Inverter setup

gicamuci
gicamuci Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭✭
Are there any inverters that would power up the two 120V legs in a whole home setup ?
6.2kW, 12 × 250W + 4 x 275W + 4 x 285W + 3 x 330W (driving the pool pump MPPT controller or charging batteries on cloudy days) solar panels , FM80 MPPT CC, WavePower 6kW pure sine inverter, 16 x Dyno D90 in 8s2p strings 420Ah @ 48V battery bank.
Champion Dual Fuel 7.2KW gasoline/6.5KW propane gen for emergencies only.

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    You are looking for AC inverters that supply 120/240 VAC 60 Hz power for North America (you are in the Dominican Republic?)?

    Yes, they are available--But mostly (nearly all?) are relatively large units (3,000 Watts or more). Your present battery bank of 420 AH @ 48 volts would power upwards of 4,200 Watts of AC inverter pretty well (as a first guess--Detail matter here).

    For example, here is a smaller 120/240 VAC 60 Hz unit (3,800 Watts total)

    https://www.solar-electric.com/hoymiles-power-hys-3-8lv-usg1-hys-dc-hybrid-inverter.html

    Note that when you use 120/240 VAC split phase power, the inverter can output only 50% of rated power into L1 or L2 @ 120 Volt outputs. The total 3,800 Watts (in this case) can only be supplied if you have two 1,900 Watt loads (one on L1/N and the second on L2/N), or if you have a (maximum of) 3,800 Watt @ 240 VAC load...

    Other brands/models may supply slightly better than 50% into a single 120 VAC load.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 23 #3
    Schneider XWP can run the full output on only one leg BTW Bill. It is the reason that huge 70 LB Toroid is in there.

    The reason I also say it can start a dead short😉 or any pump/compressor within reason.

    https://solar.se.com/us/en/product/xw-pro-120-240v/


    Anybody want to guess what happens with a typical inverter when you unbalance it severely?

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

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    I did not want to start with the "full price" inverter in the discussion... The cost for that 70lbs of copper and iron (plus electrics, engineering, mfg., etc.) is not cheap ($1,000 vs $4,000 roughly):

    https://www.solar-electric.com/schneider-electric-xw-pro-6848-21-inverter.html

    All depends on the power needs of the poster... Lots of small/distributed 120 VAC loads, or one large 120 or 240 VAC load(s), etc...

    Comes back to my "starting suggestions"... Review you power needs and loads. Conservation & high efficiency loads are almost always cheaper than just throwing a big solar power system (batteries, inverters, solar panels, etc.) at the problem.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    You can learn alot from the best is my starting suggestion😉

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

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    Don't disagree... 

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • gicamuci
    gicamuci Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭✭
    I just wanted to know if I can balance the power consumption between the two 120V legs while being off grid.
    Sorry guys... possible my bad here... I have a really complicated system setup here involving everything in my signature, a number of relays and Tuya devices.
    Maybe one day I will take my time to explain what I did setting up my system and how it works.
    My goal is to have a self healing house (I'm almost there) and the only thing I am missing at this point is balancing the power legs and an irradiation sensor.
    6.2kW, 12 × 250W + 4 x 275W + 4 x 285W + 3 x 330W (driving the pool pump MPPT controller or charging batteries on cloudy days) solar panels , FM80 MPPT CC, WavePower 6kW pure sine inverter, 16 x Dyno D90 in 8s2p strings 420Ah @ 48V battery bank.
    Champion Dual Fuel 7.2KW gasoline/6.5KW propane gen for emergencies only.

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    Reviewing the manual--There is not a lot of detail about operating 120/240 VAC split phase mode (L1/N/L2):

    https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/D1nHVHvAcPL.pdf

    Strangly, it mostly talks about 120 or 240 VAC mode and the 120 VAC mode shows only(?) connecting L1/N or N/L2...

    I am not sure I understand your question... The typical method would be to find out from the manual/mfg's specifications what the maximum current/VA per L1+N or L2+N... I.e., are the Lx+N just 1/2 of the rated unit Watts/VA or are they rated for some number between 50% to 100% of inverter Watts/VA rating?

    Once you "know" what the ratings are, then you would move your loads across L1+N and L2+N such that they do not exceed the inverter's maximum output current per leg...

    For example, the main breaker for the Lx outputs are 40 amps for the 6kW unit... 40 amps * 120 VAC = 4,800 Watts--Certainly less than 6,000 Watts... But that does not tell us what the actual factory rating(s) are.

    The AC wiring diagram seems to indicated that the units are 120 OR 240 VAC and there is no 120/240 VAC split phase function (notice the 120 VAC wiring says HOT1+N OR HOT2+N and no "N" connection for 240 VAC operation.

    There is just not enough information to figure out 120/240 VAC split phase operation, and what those limits (if split phase) may be...

    I may have the wrong spec's/manuals... But this is all I could find with a couple quick searches.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    If you are the only one in the home, no problem keep the chess game going...

    If there is a significant other or kids, You should keep it as simple as possible including a graphically based power system. My opinion and I walk away from clients that won't do this. It hurts my head too much.





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