| Author | Message | ||
     Just_ziptab |
I have a Victor MAXX SST power inverter(12V to 120V) to run my heating system in case of a power failure........ as I am the last house on the line.....so,last guy to get back on line. The heat system requires only 6 amps to run two water circulation pumps in a wood heat boiler. The problem is that I can not just plug the inverter directly into the house power system to run the thing as it has to be ungrounded..............even tho it has a ground lug on the inverter. What I have to do per instructions)is unplug the two corded pumps and run extension cords from them to the inverter. What would happen if I grounded the inverter to the house system with it's ground lug and run the heat system thru it's own dedicated circuit? Is something going to go "poof" and why? I have a bank of deep cycle 12 volt batteries that will probably last a number of days, just running the heat alone. Some say I have to get a 1:1 transformer......that gets spendy and will also shorten the time frame that I can run on batteries. Help. Thanks! | ||
| Dalton_gang |
You should be fine if you hook it up the way that you described. The neutral wire (white) on your house powered branch circuits are grounded by being bonded to the grounding wire(green or bare). It is confusing but you gotta understand that there is a difference between grounded and grounding. The grounding lug on the inverter should be connected to earth ground. I think that the neutral wire coming from the secondary side of the inverter is what they don`t want grounded. Most likely because it is solid state rather than inductive and if you bond the neutral (white) to ground it will go "poof". I am suggesting that you contact the manufacture and verify everything that you have a question about then test it a couple of times before you need to rely on it. | ||
| Ratbuell |
You should also use a transfer switch, to keep power (any voltage) from going back out of your house into the lines that guys are working on. | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
The problem is that I can not just plug the inverter directly into the house power system Good idea. When normal power was restored by the power company you'd get a back feed to the inverter | ||
| Just_ziptab |
That makes sense.......My 200 amp power panel is bonded............so the neutral wire on the inverter would go to ground thru the bonded panel.......poof, I guess.....unless I unground the heating system. I have an outlet on the boiler to connect the power cord from the inverter to it.......so I guess to do it right, I will need to wire in a disconnect up stream on the boiler and that would make the boiler isolated/stand alone. Run an extension cord to the fridge and I'm all set with heat and cold food. Worse case would be to drag out the generator and baby sit it with fuel, which was the whole deal with the 12/120 inverter........when gasoline was going to eat me alive.....plus the pain in the ass of baby sitting the generator with fuel in an extended power outage. The batteries are near new,deep cycle fork truck take outs that I got for $5.50 each x 6, wired parallel. I would think that they would run with a 6 amp draw(3 amps idle) for days. I'll have to figure out the disconnect and run it on just one battery till it shuts down and that will give me an idea,x 6 on how long the whole set connected would run. Thanks! (Message edited by just_ziptab on December 14, 2008) | ||
| Just_ziptab |
I've run the generator in a test and just shut off the main 200 amp breaker in the power panel.....is that good enuf or would I need to hit the disconnect at the power meter? Don't want to shock my friends at the light plant....... | ||
| Jasonk |
Disonnection of the main breaker is adequate. Disconnection at the power meter is considered tampering of utility property, and could land you in hot water, pun intended. | ||
| Brumbear |
shutting off the main is a very very good idea. Every time I lose power I use a generater a little 3.5K powers everything but the water pump fridge and dryer. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Thanks guys. Appreciate the info! BTW, my meter box has a disconnect on it below the meter that is owner accessible....which also means a "friend" could dick with me and shut off my power............  | ||
| Xbduck |
Jasonk is correct don't play with the power meter, unless your house is about to burn down. Been there done that. | ||
| Ferrisbuellersdayoff |
Ziptab, Just do what I do since we have hurricane season and we can afford an on call generator, we have a 12kW portable unit in the garage. Ran an exhaust pipe outside the wall, and made an outlaw cord. Get 2 dryer plug cord caps and some 6/3 SO cord. Attach the cord caps to either end of the SO cord green ground screw, white goes to the silver screw, and hots are usually gold screws. turn off main circuit breaker to the whole house, and everything else in the panel. plug the outlaw cord into the generator, and then to the dryer outlet. Turn on gen. then turn on the dryer breaker. the dryer breaker is now your new temporary main breaker. turn on your refrigerator breaker and what ever breaker co-controls the smoke detector system. Food preservation, and family safety first. a couple lighting and outlet circuits with limited draw on them. DO NOT RUN ANYTHING ELECTRONIC!!! Do not opperate the computer, TV, DVD player, Sterio, Sat. dish/cable box. Generators do not have a consistant sine wave and the unstable flow of power can destroy power supplies to your electronic devices. To fix that, you need to use a battery charger hard wired to an inverter. The inverter produces an artificial perfect sine wave. safely allowing use of laptop/desktop/TV/sterio. | ||
| Cycleaddict |
my "honda" 2000& yamaha 6500 run my computers, t.v.s etc. just fine . on the construction grade generators you need to at least check the output for proper voltage - usually 120 v. @3600 rpm with a load . yer ole ladies hair dryer makes a good load test. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
When power fails in the winter, I don't need no "convenient/entertainment" appliances.......just heat and food. Roughing it(napping with no worries), in house or.......... out on the sled...........  | ||
| Ferrisbuellersdayoff |
Cycleaddict, its not the voltage you need to worry about its the Hz, a generator with no load on it has a peak Hz well above 60Hz and that can be fatal for electronic devices. A simple hair dryer isnt exactly a good method of test. You need to really put a hurt on the engine speed. As an appliance repairman you know the such. But the hard wired inverter to a battery charger is a heavily tested remedy. 2 months of no power during the hurricanes of 2004. Only mofo on the block with a hot shower. Another tip to anyone who does the "outlaw" rig, consolidate living quarters, a window shaker a/c unit can cool a single bedroom easily. |
