3 phase generator to run chargeverters

[kscessnadriver]

Is there any reason I can’t use a 3 phase generator to run a trio of Chargeverters? I’ve got a 25kVa MQ diesel generator. I could build a stand alone 3 phase panel in my garage to be powered from that generator, which would be used to power 3 EG4 chargeverters. Balance the load between phases (one on A-B, one B-C, one C-A), and it should work perfectly fine, right?

Or am I missing some piece of the puzzle I’m not seeing?

 

[ricardocello]

I can't think of a reason that won't work.

You'll have almost 15kW of DC power. Chargeverters can be close to 92% efficient.
I guess the chargeverters would have to have the same voltage and current limits set if you want to stay balanced.

Hope your DC busbar is rated for 600+ Amps.
I'm sure the generator has an optimum efficiency point, you could easily set the chargeverters to match it.

 

[kscessnadriver]

I can't think of a reason that won't work.

You'll have almost 15kW of DC power. Chargeverters can be close to 92% efficient.
I guess the chargeverters would have to have the same voltage and current limits set if you want to stay balanced.

Hope your DC busbar is rated for 600+ Amps.
I'm sure the generator has an optimum efficiency point, you could easily set the chargeverters to match it.

Of course, running a 75% load it’s going to burn somewhere around 1.75 gal/hr. So not terrible, when you consider how much power it’s putting out, especially when I bought the thing for less than $2500, used of course. I can swap it to single phase, but then it’s only going to be able to run 14kW, so only 2 chargeverters. Mostly just thinking out loud planning for this fall at this point.

I would likely run something like a Victron Lynx for a bus bar, which would more than cover that kind of charging

 

[ricardocello]

Can that fancy three-phase generator do 240v, not just 208V? If yes, then you will get the most out of the chargeverters

 

[ricardocello]

Have you seen this?

 

[kscessnadriver]

Can that fancy three-phase generator do 240v, not just 208V? If yes, then you will get the most out of the chargeverters

Oh yeah, it’s 3 phase 240V. It can do 3 phase 480V as well, but that doesn’t really help me here

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

you need to run two of them. to keep it balanced, that or run three at 50% output at 120. researched this and Dexter @HighTechLab and I hashed this out two months ago for my 3 phase genset.

for our purposes as this is not a motor A, B, & C are interchangeable in regards to wiring and position.

So you have three hot wires and a neutral, each hot wire is 120 if joined with neutral, if you join any combination of two of them say phase A and phase B, you get 208 at full amperage.

if you join C to either A or B you will overload A or B as those legs as you are already being drawn upon. so instead C goes to neutral and you set that chargeverter to 50% (120 volts, half the available power) this leg is now pulling the same wattage as the other two legs and your genset has a balanced load

you can verify with a clamp meter that each leg is pulling the same load in the above configuration.

I tested this and with two chargeverters on my Denyo 3 phase inverter I got the expected 100 amps from one chargeverter and 50 amps from the other. and the gensets output remained stable and balanced

that or you can run three chargeverters at 120 volts and set them at 50% each. but you still end up with 150 amps output, just spread across three chargeverters for an additional $500.00

 

[ricardocello]

If this is the family of generator he has, he can do 240V on three phases, and power three chargeverters at maximum capacity.
No fussing with neutrals. Yes, you still have to mess with neutrals, but the power is higher.

25kVa MQ diesel generator

DCA25SSIU4F

25 kVA Prime Output, Single/Three-Phase, Isuzu Tier 4 Final

www.multiquip.com

 

[hwy17]

if you join C to either A or B you will overload A or B as those legs as you are already being drawn upon

My gut reaction to this is yes you can. Three phases loaded on A-B, B-C, and C-A are perfectly balanced.

But I'm not such a wizard that I can immediately explain why that's true. It's three phase magic.

You can also use 3 phase magic to connect A-N, B-N, and C-N all at once, and N never gets overloaded.

 

[hwy17]

If this is the family of generator he has, he can do 240V on three phases.
25kVa MQ diesel generator

DCA25SSIU4F

25 kVA Prime Output, Single/Three-Phase, Isuzu Tier 4 Final

www.multiquip.com

View attachment 220271

I had to go check for that last night cause I was like this guy says his generator can do 240 three phase?

