inverter fuses blown

[almac]

i think it is a capacitor too, the big capacitor on the right in the pic had a heat blistered plastic cap that was falling away. i removed the burnt plastic cap b4 i took the pic. reading some articles electrolytic capacitors are one of the main causes for inverter failure

[SunEagle]

thanks, i guess i wanted to make sure the inverter was stuffed b4 i claimed the warranty. the fuses were only $4. its a $200 inverter so i dont think trying to repair it is worth while. but from what i observed when i removed the bottom plate.. a pool of brown liquid like honey , any ideas?

More than likely a component (ie. capacitor) overheated which resulted in its insulating material turning to fluid.

[littleharbor]

liquid smoke?

[almac]

I am just saying that someone with electrical trouble shooting skills and tools could have saved you a few fuses by determining the inverter was bad. A pretty basic step would not be to just install another set of fuses to see if the problem has gone away but to first determine what is causing the fuses to blow. Try to fix that first and then test with a second set of fuses.

thanks, i guess i wanted to make sure the inverter was stuffed b4 i claimed the warranty. the fuses were only $4. its a $200 inverter so i dont think trying to repair it is worth while. but from what i observed when i removed the bottom plate.. a pool of brown liquid like honey , any ideas?

[SunEagle]

it is reliable. solarix has provided the answer to this inverter problem. its stuffed. nothing i did blew the fuses on this inverter. i agree i do need people with more experience than me to make it safe hence why i post pics and put questions to the members here.

I am just saying that someone with electrical trouble shooting skills and tools could have saved you a few fuses by determining the inverter was bad. A pretty basic step would not be to just install another set of fuses to see if the problem has gone away but to first determine what is causing the fuses to blow. Try to fix that first and then test with a second set of fuses.

[Mike90250]

Sadly, a infant just died in a fire nearby, when a "safe" portable propane heater lit a trailer on fire.

Just because you can buy something and connect it to something else, does not mean it is safe.

[almac]

Maybe you don't require a licensed electrical contractor for your camping system but since you keep blowing fuses I would entertain the thought that you at least need someone with electrical experience to make your system safe and reliable.

it is reliable. solarix has provided the answer to this inverter problem. its stuffed. nothing i did blew the fuses on this inverter. i agree i do need people with more experience than me to make it safe hence why i post pics and put questions to the members here.

[SunEagle]

sure, well im on an experimental off grid exercise , seeing if the average broke powerless person can secure reliable access to electricity for peanuts. $40K for an offgrid system? i can see why you miss the grid. paying qualified contractors = big $$$. i dont see any reason why i cant set up this to comply with safety regulations. fused parallel batteries makes perfect sense but i would not have thought of a battery exploding from a shorted cell and 1000 amps being dumped into it by a ton of car batteries wired to it in parallel. so thank you forum for pointing this out. when you buy a 2000w inverter off the net to hook up to your car battery for camping... do they tell you to get a qualified licensed electrical contractor to make it safe? my set up is a small step from camping out why do i need qualified contractors.

Maybe you don't require a licensed electrical contractor for your camping system but since you keep blowing fuses I would entertain the thought that you at least need someone with electrical experience to make your system safe and reliable.

[almac]

sure, well im on an experimental off grid exercise , seeing if the average broke powerless person can secure reliable access to electricity for peanuts. $40K for an offgrid system? i can see why you miss the grid. paying qualified contractors = big $$$. i dont see any reason why i cant set up this to comply with safety regulations. fused parallel batteries makes perfect sense but i would not have thought of a battery exploding from a shorted cell and 1000 amps being dumped into it by a ton of car batteries wired to it in parallel. so thank you forum for pointing this out. when you buy a 2000w inverter off the net to hook up to your car battery for camping... do they tell you to get a qualified licensed electrical contractor to make it safe? my set up is a small step from camping out why do i need qualified contractors.

[Bala]

Its ok, I wont bother you any more, this will be my last post to you.

Im pretty sure I told you not long ago that you had no AC protection and that you should get an electrician to come and wire it but you chose not to respond to that part of the post. If I didnt say it before then now I have.

It cost me approx $1000 to get my house and generator circuit breakers/safety switches and change over switching all set up to standards by a qualified licensed electrical contractor. My generator alone cost more that 10K the whole system 40+

[almac]

Just another cost and inconvenience of free power.

You have used cheap poor quality components,

you have built a system that has little to no safe guards on the AC or DC sides,

You had all the components inside a shed, now you have all the components outside sheltered only by the panels.

All you have is a 240V AC power supply that is unreliable and exposes anyone who comes to your house to a deadly electrical hazard.

thats a load of crap! the inverter is under warranty so no loss. the initial cost of this set up is about $1500. $800 for the panels $80 for the charge controllers. batteries free. inverters $450 (2 one for backup) . cables $50. in just 1 year initial cost has would be recovered in zero power bills. the setup has been 100% reliable i am 100% in control of access to power. the grid was very unreliable and that is how i came to be here. i get useful advice from SOME members to make this system safe. not there yet but the batteries will be fused within a week . the reason i share this project is so i slowly but surely get the knowledge i need. i didnt know the batteries needed fusing till mike told me last week. why didnt you tell me that bala? if you want to spend $10,000 on off grid good luck to you thats your choice. affordability is an issue before off grid can ever be a real alternative. as for the AC side being unsafe bala... i did ask you before for suggestions... but you never offer anything but unconstructive criticism

[Bala]

you are right, just blew 6 more fuses. this unit is stuffed, solarix is correct

Just another cost and inconvenience of free power.

You have used cheap poor quality components,

you have built a system that has little to no safe guards on the AC or DC sides,

You had all the components inside a shed, now you have all the components outside sheltered only by the panels.

All you have is a 240V AC power supply that is unreliable and exposes anyone who comes to your house to a deadly electrical hazard.

[almac]

The fuses blew because of a hard fault. The more fuses in, the more fuses you blow. Bruce Roe

you are right, just blew 6 more fuses. this unit is stuffed, solarix is correct

[bcroe]

yes but its bone dry under the panels, will try the 6 fuses see what happens.

The fuses blew because of a hard fault. The more fuses in, the more fuses you blow. Bruce Roe

[almac]

Have you had rain in the days prior to this happening?

yes but its bone dry under the panels, will try the 6 fuses see what happens.