Mecer 5kva inverter battery drain

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azzietj

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Hi everyone, I have a Mecer 5kva inverter that gets charged using Eskom mains and no solar panels. I installed it in early 2019 and it worked perfectly during load shedding and could even last 18 hours. However, since the beginning of 2020, it barely lasts 45 mins. Electricians have said I need to replace the 4 gel batteries with lithium but that’s another 30k I’m not prepared to fork out yet. They also tested the charge of each battery and said there’s no problem with them but couldn’t explain why they were discharging so quickly.
I know nothing about electrical work and inverters so I’m not sure if there’s a setting I can change in the inverter or what to do now. I just want this system to last through load shedding as it did in the past. If anyone is able to assist I would really appreciate it!
 
sounds like your batteries are on the way out?

Battery life depends on many factors: capacity, ambient temperature, number of usage cycles, etc.

One way to find out would be to disconnect the batteries from the inverter, and then hook one or all of the batteries to a constant known load and see how long they last.
 
azzietj said:
Hi everyone, I have a Mecer 5kva inverter that gets charged using Eskom mains and no solar panels. I installed it in early 2019 and it worked perfectly during load shedding and could even last 18 hours. However, since the beginning of 2020, it barely lasts 45 mins. Electricians have said I need to replace the 4 gel batteries with lithium but that’s another 30k I’m not prepared to fork out yet. They also tested the charge of each battery and said there’s no problem with them but couldn’t explain why they were discharging so quickly.
I know nothing about electrical work and inverters so I’m not sure if there’s a setting I can change in the inverter or what to do now. I just want this system to last through load shedding as it did in the past. If anyone is able to assist I would really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
What is connected on the inverter and how big is the battery bank, Ah?
 
Talking about settings, have you ever fiddled with the inverter settings or has it ever acted up promoting some fiddling? Because what I suspect is that your inverter could be switching over to the battery and draining it, there's actually a setting on the inverter that you should enable to prevent this from happening.
 
azzietj said:
Hi everyone, I have a Mecer 5kva inverter that gets charged using Eskom mains and no solar panels. I installed it in early 2019 and it worked perfectly during load shedding and could even last 18 hours. However, since the beginning of 2020, it barely lasts 45 mins. Electricians have said I need to replace the 4 gel batteries with lithium but that’s another 30k I’m not prepared to fork out yet. They also tested the charge of each battery and said there’s no problem with them but couldn’t explain why they were discharging so quickly.
I know nothing about electrical work and inverters so I’m not sure if there’s a setting I can change in the inverter or what to do now. I just want this system to last through load shedding as it did in the past. If anyone is able to assist I would really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
I would suggest just replace that equipment completely, forget about the batteries (which are likely vrot by now from the sound of your discharge patterns).


Will cost you 30k though, as you'll need an inverter, and some lithium batteries (probably only 2.5KW for that sort of budget and an inverter). Lithium will let you use the entire 2.5KW though, unlike Lead Acid where you'd need 5KW to have 2.5KW usable...
 
What were you running on the output side during load shedding in 2019 up until now. Your batteries may have taken a beating?
How many batteries?
Is it in a 48 volt configuration?
How many Amps are the batteries rated at?

From this data we will be able to get a clearer picture of your setup
 
itareaninotanl said:
I would suggest just replace that equipment completely, forget about the batteries (which are likely vrot by now from the sound of your discharge patterns).


Will cost you 30k though, as you'll need an inverter, and some lithium batteries (probably only 2.5KW for that sort of budget and an inverter). Lithium will let you use the entire 2.5KW though, unlike Lead Acid where you'd need 5KW to have 2.5KW usable...
Click to expand...

He already has an inverter, why would he need another one?
 
Naks said:
sounds like your batteries are on the way out?

Battery life depends on many factors: capacity, ambient temperature, number of usage cycles, etc.

One way to find out would be to disconnect the batteries from the inverter, and then hook one or all of the batteries to a constant known load and see how long they last.
Click to expand...
Also how much load is drawing from them. High loads like kettles will kill them faster AFAIK.
 
azzietj said:
Hi everyone, I have a Mecer 5kva inverter that gets charged using Eskom mains and no solar panels. I installed it in early 2019 and it worked perfectly during load shedding and could even last 18 hours. However, since the beginning of 2020, it barely lasts 45 mins. Electricians have said I need to replace the 4 gel batteries with lithium but that’s another 30k I’m not prepared to fork out yet. They also tested the charge of each battery and said there’s no problem with them but couldn’t explain why they were discharging so quickly.
I know nothing about electrical work and inverters so I’m not sure if there’s a setting I can change in the inverter or what to do now. I just want this system to last through load shedding as it did in the past. If anyone is able to assist I would really appreciate it!
Click to expand...
Batteries are poked. Probably the 18 hours that killed them.
 
This is a true story.
I was at my MIL when loadshedding hit (this was a few years ago).
She had a 4Kw inverter at the time (a lovely Studer-Innotec C4000 Swiss-made thing) and four big lead acids mounted outside in a closet. The electrician had wired it to the lounge and kitchen - not the bedrooms.
So the power goes off during lunch and she goes to the kitchen, puts on the kettle, turns on all the lights, goes to the lounge, turns on the TV, and all the lights (24 x 40w halogen downlights nogal!). Then comes back to the table.
I said "WTF are you doing?"
She says: "Well, the way I understood it from the guy who put the system in, I'm now getting free power, and he said I have to use it"
When I got over my shock, I asked her "How long does your emergency power last?"
"Oh, only about half an hour. I'm actually not very happy with it and have been meaning to get the electrician back to see if there's something wrong"
I proceeded to explain a few things to her...
Like I said, true story.
 
Never drain a lead-acid battery more than 15% if you want it to last. I fitted a 40 a/h battery at an apartment complex in 2012. There is a circuit that disconnects the battery if it drops below 11.5 VDC. It can last 5 hours supplying 1 amp for the intercom, locks and card readers

After 9 years the battery can still charge up to 82%
 
chrisc said:
Never drain a lead-acid battery more than 15% if you want it to last. I fitted a 40 a/h battery at an apartment complex in 2012. There is a circuit that disconnects the battery if it drops below 11.5 VDC. It can last 5 hours supplying 1 amp for the intercom, locks and card readers

After 9 years the battery can still charge up to 82%
Click to expand...
11.5V is around 80% drain.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. Basically one fridge, lights and all plugs are connected to it. The geyser and stove is not. I’ve tried pressing buttons on the inverter to see the settings but I have no idea what I’m doing or looking at? I can post pictures of the settings that might help?
 
azzietj said:
Thanks everyone for the replies. Basically one fridge, lights and all plugs are connected to it. The geyser and stove is not. I’ve tried pressing buttons on the inverter to see the settings but I have no idea what I’m doing or looking at? I can post pictures of the settings that might help?
Click to expand...
Don't you have the manual?
 
azzietj said:
I do but it doesn’t give much info regarding changing settings. It’s basically for the initial setup and troubleshooting. I’ll try look at it again though as I might’ve missed something
Click to expand...
Okay, let me see if I can't find the settings for you.
 
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