Can anyone answer question about Prosine inverter and charging?

[belfert]

Okay, so my friend and I got my inverter working again.  We think perhaps the control wires from the main control board to the board with the relay on it may not have been connected all the way, but not really sure.  The inverter is a Prosine 3.0 24 volt.  We did get a bunch of various errors from the inverter along the way, but those seem to have cleared up.

The Prosine 3.0 inverter doesn't seem to be charging the batteries properly.  The charging voltage is less than 26 volts on bulk charge.  It was over 28 volts on bulk charge before taking the thing apart.  I double checked that all the settings for battery type and such are still correct.

Anybody familiar with this inverter and the charging voltage?  I will call Xantrex tomorrow, but I am not hopeful getting an answer from them.

[Sean]

Brian,

The first question I would ask is:  How low are the batteries?

Remember that bulk charge is done by amps, not volts.  The charger will bring the voltage up as far as it needs (or it can) to provide the correct current to the batteries, or the max current of which it is capable.

If the batteries are very low, it's possible that 26 volts is as high as the charger can get within its maximum current limitation.  As the batteries charge, you will see the voltage rise to the proper operating voltage for the current required until the charger moves into the absorption phase, at which point the voltage will drop down to the absorption level until float.

It the batteries are already full, then the charger will never initiate bulk, or the bulk voltage will be very low simply because the batteries are not demanding more charge.

It is also important that you have properly configured the inverter for battery type and size.  Make sure DIP switch 1 on bank one is UP for flooded or AGM batteries (down is for gel, and that will get you a lower voltage) and that switches 5-8 on switch bank 2 are properly set for the size of your battery bank.  Also, make sure switches 3 and 4 on switch bank 2, which control the AC input current, are both DOWN to get maximum charge rate.

HTH,

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Brian,

The voltages you told us is well in proper range. What you should be looking for in Amps..

Maybe your display is not showing amprage input into the battery bank. This is where your concerns should be when charging your bank.

Your 3024 should have a 150 amp charger built in and I think you can read the distructions for how to display it on your panel.

Good Luck
Nick-

Sean beat me to it! He knows more then I

[belfert]

The Prosine 3.0 only has a 60 amp charger.  The batteries started at 24.0 volts according to the inverter panel.  My voltmeter measured 23.9 volts.  The inverter only has gel or flooded settings.  The battery manufacturer said to use the gel setting.  On flooed, the battereis got 28.8 volts and they were gurgling.

The charger is currently putting out the full 60 amps according to the panel.  Bulk charge is supposed to be 27.6 to 29.6 volts.  The charger is actually up to 27.6 volts now so I guess it is working fine.  I am just used to it putting out a lot more voltage, but the batteries were over 25 volts to start.

[belfert]

Ok, the inverter appears to be working just fine now.  The voltages are more where I normally see them.

I was worried I broke something when we took the inverter apart and put it back together.  You always get paranoid when you takes things apart.

[chris4905]

Brian,

I also have a Prosine 3.0, 24V model.  From the specs your giving it sounds like your reading from documentation.

I hope I'm not being redundant, but I've pulled my ownership papers and for what it's worth, here ya go............  

The papers I've pulled from my files shows our unit has 60A charge rate (just like you said), the 12V unit has a 120A charger for what it's worth.

My papers show the 3000W Prosine has a 60 amp continuous duty charger, multi-stage battery charger.  The output voltage charge (depending on settings) should be 27.6 - 29.6.  The output voltage float (again depending on settings) is 26.2 - 28.4.  The output voltage equalize (whatever that is) is rated at 28.0 - 36.0.

I'm checking the owner's manual troubleshooting section.  I sound like if the batteries are overcharged you should get a fault condition indication. You haven't mentioned your getting a fault indicator, so I would think your not.  If you are and need interpretation of the fault number post it and I check.

This probably doesn't help much.

Good luck.

[chris4905]

Brian,

You posted while I was writing my post, glad to see your back in business.

Chris