Xantrex System Failures

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  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    So we bought the big XW.

    Why didn't you buy Radian?
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    NorthGuy wrote: »
    Why didn't you buy Radian?

    Because the XW is a proven unit, it supports three wire generators natively "out of the box" allowing full control of generator programming from the SCP, and the XW menus are much better laid out and easier to understand. I went 'round and 'round over that one and decided the Radian is not proven enough, and I didn't like a system where I have to use an Atkinson or similar to control my generator starting parameters. For us, the generator is an integral part of the system, and I can't see making something integral when you have to use a third party add-on to make it work.
    --
    Chris
  • Ken Marsh
    Ken Marsh Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    The problem with one XW6048 charging when the other(s) are inverting comes with the installation they tell you to do.
    When you buy their installation box to go with the multiple XW6048s you get greatly detailed installation diagrams
    telling you to hook the AC line in to the grid.
    They even give you the wiring and breakers to do this.
    The logic is to hook it up so you can charge your bat from the grid if you would ever want to.
    You flip this installation diagram out to an electrician/installer and it is going to get hooked to the grid.
    This basically hooks an input back up to its output.
    So with default programing, you end up with one inverting while the other is charging.
    The same thing happened with the multiple XW6048 installation I got involved in.
    I don't know that we ever solved the issue.
    We just turned the breaker off.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    ChrisOlson wrote: »

    Mike at Schneider tech support recommended that for our small generator that we use our Outback PSX-240 to prevent gen leg overload. So it was one of those things we decided to do, that didn't cost us very much money.
    --
    Chris

    Chris it sounds like you are wired up in diagram #1 here, if I understand your setup, http://www.altestore.com/store/Enclosures-Electrical-Safety/Miscellaneous-Electrical-Parts/Transformers/Outback-PSX-240-Autotransformer-with-Fan/p4089/
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    :confused: Is it just me? No grid = no grid to connect AC IN to. How hard can it be to comprehend elementary AC wiring principles? If you know what's at one end of a wire you should know what's at the other. Anything that would result in an inverter-feeding-inverter loop should be blatantly obvious.

    I don't know. Seems I don't understand much anymore. Funny how despite this my stuff always works. Maybe I can just see things differently like some kind of idiot-savant. Certainly got the 'idiot' part down pat. :p
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    :confused: Is it just me? No grid = no grid to connect AC IN to. How hard can it be to comprehend elementary AC wiring principles?

    LOL! That's sort of my thoughts on it too. If this is an off-grid installation the only thing going to those AC Inputs is generator. It's so basic and simple I just can't comprehend how it could be done any other way.
    --
    Chris
  • Ken Marsh
    Ken Marsh Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    :confused: Funny how despite this my stuff always works.

    Well, you are doing better than me.
    I'll say that my stuff works some of the time,
    but never when I first hook it up.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    LOL! That's sort of my thoughts on it too. If this is an off-grid installation the only thing going to those AC Inputs is generator. It's so basic and simple I just can't comprehend how it could be done any other way.
    --
    Chris

    What they did is just what Ken said: looked at Xantrex's diagrams which include GT connections, then got confused.

    So they connected AC1 on at least one of the inverters to the main service panel just the way you would with a GT system. Then they connected AC OUT of the inverters to the main service panel the way you would if it were an OG system. And there's your "perpetual motion loop". Ken solved his problem by shutting off the breaker on AC1. Me, I'd have pulled the wires because as Chris said the only thing to connect to AC IN on an OG system is a generator.

    I hate to think what could happen if the same people tried to comprehend Outback's stacking diagrams. Xantrex is simple by comparison!
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    What they did is just what Ken said: looked at Xantrex's diagrams which include GT connections, then got confused.

