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  • Inverter Discharging with Load

    Hi,
    I installed this system https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 about 5 months ago and I have been running 4 50' 5 bulb job site light strings off of it. I'm using 13W CFW bulbs in the light strings. This set-up worked perfectly until about a month ago when the inverter started beeping due to voltage drop and then the lights would cut out. They would stay lit for maybe 2 minutes before the voltage drop. Now they won't light for more than 10 seconds before the voltage drop.
    I've had both of my 6V deep cycle batteries tested (they are hooked up to make a 12V battery) and both are fully charged and were load tested without issues being noted. I switched out my inverter as well and this is still occurring.
    Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
    Thank you!
    Jody

  • #2
    Sounds like it is the bulbs. Perhaps when they warm up they draw more current. Have you checked the current. You have checked everything but the bulbs.. When you say CFW do you mean fluorescents?
    Last edited by Ampster; 03-13-2019, 11:40 AM.
    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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    • #3
      Yes, they are fluorescent. Actually, I plugged in only one strand and it still doesn't work. Then I tried plugging in each strand individually and had the same result. I'd venture to guess that it would be outside the realm of possibility that each of the individual strands would have a bulb that is an issue. I also tried unscrewing random bulbs from each strand to see if I could get it to work with fewer bulbs. It's just odd to me that this worked for 4 months and then just quit working. If it was something with too much load (which it definitely isn't since I'm basically starting a camp fire with a blow torch), I'd expect it to have been an issue since I started using this set-up.
      I also tried running another type of electrical item from this (a 1/3 horsepower sump pump) and that won't run either (or it runs for 5 seconds) and then the whole system discharges and the inverter starts beeping. This worked perfectly before as well with my solar power system.
      Last edited by jdna33; 03-13-2019, 11:47 AM.

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      • #4
        Have you tried a regular incandescent bulb? Am I correct that you have tried two different inverters? . Motors require startup load and possibly fluorescents until they get warm. Do you know what the surge capacity is of your inverters?
        9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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        • #5
          This is the what's on-line for my inverter. I've tried 2 inverters, I don't have 2 set up at one time. To be clear, this set-up worked perfectly for 4 months and then just quit working. Nothing in the system changed, it just stopped working. I've always used these bulbs, light strings, etc.

          1000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter
          Output Volt: 110V AC
          Continuous Power: 1000W
          Surge Power: 2000W
          Frequency: 60Hz
          Effienvy: >90%
          USB Output: 5V
          Input Range: 10-15VDC
          Working Input: 12VDC
          Fuse: 35A
          Low Battery Alarm: 10.5+0.3V
          Low Battery Shut Down: 10+0.5V
          Over Voltage Shut Down: 15.5+0.5V
          Over Load Shut Down: 120W over 10 second
          Over heating shut down: >75℃
          Over Thermal Protection: shut down the output
          Working Temperature: -10℃~+50℃

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          • #6
            I can't help you much further if you can't tell me the current that is on the circuit just before it shuts down or if an incandescent bulb works. I understand it has worked for 4 months. Something changed and we don't know what.
            9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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            • #7
              It will run 1 incandescent bulb. How do I go about testing the current before it dies? Unfortunately I'm not well versed in electrical work. Thanks so much!

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              • #8
                CFL bulbs often have poor PF, sometimes as low as 0.4. That is an inverter killer. Even will kill sine wave inverters, because of the poor PF. If you have an inverter about 2 - 3x the listed load of the combined light strings, it should have worked.

                20 bulbs @ 13 watts nameplate , I'd call it 25w for a round number. so the actual load is close to 500 watts. The inverter should have been able to handle it. But with poor power factor, comes strange results. You found one of the stranger results. Please try the inverter with a couple 250 w incandescent work lights
                Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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                • #9
                  I'll try that too but why won't my 1/3 HP simp pump work either? The lights aren't plugged in at the same time. Or is it because I "killed" my inverter already and now need another one?

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                  • #10
                    I dont know as much as Mike does but the pump probably only likes good sine wave. If the CFLs have damaged your inverter, the inverter probably is no longer putting out a good wave form.
                    No worries about the current measurement. Mike's idea to try a couple of big incandescents will answer the question. His test will tell you if it can put out 500 Watts. Your inverter may be damaged but might still power incandescents and maybe LEDs.
                    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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                    • #11
                      If the batteries have been load tested at or above the load you are applying AND they have been capacity tested by leaving them on a test DC load till you expect them to be at 60% charge or less, and the inverter and lighting load have not changed, the most likely remaining problem would be high resistance somewhere in the battery to inverter wiring (or the jumper between batteries).

                      When the inverter is about to trip off from low input voltage, you need to measure the voltage right at the individual battery terminals. If it is low there too, then the battery testing was flawed and you have used up your batteries.
                      Note that if you regularly cycle batteries until the inverter Low Voltage Cutoff point, you are seriously over-discharging your batteries, and even if they are promptly and fully recharged their lifespan will be limited.
                      SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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