ISB Sola Basic Corrector de Voltaje

Using Google Translate I did the following from the ISB website a few years ago..............Correction on my previous post - 4000 is 33.4 amps and 8000 is 66.8 amps........

CORRECTOR DE VOLTAJE 8000 - 4000
Regulador Electrónico, mantiene estable la energía eléctrica y cuenta con supresor de picos
VOLTAGE CORRECTOR 8000 - 4000
Electronic Throttle, stable electricity and surge has

MODELO 4KVA 8KVA
Ancho A 29,0 cm 38,0 cm
Fondo B 21,0 cm 24,0 cm
Altura C 25,5 cm 29,2 cm
Peso 12,7 kg 18,9 kg

MODEL 4KVA 8kVA
Width A 29.0 cm 38.0 cm
Fund B 21.0 cm 24.0 cm
Height C 25.5 cm 29.2 cm
Weight 12.7 kg 18.9 kg

ESPECIFICACIONES ELÉCTRICAS
ENTRADA
Voltaje de entrada 127V~+15, 7% -33%
(85 a 147 V~)
Frecuencia de entrada 60± 3 Hz
Sistema monofásico 4KVA(4000 VA)/ 8 KVA(8000 VA)
(*) Factor potencia 0,98 mínimo
(*) Eficiencia 99%
SALIDA
Voltaje de salida 102 a 129 V~
* a plena carga y a voltaje de línea nominal

ELECTRICAL
INPUT
Input Voltage 127V ~ +15, 7% -33%
(85 to 147 V ~)
Input Frequency 60 Hz ± 3
phase system 4KVA (4000 VA) / 8 KVA (8000 VA)
(*) 0.98 Minimum Power Factor
(*) 99% Efficiency
OUTPUT
Output voltage 102 to 129 V ~
* a full load at nominal line voltage

Recuerde sea cual sea su voltaje de línea de entrada, usted tendrá un mejor voltaje a la salida del corrector, por ejemplo:
ENTRADA V~ 85 90 95 100 110 120 135 140 145 150 155
SALIDA V~ 103 109 115 121 121 120 121 125 130 134 139

Remember, whatever the input line voltage, you will have a better output voltage corrector, for example:
INPUT V ~ 85 90 95 100 110 120 135 140 145 150 155
OUTPUT V ~ 103 109 115 121 121 120 121 125 130 134 139

VOLTAGE

IN = OUT
85 = 103
90 = 109
95 = 115
100 = 121
110 = 121
120 = 120
135 = 121
140 = 125
145 = 130
150 = 134
155 = 139

The ISB devices cannot provide more amps than the breaker to the parking space allows. You cannot get more from the outlet than the wiring provides for. So the ISB devices have potential but cannot improve on the electricity provided. What the ISB device can do is provide better voltage. It will not make a 15amp circuit provide you with 30amps. But if the outlet is capable the ISB devices are good up to these ratings…….

4000VA @ 120VAC = 33.4 AMPS

8000VA @ 120VAC = 66.8 AMPS

I do not think there are any parks in Mexico where more than the 4000VA ISB device might be necessary.

To use the ISB for a standard US wired RV with so called "50 amp" you would need two ISB units. 50 amp actually gives you a total capacity of 100 amps.

"50 amp" is two legs of hot and the ISB is only built for one leg.

The 4000 unit comes out to be good for around 40 amps and the 8000 unit is good for around 80 amps. But these rating would only be for one leg so you would need two units for two legs.

A normal "dogbone" adapter for plugging a 50 amp plug into a 30 amp outlet splits the one leg of 30 amps so you have power on each leg of your 50 amp system - but you still only have a total of 30 amp capacity.

I think two of the 4000 would be enough for the normal US RV as that would give you two legs of 40 amp instead of two 50 amp legs.

Most Mexico travelers will not be finding two leg plug-ins in Mexico. We have to learn to do with less.

What is unique about the ISB unit that is not found on other brands found in the US is it will BOTH raise low voltage and lower high voltage - and you can only find them in Mexico.

The 4000 runs around $200 US and the 8000 runs around $250 US I think. I once saw one on eBay or something like that in the US and they wanted about $2,000 for it - don't know if they ever sold it or if it was a misprint.

briansue wrote:
you won't need it in most areas of Mexico as you won't find 50 amp.

