Need some help with a genny instal question

westbranch · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

If those are 19 DC amps then you are just under a 10% charge rate (20 A IIRC).. right on target.

:D:cool:
Let 'er rip and get a good charge, go all the way to Float and let Float finish, rest 3 hr and then take readings every which way you can (before you draw any power). This way you will have a good "base line" to work from/to.
Disconnect the bank (bypass?) from the charger and use 'shore power' (genset) if you have to during rest period.

Techntrek, at 19 A he is just about max output on that genset.

techntrek · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

Going back a page it says he has 1600 watts to play with, which would be ~33 amps @ 48 volts, not taking into account charger losses. With 20% losses he might have 25 amps available assuming a power factor corrected charger. His battery bank can take 33 amps (15% charge rate) so I would bump his charge rate up some, maybe to 22 amps. Lots of assuming here though, the efficiency of the charger needs to be known for sure...

westbranch · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

I concur about there is more adjusting to do.
I had to experiment for a while to 'fool' my economical 1000w gen to not die, rather than waste gas in my loud beast. It took a fair bit to figure out the tricks to get past the initial draw of the 40A charger.

Right now he is a deficit state and needs to get some Amps in as well as a full charge. He might even be able to EQ eventually...

solarvic · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

Morpho, Glad to hear you are starting to figure your system out. I think with the shore power set at 20 and you generator isn,t shutting down you will be ok. From there just set the recomended charge settings. in the setup menu (set battery type) to flooded battery for factory default or if you want to change to something cifferent use custom setting to set what settings you wanted. For myself I used the custom setting because I have a forktruck battery., but guessing that the flooded battery setting should work for you till after you get some experience with what is happening. I eventually might buy one of those yamaha generators with the natural gas conversion kit as Yamaha motor co. will still honor the warranty. I got a catalog coming. I heard that honda doesn,t warranty if you have a conversion kit but the company that sells the kit for honda generators warrant the honda generator if you buy it from them. :Dsolarvic:D

morpho · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

Yup, more fine tuning is needed.

the generator charged up the system in about 1 hour and then I let it absorb for about 3 hours, (though the remote said it was bulk, then absorb, then float charging, the CC never changed from Bulk. Not sure what to expect there) but when I tried to run an equalization on it....nothing.
I'd go through the menu functions and press start and it would just go back to the main screen.
Maybe the genset simply does not have the power to do this all by itself. (it was well into the evening by this time so no help from the sun)

Hmmmm....
I wonder if my closest neighbour will notice if I run an extension cable from his outdoor receptacle?
What is the line loss on 2 miles anyway?

techntrek · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

morpho wrote: »

I wonder if my closest neighbour will notice if I run an extension cable from his outdoor receptacle?
What is the line loss on 2 miles anyway?

For laughs I plugged in 2 miles of 12 gauge with a 15 amp load @ 120 volts and my voltage drop calculator laughed at me. This is what it said: "invalid, over 100%"

You'll get more than 15 amps from your genset so I'd stick with that.

Schmidt · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

morpho wrote: »

Yup, more fine tuning is needed.

the generator charged up the system in about 1 hour and then I let it absorb for about 3 hours, (though the remote said it was bulk, then absorb, then float charging, the CC never changed from Bulk. Not sure what to expect there) but when I tried to run an equalization on it....nothing.
I'd go through the menu functions and press start and it would just go back to the main screen.
Maybe the genset simply does not have the power to do this all by itself. (it was well into the evening by this time so no help from the sun)

Hmmmm....
I wonder if my closest neighbour will notice if I run an extension cable from his outdoor receptacle?
What is the line loss on 2 miles anyway?

Morning Sir. Yes, those darn Sunfind folks might be willing to move in for 24/7 support if you agree to take them with you next winter 8)

To put the Magnum in equalization mode, once the inverter / charger has charged the batteries (bulk > absorb > float), hold down the "Charge" buttom on the remote (RC50) for 5-10 seconds and it will start the equalization mode.

As far as the Flexmax 60, it will report seperately from the RC50. If the Flexmax 60 is reporting bulk mode, when the inverter/charger has brought the batteries into float, that just means there has not / is not enough solar PV input available.

Cheers.

niel · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

ha ha mine went bonkers too.:p needless to say there's nothing there at the end of the line even using as little as 3a.

morpho · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

hahahaha..it's wicked that you guy's try crazy stuff like that.

Schmidt:
You are welcome to hang out anytime! If I get enough people involved we can all get out of the hostel and rent a hovel all our own. Movin' on up!
I have actually worked out the costs involved in being in Canada during the winter. The costs to stay by far outweigh the costs to go away....just forget about staying in the Ritz Carlton and everything is possible.

Thanks for the info.

morpho · December 2011

Re: Need some help with a genny instal question

Okay, this one can be put to bed and you can all get back to other more interesting threads!
(I'll be super happy to one day answer a question instead of ask it)

Thanks once again.

Need some help with a genny instal question

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