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looking for low voltage disconnect suggestion

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  • looking for low voltage disconnect suggestion

    I'm installing an off grid system in Haiti and I need to make it bullet proof. the low battery cutout on the Trace GR1612 inverter is too low (9V). I need to protect the batteries with a low voltage disconnect. any suggestions please let me know.
    thanks
    Driver of the Solar Bus

  • #2
    I had no idea Trace is still an operational company. Amazing.
    2.2kw Suntech mono, Classic 200, NEW Trace SW4024

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    • #3
      Originally posted by littleharbor View Post
      I had no idea Trace is still an operational company. Amazing.
      I have been amazed every time I go to Haiti I still see Trace inverters for sale in stores. I've been asking how this could be (Trace was sold to Xantrex around 20 years ago) and no one has been able to explain it. until just recently someone told me this:

      "Trace was sold to Xantrex a long time ago. There was a company in Dominican Republic that bought the machine equipment to make the same inverters and they were using the Trace name and were ultimately sued by Xantrex . The result was to halt production of the inverters and so they are no longer available."

      in my situation, the Trace GR1612 is already in the system.
      Driver of the Solar Bus

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      • #4
        It appears the company sells a wide variety of RE equipment including Trace labeled Batteries and inverters. Still looks like they are available.

        http://tracesolar.com/en/#puntos-venta


        http://www.solarsalesusa.com/trace-inverters.cfm
        2.2kw Suntech mono, Classic 200, NEW Trace SW4024

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        • #5
          Originally posted by littleharbor View Post
          It appears the company sells a wide variety of RE equipment including Trace labeled Batteries and inverters. Still looks like they are available.

          http://tracesolar.com/en/#puntos-venta


          http://www.solarsalesusa.com/trace-inverters.cfm
          your second link, those are the folks who told me they got sued by Xantrex and they are not available anymore.
          the first link i believe is the company that was making them. it looks like it morphed into a RE supplier, they sell all kinds of equipment. if the other company is right they don't manufacture those inverters anymore because of the Xantrex lawsuit. or maybe they still do, just in DR because they can get away with it there. i don't know. all i know is i see a lot of them in Haiti and it's always made me scratch my head.
          Driver of the Solar Bus

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          • #6
            Good question. .......

            Your inquiry prompted me to look at how to program the low voltage disconnect on my Xantrex Prosine 1800/24. Much to my surprise it doesn't appear to be programmable...

            The LVD is fixed at a ridiculous 20 volts.

            Looking like I need the same sort of thing that the OP is looking for.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by PNW_Steve View Post
              Good question. .......

              Your inquiry prompted me to look at how to program the low voltage disconnect on my Xantrex Prosine 1800/24. Much to my surprise it doesn't appear to be programmable...

              The LVD is fixed at a ridiculous 20 volts.

              Looking like I need the same sort of thing that the OP is looking for.
              yeah the LBCO should be programmable. I think it is on my Outback. 20 volts is too low. it would be OK if its your system and you can be sure not to over drain your batteries but in my case I'm putting this in a foreign country where people don't speak english and I need all the protections I can get. they will most likely drain the batteries as much as the system allows them to.
              Driver of the Solar Bus

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              • #8
                Originally posted by garybeck View Post

                yeah the LBCO should be programmable. I think it is on my Outback. 20 volts is too low. it would be OK if its your system and you can be sure not to over drain your batteries but in my case I'm putting this in a foreign country where people don't speak english and I need all the protections I can get. they will most likely drain the batteries as much as the system allows them to.
                Most inverters do not have a reasonable low voltage disconnect. They seem to allow the batteries to go way below a safe voltage. I think you really need to find a separate device that can be programmed to open the circuit while you still have the batteries at 50% SOC.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by SunEagle View Post

                  Most inverters do not have a reasonable low voltage disconnect. They seem to allow the batteries to go way below a safe voltage. I think you really need to find a separate device that can be programmed to open the circuit while you still have the batteries at 50% SOC.
                  That makes perfect sense.

                  Can you recommend any specific hardware?

                  Thanks

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by PNW_Steve View Post

                    That makes perfect sense.

                    Can you recommend any specific hardware?

                    Thanks
                    I do not have any first hand experience with those devices but I do know that companies like Blue Sea Systems, Powerwerx and Littlefuse make hardware that perform the function. The problem is how much do you want to pay to get the adjustable set-point you need. The cheap units are fixed and some adjustable ones have the highest set-point at only 12.2v.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by SunEagle View Post

                      I do not have any first hand experience with those devices but I do know that companies like Blue Sea Systems, Powerwerx and Littlefuse make hardware that perform the function. The problem is how much do you want to pay to get the adjustable set-point you need. The cheap units are fixed and some adjustable ones have the highest set-point at only 12.2v.

                      If I understand your response, it is a "good" technology and Blue Sea + Powerwerx are reputable manufacturers?

                      Hopefully I can find some other offerings. 12.2 V LVD is WAY worse than the 20v LVD on my current inverter.... I was hoping for something closer to 24.8v.

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