Inverter Help

2Guido
2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
Not sure if this is the right place to post this...One of my 4 Prosine 3.0's is giving me trouble. The Remote ACS shows erratic voltage readings and warnings about low battery and the inverter often shuts down. The battery voltage is at correct levels and does not fluctuate. I have switched ACS remote displays with the other machines and the same problem crops up. If there are any prosine techs around to help, I would greatly appreciate it as these units are rock-solid inverters and i would like to keep them in service.
Also, one of my inverters was pre-programmed as always on and would love to know how to do that to the other three.
THANKS !!!!

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,591 admin
    Re: Inverter Help

    Check the voltage on the DC input studs to the inverter--Make sure that there are no loose/dirty/poor connections between the battery and the inverter's DC input.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    good answer...never thought of that
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    Follow up...Have checked DC lugs and voltage is soild inside the unit while ACS still erratic. Also ACS is giving me an occasional "No Communication Error"...have checked cables and jacks but all good. Would love some input form a Prosine Guru as to where to go next...Thanks !!!
  • t00ls
    t00ls Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    I need a little more info on how your system is setup.....are the inverters synced to each other how many watts of solar, does it happen at any load range or just one

    would love a wiring diagram of your system and a picture
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    4 Prosine Inverters (3kw each) tied in DC parallel to each other from 4 banks of 6v x4 AGMS (16 batteries) fed from 4kw solar mats through 2 Coleman Dump controllers. System goes off grid at 6am and back on at 7pm when bulk charging occurrs through the inverters internal chargers. Entire home is powered by these inverters. My profile shows the Diversion Controllers. System has worked flawlessy until last week with the one inverter shutting down every so often with the ACS showing erratic voltages and communication errors. ...Help !!!
  • t00ls
    t00ls Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    is each inverter on it's own bank of batteries, or are they paralleled , if they are paralleled , does that inverter have a longer cable.

    check that the bypass switch hasnt been flipped

    one thing you could do is switch the communication cables from 2 of the others , also you could isolate that inverter by unhooking the others, ac included and just use the one and add a load to see if it works without ac input

    was there a fault number that comes up

    it is a lot of work, but without being there to physically look at it, this is what I can come up with
  • t00ls
    t00ls Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    just being curious....are each of these inverters on their own breaker box, not sure and you didnt say.....but you can't stack these inverters and you say they run your whole house.......my suggestion is to sell those prosines and get an xw system hybrid or an outback system hybrid....you dont have to buy all the conduit boxes, you just need a good charge controller and with these 2 systems you need the system control panel for the xw or the mate for the outback

    I really dont see how this system has held together as long as it has
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help
    t00ls wrote: »
    just being curious....are each of these inverters on their own breaker box, not sure and you didnt say.....but you can't stack these inverters and you say they run your whole house.......my suggestion is to sell those prosines and get an xw system hybrid or an outback system hybrid....you dont have to buy all the conduit boxes, you just need a good charge controller and with these 2 systems you need the system control panel for the xw or the mate for the outback

    I really dont see how this system has held together as long as it has

    The inverters are only stacked and individually fused on the DC side. Each feeds its own area of the house with individual sub-panels. One of them is dedicated to a split system AC.
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help
    t00ls wrote: »
    is each inverter on it's own bank of batteries, or are they paralleled , if they are paralleled , does that inverter have a longer cable.

    check that the bypass switch hasnt been flipped

    one thing you could do is switch the communication cables from 2 of the others , also you could isolate that inverter by unhooking the others, ac included and just use the one and add a load to see if it works without ac input

    was there a fault number that comes up

    it is a lot of work, but without being there to physically look at it, this is what I can come up with

    Have switched cables and swapped out ACS units to narrow down the trouble. At this point I am fairly convinced the main Control Board is defective...
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    UPDATE:...now I really need your help..Have found a main control board from a Prosine 3.0 but it is from a 12volt inverter where mine is 24volt. The boards look identical but I would like a second opinion before taking the chance and switching them out...THANKS !!!
  • t00ls
    t00ls Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help

    the prosine 3.0 only came in 24 volt option......is the inverter on ebay....I wouldnt touch that one
  • 2Guido
    2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Re: Inverter Help
    t00ls wrote: »
    the prosine 3.0 only came in 24 volt option......is the inverter on ebay....I wouldnt touch that one

    No, this is a 12volt unit..see link..

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/XANTREX-PROSINE-3-0-SINE-WAVE-POWER-INVERTER-CHARGER-tie-grid-solar-statpower-/231020603511?pt=US_Power_Inverters_&hash=item35c9e6a877