XW6048 & control panel generator start

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Northern_BC
Northern_BC Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Hi.

It is -39C here and I'd like to set it my generator so that it starts at a certain time in the morning. And runs for a set period of time. I'd then have a block heater set to run at the same set time.

I tried to set the exercise period last night to run in the morning but it didn't kick the gen on. Maybe because the gen had all ready run before it early morning. 

Anything else I can try?

Thanks 
XW6048 inverter, EnerSys 1520 Ah battery bank, 1500 watt tracker & 7500 watt stationary solar, 10kw Baldor NG generator
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Shouldn't the block heater be set to run before gen start, or is it for the genset?  I sacrifice power to warm the diesel genset before running.  Would the block heater be for a vehicle?
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,758 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Not a fan of remote start because it often leads to unattended Gen runs. Sooner of later your luck runs out and the men in the red trucks are there.

    However, at -39F a remote start and a set of eyeballs and sensors works.

    So, did this ever work right or is it new?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Northern_BC
    Northern_BC Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭
    #4
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    My generator does run at the specified exercise period over the summer. Default setting of 21 days for 30 mins. I think it isn't working now because the gen allready ran within 24 hrs. 

    I can't set the vehicle block heater to start before gen as it knocks the power down enough and fast enough to trigger the low battery cut out and power shuts off.

    My truck starts no problem unplugged. Wife's car can go in shop, I just don't like bringing the frozen car inside and running the heat all night to warm up all that frozen steel, only to take it back out in the morning and start over. 
    XW6048 inverter, EnerSys 1520 Ah battery bank, 1500 watt tracker & 7500 watt stationary solar, 10kw Baldor NG generator
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,758 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Well test it again ?  Is the over the summer gen run controlled by XW system or something else?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Northern_BC
    Northern_BC Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭
    #6
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    I'll try it again now that I'm home to watch it. In the summer the gen is controlled by the XW system. 
    XW6048 inverter, EnerSys 1520 Ah battery bank, 1500 watt tracker & 7500 watt stationary solar, 10kw Baldor NG generator
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  • Northern_BC
    Northern_BC Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭✭
    #7
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    The exercise run function won't work if gen already ran within a day. The safety features built into these xantrex systems are probably for a net good, but it is annoying at times that you can do so little manually. 

    My battery setup is finicky, (won't use again), and the batteries are reaching float quickly and the gen stops. I'd prefer to set a min run time, so the gen still runs even once float is reached. 
    XW6048 inverter, EnerSys 1520 Ah battery bank, 1500 watt tracker & 7500 watt stationary solar, 10kw Baldor NG generator
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,457 admin
    #8
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    Can you adjust an "absorb" timer on the XW? (i.e., something like 2 hours for shallow discharges, 6 hours for deep discharges?).

    -Bill "just guessing" B.
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Graham Parkinson
    Graham Parkinson Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭✭
    #9
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    You should be able to parallel a timer to your AGS to be able to start the generator. That would probably require some knowledge of the pin outs and signaling that the AGS uses. This might require an adventure into Xanbus protocols, but would be a good feature to request. 

    Alternately there might be some automation flow that you could use to get Insight to trigger the AGS sequence at a specified time. 

    Perhaps if you supply some more information on your system, there are experts here that could help with the above. 

    By the way, the new Lync 2 LiFePO4 Discover battery interfaces can trigger AGS based on SOC signaling direct from the battery. Perhaps not quite what you want to do, but still useful. 

    Offgrid in cloudy PNW

    MacGyver'ed museum collection of panels, castoff batteries and generators - ready for state of art system install .... parade of surviving and dead generators: H650, Ryobi 900, Briggs and Scrap Iron 2000, H2200, H3000, Kubota 3500, Kubota 4500, Onan 7500

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,758 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #10
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    Good advice Graham on more info.  I just go away if there is too much left out.

     The Discover will only trigger Soc from an XW6848 pro which is designed for old school voltage based systems and Soc on the new batteries. There is no battery monitor involved. BMS data in and out thru the conext home gateway to xwpro. 10 other LFP batteries that can run modbus or canbus also.

    If on the old grey box xw6048 you bought the battery monitor, it probably still would not work right as those old inverters are 2 generations back. It definitely would not be closed loop. Just too much water under the bridge and not enough memory in XW6048 to update firmware.

    Getting Schneider to do anything on 2 generations back would be laughable. They have been great with support over the last 2 years.
    You just have to have modern equipment. It is still awesome to me how well the old XW keeps going. A brilliant design still except for the weight.

    Happy New Year soon!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • ELYNN4
    ELYNN4 Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭
    #11
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    Are you using the Conext AGS?  If so the AGS has battery voltage triggers (30s, 15m, 2h) which you can set to start the generator.  These trigger points will start the generator and keep the battery bank from reaching the low voltage cut out of the inverter when the block heater is turned on.
    Off Grid, 4.5KW array, 9&6KW Gens, 6848XW inverter, Midnite Classic 150, 2 strings - 48V - Trojan FLA L16 2V, located in Talkeetna, Alaska
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,758 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #12
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    I wondered that also......How have you been?  Keeping the Alaska beer cold for tonight?
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • ELYNN4
    ELYNN4 Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭
    #13
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    Happy New Year Dave.  Doing great up here - outside temps were 38, so the beer was perfect! Hope you’re enjoying “our” moisture.
    Off Grid, 4.5KW array, 9&6KW Gens, 6848XW inverter, Midnite Classic 150, 2 strings - 48V - Trojan FLA L16 2V, located in Talkeetna, Alaska
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,758 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #14
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    Nice !  Cheers!
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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