240v Inverter

GreenPowerManiac
GreenPowerManiac Solar Expert Posts: 453 ✭✭✭
in PV Installers Forum - NEC, Wiring, Installation #1
Any suggestions on buying a 4000+ watt 240v psw inverter ? Brand ?
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  • Coach Dad
    Coach Dad Solar Expert Posts: 154 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: 240v Inverter

    I like my Magnum MS4024PAE
    http://www.magnumenergy.com/Products/MS-PAEseries.htm

    I run buth 240 volt loads and 120v loads from it. It also has a 105 Amp built in charger that can run off your generator.

    The detail you left out was... What battery voltage are you looking at using?
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: 240v Inverter
    GreenPowerManiac wrote: »
    Any suggestions on buying a 4000+ watt 240v psw inverter ? Brand ?
    Grid tied or battery?
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: 240v Inverter

    I like xantrex. What are the loads, peak surges you need to cover? Grid tie, or off grid ? What's it's being fed from ? Do you need generator ports?
    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 ,

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  • GreenPowerManiac
    GreenPowerManiac Solar Expert Posts: 453 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: 240v Inverter

    Yes, 12v system. 120v output inverter PS. Drawing 30-40 amps right now.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: 240v Inverter
    GreenPowerManiac wrote: »
    Yes, 12v system. 120v output inverter PS. Drawing 30-40 amps right now.

    :confused: You want a 4kW 240 VAC 12 Volt inverter?
    Bad idea. 4000 Watts / 12 Volts = 334 Amps.

    This is why inverters in that range are 24 or 48 Volt.
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  • GreenPowerManiac
    GreenPowerManiac Solar Expert Posts: 453 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: 240v Inverter

    Hmmm... Would be costly to upgrade all the controllers, relays and sensitive wiring. Thinking I'll stick with what I've got. Only other option is to isolate 120v circuits on the Backup inverter. Oh well....
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: 240v Inverter
    GreenPowerManiac wrote: »
    Hmmm... Would be costly to upgrade all the controllers, relays and sensitive wiring. Thinking I'll stick with what I've got. Only other option is to isolate 120v circuits on the Backup inverter. Oh well....
    How much 240 V do you need ?? You can always put a transformer on your 120 V buss and run your 240v off it. You can stack two 12 v Inverters and run them classic or parallel then a transformer off a 120v buss.

    As Coot said, 12 v amp draw is a hang up, but you do have options.
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  • GreenPowerManiac
    GreenPowerManiac Solar Expert Posts: 453 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: 240v Inverter

    Tried stacking the inverters a few years ago and found out one had to be replaced. Out of phase, and the power company won. With a transformer, does it bring in phase ?
    Nature's Design & Green Energy on FaceBook : Stop by and "Like" us anytime.. Many up-to-date articles about Renewables every day.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,685 admin
    #10
    Re: 240v Inverter

    Slow down on the AC Inverter and the Power Company connections...

    Unless the inverter has an AC input (such as an inverter/charger or the inverter has an Internal AC Transfer Switch)--A typically off grid inverter should never be connected to uitilyt power--And the AC Output should absolutely never be connected to another AC power source.

    At the very least, you will be toasting a perfectly good off grid AC inverter... At the worse, you may be in for some smoke/fire/shock hazards.

    The only reason you can plug the output of two Honda/Yamaha Inverter Generators together (two identical brands+models) and share the load among to AC generators is that they are designed to sync their AC voltage together and "droop share" the loads. I have yet to read about any AC off grid inverter that has this capability that does not use an external sync cable.

    There are "hybrid" AC Inverters that can connect their AC input to the grid and act like a grid tide inverter and backfeed power to the utility, or disconnect from the utility and run their output off grid and supply battery backed AC power... But even they do not connect the AC grid directly to their output (they have an internal AC transfer switch).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: 240v Inverter
    GreenPowerManiac wrote: »
    Tried stacking the inverters a few years ago and found out one had to be replaced. Out of phase, and the power company won. With a transformer, does it bring in phase ?

    No: a transformer does not affect the phase of an AC source.

    You can not stack inverters unless they are designed to be stacked.

    You can not connect an inverter to the grid unless it was designed to be grid connected.

    Ignoring these facts is sure to make the magic smoke come out. Possibly the magic flames as well.
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