Hi All

I have a Kodak (Axpert) 7.2 kW inverter with solar panels and 3 Shoto 4.8 kW batteries. I used an electric chainsaw while the system was in solar/battery/grid mode and the batteries all tripped (red ALM showing) and the inverter switched to grid mode. The chainsaw is only 2000W but presumably draws a lot more when it starts up. I can reset the batteries while connected to the inverted but they immediately trip. I disconnected the batteries from the inverter, reset all of them and they are happy. However re-connecting immediately trips them.

I remember reading somewhere that a capacitor in the inverter charges up when they connect and the inrush current trips the batteries.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Some way to limit the current or pre-charge the capacitor?

Thanks

15 hours ago, David Tinker said:

Hi All

I have a Kodak (Axpert) 7.2 kW inverter with solar panels and 3 Shoto 4.8 kW batteries. I used an electric chainsaw while the system was in solar/battery/grid mode and the batteries all tripped (red ALM showing) and the inverter switched to grid mode. The chainsaw is only 2000W but presumably draws a lot more when it starts up. I can reset the batteries while connected to the inverted but they immediately trip. I disconnected the batteries from the inverter, reset all of them and they are happy. However re-connecting immediately trips them.

I remember reading somewhere that a capacitor in the inverter charges up when they connect and the inrush current trips the batteries.

Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Some way to limit the current or pre-charge the capacitor?

Thanks

Yes you can use a 60W filament bulb in series or a 5W resistor of around 39-56 ohm. Say you connect the negative pole of the battery to the inverter you connect the resistor/bulb between the pos from battery and the pos on the inverter. Keep it like this for 10sec and then remove the resistor/bulb and quickly connect the pos cable to the inverter. This should prevent the trip. You only need to do if for the 1st battery to charge the caps in the inverter,

Thanks. I never got to try this out. It turns out that part of my inverter is blown and it is putting a dead short across the batteries. So no surprise they aren't happy.