    The thing is, that doesn't give me too much faith in this installer that put it in. When you start screwing four inverters to the wall you had dang well better know what you're doing. That's my 2 cents on it.
    --
    Chris
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    The thing is, that doesn't give me too much faith in this installer that put it in. When you start screwing four inverters to the wall you had dang well better know what you're doing. That's my 2 cents on it.
    --
    Chris

    Agreed. There are a few other questions about this system design as well. Specifically the size of the battery bank and the size of the array.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    It's hard to tell how it went, someone designed it, one crew may have roughed it in , someone else hooked it up and then some one else may have tried to commission it. These things can go south when you have people with different levels of competence working on them, it's not always a one man show. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it......lol

    When I did my Grid tie there was a different crew everyday, half didn't know if the sun was up or not. Sounds like someone is waiting to get paid on this one.
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    Well, if it was me I'd take two of those inverters off the wall and just use two of 'em. There's enough batteries for two inverters to run at full load for a short time. And two of those inverters will easily deliver 14 kw for 30 minutes. When you toss four inverters at an off-grid 24 kW power problem, without using generator support, and without having enough batteries to power them, and without having enough RE power to even charge the batteries you got - it's like cripes man! Who did the math here?

    Do you realize, that assuming you could come up with enough DC power to power two of those inverters at full rated load for 24 hours, that that is 288 kWh in one day? If an off-grid home can't be powered by two XW6048's with generator support for the peak intermittent loads, there's a problem from the word "go".

    That's 2 more of my cents on it, which now adds up to 4 cents :blush:
    --
    Chris
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    westbranch wrote: »

    westbranch, I don't know what diagram you're looking at there. But basically, Mike Mui at Schneider originally told me to put the transformer on the generator output in step-up configuration and this will allow the generator to provide full power on either leg, for leg imbalance, without the inverter disqualifying the gen. So that's what I did, and it worked fine.

    But then I got the wild hair about putting the transformer on the inverter output in step-down and use it (the transformer) to power our old 120V panel, and rewire the gen for 240V. This worked fine until I switch our Ronk transfer switch and change the loads over to gen power to take the inverter or battery bank out of the system for servicing. I found out that without the transformer I was into leg overload on the gen in certain situations and it would trip the breaker on the gen.

    So I switched it back to the way Mike had recommended in the first place. Two days of experimenting down the tubes because I thought I had the "better idea" :D
    --
    Chris
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    It was this one , first visual below the text about the PSX 240

    trying to insert image...

    Attachment not found.

    yahoo did it
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    westbranch wrote: »
    It was this one , first visual below the text about the PSX 240

    Oh no - that would be step-up for a 120V inverter. We never had leg balance issues with the 5548 and the transformer. With the XW we had to swap a couple heavy draw 120V circuits around in the service panel to keep things more balanced.

    The biggest issue was the generator. Our small 4 kVA generator can only deliver 21 amps per leg on 240V in overload, and 17 amps continuous. If it's doing battery charging at full output and suddenly my wife turns on the microwave the inverter can't limit current from, or supply support for that one leg that goes into overload. The XW's method of dealing with that is to "panic", drop the charger like a hot potato and immediately switch to gen support to support the overloaded leg. However, the generator has to be able to handle that until the inverter gets there to "fix" it. If it can't handle it it either gets disqualified (goes out of spec) or overloads and trips its breaker.

    With the transformer, and using the generator in its full power 120V output mode, I have 42 amps available on either leg for imbalance, instead of just 21. That prevents the generator from dropping out of spec or tripping the breaker due to overload on one leg. If the overload is on L2, in GEN SUP PLUS mode the inverter "sees" a drop in current on L1, and an increase on L2 due to the imbalance and it smoothly adjusts, dropping the current requirement for the charger on both legs to the level it "sees" on L1 and allows the generator to handle the leg imbalance overload without going into "panic" and dropping the charger from the picture, or using gen support to "fix" it.

    Split phase inverters are a little more tricky than 120V units. But overall I REALLY like the XW. Its output is noticeably "cleaner" than the SW Plus and it has very tight voltage regulation for varying and sudden extreme surge loads.
    --
    Chris
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    The biggest issue was the generator. Our small 4 kVA generator can only deliver 21 amps per leg on 240V in overload, and 17 amps continuous. If it's doing battery charging at full output and suddenly my wife turns on the microwave the inverter can't limit current from, or supply support for that one leg that goes into overload. The XW's method of dealing with that is to "panic", drop the charger like a hot potato and immediately switch to gen support to support the overloaded leg. However, the generator has to be able to handle that until the inverter gets there to "fix" it. If it can't handle it it either gets disqualified (goes out of spec) or overloads and trips its breaker.

