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Question of the Day: If you were buying a TV today, which brand would you choose?
Axpert invertors
- Thread starter Draganchor
- Start date
SilverNodashi
Expert Member
Hi All
This thread has been hugely informative, thanks everyone for sharing!
I have the 3KVA Axpert with 2 x 102Ah DC31 batteries. I am very satisfied with it
Here are some of my observations/comments:
- I can confirm that my neutral floated at 58V when running off batteries. I have subsequently bonded the neutral to live just before the output EL breaker as was suggested.
- My supply neutral is most certainly bonded in the meter box outside the house. I took a nice picture to show it, but I'm not allowed to upload images yet... <hint hint admins>
- My TV used to go off for about a second when I switched from bypass to battery and back but that has since been rectified by setting option 3 to UPS (the setting name "AC input voltage range" is not very clear IMHO). I can also see the flicker in the lights when switching over is noticeably shorter.
- I found that by default the inverter does indeed not allow you to draw more than the rated power even in bypass mode, BUT this can be overridden by toggling setting 23 (overload bypass) to enabled. I don't plan to run huge loads in bypass, but I don't want the inverter to cut the grid supply if I am marginally over the rated limit for short periods.
- I did use to run my kettle successfully from the inverter supply (in bypass mode) using the setting above, but subsequently rewired the kitchen plugs as to avoid that because the inverter registered 130% load which made me itchy.
- The alarm/beeps are insanely loud but can be switched off for normal operations (button presses and running in UPS mode).
- My system is installed in a storage room because the fan is very noisy when charging or in battery mode.
- I have a huge DB (3 rows), so have dedicated a section for the alternative power (I use EL and a separate neutral bar)
- I am just waiting for ACDC express to get their DIN mounted indicator lights order in (only about R35), then my setup should be completed. I don't use any PV for now.
- I run all my house lights, computer, ADSL, Wifi, cordless, TV, home entertainment system, PS3, all the plugs in the bedrooms (chargers etc), microwave and fridge (yes I know it's not necessary but it shares the microwave plug). Fine for 2h loadshedding but I only use the microwave for quick heating, not cooking.
Use a surge arrestor. It has a light, and will give some protection
Getafixx
Active Member
I guess that was just a typo, surely not neutral to live, but neutral to earth?
Haha, imagine that...
Fixed the typo, txDollyAAAA
Well-Known Member
Hi All
This thread has been hugely informative, thanks everyone for sharing!
I have the 3KVA Axpert with 2 x 102Ah DC31 batteries. I am very satisfied with it
Glad you're another happy customer!
Now if we can only get Eskom to do some load shedding...
It's safer to use the VA rating, unless you know that the inverter can do more than 1000VA. Manufacturers love to claim 1000W usage but they might not tell you that they assume a high powerfactor so then the VA and Watts are almost the same.
At ~336VA you are at 33% potentially. If you don't add inductive loads and things like laser printers you could still add some stuff. I wouldn't go beyond 75% though.
Custom Battery Voltage settings
Hi All
I also have an Axpert 3Kv 24V unit, recently installed with 2x Ritar 100A (RA12-100AD)
Connected to partitioned DB Board, only connected to lights circuit (All LED), max 250W with all lights on.
I just have a few questions, I'm sure the more than helpful guys can answer
(1)
According to the specs of the battery,
Equalization & Cycle service should be : 14.6 - 14.8V
I understand this to be the charge rate
Float charging voltage : 13.6 - 13.8V
Float charge rate of course
I have used the "Custom" values in setting 5, instead of "AGM"
The default for the "AGM" setting is
Setting 26 - 28.2V Bulk Charge (14.1V per Battery)
Setting 27 - 27V Float (13.5V per battery)
I felt it a tad low for the batteries, is it recommended to use the settings as below?
Setting 26 (Charge) - 29.2V (14.6V per battery)
Setting 27 (Float) - 27.6V (13.8V per battery)
(2)
The low voltage cutoff.
Setting 29
What is the recommended value to protect the battery from falling below 30% DOD?
I have used 23V for now, as I understand it, under load, the battery should never drop below
11.5V each, after disconnecting the load, it should rise back to ~12.5V each.
Hi All
I also have an Axpert 3Kv 24V unit, recently installed with 2x Ritar 100A (RA12-100AD)
Connected to partitioned DB Board, only connected to lights circuit (All LED), max 250W with all lights on.
I just have a few questions, I'm sure the more than helpful guys can answer
(1)
According to the specs of the battery,
Equalization & Cycle service should be : 14.6 - 14.8V
I understand this to be the charge rate
Float charging voltage : 13.6 - 13.8V
Float charge rate of course
I have used the "Custom" values in setting 5, instead of "AGM"
The default for the "AGM" setting is
Setting 26 - 28.2V Bulk Charge (14.1V per Battery)
Setting 27 - 27V Float (13.5V per battery)
I felt it a tad low for the batteries, is it recommended to use the settings as below?