As you say, turns out yes, it can do it even do it as 240/415 and it can do it as 139/240.

 

[ricardocello]

I had to go check for that last night cause I was like this guy says his generator can do 240 three phase?

As you say, turns out yes, it can do it even do it as 240/415 and it can do it as 139/240.

which wish I could get one of those for $2500, what a steal!

 

[kscessnadriver]

which I could get one of those for $2500, what a steal!

Iron Planet/Ritchie Bros. It's a high hour unit, but for no more than I'll ever use it, it'll be perfectly fine. I've got a 70kVa MQ as well, but it doesn't make power. I got it for a steal (for a reason it turns out, but its probably not worth throwing the money at).

 

[kscessnadriver]

If this is the family of generator he has, he can do 240V on three phases, and power three chargeverters at maximum capacity.
No fussing with neutrals. Yes, you still have to mess with neutrals, but the power is higher.

25kVa MQ diesel generator

DCA25SSIU4F

25 kVA Prime Output, Single/Three-Phase, Isuzu Tier 4 Final

www.multiquip.com

View attachment 220271

Yes, I've got a DCA-25SSIU3. So correct it would work like this.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

My gut reaction to this is yes you can. Three phases loaded on A-B, B-C, and C-A are perfectly balanced.

But I'm not such a wizard that I can immediately explain why that's true. It's three phase magic.

You can also use 3 phase magic to connect A-N, B-N, and C-N all at once, and N never gets overloaded.

it depends upon the output of the unit. mine is a 10kw so max output would be overloaded. if you have a large enough genset then you can hook three up between three phases and it would be fine. as long as all loads are equal. I should have clarified that statement about the genset size limitations.

 

[kscessnadriver]

it depends upon the output of the unit. mine is a 10kw so max output would be overloaded. if you have a large enough genset then you can hook three up between three phases and it would be fine. as long as all loads are equal. I should have clarified that statement about the genset size limitations.

So, in this case, running 3 chargeverters on a 25kVa genset would work out, I would think.

 

[hwy17]

it depends upon the output of the unit. mine is a 10kw so max output would be overloaded. if you have a large enough genset then you can hook three up between three phases and it would be fine. as long as all loads are equal. I should have clarified that statement about the genset size limitations.

Oh ok got it.

My 2300W power supply says it will derate itself to 1500W on 120v, and I was hoping that would let me run it off a little 2000W generator during power outages, but it fails to start up. Maybe the inrush current is just too high.

 

[Hedges]

You'd think.
Try a precharge method. If that makes a difference, could get a thermistor.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

So, in this case, running 3 chargeverters on a 25kVa genset would work out, I would think.

If the genset is healthy enough then yes.

I could run three units but I would need to derate all three to 50% or less to avoid over loading the generator or run all three on 120 which would automatically defrayed them to 50% . Why buy three when I get same output from two?

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

Oh ok got it.

My 2300W power supply says it will derate itself to 1500W on 120v, and I was hoping that would let me run it off a little 2000W generator during power outages, but it fails to start up. Maybe the inrush current is just too high.

Do you have eco idle shut off?
That or set the unit to 40% and try

 

[hwy17]

Do you have eco idle shut off?
That or set the unit to 40% and try

Yeah eco off. Mine does have provisions to adjust it but I've never sorted them out, need a programming dongle or some kind of 5v variable input. I have a 1000W EG4 charger that I use instead for the small generator so I wasn't that motivated to fix it anyway. The 2300W is normally working as my every day grid input so it still gets plenty of use.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Is there any reason I can’t use a 3 phase generator to run a trio of Chargeverters? I’ve got a 25kVa MQ diesel generator. I could build a stand alone 3 phase panel in my garage to be powered from that generator, which would be used to power 3 EG4 chargeverters. Balance the load between phases (one on A-B, one B-C, one C-A), and it should work perfectly fine, right?

Or am I missing some piece of the puzzle I’m not seeing?

@HighTechLab did it. Thread on here somewhere about it.

 

[HighTechLab]

Yeah, here's the vid:

 

[kscessnadriver]

Yeah, here's the vid:

Thanks for the idea, I ran across this video and thought about doing the same with my smaller than what you're using diesel generator.