    So, the "Gen Supp Plus" cannot fix the leg imbalances while charging. I found exact the same thing. I turned it on and off, but it had no effect. I thought that this could work with smaller generator (as they say in their docs) such as your Honda.
    ChrisOlson wrote: »
    But overall I REALLY like the XW. Its output is noticeably "cleaner" than the SW Plus and it has very tight voltage regulation for varying and sudden extreme surge loads.

    Yes, these capabilities are amazing. Motors starting do not affect the voltage at all. I tested it with an electric range, which switches 3kW load back and forth every 5-10 seconds, and it didn't miss a bit. Only the sound changes.
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    NorthGuy wrote: »
    So, the "Gen Supp Plus" cannot fix the leg imbalances while charging.

    The jury is still out on that one. I have to test it some more. I've been mucking with settings all week to "tune" the inverter in to our loads and use, and generator. Once I get it where I really like everything long term, then I'll play with that GenSupp Plus and see what it really does. From the description in the manual I think it will only work once you reach the amp limit for the generator on one leg, and everything else is correctly configured - GenSupp enabled, GenSupp Amps set properly, AC2 Breaker set to a suitable value that the gen can handle continuous and stay in spec, AC Priority set to AC2, etc..

    I never had all that stuff correctly set for our system the first time I tried it.
    --
    Chris
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,809 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    NorthGuy wrote: »
    So, the "Gen Supp Plus" cannot fix the leg imbalances while charging. I found exact the same thing. I turned it on and off, but it had no effect. I thought that this could work with smaller generator (as they say in their docs) such as your Honda.



    Yes, these capabilities are amazing. Motors starting do not affect the voltage at all. I tested it with an electric range, which switches 3kW load back and forth every 5-10 seconds, and it didn't miss a bit. Only the sound changes.

    I also never got the Gensupport Plus working at my customer in New Mexico. We had a 4KW 240vac genny that just was on the edge with loads. In the end he really does not need a generator often and spent the dollars for a 6500i which works great. I am glad that Chris is doing all this work! He should bill us, or Schneider...
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • glasstone2
    glasstone2 Registered Users Posts: 11
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    UPDATE:

    Various of my installers were out here yesterday and the day before unsuccessfully trying to get my Solar Power System working. I'm going to summarize here, but I'll probably miss a few things. If so I'll post more here, and I'll try to answer any questions. To remind everyone, my System is:
    36 Solar Panels rated at 245W each (previously I had said 240W each, but I looked at the wrong document then) for 8.8 kW
    3 XW-MPPT60-150 XW Charge Controllers
    4 Xantrex XW6048 Inverters (rated at 6kW each)
    2 XW Power Distribution Panels (PDP) serving 2 Inverters each.
    XW Automatic Generator Start Module (w/ 8.5kW generator)
    XW Control Panel
    48 Trojan L16RE 2V batteries arranged into 2 banks of 24 each.

    Unfortunately, the guys yesterday had not talked to the guy who came out the previous day so there was considerable repetition of failures. At least the guy on the first day updated the firmware in the Inverters; it took him 3 hours to do that. The mode I have called "Perpetual Motion" (one Inverter charging the batteries from the output of the other three Inverters running solely on batteries) occurred on both days. The bunch yesterday insisted this is normal despite me explaining the first 2 Laws of Thermodynamics to them several times. Finally, they called Xantrex, and the Xantrex Tech had them reconfigure the System to make the Inverter that was spuriously charging the batteries the new Master. The Tech claimed that the Inverters have variations in sensitivity to the battery voltage, and that Inverter had gotten confused and thought it was grid-tied--it was trying to charge the batteries from the grid. I'm not comfortable with this solution as it seems to be jury-rigged. I'm afraid that aging of the Inverters will cause another slave to think it is grid-tied and try to charge the batteries from the output of the other Inverters. I don't see how with proper wiring this could happen. The installers think this is a permanent fix; I'm afraid that it is only temporary.

