Bud Martin
Solar Wizard
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2020
- Messages
- 4,844
Thanks. M5400-PM is the AC Voltage regulator using tap switching autotransformer and multi-stage filter power conditioner unit.
It is easily visible on the scope but my camera just doesnt capture it well. I did see the exact waveform anomalies on a YT video about Growatt flickering. He said his stabilizes after some time but mine does not.Would be real nice to have a data logging of AC inverter waveforms over a much longer time than just an oscilloscope capture since that did not really show anything obvious. Maybe the inverter just has poor AC regulation ?
I would have to get my hands on another scope. The manufacturer just got back to me and seem keen to getting to the bottom of this so that is a plus. They are tracking the manufacturing dates and now think there might have been a lot of bad units. Sounds like I am not the only one having problems.Sometimes, you will see kind of a "warble" in the waveform when looking at just a few cycles of waveform.
If you zoom out in time, showing, for example, 100 milliseconds per division, or maybe even a bit slower, the repetitive wiggles or ups and downs in the amplitude of the waveform. It's just that it is hard to catch and press stop at just the right time.
You could also set the trigger to just above the 170V peak area to catch the higher voltage cycles. But if that voltage is lower than 120V RMS or ~170V peak, it is quite a bit harder. Also harder to see if the voltage is ramping up and down over several cycles if that is what is happening.
Does this sound possible ?
boB
By any chance do you have links? I have been looking all day and all I can find are inline. I have installed large transformers in homes for dirty power but those were VERY expensive and I don't want to go down that road.I know both Eaton and Leviton make single line 10-20 amp power conditioners. I've played with some huge industrial units before that can handle 240v 50-100 amp but they are super expensive. Probably would be better off in that case with a new inverter..... But if you just want to condition a few breakers you could probably get a good deal on ebay or something.
So your inverter is the low frequency inverter by Sungoldpower? I have been looking at them but not sure how well it works.So I have done a quick and dirty test of 12 LED bulbs and 1 CFL and 1 regular 43w bulb....yes I have a bulb fettish !!!
I could see the mearist hint of flicker on some of the LED's without any dimmer at all, kind of like a nervous twitch rather than a constant flicker.
Then I added a dimmer, old and non LED rated but it seemed to run most of the LED's OK to some degree, some hated it lol.
However, it absolutely increased the flicker on all bulbs when dimmed.
I will scope the output another day and try the same experiments with a Growatt 6k transformer inverter and possibly the Sol-ark too.
I am also going to get an LED rated dimmer to test with.
Wow... a famous engineer. LOLSupposedly I will be speaking to an engineer, I truly hope he is the famous one ?. Old inverter is going back to California for him to inspect it and hopefully come up with a solution.