 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Solar : Going off grid
  Page 3 of 3 |
|||||
| Author | Message | ||||
Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
OK, learned something today, 90v gas arrestors are not high enough for a 48v system. In full sunlight the open circuit panel voltage rose to 85v and this was enough to fire the arrestors. So I cut them out of circuit, and I'll need to order some higher voltage types. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
| paceman Guru  Joined: 07/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1329 |
Thanks Glenn - I'll check them out. Greg |
||||
| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
You know I have to say I'm impressed with the Latronics inverter. I've been using a bunch of workshop power tools, lights, and a mig welder, for several hours today, and many times I totaly forgot it was a off grid system. And thats what I wanted, a system that could power my workshop tools without me thinking "would the inverter handle it?". Very happy. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
Trev Guru Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
Thats good Glenn, I am glad you are happy with the inverter. I don't intend to divert this thread, but today, I started making a new AXFX, and had compressor, milling machine and lathe running all at once. Dad was on the lathe and I was on the milling machine. At 12.00 (lunch time) I thought I should check the current draw, thinking Marcy would be cooking, but she wasn't, just cutting up some salad. It is not very often we think about if the inverter can handle it. We just use the power if we want it. The Latronics 7000W, I think has a 20,000W surge. Can't remember how much for 5 min or 1/2hr. The 7000W is continuous. Trev @ drivebynature.com |
||||
mac46 Guru Joined: 07/02/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 412 |
Hello Glen, I'm missing something...If you have only two solar pannels hooked up, then how are you getting the 48volt battery voltage to tie them in? That is a top notch system you are building there, very nice. I think there should be a caution lable on all those small metal sheds stateing that they are impossible to put together unless they are assembled on a perfectly flat surface...been there. Mac46 I'm just a farmer |
||||
| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
24 volt panels Mac, wired in series to supply a 48 volt system. Only got two panels on the roof at the moment, I'm only using workshop tools during the day and very little at night, so two panels is more than enough to keep the batteries topped up. Once I settle into the house I'll put the other 10 panels up. One thing I noticed with the inverter is instant response, compared to my generator. I have a 6.8kW generator, and gave that a go today as well. When I start the weld the generator drops off for half a second. On the mig welder this made the weld a little yuk at start, but settled down to weld OK. The stick welder was reluctant to strike an arc too. On the inverter both welders performed perfectly. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
| Privatteer Newbie  Joined: 09/06/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 39 |
Higher voltage panels are pretty easy to get now. I have got 2 250w ones with a Vmax of 50v each. |
||||
| TronicSavyyJohn Newbie Joined: 31/03/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 20 |
What was the cost on the Latronics Inverter ??? http://power-shop.weebly.com/pure-sine-wave-inverters.html This gent has the 5000W 10KW Peak Pure Sine Wave just under $2000 delivered anywhere in AUS . Any feedback ??? |
||||
| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Speaking from experience, and what I've seen on the forums, I would stear away from cheap inverters, especially anything over 1000 watts. For the sake of efficiency, reliability, service and warrenty, stick with the trusted names like Latronics, Selectonics, etc. I got my inverter at a good price, mates rates. But I think my model goes for about $6,000. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
Wombat Regular Member  Joined: 27/05/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 72 |
John, If you checkout the web, you'll find them expensive! As always, you get what you pay for! A top of the range you beaut! I have a 3000W 10Kw peak pure sine wave, with charger (UPS style) 24v... and all for the low price of $500!... (Au certified and local supply.) I only run this at 1/2 power. Cube transformer, not toroid. And noisy! You get what you pay for. Personally, I would love a Lantronics. Saving for one now. 
