New Diesel Generator

[Skyco]

Inverters- Hmmm. I have several ranging from 400 watts to 2000 watts. At my mountain hideaway I don't have commercial power so I use a 4000 watt gas genset if I have to run the AC in hot weather or the microwave oven. The 2000 watt inverter will run the microwave but it doesn't like it...takes twice as long to cook something Someday I'll have to throw the o'scope on its output to see just how poor it is, it is an el cheapo.
BTW some years back I had an inverter fail. When it did it apparently shot a nice high voltage spike back into the 12v bus, frying a $1,000 ham radio. I was not happy

 

[SnowRidge]

BTW some years back I had an inverter fail. When it did it apparently shot a nice high voltage spike back into the 12v bus, frying a $1,000 ham radio. I was not happy

There may be a lesson here. My wife wants to do "green power" at the new place we are planning, which will mean solar panels and a sine wave inverter. Your experience indicates it would be a good idea to clamp the 12 volt line to some safe value in order to protect other 12 volt equipment, should the inverter fail.

Thank you. I will keep that in mind.

 

[RonMar]

Inverters- Hmmm. I have several ranging from 400 watts to 2000 watts. At my mountain hideaway I don't have commercial power so I use a 4000 watt gas genset if I have to run the AC in hot weather or the microwave oven. The 2000 watt inverter will run the microwave but it doesn't like it...takes twice as long to cook something Someday I'll have to throw the o'scope on its output to see just how poor it is, it is an el cheapo.
BTW some years back I had an inverter fail. When it did it apparently shot a nice high voltage spike back into the 12v bus, frying a $1,000 ham radio. I was not happy

You are probably running a modified sine wave inverter. Inductive loads of which a microwave oven is, derive the bulk of thier energy from the peak section of the pulse. Since you have less peak in a modified sine, you are delivering less energy which is why the microwave takes longer to cook.

There may be a lesson here. My wife wants to do "green power" at the new place we are planning, which will mean solar panels and a sine wave inverter. Your experience indicates it would be a good idea to clamp the 12 volt line to some safe value in order to protect other 12 volt equipment, should the inverter fail.:

I would say if you are planning the majority of your power comming from the inverter, I would reccomend something more than a 12V system. 24 or 48V at least. The conversion from higher DC voltages is more efficient as well as the loading applied to the cells. Watts are Watts. A 12V battery bank has to supply 4 times the current of a 48V bank for a given inverter load. The greater the current drain from a battery, the greater the losses due to internal resistance and heat.

 

[SnowRidge]

You are probably running a modified sine wave inverter. Inductive loads of which a microwave oven is, derive the bulk of thier energy from the peak section of the pulse. Since you have less peak in a modified sine, you are delivering less energy which is why the microwave takes longer to cook.



I would say if you are planning the majority of your power comming from the inverter, I would reccomend something more than a 12V system. 24 or 48V at least. The conversion from higher DC voltages is more efficient as well as the loading applied to the cells. Watts are Watts. A 12V battery bank has to supply 4 times the current of a 48V bank for a given inverter load. The greater the current drain from a battery, the greater the losses due to internal resistance and heat.

Agreed, that was quick reply without much thought to it, other than the light bulb going off in my head when I read about letting the smoke out of the ham rig.

I have quite a bit of experience with battery equipped DC systems, including living off of them. I've lived off of 12 volts, but also had to deal with 24, 48, 60 and even one 110 volt DC system. When the time comes, we'll choose the technology and voltage that makes the most sense from a design and financial standpoint.

 

[Soundguy]

There may be a lesson here. My wife wants to do "green power" at the new place we are planning, which will mean solar panels and a sine wave inverter. Your experience indicates it would be a good idea to clamp the 12 volt line to some safe value in order to protect other 12 volt equipment, should the inverter fail.

Thank you. I will keep that in mind.

I've made plenty of ac line surge protectors, and dc ones as well. it's pretty easy to setup a system using a couple bucks of components and a fuse so that a votlage spike above your threshold? 16v say.. would make trigger a short and cause excessive current thru the supply fuse, thus shutting it down. zenir diodes come to mind, as well as reverse polarity protector diodes in key places, and might as well throw an MOV and NE bulb to catch the really high stuff..

soundguy

 

[SnowRidge]

I've made plenty of ac line surge protectors, and dc ones as well. it's pretty easy to setup a system using a couple bucks of components and a fuse so that a votlage spike above your threshold? 16v say.. would make trigger a short and cause excessive current thru the supply fuse, thus shutting it down. zenir diodes come to mind, as well as reverse polarity protector diodes in key places, and might as well throw an MOV and NE bulb to catch the really high stuff..

soundguy

I've built them too. We used to buy Transtector avalanche diodes and make our own lightning protectors for our solar powered radio systems.

 

[Bigbear]

Received the generator, charged battery, oil and fuel, hit the switch and away she went. Had my electrician friend check out the voltage part and he was impressed with the output. The fuel comsumption is great, compared to the gas generators, so far, so good, only time will tell. Thanks for all the input guys, for someone on a budget like me, I would have to give this generator a thumbs up. BEAR

 

[Soundguy]

If ever in doubt.. get a graphing / freq reading VOM, and leave it hooked up and just walk by and check oue the sine wave every now and then.. and when under high load.. and under full load.

Genies usually put out nice sine wave as it is pretty much same stuff the utility gives you off mag and copper... freq will be the issue..

Soundguy

 

[Dan Lamb]

Thank all you gentleman for your input , there are many options and ideas . The knowledge ,expertise and just good old school commonsense is appreciated very much , Thank You , Nor Cal Dan