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RE: Parallelax 7155 - Can It Be Used with Honda eu1000i?
I have both a simple and detailed answer.
The simple answer is that you will be ok almost all of the time. The converter does have the capability to overload the eu1000i, but it should rarely if ever happen to you. The size of your battery bank, depth of discharge, and wiring between the converter and battery control how much current the converter is called on to produce. If you have a big battery bank, good wiring, and a highly discharged battery, you could overload the generator. If you do have a problem, turn off all of your 12 volt lights, and try again. If you want a fail-safe backup, take along a portable charger or a set of DC charging cables for the Honda (the charger is a better choice). You'll likely never have to use the backup, but it's there if you need it.
The detailed answer... The generator is rated at 1,000 VA maximum, 900 VA continuous (VA = volt amps, not the same as watts). If your converter is running at its full output, it's producing 13.8 (volts) times 55 (amps), or 759 watts. The converter is about 80% efficient, bumping the power requirement to 949 watts. It also has a power factor (an AC phenomena) of about 0.7, making it's maximum power demand from the generator 1,356 VA, above the generator's capability.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/09/12 10:18am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
I want to defend CapriRacer on this 10 lb over the maximum pressure statement because I have seen it in the past in a few ST inflation tables. But I can't find it any more. The closest I can find is you can bump the maximum speed up to 75 mph by inflating 10 psi over what's required for the actual load, but not to exceed the sidewall maximum. I wonder if someone in the past might have stretched this 10-psi-over rule a bit for the tables, and it has since been corrected?
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 05:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
At a high level, the inverter generators are pretty simple. The motor drives a 3-phase alternator. The motor and alternator are physically integrated so there doesn't have to be a discrete flywheel with its associated size, cost and weight. The alternator can be fairly low cost because there's no need for it to produce a pretty waveform. The AC is then changed to DC, with a 3-phase switching regulator in-between. The regulator uses thyristors, the same devices used in light dimmers. The resultant DC level is in the 170 volt ballpark, the level needed for the peaks of a 120 volt sine wave. The control circuitry runs the engine at a somewhat higher speed than needed for the current load on the generator, allowing for the switching regulator to make instantaneous adjustments to handle small load changes seamlessly. A large load increase of course needs the engine to be spooled up, a fairly slow process. The 170 volt DC level then powers the inverter that produces the nice quality 120 volt AC output. The inverter may or may not have parallel operation capability, depending on the generator make and model. The generator's inverter is simpler than an inverter with a 12 volt input. The 12 volt inverter actually has 2 inverters, the first to convert the 12 volts to about 170 volts, and the second to produce the AC output. The inverter generator doesn't need this first inverter because the higher voltage DC is already available.
From listening, most people tend to assume an idling eu2000i is running at a few hundred RPM. Its low speed idle is actually 3,000 RPM. The higher power inverter generators tend to have bigger engines that run at lower speeds, which partially explains why an eu3000i is quieter than an eu2000i.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 05:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Revived Trailer Tire Thread (formerly on the 5th Wheel Forum
ST tires can be inflated 10 psi over the maximum pressure listed in the sidewall of the tire -
Any questions?With a nonsense statement like this (from at least some of the tire manufacturers), how can you take any of the specs seriously? I thought the definition of maximum was pretty clear cut. Must be my outdated dictionary.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 04:00pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
The safety issues of bonding vs. not bonding have very knowledgeable and highly polarized people on both sides of the issue. IMO this indicates that the "facts" are not all that clear cut, and there isn't going to be any agreement in the foreseeable future.
What the code says, for both built-in and portable generators, should be very clear cut, yet every time somebody thinks they have it figured out, somebody else seems to find something to throw it in doubt. The code issue should be answerable. I hope I'm right about this, but could also be wrong.
The fact that it's not spelled out clearly tells me that it's not a major issue. If large numbers of people were getting killed or injured by portable or RV generators, I think the NEC would get updated pretty fast to remove any doubt or ambiguity. For example, there could be a section that clearly spells out the issues in one place, instead of having to comb for the distributed bits and pieces and determining which ones do and don't apply.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 03:54pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: kill-a-watt that sends information?
Even though I work in the industry, all of these high tech gadgets just boggle my mind. A small, low cost device with multiple A-D inputs that transmits the info wirelessly. There's just no end to nifty gadgets!
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 01:19pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
Jon - Thanks for adding your understandings to the discussion. Regarding your statement "In a split phase generator (120/240V) there is a neutral and bonding of the neutral to the generator frame is required by both the NEC & OSHA", could you by any chance point me to the article that says the split phase generator has to be bonded, but doesn't also require the grounded conductor in a 2-wire system? When I first started looking at this in the 2005 NEC it was easy to find, but I'm having a hard time with the 2008 and 2011 editions.
Regarding the capacitive coupling in the inverter generator, in my eu2000i the short-circuit current between either hot and frame ground is under 2 mA. It won't even light up an LED.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 01:16pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Hookups
In reality, you can draw a total of 100 amps on a 50 amp service.
Only if one of those 50 amp breakers is broken.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/07/12 09:42am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
Bit Bucket - I'm really seeking the correct answer on these issues. Maybe you can help lead me to them.
"Except the NEC doesn't allow you to legally unbond the permanently mounted generator." Question 1: Where does NEC say it's ok to unbond the portable generator? I can't find it.
