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timsandercockuk asked

Generator Amps jumping around

I have a Victron Quattro 1600 inverter with 2 sunny boys providing solar input into 30kw byd lithium batteries and generator that was 30kva 3 phase converted to 20kva single phase. I am experiencing the Generator amps jumping around between 35 and 45 amps when it is under load and charging the batteries. Initially we thought it was a fuel issue so we have had the tank cleaned, the fuel pump refurbished, new injectors and changed all filters. However we are still experiencing the same issue. I am then concerned that this creates a power surge into the house and could affect appliances. You can hear it if you are running the microwave as the sound of it goes up and down so you know the Generator is hunting slightly. My current thoughts are that the information from the Quattro isn't being acknowledged quick enough by the Generator and the delay is causing the rise and fall in amps. I have also considered EMI filters to help but can't find a suitable option. Any help would be greatly appreciated as the winter months are coming and Generator use will increase now.

amps
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2 Answers
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janvi answered ·

Normaly the generator knows nothing about the Quattro. How is your communication between this devices ? First check you generator in stand alone operation. If success, then adjust the grid setpoint at the Quattro. If no success, you have to check the SMA.

At the generator, you should look for a regulation device like the ESD5500E series Speed Control Unit with the proportional electric actuator what builds a loop with the magnetic speed sensor. See products and its manuals here:

https://www.governors-america.com/

Simply make a constant test load with some electric heaters and see how your generator deals with asymmetric load. You mentioned the "conversion" of your 30kVA 3 phase generator to only one phase. Normally the generator excitation depends from symmetric load. Possibly the excitation regulator picks up the value from unused phase why he cannot regulate anything. Thats why it can be hardly recommended to run such high power with anything else than symmetric 3 phase. Operating a 3 phase machine with only one phase makes maximum 1/3 nominal power and even this is extremly high torque ripple to the engine.

If you have 2 SMA, probably the only solution is to replace them by 2 Quattros for a 3 phase setup. You ever read about the 1:1 rule ? Anyhow, the smallest available Quattro is 3kVA not 1600. This does not make sense with a 20kVA generator





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timsandercockuk answered ·

Thank you for your response, it is very helpful. I mistyped all together, it is a Quattro 15000. Reading your response I think I may have the Amps turned too high on the DVVC settings as we were led to believe that the Generator was now 20kva, so judging by your info it is actually only 10kva there for I may need to turn this down to work the Generator less hard.


We have already run the tests you suggested on the generator and all seemed to run fine, this was done twice, once with a generator specialist and once with an electrical engineer who also has a similar off-grid set up to my own and both concluded the generator was fine.

I still get some flashing of lights in the house even when the generator isn't running, are there any settings to look at to prevent this from happening at all?

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