 cotrol board  will  try  to start  a heavy  surge load  and  blow up the FETs  and then  set the red light  alarm  but it is too late as the damage is done .  


   
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(@sid-genetry-solar)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 2883
 
Posted by: @dickson
I watch the AC votage of starting a microwve oven go from 116vac down to 99 vac on my 8kw powerjack and the rev 11.1 control board shut down the inverter and save the FETs and not blowing up . This happen when the battery is low at 49v DC .

Sounds to me like a mathematical headroom limitation...low battery + too shallow transformer ratio + very lossy transformer = 99vAC with a pure square wave input.

PJ likes to use a 36v -> 230v ratio for 48v inverters...so mathematically requiring 51vDC minimum (at no load) for a pure sine output.  Well, since the transformers are wound with so little wire, the voltage drop losses will be extreme under heavy loads--meaning that even when the inverter saturates to a pure square wave (to try to bring the voltage up), the losses in the transformer are so high that 99vAC is all that is left over.

 

Posted by: @dickson
The powerjack will make a warping noise for 5 sec and shut down if the AC voltage drop below 99vac and the red alarm light stay on .

This "warping" noise is the CPU's SPWM regulator overflowing from 200% throttle back to 0 again...over and over again.

 

Posted by: @dickson
This is a good feature for the rev 11.1 control board . The rev 10.3 cotrol board will try to start a heavy surge load and blow up the FETs and then set the red light alarm but it is too late as the damage is done .

Frankly, these are coincidental results.  The PJ CPU firmware hasn't changed one bit since at least v8...and the 11.1 control board changes from the 10.3 are basically just the addition of the "charge amp limit" circuit.


   
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(@dickson)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 1047
 

This "warping" noise is the CPU's SPWM regulator overflowing from 200% throttle back to 0 again...over and over again.

That  warping noise  from   the  rev11.1   control board   is so  loud and  scary  for 5 seconds that  I was  waiting  for the inverter   to blow up  but I know now that  nothing bad will  happen .  


   
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