Setting 26 (Charge) - 29.2V (14.6V per battery)
Setting 27 (Float) - 27.6V (13.8V per battery)
(2)
The low voltage cutoff.
Setting 29
What is the recommended value to protect the battery from falling below 30% DOD?
I have used 23V for now, as I understand it, under load, the battery should never drop below
11.5V each, after disconnecting the load, it should rise back to ~12.5V each.
Getafixx
Active Member
Use a surge arrestor. It has a light, and will give some protection
Not that I need surge protection on the inverter output (right?) and it costs R400, not R40. But seems like stock is still a few weeks away so I might just do that.
Use a surge arrestor. It has a light, and will give some protection
That is pointless, you cannot trust it. If the light is off it is either A) there is no power or B) the arrestor has failed.
Worst indicator light ever.
Dimpie (JIGSAW)
Honorary Master
Not 100% sure, but I think on the 60A units the AC & Solar chargers can work simultaneously 
Getafixx
Active Member
I have actually been load shedded only twice since the installation and haven't checked! But I know it's not much.
I wanted to do a 2h test tonight but my wife wanted the panel heaters on.
I did manage to do a quick test and with all the lights and the techie stuff on the current drawn from the batteries is 18A. So if that remains constant DOD should be 18% after 2h (for 200Ah batteries).
But I'll do a real test at some stage.
mmacleod
Well-Known Member
Its a pity, I was hoping they were DC rated in the region of 100A.
Just to bring this topic back. I've been shopping now for my DC breakers and this is what I found.
ACDC stocks Gewiss AC breakers t hat are dual rated for DC, they will give you the DC rating on request. However for larger voltage/amperage combinations they will tell you to use e.g. a 2 or 3 pole with wiring to feed only one pole through it, this makes it quite pricey for higher amperages and isn't ideal...
Prices come in at about R75->R100 for lower voltages e.g. R75 for 48V 30A but e.g. 120V 30A will set you back ~R480.
I don't honestly like the idea of something designed for one thing and then 'downrated' for another - even if they do lots of testing to do the rating it still leaves me uneasy, so I did a bit more shopping for proper DC breakers.
CBI has a few ranges of proper DC breakers (QDC is the main one) - which you can get through voltex or cronlec a.o.
For larger voltage/amperage it actually works out cheaper to get the proper thing, prices are:
125V 10A R136
125V 30A R152
80V 50A R127
80V 63A R130
I think it is worth the extra to get proper breakers actually designed for DC, so I'll be using CBI breakers for all my stuff.
The CBI DC stuff does go quite high, well over 100A so you may want to get pricing on that if you are still looking.
Last edited:
http://cbi-lowvoltage.co.za/media-gallery/lightbox/96/215
http://cbi-lowvoltage.co.za/system/...es Circuit breakers Data Sheet.pdf?download=1
Ratings up to 150A according to the CBI low voltage web-site.
Also worth noting that DC breakers are almost always polarity sensitive. Does not seem to be the case for the 80 V DC CBI breaker (not polarity sensitive).
That is quite nice.
mmacleod
Well-Known Member
The bad part though is that there seems to be a 4 weeks lead time, not sure if that is just Cronlec though or a general CBI problem, so not something to order at the last minute...
Anyway I'd rather wait than get the wrong thing.
As the DC breakers are magnetic they also aren't influenced by temperature etc. which makes me feel a bit safer than the AC ones that "also have DC ratings".
All CBI breakers are hydraulic magnetic (even the AC ones). That is why they are so expensive.
And the lead time means it is a custom order. Takes that long if they need to have it made up for you.
This is based on my experience with CBI (bought quite a lot of them recently). Had to have a 3P+N breaker made up which was 3 week lead time due to it being custom made.
I'm using 22x58 100A fuses on the battery.
I paid R135 for the DIN mount holder and fuses are R22 each from ACDC. I haven't popped any... yet
I've found that I don't come close to 100A though, maybe 50 if I really try.
Here's a video showing the fuse
youtube.com/watch?v=tr6VryzK9f8
I've put more info on my setup on my blog theloadshed.blogspot.com
Getafixx
Active Member
@scottwday, where did you get those gray spacers between the breakers? Do the pilot lights go into those spacers too or did you get them off the shelf like that?
Got the blanking plates (SP-FBD1M) from ACDC, they're R3 each.
Proper DIN mount pilot lights were super expensive when I was shopping, so I just got cheap pilot lamps, drilled a hole in the spacer and bam! DIN mount pilot lights for less than R15.
The green lamp has gone quite dim though. You get what you pay for I guess.