Off Grid Living / Camping > Off Grid Living / Alternative Housing
Powering AC with solar
gww:
Chris
When running on just solar, does your inverter have any start or run issues on the ac?
What is your start surge and run watts?
Thanks
gww
ChrisOlson:
The compressor's running amps is 9.6 @ 240V. Plus the fan in it draws like 1.2 amps @ 120V. And then you have to have the air handler in the house and that draws about 1.5 amp @ 240V. Without looking at the nameplate I believe the normal starting amps for the compressor is 28.7 @ 240V and locked rotor amps is around 50 @ 240V.
No, the inverter has no issues at all with it. The little diesel generator can't start the AC though. But using Gen Support the generator only has to deliver 2.4 kVA and the inverter does the heavy lifting like starting AC compressors. What I mean by that is that we can have a larger load on the system than what the generator can actually produce, like below, and it don't bother the generator or overload it because our inverter assists a small generator for overload and surge:
Like, this is total load on the system:
But this is the part that the generator is supplying to the loads on the AC2 input:
That's why we can use a tiny little generator for prime power to carry the base loads, and still run anything we want with it without fear of overloading the little generator.
--
Chris
gww:
When you talk locked rotor amps, you are saying starting the ac wile it is under pressure?
So the 12000 watt start up, How long does this last, tenth of a second, ten seconds or three minutes?
I know you have a zantrax inverter and know this thread is more about how good it works with a generator.
I have the grid but am just trying to see what inverters can handle. I have the 2 outbacks for 7200 watts but believe that the surge on them is only about 10000watts so it looks like it would not start your air conditioner. If I even understand the ratings.
Your pictures had more loads then just the air conditioner? I would love to be able to use the grid as you use your generator but in a way that it is impossible to have sell back.
I do understand how with the inverters help you can run heavyer loads then the generator will handle on its own. I am not quite understanding how your batteries get charged If you have heavy long term loads like the ac.
Thank you for your responce.
gww
ChrisOlson:
The startup load for the compressor is maybe 1 second or so. The locked rotor amps is when the compressor is shut off and then try to restart it right away before the high side bleeds off. It tries to start for about 2 - 3 seconds maybe then the overload on the compressor kicks out and it re-tries again after the overload resets. The inverter can put out 60 amps on both legs for 15 seconds, so it don't kick out when it does that. And it only does that if somebody turns the thermostat up in the house then turns it down again right away.
The diesel is taking the load off so the batteries can get caught up.
--
Chris
gww:
I get it the generator is running as much as it can. The solar is charging the batteries and picking up what the generator can't with the extra doing what it normally does, charge the batteries. Got it?
The generator only gets involved in the above fassion if the load is more then the inverter can handle on its own. Then the generator trys to take over and the inverter supports it.
This is based on amps needed and/or battery voltage.
So this would never work with the grid cause when the grid got called for it would handle it all with out help.
If I have screwed the above up let me know, other wise thanks very much.
gww
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