    The guys yesterday claimed that the System was working because they had fixed the System wiring (ironically, one of them was responsible for the original wiring). In any event, they attributed the failures the previous day with the other guy to the wiring. After fixing the Master/Slave problem described above to avoid the Perpetual Motion mode, I insisted on real load tests:
    A. The 1st test with the Solar Panels cut-in (i.e. available): We got up to 18kW, and I noticed that the Solar Panels were supplying power. This was supposed to be a test of the batteries alone. They went on the roof and cut out the panels (the Charge Controllers switched to display insufficient light). With the Solar Panels unavailable, the System crashed with an F48 error (under voltage in the DC system). Something to note in this test: we only saw up to 5kW from the panels displayed on the Charge Controllers. Since we are near the Vernal Equinox, and just after Solar local noon on a cloudless day in Central Texas (30 degrees latitude, 2200 ft. altitude), I asked why our 8.8kW of Solar Panels never supplied over 5kW? They made some measurements at the combiner boxes on the roof and announced that they could see 7.1kW up there which is normal!!! They told me that our 8.8kW system of panels really will only produce 7.1kW max.
    B. The 2nd test with batteries alone supplying power: We got up to about 16kW load when the F48 fault crashed the system. These people's bosses and a Professional Engineer in the field have told me that my battery banks should be able to supply 24kW for at least an hour or more. These failures on batteries-alone make me suspect that my battery bank is screwed. I have not been successful in getting these guys to actually look at the battery banks. I cannot even get them to measure the DC current coming out of the battery banks during the tests (my clamp-on multimeter is only AC -- I need to find a good DC clamp-on one)! Then one of these guys tried to convince me that my 24kW bank of XW Inverters is really only capable of delivering 20kW and that is 90A to the house. I was very, very tired and not inclined to discuss that.

    BTW, I have made a video record of all of these tests starting back in November. I can review them to get pretty much exact information on what happened.

    The installer guys are returning Friday to try to get the System working. I don't know what they plan to do. I am nervous as the bunch yesterday was intent on calling the System fully functional because it was operating fine at no-load. Only my instance on real-load tests showed the System to be faulty. Yet while I insisted on real load tests, I am concerned about the effect on my appliances. We have to turn on a lot of big draw items to get near 24kW (and we haven't gotten there yet--it shows you how rarely we expect to need all 4 Inverters). I do not know how gracefully, these Inverters crash.

    QUESTIONS:
    1. Should I only expect 7.1kW max. from my 36 Solar Panels (245W each) from which I had expected 8.8kW?
    2. Can I expect this to be a final solution to my Perpetual Motion problem as the system ages and other inverters develop different sensitivities to battery voltage?
    3. Even with all the batteries in the world can I only expect 20kW from my four XW6048 Inverters as one install guy claimed?
    4. Should I be worried about the effect of these crashes on my appliances?
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    UPDATE:


    QUESTIONS:
    1. Should I only expect 7.1kW max. from my 36 Solar Panels (245W each) from which I had expected 8.8kW?
    The 245 W comes from a laboratory test that is very hard to duplicate in the field, you'll never get the same tilt, azimuth and intensity to see it on a constant basis. If your lucky you might see it a couple times a year and then you may not see it on many panels at once. I have 8.2 KW and 35, 235 W, It usually maxes out around 6800-6900 watts. I have gone over 7000 a few times.

    I hate to tell you , these systems very rarely live up to the promises they make when they sell them to you.
  • glasstone2
    glasstone2 Registered Users Posts: 11
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    The 245 W comes from a laboratory test that is very hard to duplicate in the field, you'll never get the same tilt, azimuth and intensity to see it on a constant basis. If your lucky you might see it a couple times a year and then you may not see it on many panels at once. I have 8.2 KW and 35, 235 W, It usually maxes out around 6800-6900 watts. I have gone over 7000 a few times.

    I hate to tell you , these systems very rarely live up to the promises they make when they sell them to you.

    Thanks! I was unaware of this, but it is good to get better information than I get from the glossy brochures.

