Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

Gbridgem
Gbridgem Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
From tint to time I will see (on the remote) a draw of 16 or 18 amps @24vdc with no load on. And the voltage will be way down. Can this be real or a false reading? If real, where would this draw be coming from?
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    Could be anything,, I would check the voltage at the battery with a good volt meter when you see it,, and then check the battery cables with a clamp on ammeter to see if there really is a 16 amp load. Not an insignificant load,, close to 400 watts.

    Tony

    PS Welcome to the forum
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  • Gbridgem
    Gbridgem Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭
    #3
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load
    icarus wrote: »
    Could be anything,, I would check the voltage at the battery with a good volt meter when you see it,, and then check the battery cables with a clamp on ammeter to see if there really is a 16 amp load. Not an insignificant load,, close to 400 watts.

    Tony

    PS Welcome to the forum




    Thanks Tony - will pick up a voltmeter and check - hard to see why the inverter would require such a draw internally.

    Guy
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #4
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    Note, to measure the current, you probably will want either a battery monitor (very nice--if your inverter/charger does not have one already) or a simple/inexpensive DC Current Clamp Meter.

    It is difficult to understand where ~400 watts is going. Usual question--You are SURE there is no AC load on the unit when this occurs? A Kill-a-Watt meter is very handy for use with AC inverters and even around a grid connected home for conservation measurements.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • SolaRevolution
    SolaRevolution Solar Expert Posts: 410 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    Hmm.:confused:

    Do you have anything in the system which logs highest or lowest voltages? A trimetric battery monitor, an Outback FM or a Tristar charge controller?

    Can you here the inverter when this happens?
    How often does this happen?
    Is it any sort of regular interval or certian time of day?

    Do you have any:
    -automatic loads which you may not be accounting for?
    -anything with freeze protection which may cycle?
    -leaking pipes, faucets, a running toilet which causes a pressure pump to briefly cycle?
    -a sump or septic pump?
    -a bad motor with thermal protection?
    -anti-frost refrigerators or frezers (the watts seem too high for this but you may check to see if your fridge has an "economy" setting which can disable it for testing)
    -old wiring with "mystery" circuits?

    On or off grid?

    Alex Aragon
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  • Eric L
    Eric L Solar Expert Posts: 262 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    One thing you might check when you get those readings is the temperature of the transformer and transistors of the inverter (which the Magnum ME-ARC, at least, allows you to see, if that's what you have). If they are significantly higher than a normal 'no load' temperature reading, that would suggest the power is being consumed by the inverter for some reason, presumably a fault.

    As Alex suggested, things like refrigerators can seem to be off, yet in fact be drawing hundreds of watts as part of the defrost cycle.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    continuing from eric's comments that if you suspect there could be a fault then try resetting the inverter as per the instructions in the manual on page 36.
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  • Gbridgem
    Gbridgem Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭
    #8
    Re: Magnum ms4024pae - (ghost) inverter load

    Thanks all!!! I will pick up some measuring devices and begin to log details when I see it. This is a w/e cabin so don't see it that often. Will also look for a high load in data log. I am concerned if an internal fault.

    Guy
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