My problem is back. Whilst running my foxtel box and tv off the 600w Projecta inverter the Hb (high battery voltage) alarm sounds and shuts the inverter off. This is not consistent, 15min or 3 hrs. We thought it may be ventilation but sadly no, thats not the cause. Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks in advance
Bas
Bas + Eve said
10:04 PM Jan 2, 2021
The inverter shows 12.9v when it cuts off. Hb alarm per manual should be 15.5v
Bas + Eve said
10:10 PM Jan 2, 2021
After the inverter cuts out it cuts back in immediately...until it cuts out again. Driving me crazy. I had a bit of work done to the MH but I doubt if they went anywhere near the inverter, maybe they were in the battery compartment 3x130a batteries (12 months old).
Whenarewethere said
10:50 PM Jan 2, 2021
Is the load too small. Maybe try running something else as well to increase the load & see what happens.
Bas + Eve said
11:54 PM Jan 2, 2021
I am beginning to think the problem is in the wiring from battery to inverter. Cut out 5 times and then worked like a dream tonight!!!
Derek Barnes said
02:18 PM Jan 3, 2021
Hi Bas + Eve
I am having exactly the same problem with my Genpower 2000W inverter. Random times after I start using the nuwave portable induction cooktop (on 900W mode) or microwave oven (800W oven which draws up to 1100W), the inverter will beep and the machine will stop working. A few seconds later the inverter will turn back on again.
Are you sure that it is a high voltage alarm as opposed to a low voltage alarm. The Genpower inverter turns off when the battery voltage is above about 15-16 volts, and also turns off when the battery voltage is below about 10 volts.
I have an Enerdrive ePRO plus battery monitor and shunt, and a 600 Amp shut off switch in the circuit with the inverter. The wires in the circuit ("O" gauge cable) get very warm when I run the induction cooktop. I was wondering whether there could be high resistance somewhere in the circuit which is decreasing the voltage over the inverter to below the 10 volt mark and thus turning off the inverter.
What do you think?
Whenarewethere said
03:00 PM Jan 3, 2021
Derek Barnes wrote:
The wires in the circuit ("O" gauge cable) get very warm when I run the induction cooktop.?
Sorry I'm going off topic.
When I was running my 3 compressors the cable I was using was getting warm. I upgraded it from 6awg to 4awg & it made all the difference.
Run a second cable so your total cross sectional area is at least an additional 50%.
Whenarewethere said
03:15 PM Jan 3, 2021
From memory you said that the cutting out only happened with the Foxtel box.
If that's the case it's the 240v side.
Jaahn said
04:12 PM Jan 3, 2021
Hi Bas +Eve
My two cents worth. It may be possible the inverter sensing the high voltage is triggered by the solar controller being slow to react under low load conditions, and allowing a surge to the battery before it switches off. Some PWM are slow reacting. As the load you are using is very light, when the controller is controlling the battery near its high voltage limit it momentarily goes high and the inverter senses this and switches off, then it is corrected so it switches back on.
Jaahn
Derek Barnes said
04:19 PM Jan 3, 2021
It should be easy to see if it is the solar controller which is causing the problem by testing it at night.
I found that it doesn't matter if I use the inverter in the day or the night, I still get the same intermittent stoppages.
pinballpat said
04:35 PM Jan 3, 2021
"The inverter shows 12.9v when it cuts off. Hb alarm per manual should be 15.5v"
Hmmm my 2 cents worth..you say the alarm is triggered ...maybe the alarm has also a low voltage alarm for input ..the inverter shows 12.9 volts...try to measure the input voltage to the inverter at this time...my thoughts a foxtel box and Tv should draw 250-300 watts max...try to simulate this load with some other device ..draw this power from inverter and see if you can simulate fault..also i wonder what the state of your house batteries are ..perhaps they are getting an initial charge but quickly discharging when a load demand is required...a small appliance loading the inveryer and some voltage measurement of both input and output to and from inverter might point you in the right direction...Just my 2 cents worth..and before all the gurus shoot me down in flames ...take it easy on me as i still have a lot of xmas spirit in me ..