    However, I see that you are getting 84% (at 6900W, 85% at 7000W) from your panels at optimal while our installer guys are telling us that the best we can hope for is 80% of ours. Moreover, I still have not figured out how one of the installer guys can go on the roof and see 7.1kW at the panels while the Charge Controllers are reading <=5kW at the System; I don't know where that difference of >2kW is going. Perhaps, I just don't understand what the Charge Controllers are telling me.

    In any event, I cannot just accept what my installer is telling me. They have given me too much conflicting information. Should my System ever stand up to a real load test without crashing, my wife and I will find and hire an independent expert to examine all our subsystems and the integrated system before accepting it.
  • northerner
    northerner Solar Expert Posts: 492 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    The 245 W comes from a laboratory test that is very hard to duplicate in the field, you'll never get the same tilt, azimuth and intensity to see it on a constant basis. If your lucky you might see it a couple times a year and then you may not see it on many panels at once. I have 8.2 KW and 35, 235 W, It usually maxes out around 6800-6900 watts. I have gone over 7000 a few times.

    I hate to tell you , these systems very rarely live up to the promises they make when they sell them to you.

    I have Sharp 235 watt panels combined for a total of 1400 watts and right now I typically am getting between 1300 and 1500 watts. Yesterday I observed them max out of over 1600 and have seen well over 1800 on at least 1 occasion (within the last 2 weeks). The sun is lower in the sky where I am located (approx 56 degrees lattitude). I'm also at about 2000 feet elevation. The one significant factor is that my panel temps are in a very cold environment, usually below 0 C this time of year. That and the fact there are variances between manufacturers claims could also factor in.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    northerner wrote: »
    I have Sharp 235 watt panels combined for a total of 1400 watts and right now I typically am getting between 1300 and 1500 watts. Yesterday I observed them max out of over 1600 and have seen well over 1800 on at least 1 occasion (within the last 2 weeks). The sun is lower in the sky where I am located (approx 56 degrees lattitude). I'm also at about 2000 feet elevation. The one significant factor is that my panel temps are in a very cold environment, usually below 0 C this time of year. That and the fact there are variances between manufacturers claims could also factor in.
    Silly me, I didn't mention " Temperature " and that one of the biggest factors. It's amazing to have a loose panel and move it around and watch the watt output, a 1/4 inch makes a big difference and spread over 35 panels over a long period of time it can make a big difference on overall harvest.

    Current output ( one panel shaded ) look at the difference, it's about average over time.

    Attachment not found.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,502 admin
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    For an overall average (time, temperature, dusty panels, etc.), we use 0.77 (77%) efficiency for the panels+controllers. That is a good "average maximum" on a very clear spring/summer/fall day. (~81% derating for panels and ~5% derating for charge controllers). You can get a bit more at times--But it will not be often.

    For a "cheap/good enough" DC Current Clamp meter, this one from Sears works OK for ~$60. There is a Radio Shack one that is even less, but a few people have reported less than ideal results.

    And, if you are still hesitant to load with appliances... Buy/borrow some electric heaters/hair driers at ~1,500 watts each for loads.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • ChrisOlson
    ChrisOlson Banned Posts: 1,807 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    3. Even with all the batteries in the world can I only expect 20kW from my four XW6048 Inverters as one install guy claimed?

    I would say no, you should be able to expect full power from them. I'm new to the XW6048, but from the little bit of testing I've done with ours it is one Mean Powerful Beast. I ran ours at 7,200 watts for 30 minutes just on batteries, with L1 and L2 not even being perfectly balanced, and it never complained once.

    I think the only problem with the F48 error is extreme voltage sag at the bank under load. Not enough batteries for four inverters. Is there a way to disconnect two inverters and try it at full rated 12 kW load with just two inverters? If it holds then, that would be an indication that you just don't have enough batteries to keep them lit.

