GENERATORS?UPS?INVERTERS?

[SeanM]

Morning GCE

Thank you for the excellent advice, I have stared the neutral and earth on the output and all is as it should be.

This has been a very interesting installation in the SANS 10142-1 pg 363 (Annexure P3) this is for UPS, The only alternative supply that does not get a star point is the ups setup.

[ians]

An interesting point to be noted for those who have an auto change over switch connected to a generator...load shedding at 10 pm when nobody is at the office means the generator will be running for the off period for wasting diesel...for some this could get expensive especially if the power is off for longer than 2 hours...money down the drain.

[ians]

Reading through this thread...how things have changed.

Solar has become more affordable...and you can buy directly from China.

Inverters can now be grid tied...linked to solar panels etc.

Batteries are more expensive (a lot more) but with lithium the buzz and people offering 15 plus years life .

Generators...can be a smooth pure sine wave seeming switch over...with displays offering everything from a pure sine wave to current...power and even harmonics.

all you need is a second bond R100k plus and you can be enjoying the 2 hours loads shedding with your lights on and internet access...or you could save a R100k plus and enjoy 2 hours of quality time with the family playing board games or interacting with other humans face to face.

Something to think about before you rush out and take a second bond...all your electronic devices including your router generally have a 2 hour plus backup battery on board...so you can still share you isolated life behind the screen for the 2 hour load shedding period.

[SeanM]

Evening All

I have been installing a lot of inverters with batteries and my challenge is indication lights for samite DB's, they don't make them. I install a seperate box next to the existing DB not a pretty site.

[Eugeworx]

Evening All

I have been installing a lot of inverters with batteries and my challenge is indication lights for samite DB's, they don't make them. I install a seperate box next to the existing DB not a pretty site.

Greetings my fine electricians, glad to have become part of this forum,,
With regards to a basic 3kw inverter/2battery setup: How are you guys installing the Power-On-Indication light for the essential circuit, so that to indicate to the user, that power is now running on the backup system?
If my understanding from the SANS UPS drawing fig.P.3, pg 360 is correct.

[ians]

With Eskom saying it's going to take 5 years to get more generation capacity online and existing reserve generation capacity tight, I don't think the crisis is over

@Dave ...you mentioned 5 years .... eeeeeish

[ians]

Greetings my fine electricians, glad to have become part of this forum,,
With regards to a basic 3kw inverter/2battery setup: How are you guys installing the Power-On-Indication light for the essential circuit, so that to indicate to the user, that power is now running on the backup system?
If my understanding from the SANS UPS drawing fig.P.3, pg 360 is correct.

The part number from my favourite supplier MCE (the worse 4x4 switch grid plate) page 139 of their catalog ... part number KCI-1L-G or r or what ever colour you desire ... I use green next to the main switch for mains power and red next to the inverter section of the DB ... that way if there is load shedding the green light is off ... but the red light is on ... if both are off then you know you have a problem or your battery is flat and there is no sun.

[Dave A]

@Dave ...you mentioned 5 years .... eeeeeish

I see that was in 2009

We were so young and naïve back then

[ians]

Dont joke ... I went for a hair cut ... eeeeish normally a number 2 clears all the grey ... even the beard has had to get cut off ... only grey ... I have removed all the mirrors in the house ... I amost shyte myself when I see the old wrinkled fart ... my mind still things I am 20 ... body tells me I am past 60 and the mirror makes me look 80+

[Eugeworx]

Evening All

I have been installing a lot of inverters with batteries and my challenge is indication lights for samite DB's, they don't make them. I install a seperate box next to the existing DB not a pretty site.

The part number from my favourite supplier MCE (the worse 4x4 switch grid plate) page 139 of their catalog ... part number KCI-1L-G or r or what ever colour you desire ... I use green next to the main switch for mains power and red next to the inverter section of the DB ... that way if there is load shedding the green light is off ... but the red light is on ... if both are off then you know you have a problem or your battery is flat and there is no sun.

Good info, makes sense. Thanks Alot.