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48 panels, 225 volts, need a reliable system

robbob2112 said:
island == off-grid or without grid
anit-island == must have grid power to sync to in order to power up. Usually CT clamps or similar so it can tell when power is present and get the frequency of the AC and sync to it, so when it turns on it doesn't go Pft from the mismatch
Click to expand...

yes I remember reading the island feature of the grid tie inverter

You think there is a way to make the grid tie inverter put out 240 vac without grid? it would be:

solar panels 200 VDC -> grid tie inverter -> 240 vac loads


438225434_3520644608226312_7473602242684798250_n.jpg

Image 6-20-24 at 11.48 AM.jpeg

Image 6-20-24 at 11.59 AM.jpeg

here are a few used older inverters, they are available for low cost

The first one: I think it is a sensata product and can be fixed in america

2nd one: it is an outback from 2009, 24 volt input

I would change the battery system from 48 volt to 24 volt, I think this unit would be perfect, repairable, reliable

3rd one: The magnum inverters look solid, and repairable, and are sensata american support system

My theories: Older units actually have better electrical conductors, newer units are thinner and break faster

If I find a robust strong 12 volt inverter, I would even drop the system to 12 volts to accommodate the inverter

Most likely: I will drop the system to 24 volts just to accommodate for the different voltage of the inverter

48 volt systems: too expensive, too finicky, too new, not good conductors in those units

48 volt inverter that is legit? minimum cost $3000

Long term it would be cheaper to lower the voltage, and get a SOLID inverter that I can fix myself
 
Outback vxfr3524a


IMG_1337.jpeg

I am maybe looking to get this unit

It is used from 2009

Are they reliable? Are they repairable? Is it made in such a way that the parts which take the most stress can be replaced?

Batteries now are configured in the 48 volt setup

I would change the battery bank from 48 volt to 24 volt to accommodate for this inverter

Let me know if this is a good move

Thank you
 
I can't speak to specific inverters without doing research on each.

It is possible to trick a grid-tie inverter into working without an actual grid by using a simple inverter that is small and puts out power. Then you hook that up to the grid and the grid-tie syncs to it. But I think there are some gotchas... Adding a few folks that can speak to it better and not lead you down the wrong path.

@Hedges & @timselectric @Rednecktek
 
Taking apart sun gold power 6000image.jpg

I’m fixing to take it apart and see if I can install the new board

Goal: get it to invert again

Let me know about if I take the system from 48 volt down to 24 volt, good or bad idea?
 
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joesmith123 said:
Taking apart sun gold power 6000View attachment 223671

I’m fixing to take it apart and see if I can install the new board

Goal: get it to invert again
Click to expand...


Take pictures every step of the way. Put screws in different ziplocks for each board. Make sure the caps are discharged (they should be, but if things are fried they can hold voltage)... just put something across the leads to short them... or the right way is a 10k resistor across the leads for a minute or so.
 
took apart sungoldpower 6000 watt

IMG_1341.jpeg

Took out left board

IMG_1342.jpeg

Boards that come out


IMG_1343.jpeg

Main board removed

IMG_1344.jpeg

Back of bad main board, darkening mostly behind 48 volt positive terminal

IMG_1345.jpeg

Swapped wires and harnesses from old board to new main board

IMG_1346.jpeg

Reinstalled new motherboard omitting mppt functions

IMG_1347.jpeg

Hooked up to 48 volt batteries, putting out 240 VAC
 
Nice...

it would be good if you can mount it so less dirt gets into it...or blow it out with an air compressor a couple of times a year. Dirt is a lousy conductor of electricity. But, if it gets enough moisture to be wet it can be good enough to fry things.

Same with the battery bank, blow it off best you can once in a while.
 
robbob2112 said:
Nice...

it would be good if you can mount it so less dirt gets into it...or blow it out with an air compressor a couple of times a year. Dirt is a lousy conductor of electricity. But, if it gets enough moisture to be wet it can be good enough to fry things.

Same with the battery bank, blow it off best you can once in a while.
Click to expand...

I’ll be leaving it open and mount it in dark cool location, no dust

I’ll mount everything on bigger metal pieces to distribute heat

I’ll put a big fan running from a solar panel that would cool her down always

It’s only going to be doing the invertering from 48 dc to 240 vac

200 volt panels -> midnite solar charger -> 48 volt batteries -> Chinese inverter —> 240 vac load

I wish I would have done this sooner, taking them apart is not bad, I recommend it for anyone that has these, they are fixable
 
That's also with almost 400 volts worth of panels. As long as you stay under the max voltage the amount of panels shouldn't effect the lifespan of the inverter. It's only going to use the amps (watts) it needs. Having 48 panels shouldn't bother it if wired correctly.
 