I use 50 amp in Rocky Point. My Hughes Autoformer went bad and was boosting the 128 volts to around 135. :E

I wondered about the Sola but want 50 amp and need an interpreter to read the information.

Basically, tie the two black neutral wires to a third, that goes to ISB neutral. Shore power white to 'intrada' white, and white from long cord to 'Salida'.

I am not entirely clear on what you are saying here. In US household wiring BLACK or RED is always your HOT wire - WHITE is always your NEUTRAL - GREEN or BARE wire is always GROUND. ALWAYS.

If you wire black to neutral you have reverse polarity.

I have had an ISB for several years and wired it myself but at this point I do not remember the internal wiring so not sure how they have it wired or which colors they use for what in Mexico - my thinking is electric color ID is universal/international.

On a standard 50 amp RV extension cord you should have one black, one red, one white, one green. The black and red are your two hots. On a 30 amp you should have one black, one white, one green. You only get one hot with 30 amp.

The US Navy trained me as an electronics technician and I have also wired several houses - new and remodel - and messed around with electricity most of my life. Please don't wire black to neutral.

Peterth who has posted on this thread is over near Ajijic - he used to be at Roca Azul - he is a good guy and if you PM him from this forum he may be able to show you how his ISB is wired. I think at least one other person at Roca has an ISB but not sure.

I have not observed it going into buck mode

I have never heard the term "buck" with regard to electricity. What exactly does this mean? Sounds like maybe it means the ISB will drop the voltage to a safe level if incoming exceeds 135 volts?

Anyone interested - you can buy an ISB Sola Basic almost anywhere in Mexico - but few places stock them so you have to order - ferreterias should know but if you take a copy of the info from the website they can probably order. They have distribution all over Mexico so they can be had almost anywhere in a day or two. All you really need in Mexico is the 4000 as you will rarely find higher amps available. A 4000 gives you 40 amp capability. If you want it to work for standard US 50 amp wiring you have to buy two of them - you won't need it in most areas of Mexico as you won't find 50 amp. Mine is not hard wired as I do not use it everywhere in the US - though I have found need for it in the US.

Hi peterth,

The Sola Basic works beyond my wildest dreams. It boosts so fast when the air conditioner cuts in that the motor has hardly started to spin. Once the air is up to speed, the Sola stops boosting and one can hear the difference -- the motor clearly slows down a bit.

It does 3 layers of boost at 110, 100, and 90 volts. It does one level of buck at 135 volts.

In "real life" use, it rarely gets to the 2nd level of boost--but I have observed it occasionally doing so. I am anticipating using it during the hot months and it will be wonderful to be able to run the roof air and fridge both on 120 volt power.

The air conditioner is *much* happier with the Sola Basic in the circuit.

I have used it in winter time so that I get closer to the rated output wattage on electric heaters.

I have not observed it going into buck mode--and I think it is unlikely I'll see that unless I go to Mexico.

I will be doing some "back yard" experiments using the Sola Basic this spring and summer.

Thanks to Mexicowanderer I'll shortly have excellent surge suppression that I can add to the Sola on a plug and play basis.

Thank you for transporting the unit to me.

Pianotuna,happy to hear you like the Sola Basic. It was very nice to meet you this past summer. Has it lived up to your expections? The article you wrote about it on another forum of your testing of the unit was quite informative. As these units are unique to Mexico, I don't think you can buy a unit any where else that will do what this one will. And living in Mexico as we do in the Chapala area and traveling Mexico we definitely need it. I think every Rv er travelling or living in Mexico in an Rv should have one. Also a good surge protector.

Works great and inexpensive. Bought ours in Hermosillo

I love my Sola Basic.

Just installed one two days ago, using spare 30amp long cord, and 30-50amp short cord adapter for my in/out connections. Cut off the male 30amp plug on adapter cord. Cut off female 30amp connector on long cord. Basically, tie the two black neutral wires to a third, that goes to ISB neutral. Shore power white to 'intrada' white, and white from long cord to 'Salida'. Now, I can use at will, and not hard wired into RV. Since I'm in Mexico, Lake Chapala, had to do this myself, and hard wiring was not an option. I'm no electrician. We bought the 4000 model and that's only good up to 40amps. Hence, I used 30amp setup.

We bought our first one on Mercado Libre, and it was a dead one. Didn't have enough time to try to return it, so ended up buying a brand new one. It works great.