Jaahn said
09:51 AM Jan 4, 2021
Derek Barnes wrote:
Hi Bas + Eve
I am having exactly the same problem with my Genpower 2000W inverter. Random times after I start using the nuwave portable induction cooktop (on 900W mode) or microwave oven (800W oven which draws up to 1100W), the inverter will beep and the machine will stop working. A few seconds later the inverter will turn back on again.
Are you sure that it is a high voltage alarm as opposed to a low voltage alarm. The Genpower inverter turns off when the battery voltage is above about 15-16 volts, and also turns off when the battery voltage is below about 10 volts.
I have an Enerdrive ePRO plus battery monitor and shunt, and a 600 Amp shut off switch in the circuit with the inverter. The wires in the circuit ("O" gauge cable) get very warm when I run the induction cooktop. I was wondering whether there could be high resistance somewhere in the circuit which is decreasing the voltage over the inverter to below the 10 volt mark and thus turning off the inverter.
What do you think?
Hi Derek
Yes I believe it is more likely the inverter is tripping out because of low voltage. Now causes could be; 1 because the battery cannot keep the voltage up enough under that load, or 2 there is too much resistance in the wires(too long) and connectors, shunt etc, or 3 a badly made connection in the system or 4 combination of all the above .
The only way to find out is to get a multi meter and measure the voltages at the battery terminals, then at each step of the way from the battery and back again while under the inverter load. See if there is a gradual loss of voltage or a bigger drop at some connection. But if you get say half a volt at each step you have lost enough to trip out !!
Good luck jaahn
LeighW said
05:32 PM Jan 4, 2021
Hi Bas + Eve,
If the high voltage alarm is triggering ie Green flashing LED, what voltage are you seeing on the input to the inverter?
Bas + Eve said
08:59 PM Jan 4, 2021
12.9 v
LeighW said
10:21 PM Jan 4, 2021
12.9V sounds reasonable, if your monitoring the voltage and it is constant but the unit is shutting down before it should it just sounds like a faulty. I'm assuming your load on the inverter is well under 600W so temperature should be an issue.
How old is the inverter, have you tried contacting Projecta as their support people are supposed to be pretty good?
Bas + Eve said
10:40 PM Jan 4, 2021
Its really strange Leigh. Turned it on tonight....no problems. Night before.....every 45 minutes. Inverter 10 yrs old. When I find the problem I will let you all know. Thanks for your input.
Bas
Mike Harding said
06:51 AM Jan 5, 2021
You say the inverter is cutting out because it senses an input voltage which is too high:
A couple of thoughts:
1 - The inverter has an intermittent fault in its HV sensing circuit - a dry joint perhaps? Not much to be done.
2 - The inverter's HV sensing circuit is too quick to respond and is tripping when it see a short term spike such as may be caused by an inductive item on the caravan wiring switching off.
A possible solution to 2 is to fit a transient suppression diode *directly* to the inverter input terminals:
The TransZorb could go a little higher in its voltage (18V perhaps) but it's a trade off against being too high to beat the inverter circuit.
LeighW said
10:09 AM Jan 5, 2021
Bas + Eve wrote:
Its really strange Leigh. Turned it on tonight....no problems. Night before.....every 45 minutes. Inverter 10 yrs old. When I find the problem I will let you all know. Thanks for your input. Bas
What was different if anything from the night before, heater on, hotter or colder night, anything else running etc. Were you at the same location?
Bas + Eve said
08:19 PM Jan 5, 2021
Everything exactly the same. There was a small harness of wires running up close to the inverter, attempted to move them away from inverter, not much success.
LeighW said
10:57 AM Jan 7, 2021
Sounds like a temperamental unit, run it past Projecta.
Is the load too small. Maybe try running something else as well to increase the load & see what happens.
Hi Bas + Eve
I am having exactly the same problem with my Genpower 2000W inverter. Random times after I start using the nuwave portable induction cooktop (on 900W mode) or microwave oven (800W oven which draws up to 1100W), the inverter will beep and the machine will stop working. A few seconds later the inverter will turn back on again.
