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kcrtechy avatar image
kcrtechy asked

Frequency setting on phoenix-inverter-smart 2000VA 24V - inverter affecting clocks

The above inverter we are using at KCR FM Radio is running at 49.6Hz rather than at 50Hz.

The App shows it can be set at either 50 or 60Hz which sort of suggests to me that the frequency setting is buried in a software somehow but where could it be?

We run this inverter to get away from a very erratic and at times unreliable AC Mains supply and the clocks on our three studio desks are synced to the 50Hz supply.

On Mains supply they are stable and accurate but on the Inverter they loose time every day and as we rely upon the clocks to know when to Cue up the news feed which comes to us on the hour every hour. If the clocks are slow the Presenters miss the start of the bulletins.

Previously we had a cheap Chinese inverter/charger which was injecting the MPPT noise into the Neutral and that was breaking through as a nasty buzz on top of our outgoing audio.

On that unit the clocks were spot on 24/7 but the noise could not be got rid off so we purchased the Victron unit only to discover NOW we have to constantly (daily) reset 3 clocks.

If a cheap Chinese inverter can produce 50Hz exactly why cant a Victron do the same??

Any body know how to tweak the frequency to 50Hz??

frequency
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3 Answers
klim8skeptic avatar image
klim8skeptic answered ·

kcr-1025-fm.png

@KCRtechy I cant comment on the frequency accuracy of your inverter, or why your clocks are synced to the mains frequency.

However every mobile phone will be locked to the cell tower time base and should be accurate to the second.

It would seem odd that your desk would not include a computer of some sort (?). You can increase the rate that the clock syncs to a internet referenced time. Include a clock widget on the monitor.

clock-widget.png

Why re engineer the wheel?



kcr-1025-fm.png (598.7 KiB)
clock-widget.png (259.6 KiB)
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kcrtechy avatar image
kcrtechy answered ·

Far from attempting to "re-engineering the wheel" what we want is a reliable desk clock for a number of reasons one being that in a Community based radio station there are a wide range of people generally none of whom are fully trained Pro Presenters.

Amongst the cohort of Presenters are the incessant "fiddlers" who somehow find time to mess with settings particularly on the studio computers of which there are two and ONE has at the top of the screen the Internet clock which is deadly accurate. The keyboards were removed to prevent the mucking around but that has still NOT stopped some who manage to DELETE the on screen clock and then have no idea as to how to restore it.

Thus the next Presenter settles into a desk that when powered up has NO screen clock. So then it is HELP !!

The inbuilt desk clocks are synced to the 50Hz supply and also can be free running controlled by a crystal in the clock module but that GAINS time so I opted for the 50Hz sync signal. These desks are over 10 years old and have recently been taken out of storage and installed in new studios and the layout is top rate as the digital clock sits right over the desk VU Meters so when they are sitting there Cued up waiting for the News feed to start they are looking at the clock AND the Cue VU Meter and a finger on the Fader ON button so its an instant switch to the feed.

But the computer screens sit above the desk again and that clock is well out of view in keeping an eye on what they are doing on the desk as they have to switch the news on and quickly fade whatever they are currently playing to air as the intro runs through.

Operationally the Desk Clock is the best one to use.

I am still scratching my head as to why a top rate product such as the Victron inverter is unable to supply a precise 50Hz supply and a cheap Chinese one could.


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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ commented ·

@KCRtechy Tinkerers can break anything apparently.

How about a GPS synced clock?

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Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

Syncing a clock to mains frequency is still a thing?!

Do you get 50Hz from the inverter if there are no loads connected? Try disconnecting all loads from the inverter and then testing the frequency at the terminals. Some loads can mess with the frequency.

If the frequency is still wrong without loads I would contact the dealer from whom you bought the unit for RMA.

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