Energy Matters Forums

[Solar@wind]

Good afternoon, and a Merry Christmas .


I have a couple of 48 volt grid connect inverters of 2Kw that I would like to ret working.

They are "Rich Electronics /Tri Solar brand . They have the Torodial trannies in them and look well constructed ,Taiwanese< I'm told.

Does anyone have one , know of them, or know a good all-round repairer of these inverter on the Gold Coast or close by..

Thank You

Bruce

[davidg]

I suspect you're all out of luck, they've not been seriously actively sold that I'm aware since Jaycar stopped selling them some years ago.

No longer on the approved list of grid connect inverters and have not been for sometime. So if you expected to use them on the grid they would not be allowed nowadays.

If you want to use them in an SPS system then there are issues you'd have to deal with unless you have rest of the same brand based equipment to support them.

The toroidal transformers could be of use though.

[Solar@wind]

Thank You David , and wish you and family a Happy New Year.

You know about them , I have been told of them not being available and were sold by Jaycar.


I have 4 . a battery distributor guy in Ashmore ,Gold Coast passed them onto me ,they seem to have faults .


I,d like to fiddle with them to get them going ,2 Kw each, he reckoned there was not much wrong with them ,they appear in near new condition. Nice torodials in them .

I was wondering if anybody would be able to advise of a workshop manual ???? long shot,I know.

they light up , but come up with ----"No Utility". whatever that means,I could , or someone ,would be able to recognise that , and go the next step ,or know what that leads to ???

Thanks, David ,

Bruce

[davidg]

A grid connect inverter requires 2 critical things to work. A suitable amount of solar PV connected to it that works and a "grid" that is within the specifications of the inverter. So as you have indicated a no utility error appears and assuming it's not connected to a "grid" in some way then it will not work period.

[Solar@wind]

Hi David ,

I considered that if I supplied a 48 volt decent battery supply ,that would power up the unit , which it apparently has?.

Connecting to the grid may be the missing link?. but I have not connected this 240 v grid yet ,

so, maybe ,I need to get some advice before I take this next step ,
Thank you again,

Bruce

[Solar@wind]

Hi David ,

I have been thinking ,

The unit I have is a TriSolar MCI 2KW 48. (GRID CONNECT INVERTER-)is how they describe it.

It reports in the manual(handbook ) that it is a :standalone " unit .
and is suitable for times like an electrical blackout ,etc. .
I guess with these or this statement in mind , it acts ,when connected to a suitable 48 v battery supply , it behaves just like an inverter ????.(I connected a desk lamp to the ac output ,but it did not light. So you are right , it must also need ,instead of a direct connection to a desk light , a connection to the grid.. I will NOT do this until I get further advice, but that seems like what it requires(illegal),so I will NOT do it.

Maybe,,,,, it and the other 3 of them are perfectly capable of being an inverter connected to a 48 volt battery , but something inside needs 240 grid (but why do they then say ,"Perfect for blackouts" -it would be still connected to the grid ,which would be dead.)??
Dunno,,,,, something is missing??.

I thank you for your advice ,agree with you ,just trying to explain a bit more.

Bruce

Any other suggestions?

[davidg]

Without the manual, I can't suggest anything

However it may require an additional battery inverter from the same manufacturer to do the function/s you mentioned or are looking for.

On rich electric site it clearly indicates in the "combi" system arrangement a grid inverter requires more components to provide power in a blackout event.

[Solar@wind]

Hi David .Happy new Year,
A friend of mine found this , around the last pages might be interesting to work out a possible way of overcoming the grid connection, and maybe using it as a battery powered inverter --maybe..?????

http://www.rich-electric.com/index.php/ ... series/its about 80 pages of configuration drawings and other stuff ,you are correct in suggesting it may need additional units.. I have 4 of the mains connect type units ,that look to be in fairly new condition . If my wish to get them working as inverters fails , then the Torodial coils will make good diy inverter..

Bruce

[davidg]

Hi David .Happy new Year,
around the last pages might be interesting to work out a possible way of overcoming the grid connection, and maybe using it as a battery powered inverter --maybe..?????

Very Very unlikely. unless it is specifically designed to do so.

A grid inverter requires 2 specific things to go online and produce power. They require to see a suitable frequency, for Aus that is 50Hz and also a suitable AC voltage within a specific range, both of these MUST BE supplied from a external source. If either of these are missing it will NOT sync and will NOT come online to provide power. These are specific core requirements for a "grid connected" inverter to function and part of anti-islanding design.