Russ Hahaha. Bet me to it Glenn.   |
||||
| Trev Guru Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
Very close Glenn, list inc GST at the moment for 48v 7000W Latronics is $5975. Of course if anyone is interested, I do try to offer good prices. Trev @ drivebynature.com |
||||
Don B Senior Member  Joined: 27/09/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 190 |
Hi Glenn, In the days when I lived on a boat that had 4 solar panels, I found it useful to individually monitor the current contributed by each one, as well as the total. The individual metering enabled me to spot problems such as a corroded connection to one panel which reduced the total array capacity by 25%, but would otherwise have been hard to identify. You could also see the significant effect on output of the thin shadow from a stay that unavoidably worked its way across the panels. If I remember correctly, I used some 0.1 Ohm 5W resistors in parallel per panel for a shunt, driving an el cheapo edge type panel meter as an ammeter. I measured the internal resistance of the edge meter with a digital multimeter without driving it hard up scale, and also measured the full scale deflection by using a pot in series with a 1.5V battery to drive it up to full scale. From this and a couple of Ohms law sums, it was possible to see what resistance was needed for the shunt, and perhaps the series resistance for the meter. The linearity of these edge meters is not brilliant, but they sufficed to indicate the order of current from each panel. As an alternative to a shunt, you could just monitor the voltage drop along your lead in wires, although this might entail running additional light section wiring up to the roof. Being copper, the lead in wires would also change resistance with temperature, but probably not enough to be a problem. I guess that you could alternatively use an electronic current to voltage transducer IC in lieu of a shunt. Regards Don B |
||||
jebz Regular Member Joined: 13/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 79 |
Have you considered the Victron inverters. I've experienced one in a van with mains and vehicle alternator for charging. |
||||
| TronicSavyyJohn Newbie Joined: 31/03/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 20 |
Thanks for the info Guys , I bit the bullet and bought an 8ZED 3000W Pure online, I did a lot of research and these guys are up there. I have seen these in the vehicles at Lube Mobile and they seem happy. http://power-shop.weebly.com/pure-sine-wave-inverters.html There seems to be heaps of places online for them as well. I went and physically had a look at a 5000W unit but due to my budget i'll stick with the 3000W . What i'll do is separate the circuits in the house and buy another 3000 in the future.
I also bought one of these for the car. http://power-shop.weebly.com/modified-sine-wave-inverters.ht ml Nothing like a small CUP Inverter . I had one in the past. When camping we would lasoo the light socket and extension cord over a tree and positioned a Compact fluoro over the camp site. Teh cup inverter ran it from the car all night now problems. But bare in mind they do not survive under the back wheel of the car (blaming the missus) |
||||
Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
[quote]What i'll do is separate the circuits in the house and buy another 3000 in the future. [/quote] Just be carefull when you do this that you dont get looping problems through appliances, this can happen when for example 1 appliance is operating off 1 supply and another appliance is operating off a second supply, but both appliances are connected via a low voltage cable, like with a stereo and video or computer and modem for example. It pays to have all power points on the one inverter and the second inverter to supply hard wire items like lights etc. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| TronicSavyyJohn Newbie Joined: 31/03/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 20 |
Thanks Pete, Yes the Electrician also stated to have the Earths separate. I have tested the Inverter and also measured the sine wave distortion at only 1.3% which is a remarkably good figure. So far great value for money. http://power-shop.weebly.com/ Now a second one ordered and ready to roll in the next few weeks subject to the Electrician. So well within the budget i thought i would treat myself to one of those power stations http://power-shop.weebly.com/portable-power-stations.html (wife was really upset i spent more money) I gift card to the shoe shop sorted that our quickly. (i keep spares) compressor not the best but the rest is quite good, IT has a 200w inverter built in so now i'll hardly use the cup inverter. On the lst part : Help , In need of 250~280Amp re settable protection device for my DC Lines . Any suggestions here ? Not too keen on fuses. |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
[quote] In need of 250~280Amp re settable protection device for my DC Lines . Any suggestions here ? Not too keen on fuses [/quote] Go with fuses, they are more than suitable, as if you blow the fuses then you have bigger problems than a resetable breaker will solve. The fuses should NEVER be tripped so should not pose a problem. One problem that is often done is the cable size used from the battery is not big enough or the length of cable is too long for the size used, spend the dollars and use the biggest cable (DC) as your inverters will allow to be terminated. PS-- you should start your own thread on this and not be hijacking Glenns thread here. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| Gizmo Admin Group Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
I think it's time to stop flogging power-shop now John. Remember the private discussion we had.... Hi Gizmo, Are we able to donate to you or your readers? IE if we have left over parts or components? Freebee section ? or can i post under the for sale section? Hi John If your a wholeseller and can offer parts at a cheeper than normal rate, then feel free to use the Price Watch page. The For Sale section is more for one off items and 2nd hand bits that members want to sell, if it starts to look too commercial the other members will complain. Glenn I dont mind if a business posts a message about a once off special deal in the Price Watch page, but this thread hijacking is going to far. People come here for advice, not marketing. Back to my original advice, you get what you pay for, and cheap inverters will not have the warranty, reliability and efficiency of the more expensive brands. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Looking back through the comments, i guess i was played as a sucker to answer questions only for someone (John) to use the advantage to flog a business and post links. If it was me moderating the forum i would remove the links, with a warning should it continue the user would be removed. Sometimes Glenn is too polite. (sorry to hijack the thread even further, but i have a personal dislike to what i see as selective spamming) Pete. Sometimes it just works |
||||
| Page 3 of 3 |
|||||
 Print this page |
