The Tale of Two Inverters

Blackcherry04
Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I have up-grading my Inverter systems year. I have a Xantrex SW 3000 TSW that was carrying all the loads and charging. I bought a Outback GFX to try to take advantage of " Generator Support ", so I split the Busses so they could share the loads. At the same time I decided to buy 18 LED bulbs ( $200 + ) to change set of recessed lights that had a 600 + watt draw. It remained on the Xantrex TWS Inverter. After I changed the bulbs I tested it in the Invert mode, all they did was blink, I think it the crappy dimmer, buy a $22.00 new dimmer, same thing. The lights would never burn steady and had a rhythmic pulse to them. So today I change them to the Outback buss, Steady as a rock, never a blink. So if you think all TSW Inverters as same , you'd be wrong.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters

    Did they blink at ~1 second rate? Was the inverter set to "search mode" looking for >6-10+ watts (typical one AC cycle "pulse" every second)?

    I agree that with all of this "new" lighting stuff (CFL, LED, dimmer or not dimmer compatible, new CFL/LED compatible dimmers that still need compatible LED/CFL lamps, etc.)--That there will be problems found along the way.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters
    BB. wrote: »
    Did they blink at ~1 second rate? Was the inverter set to "search mode" looking for >6-10+ watts (typical one AC cycle "pulse" every second)?

    I agree that with all of this "new" lighting stuff (CFL, LED, dimmer or not dimmer compatible, new CFL/LED compatible dimmers that still need compatible LED/CFL lamps, etc.)--That there will be problems found along the way.

    -Bill
    I don't think they could be in standby, too much load and it's not even set on them. I think it the output on the Xantrex, next trip to the service center, I'll take it in. Thats what I got a LED/CFL dimmer, $22.00.
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  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters

    Did they blink without a dimmer?

    I have XW6048, and I can see that my dimmed lights change level a little bit when load on the inverter changes (something comes on or off). But I haven't seen that with non-dimmed lights of with dimmers at 100%.
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters
    NorthGuy wrote: »
    Did they blink without a dimmer?

    I have XW6048, and I can see that my dimmed lights change level a little bit when load on the inverter changes (something comes on or off). But I haven't seen that with non-dimmed lights of with dimmers at 100%.
    No way to Know, because they always had a dimmer. It was a old rotary type , 15 years old. The new is a slider.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters
    Blackcherry04 wrote: »
    No way to Know, because they always had a dimmer. It was a old rotary type , 15 years old. The new is a slider.

    For testing purposes you could bypass the dimmer and run them full-on. If they still blink on and off something is definitely wrong with the inverter.
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    For testing purposes you could bypass the dimmer and run them full-on. If they still blink on and off something is definitely wrong with the inverter.
    That would work, but I have to switch the buss's back. If the old dimmer blinked with the Xantrex and the new one blinked with the Xantrex and I switched it to the Outback and there is no blink, I can pretty much assume it's the Xantrex that they don't like for some reason. I'll let them scope it, must be something wrong.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: The Tale of Two Inverters

    And the Xantrex works fine on everything else? If it does, don't be surprised if they find nothing wrong with it.
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