a basic non-grid inverter only to go with Epever Tracer AN Charge Controller ?

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carpetpaul

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I'm still quite a beginner with Solar Powerwalls, but managed to build a working pack, hooked up to a Epever Tracer AN Charge Controller, and I had been using a Reliable Power WZRELB Chinese inverter which is more commonly used with probably occasionally used RV and Camper van builds perhaps, it wasn't terribly expensive, well, it just went up in a cloud of smoke !
My system is a stand-alone off grid system which I'm using to top up various electric vehicles. I did get rather carried away over the last few years, and hadn't realised quite how much I'd spent on a system that will never pay for itself, nevertheless, hobbies aren't necessarily supposed to pay for themselves I guess
I'm not clear on exactly what I need, I know my max output needs to be 2400 watts, and my previous inverter had a maximum output of 3000 watts constant (and I typically used it at 1600 watts)
I don't need any inverter function, or hybrid functionality, which I think can switch backward and forward connecting to the grid ?

I basically need a sturdy and reliable inverter which can provide my 2400 watts for hours on end, day after day, can anyone suggest a type or particular product that won't break the bank ?
 
Could you clarify you battery voltage and 120v only or 240v/120v US or European.

I use AIMS and SGP 12,000w 240v/120v low frequency off-grid inverters. Low frequency is heavy toriod transformers that give that 20sec 3 x overload feature.

My AIMS needed a control board repair after 5 years and 25,000hrs of operation. The SGP (SunGoldPower) is only 1 year old but has been working flawlessly. My inverters run ~5000hrs / year = 13.7hr/day.
 
I'm sorry, 48v battery, 240v UK

The system of mine has currently only produced 140kWh before breaking :(
I'm sure the WZRELB inverters are possibly good for their price and their intended usage, but it was wishful thinking to assume it could deal with every day use.
 
From my info there are solid but lower level inverters such as AIMS and SGP that are in the 48v, 4000w+, 240v (single phase US style) output - looks like $1500 range. By lower level I mean lower than Victron level.

The cheapest I know that's inbetween WZRELB and AIMS is the Growatt 5000 AIO - https://signaturesolar.com/growatt-5kw-stackable-off-grid-inverter-spf-5000-es/ - that does straight 240v single-phase output. You can ignore the PV and AC inputs and use it as a 'plain inverter' - looks like $700-1000 range. There may be other AIOs but a lot of them do 120v and you need to get 2 of them for 240v.
 
ali express :xyz inverter.
Its working perfect for two years now, it does what it promise.
Low cost, simple, does what its need to be done.
 
I think I could say that I've had a bad day today :(

yesterday the issue started with me noticing the power was off, smelling burn, I took the cover off the inverter and it would seem that a MOSFET has shat itself, as theres a lot of brown in it's vicinity. I messaged Reliable Inverters and they were very helpful, asking me to remove the board and test the MOSFETS, I've not done that yet.

last night when I was in the workshop, I decided I would connect up my back-up identical 3000W WZRELB inverter, which I did, and it worked, it was pulling about 1500 watts, so less than yesterday. After an hour, I disconnected the load and left the system, with the sun going down, and the inverter happily idling. This morning I came to check, and amazingly I have a second dead inverter, no display, tone, or anything from it, all fuses inside are good, but weirdly, this one tripped the BMS for 'Discharge Short Circuit' and still does with no load connected, or any wiring other than the battery connected. Confirmed with a multimeter that theres continuity between the DC input terminals.

The only thing I can think is that we're on the two strongest days of sunshine so far for this system, but as far as I'm aware, I should be within the capability of the inverter.

I'm now worried about buying a better quality, more costly inverter and blowing that up too !

if I'm honest, I don't have a fuse between the inverter and the charge controller, I'm fused closer to the battery.... which remained on

any ideas of what I can trouble shoot ?
 
An inverter with no load and happily idling should not have an issue. Logically it tends to point to the DC input side - is there any chance the battery -> inverter wiring is shorting or anything like that?

I blew up a Reliable inverter once when I did an overload... and caused a short on the battery side, which is why I was thinking of the above.
 
