Oh oh.

Chris11
Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
edited April 2020 in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Part one.

I forgot to get a new 100 amp breaker for the CC to bat wire.  ( 2 gauge hot, 4 gauge neg. )  So I talked to Adam at our host ... he suggested a 125 amp since he said Outback 80 puts out slightly higher amperage than advertised and sometimes breakers handle slightly lower amperage than advertised.  I said fine, and I'd like a din mount type so I can put it into my combiner box that has some spare room.  He then said he has one that attaches to anywhere, perhaps beside the combiner, with just screws.  I asked it it was magnetic or thermal and he answered thermal and he only had a 150 amp.  Again, I said fine.  Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake.

Question:  Should I return the 150 amp thermal he's sending and get a din mounted magnetic 100 amp?  Or will this thermal 150 amp be OK?

Second part.

I have a solar powered well system.  A 185 watt 24 volt panel going into a Morningstar Mppt controller then onto 2 Deep cycle marine bats in series.  From these onto a cheapie Chinese 2500 watt inverter.  ( That's worked flawlessly for years. )  I then ran the 110 volt wires down to the pump, 70 feet.  I never did have a fuse/breaker in this wiring so added one last week.  I changed out a lil box that simply had a pull out thingy for the disconnect ... this lil box is what I changed out for one with a fuse in it.  When I changed it out I didn't write down which wires went to which connector.  It's only a 2 wire ( plus one for ground/neutral....and  know where this one goes....lol. )  So, I have a 50/50 chance of connecting the remaining 2 wires, one red one black, to the correct connector. 

Question:  Does it matter to either the inverter or the pump which wire goes where since it's AC.

Thanks in advance, Chris

Comments

  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    If anyone could answer the second question tonight I'd apprrciate it since I wanna fire up the well tomorrow morning.  Thanks.
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    It shouldn't make any difference to the functionality of the pump nor the inverter, opinion #1
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 120VAC pump is designed for a hot wire (black lead) and a neutral (white)  Sometimes the neutral can get connected to a chassis, and having them reversed could let the sparks and smoke out.
    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 ,

  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2020 #5
    The assumption would be that pump is UL or CSA listed, if so, there wouldn't be a neutral to ground bond within the pump itself, because that would violate the single neutral earth bonding rule. There can only be one point to do this, at the distribution panel itself, thus the windings should be isolated from ground, which would mean that it doesn't matter wether live and neutral are reversed. Still my opinion.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • Chris11
    Chris11 Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭
    edited April 2020 #6
    Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
    I'll let you know if I strike oil, err, water.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Note that if there are any "switches" in the motor (like an overheat switch), the idea is that the switch is in the "hot side" of the wiring, so that all downstream of the switch is "off/no power" if the switch opens.

    If the switch is on the neutral side, then if the switch opens, the upstream stuff is still "hot".

    That is why "code" cares.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset