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Axpert MKS 5KVA Inverter - 48V


Johan Brits

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2 minutes ago, Johann1982 said:

It does not always cause a dip on my system at home, also it maybe switches over once a month. The 3kva at the office makes my ups beep every time. Then I know I can go and check, one of the routers have frozen.

What does the router do when you remove power from the UPS and put the power back?  The reason why I'm asking, maybe the UPS "sees" the Axpert changeover as a "power failure" and responds to it by switching over to its own inverter and then soon thereafter switches back to the available mains input and maybe the Axpert's switch-over as well as the switch-over of the UPS is just too much for the router - maybe not even the power dip, but maybe a spike or two which the router does not like.  That's why I'm suggesting to test the UPS only and then maybe to run the router from the Axpert directly instead of via the UPS as well, unless it is already connected that way - so please explain why you have the UPS then.

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I have a 1Kva "powerstar" inverter one the only PC at home, which beeps everytime my Axpert switches between Eskom / solar / batteries (early morning and late afternoon), yet the PC, router and even the TV (not on UPS) and Android media player never "dips" with the changeover. I do see it in our LED lights though, and they don't like it that much. Setting 03 is set to UPS

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The small 3kva I have switches over quite often, especially when it is cloudy. If I run the router directly from the inverter it also freezes upon switchover. It is a mikrotik router that would drop a vpn running my voip system. It isn't the entire router that freezes, but it does drop the vpn. Only way to get it back up is to power cycle. The easiest fix would probably be an online double conversion ups, but smallest i can find is 1kva. A bit overkill for network equipment.

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Just now, Johann1982 said:

The small 3kva I have switches over quite often, especially when it is cloudy. If I run the router directly from the inverter it also freezes upon switchover. It is a mikrotik router that would drop a vpn running my voip system. It isn't the entire router that freezes, but it does drop the vpn. Only way to get it back up is to power cycle. The easiest fix would probably be an online double conversion ups, but smallest i can find is 1kva. A bit overkill for network equipment.

Run the mikrotik directly from a 12V battery, fed from by a charger. 

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2 minutes ago, SilverNodashi said:

I have a 1Kva "powerstar" inverter one the only PC at home, which beeps everytime my Axpert switches between Eskom / solar / batteries (early morning and late afternoon), yet the PC, router and even the TV (not on UPS) and Android media player never "dips" with the changeover. I do see it in our LED lights though, and they don't like it that much. Setting 03 is set to UPS

What is the reasoning behind running a normal (not online) UPS on the inverter (which is already a UPS)?  Why not run the PCs etc directly from the Axpert?

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Just now, superdiy said:

What is the reasoning behind running a normal (not online) UPS on the inverter (which is already a UPS)?  Why not run the PCs etc directly from the Axpert?

My accountant's PC use the UPS, and one day while she was busy with an accounting run the battery fuse blew. This was a year ago and she still insists on using it this way. I don't argue, she doesn't quit ;)

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Just now, Johann1982 said:

I have been contemplating doing it. Directly from the ups's battery as it already charges the battery when there is power. The other switches are a bit of a problem as some are 6v and others 9v.

Use a DC-DC buck booster. The ones I have adjust from 3V to 48V. works fine for my raspberry Pi at 5.2V

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Jip, it is the 10+-20ms changeover - will cause some devices to switch off.

PC's and similar devices are fine, actually all devices that have bigger caps in their PSU's. So cheaper UPS'es with 15-20ms changeover is 100%.

Not for newer TV's, DSTV, all devides with small PSU. Smaller caps so anything above 10+ms may cause them to switch off or dip. Not good in my opinion if it is frequent. 

Same applies with the lights, the dip when the break is more than 10+ms.

If one must use a UPS, and it is frequent changeover and Eskom is in the mix, online double conversion UPS. No break as the inverter runs 24/7/365. Eskom power is used to keep the batteries charged. Not very efficient but the best protection for equipment.

Have lost a online UPS when a electrician shorted the DB board thrice. Charger on the UPS was fried, equipment continued right through it all. Only found the problem 15 minutes later when the batts died.

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6 hours ago, Johann1982 said:

@ R100 each, I might just buy a couple. Thanks

Dude in Cape Town sells them cheap and ships super fast. On my two previous orders I ordered around 1AM at night, package arrived before noon on the same day!

http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/254080606/Step_Down_DC_Adjustable_Voltage_15W_3A_3_40v_to_2_35V.html

I don't see stock of the models with a current limit, I bought one of those as well, I think it was R75.

I use one of the above to drive under-counter LED lighting in the kitchen. I drive them at 9V instead of the 12V rating... cause we don't need that much light and then the lights last longer.

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  • 7 months later...

Hi to all

I'm newbie here in this forum, but anyway:

On first page of this forum was the question: "how reliable are Axpert 5kVA inverters. "

Here are my expiriencies with this type of inverter: it works very good with no problems almost 4 years up to  today, when I noticed malfunction in operation. What happened - the unit does not recognize the solar panels supply at all - there is no panel sign on screen, there is indicated 0 voltage and 0 current on screen, but all other funcions are works Ok, so only charging of batteries and direct power supply output from solar pannels supply is dead and not works.  I have checked - solar power supply is avaliable on inverter input and it is Ok like usual, so the internal electronis seem's to have a fault.

How to repair, I'm waiting for appripriate service manuals from somebody from forum - I know there is avaliable the file, but not for newbies, I can not download it yet.

In any case , when recieve it from somebody from forum, I will disconnect the unit, open it and after then  you would be informed about the findings and procedure.

Mybe could this repair help to somebody on forum with the same or similar problems.

Thanks'

 

maxo

 

 

 

 

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24 minutes ago, maxo said:

unit does not recognize the solar panels supply at all

It's happened to another member too. Because that model is a two-in-one thing, SCC (solar charge controller) and inverter built into one unit, it's possible that the SCC failed. 4 years isn't too bad considering what these things cost :-)

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Hello plonkster

 

Thank you for your reply and answer, I know the functions of the unit, like you wrote, failure of the SCC- this is also mine conclusion.

Do you know, what was the another member procedure- repair or , since here in Slovenia, we do not have any reperesentative service for Axpert inverters, so I'm looking for service manuals to go further to electronic repair service and make a deal possiblly.

 

Thanks for reply in advance

 

maxo

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28 minutes ago, maxo said:

Hello plonkster

 

Thank you for your reply and answer, I know the functions of the unit, like you wrote, failure of the SCC- this is also mine conclusion.

Do you know, what was the another member procedure- repair or , since here in Slovenia, we do not have any reperesentative service for Axpert inverters, so I'm looking for service manuals to go further to electronic repair service and make a deal possiblly.

 

Thanks for reply in advance

 

maxo

Hi Maxo send me a personal message with your e-mail address and I will send you the 3 manuals I have. If your SCC is not working you probably need:

10 X IRFB 4321

1 IRF 640

and 2 X diode packs V30200C.

I am putting my neck on the line but I have scratched with two SCCs and although they failed in two completely different ways the end result seems the same.  The rest of the SCC seems fairly robust.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello to Chris and others

Finally find time to write about the findings (Faults) in my Axpert 5kVA:

I have to dissasemled complete inverter, due on first view, there on main board I have the problem (diode D62=UF304 - it's souronding was slighntly overheated ) and also SMPS transformer TX6 is burnt (outer insulation is completelly brown). Souroundings on bottom of the PCB have also the signs of overheating. Diode D62 is short also.
Due in manuals I have got from Chris (thanks to him again) just this SMPS on main board (there are another two) is not shown and desribed at all.
I have checked all the parts and connections around, I have evein make the circuit diagram (backingeeniring) for complete souroundings on main board, so I know now this SMPS is supplied directly from utility.  IC driver for this SMPS is UC3845L- U15 indication on PCB and MOSFET IRF630 (Q37) drives primary side of the TX6 transformer.

So far so good, it is not the problem to get electronic parts (diodes,  mosfets, etc. ) from electronic shops here in Europe, but TX6 transformer is the problem. Producer of the tansformer is company CLICK and the transformer indication is 41-070185-00G. I have tried on there web page , but there 's no any similar product, they probably produce this part especially for Voltronic.

I have tried also to dissesemble the TX6 trasformer (I have success several times in the past with the same method), but this time  EEL25 ferrite was initially broken and after then when I have tried to dissasemble the rest of parts, aslo the PVC housing of the transormer was broken (believe because all was already overheted and burned during mulfunction of the unit). I have count all the windings on primary, secondary and VCC windings, measured the Cu wire diameter of different windings, measured also the EEL 25 ferrite central leg gap (0,5mm), but due the wiring was burnt initially, I could not measure the original inductivity of all  windings, later on due to broken of one parts EEL25 have no chance to measure the original permability of the ferrite material, so could even order new EEL 25 ferrite cores.  All in all - bad infos. But if somebody would need this data for complete wiring , are avaliable with no problem.

Mybe somone has already broken main board of the Axpert 5K,  which could be used for spare parts, mybe someone around has this part TX6 on stock , or ???

- PLEASE HELP, any idea where to get the trafo TX6 (I have written even e-mail to Voltronic Power, but no answe yet)

 

With the best regards

maxo

 

 

 

 

 

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Hello again

just another info, btw CCM board was checked also, there seems to be all OK ( checked all power mosfets, diodes, elecrolytes etc), also checked all power elements on main board, also the parts on other two SMPS on main board), so far seems all is OK. 

I have tried to find the reason for initial mulfunction, mybe U15 has the problem with CS input - leg 3 which should limit the current (current resistor R242 =0,6 OHM) to Q37 and avoid further  burn of the transformer TX6, but it was not happened.

I will change U15 for any case also, but need transformer TX6 first.

by

 

maxo

 

 

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Sometimes it's simpler to just replace the whole SMPS stage with a ready-made unit (Traco, Murata makes these), but then you need to know voltage and current specs. In a charge controller I once attempted to fix there was components downstream (a 78L15 and a 27V Zener) which was sufficient that I could deduce the required output voltage and current, but in this case I have no idea what you're working with.

In such cases you can also test that it works by using a lab PSU (or similar) and feeding it that voltage. If it works normally, you know you're in business.

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