sync honda gen and inverter

HI Peter
RE:"But if you're confident and know what you're doing, you can use a ""300VA ""240/18-0-18 toroidal transformer (around 80 bucks), and configure it as a stepdown autotransformer.

300VA ???

I would certainly hope anyone attempting to do the above really KNEW what they were doing.
Not something I would suggest on an open forum!!

Peter

thanks guys,
I'm not a sparkey, and I am certainly not going to experiment with "bitey" things, I was just asking to clarify what I had read on some US forums. I realise that you cant believe eveything that you read on forums, the problem is sorting the wheat from the charf, it just seemed reasonable to follow up locally, btw the forum I was reading the posters did not use the banana plugs to synch, probably because the inverter didn't have the ability, rather relied on the honda electronics to perform the function. If I read correctly they started the inverter, put a small load on it, then started the Honda which synched then added further load as required. Not really sure if they put the small load on first, just my interpretation, thinking that the inverter would output nothing unless there was a demand of some sort it only just has a "potential", if thats the right terminology.
cheers,

Check the circuit diagram for the Honda, the banana plugs connect to active and neutral.

pressed the submit button to early.

Check the circuit diagram for the Honda, the banana plugs connect to active and neutral.
Thats a hell of a lot more than a low voltage signal.

Be careful taking advise like this from bush electrical know alls, dead lasts a long time.

Hi Peter,

yes, the transformer needs to come up with 306VA in this case, so you're right 300VA means the stepdown won't quite make it to 204V. Instead it'll settle a touch higher, meaning the appliance will see a slightly higher wattage than the 1730W.

But looking at the gennies specs, this is already exceeding its rated output power, so the 300VA autotransformer isn't big enough to bring the 2400W load down to within the gennies power band.

The 1800W inverter should be fine with it for a few minutes though.
Of course, lower wattage appliances as suggested by Ozhumvee are definitely the easy way out, just what I would do.

Rosiebear:

you're right, after reading the operator's manual it looks like this gennie doesn't need a sync signal as such, as it derives the phase angle information from the parallel output configuration itself.
This opens the door to some experimenting using inverters.
But looking at the cost of the components involved - I personally wouldn't risk it.

Bob:

yes, seeing how the piggy backed power socket is connected to both generators' outputs, it's a no-brainer to treat these wires with respect as they're indeed not just low voltage signal wires.

cheers, Peter

Thats why I was chasing some EXPERT ADVICE from someone who had the technical and physical resources to experiment, not about to play with this stuff myself, fully awarethe banana plugs are HOT big time.

Thanks for your interest though guys

thanks, I'll look around for a smaller jug, dont know if I would go to the expense of an inductive cook-top. Batteries and wiring not an issue, got 2x120 AH deep cycle gel, and two spare if needed. Inverter feeds BIG cable, no more than 400mm long.

cheers.

Here is the link to the kettle we use, here is the link to the inductive cooktop

thanks ozhumvee, thats awesome.

cheers

Dont want to sound offish buy surely a small portable single gas ring and throw away bottle ($20.00 for the lot) would boil the kettle 20 times + and save headaches?
cheers

No the jug is very quick and with 500w of solar and 480ah of batteries it can handle it with ease. Free electricity beats paying for gas plus those cheap gas stoves have blown up and don't work when cold or at high altitudes.
We have an Oka motorhome which has no gas, diesel cooktop and heating and plenty of free electricity. The jug is much quicker then the diesel cooktop and if we want to cook outside and no fire is possible then the inductive cooktop plugged into the outside power point does the job.
The cheap 1000w electric jug which holds a litre is actually quicker than the big jug in the kitchen.

Serious batteries and serious cabling, eh Peter. Our Prosine 1800 pulls 130 amps when running the microwave (1.2kW input required). The Prosine may pull about 200 amps for max output. The cables (factory install by Kimberley Kampers) are the same size as my winch cabling - 2 gauge I think.

Cheers

Frank

Yes Frank I made all the battery and inverter cables out of welding cable,the actual copper was about 12mm diameter + double insulated so no voltage drop and they are far bigger than the winch wiring ;-))) I was given a 20m length, seemed a shame to cut it up.