    It might be just my opinion, but I don't believe in just one series string for high amp draw situations because every battery in that string has to deliver the full amps of the load. Our bank is arranged with twenty four batteries, with six series strings and those six strings in parallel. So at 167 amps load (what I tested continuous for 30 minutes @ 7,200 watts) each one of my batteries only has to deliver 27.8 amps. There's a huge difference in how much voltage sag you get when a battery is required to deliver the full 167 amps (a single series string) vs only 28 amps (six strings in parallel). Many folks preach against parallel battery connections - but it is the key to getting full continuous power from a big inverter without having the voltage sag below LBCO. All it takes in a single series string is one loose connection or improperly crimped cable end and the whole string will fall on its face under load because of the high amps flowing in the series connections.
    --
    Chris
  • Sun Dog
    Sun Dog Solar Expert Posts: 115 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    QUESTIONS:
    1. Should I only expect 7.1kW max. from my 36 Solar Panels (245W each) from which I had expected 8.8kW?
    2. Can I expect this to be a final solution to my Perpetual Motion problem as the system ages and other inverters develop different sensitivities to battery voltage?
    3. Even with all the batteries in the world can I only expect 20kW from my four XW6048 Inverters as one install guy claimed?
    4. Should I be worried about the effect of these crashes on my appliances?

    I have the same charge controllers as you and it makes no sense to me that you would have 7.1kW at the combiner boxes but only 5kW at the charge controller as that represents a 30% loss. I'm also in a colder climate, 63 deg north. At solar noon yesterday my controllers showed 2.8kW from my 2.82kW of PV.
  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    I'm sorry to hear that these people treat you that way. I've got an impression that they're deliberately trying to convince you that your system is working while in fact it isn't, and, very likely, cannot work without serious modifications.
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    1. Should I only expect 7.1kW max. from my 36 Solar Panels (245W each) from which I had expected 8.8kW?

    It depends on temperature, angle of the sun to the panel, atmospheric conditions. When the sun is perpendicular to the panels and atmoshere is clear and it's not hot, you should see very close to 8.8kW.

    I don't think there's anything on the roof to see. You probably can do measurements and calculations to figure out the solar output, but it takes time. It's not that important though, because it's important what you get at charge controller. If the charge controller doesn't show the correct number, then there's a problem with wiring or with the controller that needs to be addressed.

    Also, to disconnect panels you do not need to go to the roof. There must be a disconnect installed.
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    2. Can I expect this to be a final solution to my Perpetual Motion problem as the system ages and other inverters develop different sensitivities to battery voltage?

    Looked like a wiring problem to me.
    glasstone2 wrote: »
    3. Even with all the batteries in the world can I only expect 20kW from my four XW6048 Inverters as one install guy claimed?

    You should expect them to keep 40kW for about a minute and 24kW continuously. The problem is in the batteries. They're too small for that and probably not in the best condition. If you don't take battery care into your hands, they may die.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    If there's enough battery behind it, an XW 6048 can put out 6kW continuous (@ 120 VAC, about 4% derating on 240). So 4 * 6 = 24kW continuous power. They can take surge to 12kW for 15 seconds (less of a surge for longer), so the four could handle a 48kW spike. They have very good specifications.

    But you would need some serious battery behind it: 24kW on 48 Volts is 500 Amps! That's like 20% of the minimum recommended battery capacity; it wouldn't take long to deplete at that rate, and the V-drop would be vicious.
  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    Then you also have the " Coup De Fouet ", Dip and Recovery when your slamming loads on.

    * " Circuit or system designs which subject the battery to repeated "coup de fouet" (whiplash) effects. This effect is a temporary, severe voltage drop which occurs when a heavy load is suddenly placed on the battery and is caused by the inability of the rate of the chemical action in the battery to accommodate the instantaneous demand for current. "
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Re: Xantrex System Failures

    No need to disconnect any inverters for your load test, 12KW load, is still only a 12.01KW load on the batteries. If some of the inverters have not engaged (are still in idle) they wont load the system down. You need to do as much real-life testing as you can because once they think you are happy, they are going to vanish, and not come back. As everyone else is saying, the battery bank is way too small.
    my single 6048 ran a 7kw floor sander for 2 days, with a 41KWh battery bank, and 3 KW of PV feeding it, the contractor finally had to rent a 12KW generator to run the sander while my system recharged for 2 days.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,