"If something goes wrong in the permanently mounted generator and it's metal casing becomes hot and hots up the frame of the RV you have a different situation than if the plastic shrouded and isolated portable generator does the same thing." Question 2: If the portable generator casing becomes hot it will hot up the frame of the RV in exactly the same way, as it is connected to the frame via the shore power cord. How that different from the mounted generator? I still don't see it. Also, some unbonded portable generators have no plastic shrouds.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/06/12 04:51pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: **** Local TV & Direct TV
Where does the $5/month for locals come from? The DirecTV price list says $3. http://www.directv.com/2012pricing
It's moot for most people anyway. Unless you have a grandfathered package, you have to take locals if they are available for your DMA.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/05/12 10:09pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Honda EU2000i - 49 State vs 50 State Difference?
I vote for the least government design possible. I hate the newer portable gas cans, with the locking spout that takes 2 hands to unscrew, or the no-spill design that ends up with a puddle of gas on the ground every time I use it.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/04/12 12:49pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: **** Local TV & Direct TV
The lowest cost source for an AM21 is the DirecTV web site, $50 including shipping. If your subscription already includes locals (which most but not all do), you should be able to change your installation address with DirecTV to get them authorized at your location. You also need the correct dish for locals, which varies some by location. If your subscription doesn't include locals, they add $3/month.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/04/12 10:15am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
For the sake of discussion, why isn't a portable generator plugged into an RV a separately derived system? It is the only source of power for the RV is it not? Just wondering.It is a separately derived system. Take an RV which is sometimes run on its built-in bonded 120 volt Onan generator, and sometimes with the shore cord plugged into an unbonded portable generator. The only difference, electricity-wise, is that one generator is bonded and the other isn't. Unbond the Onan, and the setup is identical to with the Honda. Bond the Honda, and the setup is identical to with the Onan. The safety issues have to be identical with both generators because it's exactly the same electrical situation.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/03/12 09:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
There are 2 reasons why a neutral-ground short doesn't throw a breaker: (1) There is no breaker protecting the neutral wire, and (2) Since the neutral is at or very near ground potential, little or not current will flow if the neutral is connected to the ground. GFCI outlets do have circuitry to check for a downstream neutral-to-ground connection, and will trip if that happens. I'm assuming panel-mounted GFCI breakers also have this circuitry but I don't know for sure if that's correct or not.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/01/12 09:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Paralleling Honda EU2000i with other power sources
No the Honda cannot sync with shore power or external non-honda generator
perhaps not with anything except another Honda
doing this will very likely damage the Honda and perhaps other property or even youWhy would the Honda eu-series generator not be able to sync with shore power? How does it know the difference between shore power and another eu generator? The only possible answer would be for it to look for the 50 kHz switching harmonic on the AC signal, but IMO too many unfriendly loads would defeat such detection and render the parallel capability unreliable.
Why would the Honda be damaged? It is tolerant of power from another eu generator being applied to its output when stopped or running. Why would shore power damage something when Honda power doesn't?
Here are 2 threads claiming successful parallel operation of Honda and Kipor inverter generators. One of the threads references another report of success but the link to that thread doesn't work.
Link1
Link2
Disclaimer: Anyone who tries this is doing it 100% at their own risk.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/01/12 04:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
My very basic understanding of home electrical is that the neutral carries current, and the ground does not (if that is even correct).This is correct. The ground acts as safety backup in the event that the outer case of some equipment becomes "hot" through an electrical fault. The bonding of the neutral assures that the hot wires will never have a voltage greater than 120 with respect to ground.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/01/12 04:09pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
The instant the generator becomes "non-portable" it must be bonded. Legally installed permanently mounted generators in RVs always come with the neutral bonded. The confusion arises when people compare portable generators and permanently mounted generators (used on RVs) in the same light just because they are both used on RVs. It isn't an RV use issue, it is a permanent vs portable issue.
While I do agree that all of the RV generators seem to have a grounded conductor (a 120 volt generator does not have a neutral), I disagree that it's required by code. Portable and vehicle mounted generators are treated the same in NEC 250.34, and permanently installed generators are covered in 250.35. 250.35 does not provide the exemption from earth grounding found in 250.34.
As to which is better, it is almost always better to have the neutral bonded.You might not want to take such a firm stand after reading the 400+ post thread Grounding Generators. Both sides of the issue can be defended ad nauseum.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/01/12 01:16pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Paralleling Honda EU2000i with other power sources
How the "sync" works is basically, if the Honda (Yamaha or other brand that supports paralleling) circuits detect AC power already on the output (at start up) the circuit sync's the power the generator is producing to that power.
My educated guess is that you could hook a EU2000i to some other source (line power, cheap generator, etc), then start it and all would be fine.
My bet is the Honda (etal) would tell you not to try.I agree with this guess, except that the Honda won't sync with a small non-inverter generator because of the Honda's very tight frequency range. I don't think you're going to find anybody who has tried it, because nobody has been willing to risk the generator trying to validate the theory.
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Wayne Dohnal
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02/01/12 11:14am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Bonding a generator
The Canadian eu1000i has connectors for parallel operation. The other Canadian eu models don't.
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Wayne Dohnal
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01/31/12 01:26pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: What advice can I get using my first Diesel engine?
Do note, however, that there are fully synthetic Rotella and Delvac oils that DO meet the specs, just not the non- or semi- synthetic versions.Where does this information come from?
Here is a list of approved oils from Mercedes for the engine that the thread is about:
229.51 Low SPAsh multigrade service engine oils (Specification 229.51)
There is no Rotella or Delvac on the list.
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Wayne Dohnal
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01/29/12 10:17pm |
Tech Issues
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