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Need inverter advice for pond aerator

dolanj44

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Joined
Jan 15, 2022
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I have a battery backed-up pond aerator system and I am having trouble finding an inverter that meets our requirements. The system was originally a missouri wind and solar battery-less system.

System info:
24 Volts
4x 12V 100W solar panels ( 2 sets of panels in series)
Renogy Charge Controller
2x 12V battleborn 100ah batteries
300W 24 V AIMS inverter
Aerator pump (126W draw)

The original inverter was fine, it shut off when voltage was below 20V and then would auto restart when the sun would charge batteries back over 20V. After a couple years of use it would started shutting off randomly, even when the voltage was 100%. We bought a new inverter, not pure sine wave, and it randomly shuts off and alarms.

Are there other inverters out there that have a low voltage cutoff and auto-resume when voltage goes back up?
 
My Go Power inverter will cycle fine on low battery voltage. I don't really like using the inverter like that. I would add something to cut power to the pump based on battery voltage.
 
I have a battery backed-up pond aerator system and I am having trouble finding an inverter that meets our requirements. The system was originally a missouri wind and solar battery-less system.

System info:
24 Volts
4x 12V 100W solar panels ( 2 sets of panels in series)
Renogy Charge Controller
2x 12V battleborn 100ah batteries
300W 24 V AIMS inverter
Aerator pump (126W draw)

The original inverter was fine, it shut off when voltage was below 20V and then would auto restart when the sun would charge batteries back over 20V. After a couple years of use it would started shutting off randomly, even when the voltage was 100%. We bought a new inverter, not pure sine wave, and it randomly shuts off and alarms.

Are there other inverters out there that have a low voltage cutoff and auto-resume when voltage goes back up?
Just about every inverter out there has low voltage disconnect and low voltage disconnect resume.
Most of the discreet inverters are factory set too low for LFP batteries and are not configurable.
Most inverter/chargers are configurable.
There are ways to work around this problem using a Victron battery protect but it depends on what inverter you have.
Some inverters support remote switching and some others have a simple single pole single throw switch circuit that can be co-opted.
Please post a product link to your exact inverter so we can see its exact capabilities.
 
Here is the inverter that came with the system: bubblers were not that powerful but it worked ok for ~ 2 years.

Here is the one that we replaced it with. Pump seemed to have more oomph with this one, but it stopped working after 2 days and doesnt auto resume when voltage is back above its cutoff.
 
Here is the inverter that came with the system: bubblers were not that powerful but it worked ok for ~ 2 years.

Here is the one that we replaced it with. Pump seemed to have more oomph with this one, but it stopped working after 2 days and doesnt auto resume when voltage is back above its cutoff.
The low voltage alarm is hard coded to 20.6 volts and the low voltage disconnect is 20 volts.
Your battery BMS likely cuts off at 20 volts as well so its going to be a toss up as to which disconnects first.
The doco does not specify the reconnect voltage.
For such a small system with such a small draw I don't think you would want to spend ~$50.00USD on a battery protect and another ~50.00 on a solid state relay to add a configurable low voltage disconnect.

Just in case
 
Last edited:
The low voltage alarm is hard coded to 20.6 volts and the low voltage disconnect is 20 volts.
Your battery BMS likely cuts off at 20 volts as well so its going to be a toss up as to which disconnects first.
The doco does not specify the reconnect voltage.
For such a small system with such a small draw I don't think you would want to spend ~$50.00USD on a battery protect and another ~50.00 on a solid state relay to add a configurable low voltage disconnect.

Just in case
Im fine spending ~$100, the battleborns were $1K each. Do I need just the Victron battery protect and set its shut-off voltage above the shutdown voltage for the inverter?

Do I need the relay too?
 
Im fine spending ~$100, the battleborns were $1K each. Do I need just the Victron battery protect and set its shut-off voltage above the shutdown voltage for the inverter?

Do I need the relay too?
You need both.
The battery protect drives the solid state relay
The solid state relay downstream side is in series with the mechanical switch.
The battery protect can't be in the high current path with the inverter.
 
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