hooked up batteries and generator shut down

Hey guys, i just hooked up my new rolls 600 batteries to my fx2524 inverter that i havent used in a couple of months .and as soon as i hooked up the batteries and the inverter started running my generator shut down with an overload message.

I just checked the connections to the inverter and i noticed that the neutral in wire to inverter was loose. Could that have been the problem?

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    Um, why were you running the inverter and generator at the same time? You haven't got the output from both tied together by some chance?

    Gen's output should go to the FX's "AC IN". When the gen runs, all AC loads will automatically go to it and the FX will switch to charger function.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    Could be your batteries are LOW and sucking a huge charge the generator can't supply.
    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 ,

  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    well what i meant was that i was just hooking up the batteries so that the inverter would start charging them. i also purchased a new mate2.
    The connections are correct, from how it worked before. i was just checking the wiring wether there was any loose cable and i just pull on the neutral a little and it came out.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down
    castilloj wrote: »
    well what i meant was that i was just hooking up the batteries so that the inverter would start charging them. i also purchased a new mate2.
    The connections are correct, from how it worked before. i was just checking the wiring wether there was any loose cable and i just pull on the neutral a little and it came out.

    Well of course it shouldn't. A good mechanical connection on all wires is essential.

    Now you're going to have to start reading that Programming Manual!:p It's full of Fun Facts, like how to set the "AC IN" and "CHARGE CURRENT" limits so that a small gen doesn't get overwhelmed by a big load. It's all in there. Somewhere. :cool:
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    What programming should i do , when im using a 12 k genset? using 8 rolls s600 batteries?
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    Just to be clear--what was displaying the Overload message? The inverter/charger or the genset? Was there any sort of AC loads on the Inverter or the Genset outputs other than the Outback in charge mode?

    A single 2.5 kW inverter should only take (at most) around 2.7kVA for charging... Certainly no problem for a 12 kW genset. Even if the inverter was pulling 2.5 kW for the output loads and 2.7 kVA for charging.

    The above was just a back of the envelope calculation. I have not looked through the Outback manual for the details yet.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    It was the generator displaying the overload message. They were AC loads when i hooked up the last battery and the inverter turned on. then about 20 seconds later the genset turned off. i thought the batteries were hooked up wrong, but i get 24 volts on them.
    they are hooked up serial/parallel.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    What were the loads--Did they add up to near 12 kW (or 12 KVA)?

    At best, I would guess that the individual inverter/chargers would only draw ~2.7 kVA maximum when charging (or around 2kWatts maximum)...

    As I understand, you can program the inverter's internal battery charger to take less than maximum AC input current--used to limit power draw on smaller backup gensets.

    Some inverter chargers (again, I have not read the Outback manual--so I cannot say the OB has this function) can be programmed to draw a maximum current from the genset of say 55 amps of 120 VAC total. So, if the AC load is drawing 20 amps, then the charge controller would only draw 35 amps--limiting the total load on the genset to the programmed 55 amps of AC loading.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • blackswan555
    blackswan555 Solar Expert Posts: 246 ✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    What voltage are you there ? but as mentioned, FX Hot in go`s to the gens output, hot out go`s to loads, (Neutral is common on all but the M series inverters)

    To see if it is the FX "pulling enough" to kill your gen from it`s charging,
    Mate top right button (INV) Can`t remember exactly how many presses 2 or 3 ? but you come to a charger menu, turn charge off and try it, then turn it on while gen is running, It comes "up" over about 15 ish seconds, If so there are several different ways to control this (I will explain if need be)

    Another possibility is Earth bonding, do you know if your old gen was ? new one is ?

    Have a good one
    Tim
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    ok so i decided to install my midnight e-panel for my outback inverter. and after installing it i turned on my inverter and it came on , but within 10 seconds it said High battery voltage for the error. i have 8 rolls s600 6v batteries connected as serial /parallel.
    isnt that the way they should be?
  • castilloj
    castilloj Solar Expert Posts: 208
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down

    Well i got it working somehow. First i had my AC out connected to a breaker in my SquareD
    electrical panel that only feeds my upstairs. Well when the breaker would be On the generator would shut off and i would get the High battery error. when i would shut the breaker to the OFF position the inverter/generator has been working fine.\

    I even noticed on the mate when the inverter went from inverting to Charging.
    My thing is would this setup work ok?

    and just to clarify, I live on a 2 floor house and i only want inverter power for the second floor.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down
    castilloj wrote: »
    ok so i decided to install my midnight e-panel for my outback inverter. and after installing it i turned on my inverter and it came on , but within 10 seconds it said High battery voltage for the error. i have 8 rolls s600 6v batteries connected as serial /parallel.
    isnt that the way they should be?

    Okay, FX series 24 Volt. That's four 6V batteries in series x 2 banks = 8 batteries.
    This should not read "High Battery Voltage" unless it's over 34 Volts (I think that's the number).
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: hooked up batteries and generator shut down
    castilloj wrote: »
    Well i got it working somehow. First i had my AC out connected to a breaker in my SquareD
    electrical panel that only feeds my upstairs. Well when the breaker would be On the generator would shut off and i would get the High battery error. when i would shut the breaker to the OFF position the inverter/generator has been working fine.\

    I even noticed on the mate when the inverter went from inverting to Charging.
    My thing is would this setup work ok?

    and just to clarify, I live on a 2 floor house and i only want inverter power for the second floor.

    It sounds like something is back-feeding the gen connection from the inverter's AC OUT. It shouldn't.

    Be absolutely certain your 2nd floor is all on this one line and completely isolated from the 1st floor. Funny things can happen with neutral lines on 240/120 splits. Power could be coming back through a neutral and energizing the other line. Possibly some lines upstairs are fed of "L2" and some off "L1"? Or something. I'm not there so I can't tell.

    You're quite right: it should work.