Relay Problem With Sw4048

tnhunter

Last night we had storms in the area and one lightning strike hit within 1/4 mile of my house. Immediately the lights when out. I went to check my system and the inverter was showing an overcurrent LED.

To make a long story short, I had to replace the 5 chips that XANTRzX had sent me to upgrade the software in my SW4048 inverter with the old software chips to get the inverter to work.

Evidently the relay RY7 to control the starting of my backup generator is also damaged. The LED for RY7 stays on constantly and the generator will not start when the display is moved to ON.

I can hear the relay clicking but nothing happens.

Are the relays replaceable in the Xantrax 4048 or are they soldered in the circuit board?

Has anyone experience problems with bad relays in the inverter before and where can I get a replacement relay if they are replaceable?

Thanks.

Ralph Day

Re: Relay Problem With Sw4048

If you have to wait a while for X service, try putting an ordinary switch on the wires coming in from your genset. I have mine set up so the inverter or switch can initiate the gen run. Requires your presence at on/off.

My initial 4048 had a bad 35 amp breaker which would not charge properly, then it stopped inverting...abruptly. The gen controls still worked, and the run switch was there, so could run genset for several hours se veral times per day until my local installer got a replacement unit to me. the original went to the US for repair under warranty, here's the kicker...the replacement/loaner exhibited the same problems but not to failure level.

The problem behaviour was charge: would be dropped, then re-established, then dropped...and so on. Once the repaired unit returned, no problems. I suspect from my experience and other's i've heard from , that Xantrex got a bad box of parts from a supplier and they got into the production run. My repair was a "ship me home" type of job. You got updated chips and were able to install by self? Hmmm.

Hope all works out well.

ralph

RCinFLA

Re: Relay Problem With Sw4048

Relays are soldered in.

I took a lightning hit which blew the primary winding of the AC1 voltage sense transformer. These are the three small transformers (AC1, AC2, and Inv output) that convert 120vac to about 13.8 vac which is actual sent to control board for measuring line voltage (scaled by transformer turns ratio).

Luckily it blew the fine primary wire at the transformer solder post and I was able to patch it.

I have since put big surge protectors on the AC1 line input. Also soldered a disk surge suppressor on back side of PCB across the AC1 sense transformer primary.

RCinFLA

Re: Relay Problem With Sw4048

By the way, the GSM (Generator Start Module) used for SWplus series have the same relays.

You also might find them at Allied Elect. or Newark Elect. on-line.