Un-qualified?

[OffGridMike]

I am unable to get my generator power qualified. Looking for suggestions.
My current System
Xantrex XW6048 hybrid inverter/charger
Xantrex C40 DC controller
Xantrex XW System Control Panel
Xantrex XW Automatic Generator Start
Schneider Electric Insight Home
8x, Duracell SLI6V370S flooded lead acid batteries
4x, Moser Baer MBPV CAAP 215w panels
Kohler 12RES propane generator

My Kohler generator threw a rod and I am trying to connect a gas powered, Rigid 8000w generator. I have tried it wired into both AC1 and AC2 (at different times) and get the same thing each time. Currently, it is tied into AC2.

Looking for any suggestions.

 

[OffGridMike]

Here are a few more details of my current config.

 

[Mattb4]

If I am understanding your images your generator is outputting 58hz and your inverter is outputting 59hz. The settings show a .5hz offset for reconnect after low frequency disconnect. If for some reason your unit got a 55hz low frequency disconnect that would seem to indicate you would need your generator to reach 58.5hz. Can this be set for 1hz offset?

 

[Cronix]

If I am understanding your images your generator is outputting 58hz and your inverter is outputting 59hz. The settings show a .5hz offset for reconnect after low frequency disconnect. If for some reason your unit got a 55hz low frequency disconnect that would seem to indicate you would need your generator to reach 58.5hz. Can this be set for 1hz offset?

Might also be able to adjust the generator speed by adjusting the governor throttle screw to match the inverters required frequency. Turn it a bit to the right to increase throttle, to the left to decrease. Do it while it's running and there is a load on it. Hopefully the generator frequency isn't jumping around much.

 

[hwy17]

I read this as 59 hz should qualify and it's not qualifying for another reason.

 

[OffGridMike]

I really appreciate the suggestions. I was able to adjust the generator to give me a steady 60hz. Still not qualifying. It resets my low frequency reconnect offset to 0.5hz every time I try to change it to 1hz. But if I understand correctly, that would only come to play if the generator frequency dropped. That doesn't seem to be the issue right now.

@Cronix , thanks so much for the video. It was a great, quick help.

 

[Gttnsun]

Does you generator have a bonded nuetral?

 

[OffGridMike]

Does you generator have a bonded nuetral?

It says "Neutral bonded to frame"

 

[MisterSandals]

It says "Neutral bonded to frame"

I think he's asking whether your generator's neutral is bonded (connected) to the ground (green wire connected to a white wire or bus with white wires on it). This would probably be done in the generator output panel.

Your XW6048 almost certainly has this neutral bond. It may be a qualifying condition (and its a good check!) that there can only be one neutral to ground bond.

Not my area of expertise but this is my understanding.

Lets conjure @FilterGuy who i see as an expert in this area (there are many others too!)

 

[seneysolar]

Thats a pretty tight frequency range to expect from a portable generator. Id adjust that out farther if you can. +/-5hz wont hurt anything.

Try loading up the generator with a small space heater or some resistive load. Sometimes this helps steady the output.

Have you measured voltage at the gen, ive seen some really really far out of adjustment, like 40 volts....

 

[OffGridMike]

I think he's asking whether your generator's neutral is bonded (connected) to the ground (green wire connected to a white wire or bus with white wires on it). This would probably be done in the generator output panel.

Your XW6048 almost certainly has this neutral bond. It may be a qualifying condition (and its a good check!) that there can only be one neutral to ground bond.

Not my area of expertise but this is my understanding.

Lets conjure @FilterGuy who i see as an expert in this area (there are many others too!)

Yes. The manual says "This generator has a neutral bonded condition. This means the system ground is connected electrically to the AC neutral wire"

Does that mean this generator will not work with my inverter?

 

[OffGridMike]

Thats a pretty tight frequency range to expect from a portable generator. Id adjust that out farther if you can. +/-5hz wont hurt anything.

Try loading up the generator with a small space heater or some resistive load. Sometimes this helps steady the output.

Have you measured voltage at the gen, ive seen some really really far out of adjustment, like 40 volts....

I thought it was 55-65 hz range. Should I be expanding that?

 

[MisterSandals]

Does that mean this generator will not work with my inverter?

First off, I'm not qualified to give a definitive answer.

My guess is that someone who knows will chime in with a solution that may involve removing the neutral bond on your generator when its connected to your (already bonded) inverter.

And your generator be rebonded later for stand alone use.

 

[MisterSandals]

The experts have chimed in on similar scenario (still a guess that this is your issue):

Neutral ground bond totally off grid w generator and reliable inverter

I am wiring up a breaker box for an off grid cabin. No grid power of any sort on the property at all. Do I bond neutral and ground in the breaker box? The ground will be wired to an 8' copper rod outside. I read some other posts and they said adding a generator complicates things, weather the...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Gttnsun]

Expand everything in the ac2 settings to the widest range possible and see what happens, you can fine tune it if you get it to qualify.
What is your charge rate set to?
I'm not sure if the bonded neutral has a effect on qualifying, but it could be your problem that is why I asked.

 

[OffGridMike]

Ok, so I disconnected the bonded neutral on the generator. Same results. That may have been one issue but I think there is another one. I also expanded the high and low frequency cutoff to 50-70hz.

 

[seneysolar]

I think the starting point should be measuring what your generator is putting out, voltage and frequency.