I really can’t see any short on the battery side. All modules measure correctly, and I very often view the whole set up with my IR camera, nothing seems amiss

strange thing is, the first inverter failed after 30 minutes use at roughly 75% of its maximum load, it showed burning of the MOSFETs. It failed while in use

the second inverter, which is the same type of device, with less hours of total use, less than 24 hours total run time, and a manufacturing date which is at least 12 months apart, initially worked for 20 minutes at 50% of its total maximum output, the load was removed, the sun had gone down, and this was just off by the morning. No burning seen on this one, but has continuity across the terminals, and trips the BMS for short circuit.

ill be honest, I’m a beginner, I have no training for electronics and/or solar. My battery pack terminates at point where the inverter is connected, and the charge controller, an EPEVER Tracer AN is also connected.

should we be looking to the charge controller as a possible culprit, having been supplying some kind of voltage spike and/or noise that could pop these MOSFETS. I know this is silly, but my limited knowledge makes me wonder if the power from the CC actually ’circulates through’ the inverter, causing the possibility that something from the CC popped those MOSFETS ?
 
I'm confused as well. The battery will not push power to the inverter - the inverter will only draw what it needs. Other than just a pair of really bad inverters, I don't see the problem. Better inverters will have basic protection for themselves against overload for example.

My MPP Solar 3048LV AIO (48v @ 3000w at 120v) in the trailer has been overloaded a few times (4 or 5) and does not blow up - it simply goes into error mode. Turn it off/on and it resets and continues to work.

While I can understand you'd be nervous, I'm pretty sure that better equipment will be able to protect itself in case there is some issue you're not seeing. And better equipment should last longer for sure. My MPP Solar is in year 4 in a trailer (bouncy on the road) and has run about the equivalency of ~6 months continuously. @hbpowerwall got on the order of 8? years of service on his PIPs.

The only other thing I have to suggest is to add more detailed monitoring - e.g. shunt on the battery side and kilowatt meter or other on the load side that can record peaks or record ongoing data to try to capture anything going on.

There's a youtube guy I follow called "Going Off Grid" and he plays around with many cheap inverters - including Reliable (e.g. WZRELB). Here's one of his more recent youtubes....
View: https://youtu.be/2dqQvTNzhjw?si=mJfnBr1HCgLqmOEV

He's had a variety of Reliables/WZRELB over the years and seems to like them OK. If you post a question on his youtube he might respond.

I've had 3 Reliables. Blew 2 of them up - both my fault. The last one is in my portable solar generator and still works.

However, I moved up to AIMS and SGP level for the ETL/UL certification for home safety / insurance purposes if there was a fire. Considering my recent disaster, I'm more glad than ever I did the ETL/UL route within my home just in case.
 
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thank you so much for your replies. Sorry I've been a bit slow to respond, I'm had the flu and been in bed for pretty much 2 days !

I'll check on these videos and products you've suggested :)

Paul
 
Uhm, wow, that's a very bad scenario. I'd start from something like this: there was no load and if you take the inverter away then the problem is surely in one (hopefully in one only) of the other components. I think the problem isn't in the panels part of the system but maybe more in the inverter <-> battery part. Not the inverter because you changed two and they both broke.

So what components do you have from inverter to battery? Inverter - cables - DC MCB - cables - BMS - battery? Could it be a faulty BMS (maybe it shorts) or the MCB.

I'd get a flashlight and do a close up examination of the whole path from the inverter to the battery looking for any tiny metal residual wire or something; for damaged wiring; double check the battery contacts, always under a strong light; check all connection point; disconnect the battery contacts and reconnect them; same for all other contacts looking for any anomaly.

Then I'd change all the components between the inverter and the battery.

The BMS message is a good indicator.
 
Thanks Italianuser for your reply. and I will do as you suggest. There’s been no work going on to produce metal fragment, but I’ll have a careful look. I do have a DC MCB between the pack and BMS, there’s nothing between that and the terminals that the inverter and charge controller meet at (admittedly there probably should be

Ive viewed the MCB on the thermal camera when the system is running, and it’s stone cold, literally barely warmer than its surroundings. At least when I tested a few times that was the case.

i’ve not been well enough recently to go and look further, but I will soon
 
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