I just meant, assuming the inverter has enough power to handle the startup surge and then some, are there any other hurdles to getting something like a split-phase 120V/240V inverter to run a single-phase 240V pump? I am specifically considering the MPP LV6548, which seems like it ought to have enough power with 6.5kW output.
Seems like or ought to have are meaningless variables in physics. Do you know the start up Amps of your pump?
PenTek tech support said 19.6A to start (without soft start) and 4.9A to run it, but there is some question about the exact model. We originally believed it was a 3-phase motor (per the installer) but since it runs from our single-phase generator, it appears to be a single-phase pump. So if it's a PSC 2-wire motor, it could be as high as 7.9/9.1 (full/max-SF) load. If its a 3-wire motor, then it could be as high as 8.4/8.4/0 (Y/B/R, Full Load) or 9.7/9.7/0 (Y/B/R, Max-SF Load). That's all from the spec sheet.
Earlier answers suggest the motor should run fine on 240 volts Nine Amps (2.2kW) startup sounds like it is not too much for a 6kW inverter
Thanks for the feedback. Forgive my ignorance, but I'm trying to figure out where surge amps come into the picture. For example, the PenTek model P42B0010A2 is a 1HP 0.75kW 230V pump, which is listed at 7.9A "Full Load" and 9.1A "Max/SF Load". I don't know what those numbers indicate, but I've heard people say that surge/start draw is 3-5 times running draw. Which number, then, would I triple or quintuple, and shouldn't that be the number to measure against the inverter?
I initially told you 19.6A startup. My understanding is that startup and surge are the same. That's why I didn't follow you when you said 9A.
Full load amps are your normal running amps, SF amps are slightly overloaded amps, and Surge amps are called Locked rotor amps
I have reached out to the installer and asked him to find his invoice from the manufacturer with the exact model number.
The spec sheet has a "Rotor Amps" coluimn but no "Locked Rotor Amps." Same thing?
I like this reference: https://ctlsys.com/support/electrical_service_types_and_voltages/
That inverter only outputs 120V, you need two of them for 240V split phase output.
Darn, missed that. I guess I really wanted to believe it is like the LV6048.
The LVX6048 has 240v split-phase too, this vendor has a convenient page that has 240/split
Yes, but the spec sheet states that it can generate 120 or 240 with only one 1 unit without paralleling. That's a big difference between it and the LV6548.
It has a low-frequency center tap transformer, and is the model I like the best of MPP right now, but it does have higher idle power usage than all the rest of their models, FWIW.
Idle consumption is a big deal for me right now. Later, when my array is bigger, I won't care as much, but I'm starting with just 3 panels due to space limitations. Idle consumption has the potential to consume 30% of my daily power production. Also, it's hard to string together 3 panels and keep the array Voc high enough to avoid the cutoff when it gets a little overcast. I don't want to waste money on buying a unit now that I'll replace later when I have more panels. So I have quite the challenge: low idle consumption (like 25-30W) low minimum Voc (like 60-90W), 240V split phase without paralleling, 7000W array input power for when I have more panels, and enough output power to run my well pump. It's a tall order. Any ideas?
Not so big a challenge. Just get a Schneider XWPro and a Midnight controller. It has run my well-pump flawlessly for years now. The XW has an idle consumption of ~30W/hr.
My LV5048 was pretty similar, I measured an idle draw of 25W when only on battery. People are reporting a ~120W idle draw for the LVX6048, which does seem rather excessive. My Growatt 12000t took ~132W, and my Deye 8k takes about 60W.
I know it is a PenTek XE Series 1HP pump. The manufacturer only makes 6 different models of XE Series Single-Phase 1 HP pumps. 4 of them show Locked Rotor Amps of 41A. The other two show 21A and 24A respectively. My cheap Meterk clamp meter does not measure inrush amps, but I measured running amps at 7A. The typical rule of thumb is that inrush amps should be 3-5 times running amps, which would put it at 21-35A. That means I probably have the PenTek P42B0010A2, which is listed at 21.7 inrush amps. However, just to be safe, I'll use the highest number on the spec sheet and assume the inrush is 42A, which works out to ~10,000 W. So it seems that an inverter that can handle 10,000 W for a few seconds once a week should do the trick.
I would guess one of the,"reasons " is the cost of. UL listing which, I agree, does not put money in your bank account but for some, makes permitting easier.
