Prosine 3k charging possibilities

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
These inverters have built-in chargers and are very effective triple stage...Is it possible to go off the live grid and have the internal chargers still work the batteries???
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  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Prosine 3k charging possibilities

    Yes, if you use some other AC source such as a generator to power the charger. As you consider your off-grid design, make sure you address the issue of bonding the inverter's AC neutral and ground. For more info, see page 3-13 of the ProSine 2.0 User's manual.

    HTH,
    Jim / crewzer
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  • Hairfarm
    Hairfarm Solar Expert Posts: 225 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Newbie asks: Bonding neutral to ground with a Prosine 2.0

    Greetings,

    Sorry to dig up an old thread, but it came up in my search with the terms Prosine + Honda generator.

    I have a used Xantrex Prosine 2.0 Inverter / Charger. My goal is to use the Prosine in an off-grid application using an AC generator (in addition to solar panels) to charge the batteries with when needed.

    I have two generators, a Honda EU200i and a Generac 5000 watt. Neither generator has a bonded neutral to ground configuration (refferred to as floating?) I have already confirmed this from the manuals.

    My question: Do I need to configure the Prosine 2.0 to bond the neutral to ground internally since this state does not occur on either generator. I can have only one bonded neutral, right?

    This setting on the prosine is accomplished by locating a screw in one of two holes, a "bonded to ground" and an "unbounded to ground".

    Which hole should I locate the bonding screw? Does anybody else use one of these Prosine 2.0 units?

    Thanks for any insight into this.

    Hairfarm
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Prosine 3k charging possibilities

    If you're using this in an RV you leave the neutral-ground bond out, because there is no Earth ground to sink Voltage to.

    In an off-grid "cabin" install you leave the generator as "floating neutral" and make the one neutral-ground bond on the AC side. The Prosine (dredging from memory - may not be right) has AC outlets rather than hard-wire output so there won't be any AC distribution center. In that case you make the connection at the inverter.

    Pretty sure that's why this unit has that option; because it is designed for the two different types of install.

    Just to be redundant, if you do have the neutral-ground bond you must have a big ol' stake in the dirt to connect the ground to.

    (Now if I could just remember who asked the question about grounding in bedrock conditions. :confused: )
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  • Hairfarm
    Hairfarm Solar Expert Posts: 225 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Prosine 3k charging possibilities
    Just to be redundant, if you do have the neutral-ground bond you must have a big ol' stake in the dirt to connect the ground to

    Do you mean if I have the neutral-ground bond in my generator or just in general? What are the downsides of not grounding at all?

    Also, the Prosine inverter does have the option of AC outlets OR hardwire to an AC distribution center. Mine is the latter configuration. So, I should just make the neutral-ground bond in the AC distribution panel, correct?

    thanks!
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Prosine 3k charging possibilities

    Grounding is a safety thing, not an operational one. Under normal circumstances ground conductors carry no current. It's there in case something goes wrong; rather than energize parts of s system that you might touch and get shocked from it sinks any such shorts to Earth reducing and hopefully eliminating a potentially fatal fault.

    If there's no stake in the dirt (or plate, whatever) you do not want the neutral-ground bond no matter what the equipment. Because if you do, then the current flow to the neutral line will also be to anything connected to the ground - it will be just as "live" as the neutral, and that's enough to kill you.

    Hence portable generators are usually wired with "floating neutral" because they're not expecting to be Earth grounded. Sort of like the "double insulated" tools; exterior surfaces well isolated from potential shock hazards.

    I grew up in a house that had no grounded outlets at all. It never burned down and none of us were ever electrocuted. Like I said, it's a safety precaution. But if you do it wrong, ironically it becomes a safety hazard!

    If you have an AC distribution box the standard practice is to make the one and only neutral-ground bond there, run all grounds to the ground bus there and then run from there to the Earth grounding rod.
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  • Hairfarm
    Hairfarm Solar Expert Posts: 225 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Prosine 3k charging possibilities

    Thanks for clarifying for me!

    I'll make the neutral-ground bond in the AC box, run all ground there, then disable the neutral-ground bond in the inverter to prevent redundancy.

    thanks again C.
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