Good Match - MaXpeedingrods 3500w + MPP Solar 3048LV

[OffGridInTheCity]

I have an all electric camping trailer built around an MPP Solar 3048LV (3000w, 48v) AIO. I've been using a duel fuel Champion 2500w generator https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Power-Equipment-201183-Ultralight/dp/B09HN2RQ67/ref=sr_1_3 but found it lacking and just tested the MaXpeedingrods 3500w - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PBFVWFK which is a better fit.

The issue is dry-camping battery charging via the Champion -> MPP Solar. The MPP Solar's software interface let's you select 2a, 10a, 20a, 30a, .... AC charging - it's a blunt selection. At the 10a setting, I get ~550w charging w/100w background load and a kilowatt meter on the Champion shows 750w which is 650w/750w = ~87% efficiency... not bad. So in theory, I should be able to select 20a AC charging and the Champion should be able to handle 1500w continuous.....

But it doesn't work. When I select 20a (or even 10a a lot of the time) the MPP Solar causes a surge on the Champion for some reason that the Champion can't handle and goes in to surge/overload/idle, surge/overload/idle, .... cycles.

I just tried out the MXR3500w MaXpeedingrods taking the MPP Solar settings all the way to 40a AC charging which = 2100w battery charging + 600w load in the trailer and had no problems with 'surges'. The generator increased smoothly at each incremental update. I don't know what's happening with the Champion from a technical standpoint - but the MXR works smoothly in response to the MPP Solar.

The reason this is important is that when dry camping we burn 4-5kwh/day to live in all electric comfort w/hot water + shower etc. We have a 13kwh battery. At the Champion snail pace of 550w charging that's 9hrs per day of generator time to keep up. With MXR this will shrink to 2.5hrs per day of generator time - which is doable!

So I've found a good match between the MXR3500 and MPP Solar 3048LV and wanted to share the info. The MXR gas-only is not that much louder (58db vs 53db) or bigger or heavier (47lbs vs 39lbs) than the Champion - it fit right in the Champion's spot in the trailer. The duel-fuel MXR is 62lbs w/wheels and is bigger than gas-only.

Of course, it will be while before I see if the MXR holds up.... but we'll see and I'm hopeful at this point.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

will be while before I see if the MXR holds up.... but we'll see and I'm hopeful at this point.

I’d say the problem is that you picked a too-small generator for the pass-through current you need. Even at full-boat that’s optimistically 20A at 120V and the WATTS are insufficient for the task at hand.

Good that you are enjoying the chinesianame generator but after dealing with Predater and Generalac CS in the past the two calls I made to champion were unbelievably useful (not warranty issues fwiw) and I cannot say that elsewise.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I’d say the problem is that you picked a too-small generator for the pass-through current you need. Even at full-boat that’s optimistically 20A at 120V and the WATTS are insufficient for the task at hand.

Like you, I first thought Max AC Charging option of 20a @ 120v = 2400w of charging is being probed to the Champion but I don't think that's happening. Even selecting 10a Max AC Charging (10a * 120v = 1200w) often puts the Champion into this overload/idle cycle even though the actual load is only 750w or so and charging is limited to 550w.

There's also a Max DC Charging option and I tried setting it to 10a or 20a (20a * 52v = 1040w) but it had no affect. I leave it at 40a just in case.

Also note that the Max AC Charging setting = 40a * 120v = 4800w exceeds the MRX3500 but yet the MRX3500 works fine and results ~2100w of battery charging - regardless of the AC loads on the output of MPP Solar.

Maybe he MRX3500 handles a 'MPP Solar Max AC charging probe of 4800w' better than the Champion getting an instantaneous '1200w or 2400w' probe. But the Champion specs seem to say otherwise.....

Something about the MPP Solar and Champion interaction is not clear - which is why I made this post, hoping to 1) understand and 2) share my solution. FYI, I really like the MPP Solar 3048LV, the Champion 2500, and so far, the MRX3500.

Thanks for responding!

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Something about the MPP Solar and Champion interaction is not clear

I can’t put my finger on it but something ain’t right. If it’s a rpm frequency generator not an inverter?

I have no issues with my 1012LV-MK on a 6250 inverter generator charging at 60A. That’s why I think headroom (and possibly RPM regulation aka dirty output) is an issue.
Edit: it uses about a quart of gasoline an hour in eco-mode to make the 60A charger do its thing.
It uses more gas if I’m welding but I seldom weld for hours on end continuously. Not excessive expense.
Next summer? A 6048 or 6548 goes in for welding, tablesaw, compressor. I’ve got 40 98VOC panels that would be great feeding that 6048