Crowz said:
Having 48 panels shouldn't bother it if wired correctly.
Click to expand...
Disagree, if you have 40 amps coming in on solar, the fan turns all the way up trying to cool it down

If I did run solar panels to it, the most I would run is 15 solar panels

I’ve never ran 48 panels on this unit, most of its life has been running 24 panels

Then you’re using 2kw on air conditioning and fridges

These situations are hard on it and that’s why the board fried

I’m fixing to: only use it to invert and use separate solar charger
 
The fans run up based on ambient temp vs what its doing. Mine go way up at times but only when its up around 5kw of usages from the inverter. 3kw and below it doesn't make much noise.

Mine never gets down to 2kw of usage. Average is 3.5kw to 5kw all day long on solar. If its working right it doesn't pay any attention to it. @42OhmsPA maxed his out all the time with real ill effects.

Not sure why you have had the problems with it your having.
 
Also if your pulling in 225v at the 6000 watts it can draw from the panels thats 26.66 amps coming in from the pv and thats all that will ever be coming in from the panels no matter how many panels you add.

According to the manual 27 amps is the typical amps it can draw at max which fits the math I listed above.
 
Crowz said:
Not sure why you have had the problems with it your having.
Click to expand...

This unit is completely off grid

The two situations that it would turn off:

If solar is so strong, it overheates the unit and it stops charging due to high temperatures

Also, I did install the smallest electric water heater, bad idea, it would shut down sometimes when running hot water

No more solar input or running hot water with it
 
Crowz said:
The fans run up based on ambient temp vs what its doing. Mine go way up at times but only when its up around 5kw of usages from the inverter. 3kw and below it doesn't make much noise.

Mine never gets down to 2kw of usage. Average is 3.5kw to 5kw all day long on solar. If its working right it doesn't pay any attention to it. @42OhmsPA maxed his out all the time with real ill effects.

Not sure why you have had the problems with it your having.
Click to expand...
Yea, mine had no issues with the well pump, air compressor, heat guns, convection oven, etc. It ran my entire house except the electric dryer and stove/oven.
I overloaded it quite a few times, it restarted and kept going.
9s2p 315W Qcells and 460AH batteries.
I only upgraded for more AC output and additional mppts .
 
Screen says output 120 vac

No output at the house panel

Plan: go through with voltage reader and see why power not going to L1/L2

I might’ve hooked the AC wires incorrectly
 
IMG_1348.jpeg

I hooked the alternating current wires back up the way they were

Turn on inverter, it turns on for 10 seconds, then shuts off, doesn’t turn on the inverting

it will put out 240 vac from the main board if I remove brown and black wires going to the transformer

I might experiment with it, maybe run the lines from the main board to where we connect L1 L2 N

IMG_1349.jpeg

Hooked up 4 strings to midnite solar, input voltage 161
 
joesmith123 said:
Outback vxfr3524a


View attachment 223487

I am maybe looking to get this unit

It is used from 2009

Are they reliable? Are they repairable? Is it made in such a way that the parts which take the most stress can be replaced?

Batteries now are configured in the 48 volt setup

I would change the battery bank from 48 volt to 24 volt to accommodate for this inverter

Let me know if this is a good move

Thank you
Click to expand...
Outback make excellent, repairable off grid kit with little to go wrong, big transformer coils and removable circuit boards for repair. That said Outback have just this week announced that they are withdrawing from the "home" market. For equivelant quality look at Victron. Excellent kit, excellent design, Designed in Holland, been doing it for yrs. Now made in India but fully warranted and repairable if you insist on breaking it.
 
Try to explain this to me

IMG_1351.jpeg

240 volt alternating current coming from the main board

IMG_1352.jpeg

I bypassed the control board and ran them straight to the terminals that go to the house panel

There is 240 vac at the house panel

Cannot turn on light or put out any wattage

My theory: I am bypassing that huge transformer so it cannot push out any amps

If I hook it up the way it is factory, machine shuts off after doing its countdown

Maybe: there is a short in that control board OR the transformer, also

IMG_1353.jpeg

It does have these fuses on the control board, could it be these fuses?

Please help me diagnose the problem

Let me know: how do check those fuses, and how to check the transformer

Thank you

Update: hooked it back up regular way, turned on inverter, just ran a compressor no problem…
 
Last edited:
joesmith123 said:
Try to explain this to me

View attachment 224122

240 volt alternating current coming from the main board

View attachment 224119

I bypassed the control board and ran them straight to the terminals that go to the house panel

There is 240 vac at the house panel

Cannot turn on light or put out any wattage

My theory: I am bypassing that huge transformer so it cannot push out any amps

If I hook it up the way it is factory, machine shuts off after doing its countdown

Maybe: there is a short in that control board OR the transformer, also

View attachment 224120

It does have these fuses on the control board, could it be these fuses?

Please help me diagnose the problem

Let me know: how do check those fuses, and how to check the transformer

Thank you

Update: hooked it back up regular way, turned on inverter, just ran a compressor no problem…
Click to expand...
Mine did that after it was hit by lightning. The controller board (comms board) for the display was fried.

Its the small board in the bottom right that the cable from the display goes to. I got the replacement directly from sungold. They just charged me shipping.

Symptoms are it powers up then counts down and turns off.
 
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