Are you sure that it is a high voltage alarm as opposed to a low voltage alarm. The Genpower inverter turns off when the battery voltage is above about 15-16 volts, and also turns off when the battery voltage is below about 10 volts.
I have an Enerdrive ePRO plus battery monitor and shunt, and a 600 Amp shut off switch in the circuit with the inverter. The wires in the circuit ("O" gauge cable) get very warm when I run the induction cooktop. I was wondering whether there could be high resistance somewhere in the circuit which is decreasing the voltage over the inverter to below the 10 volt mark and thus turning off the inverter.
What do you think?
Sorry I'm going off topic.
When I was running my 3 compressors the cable I was using was getting warm. I upgraded it from 6awg to 4awg & it made all the difference.
Run a second cable so your total cross sectional area is at least an additional 50%.
From memory you said that the cutting out only happened with the Foxtel box.
If that's the case it's the 240v side.
Hi Bas +Eve
My two cents worth. It may be possible the inverter sensing the high voltage is triggered by the solar controller being slow to react under low load conditions, and allowing a surge to the battery before it switches off. Some PWM are slow reacting. As the load you are using is very light, when the controller is controlling the battery near its high voltage limit it momentarily goes high and the inverter senses this and switches off, then it is corrected so it switches back on.
Jaahn
It should be easy to see if it is the solar controller which is causing the problem by testing it at night.
I found that it doesn't matter if I use the inverter in the day or the night, I still get the same intermittent stoppages.
"The inverter shows 12.9v when it cuts off. Hb alarm per manual should be 15.5v"
Hmmm my 2 cents worth..you say the alarm is triggered ...maybe the alarm has also a low voltage alarm for input ..the inverter shows 12.9 volts...try to measure the input voltage to the inverter at this time...my thoughts a foxtel box and Tv should draw 250-300 watts max...try to simulate this load with some other device ..draw this power from inverter and see if you can simulate fault..also i wonder what the state of your house batteries are ..perhaps they are getting an initial charge but quickly discharging when a load demand is required...a small appliance loading the inveryer and some voltage measurement of both input and output to and from inverter might point you in the right direction...Just my 2 cents worth..and before all the gurus shoot me down in flames ...take it easy on me as i still have a lot of xmas spirit in me ..
Hi Derek
Yes I believe it is more likely the inverter is tripping out because of low voltage. Now causes could be; 1 because the battery cannot keep the voltage up enough under that load, or 2 there is too much resistance in the wires(too long) and connectors, shunt etc, or 3 a badly made connection in the system or 4 combination of all the above .
The only way to find out is to get a multi meter and measure the voltages at the battery terminals, then at each step of the way from the battery and back again while under the inverter load. See if there is a gradual loss of voltage or a bigger drop at some connection. But if you get say half a volt at each step you have lost enough to trip out !!
Good luck jaahn
If the high voltage alarm is triggering ie Green flashing LED, what voltage are you seeing on the input to the inverter?
12.9V sounds reasonable, if your monitoring the voltage and it is constant but the unit is shutting down before it should it just sounds like a faulty. I'm assuming your load on the inverter is well under 600W so temperature should be an issue.
How old is the inverter, have you tried contacting Projecta as their support people are supposed to be pretty good?
You say the inverter is cutting out because it senses an input voltage which is too high:
A couple of thoughts:
1 - The inverter has an intermittent fault in its HV sensing circuit - a dry joint perhaps? Not much to be done.
2 - The inverter's HV sensing circuit is too quick to respond and is tripping when it see a short term spike such as may be caused by an inductive item on the caravan wiring switching off.
A possible solution to 2 is to fit a transient suppression diode *directly* to the inverter input terminals:
TransZorb
The TransZorb could go a little higher in its voltage (18V perhaps) but it's a trade off against being too high to beat the inverter circuit.
What was different if anything from the night before, heater on, hotter or colder night, anything else running etc. Were you at the same location?