BFL13 wrote:
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Looking at Mr Wiz's numbers and mine I can't get the efficiencies to match, but we have the same converter/chargers (75 amp adjustable voltage)
I need to get this straight for calculating whether I can run the 75 if only I dial down the set voltage so the battery voltage can't rise above that and add more to the "output watts". That way maybe I can limit the VA required to under what sets off the red flashing light.
Mr Wiz got:
113v, 15.03a, 1350w, 1698VA, 0.79PF, output 13.2 x 80.5 = 1063w
So efficiency there is 1063/1350 = 79%
I got:
118v, 14.49a, 1247w, 1715VA, 0.73PF, output 14.2 x 75 = 1065w
So efficiency there is 1065/1247 = 85%
If we use the "gross efficiencies" including PF, it is
1063/1698 = 62.6% vs 1065/1715 = 62.1%
So if I set 14.1v on the charger (the AGM spec is 14.1 to 14.4) then at 75a, output watts will be 1058.
Using "gross efficiency" of 62.1% that would be 1703VA
If I use "efficiency" then input watts is 1058/86 = 1230 and my PF of 0.73, then VA is 1685
That flashing red light was not on when VA was 1625 but was on at 1715VA. The 15/20 receptacle is whatever limit a 15/20 has, but the gen limit is 14.2a at 120v. (except for a "surge" being higher limit) The 120v circuit breaker does not pop while the red light is flashing so power keeps flowing and the engine does not slow down any (by ear--no rev counter)
I would like to just ignore that flashing red light and go by the circuit breaker popping and see a steady red light as my overload limit, but I don't know the actual risk if any.
Very tempted to set that charger to 14.1v and pretend I can't see the flashing red light!
You do realize that Wizard's gen IS an "old school" non inverter gen..
Yours is an Inverter gen.
The two different "technologies" often handle things much differently.
Most likely Wizards gen is able to deal better with variable PFs and loads than an inverter type gen..
I think you will find that most inverter gens may not have quite as much "head room" for overloads or not be able to deal with non linear reactive loads as well as the old school gen heads.
Cost also comes into effect, I would not place any "Briggs and Stratton" gen as a "premium" Inverter brand by any means and I am suspicious that the output waveform of it is a bit closer to MSW than PSW..
Switching power supplies also have two different ways of dealing with PFC (Power Factor Correction)..
Passive and active.
Passive is less efficient but more "forgiving" of the input waveform.
Active PFC is more efficient but does not play well with MSW or poorly formed waveforms..
Inverter gens have much less "spinning mass" than a non inverter gen, that spinning mass helps non inverter gens deal with different loads much better.
Personally, I suspect that your "test results" are highly flawed due to too many unaccountable "variables". You are using a lot of highly variable loads which potentially can skew your results.
Batteries present highly variability as does your inverter load on the battery.
I think you need to place a "known" resistive load on the output of the converter/power supply to see if the gen will operate the converter at the current level you want.
This will remove a lot of variables like battery voltage, battery resistance, current absorption, ect.
Something else to consider, you may need to place a small resistive load on the inverter gen, something like an incadescent light. This may help smooth out the waveform from the gen by absorbing some of the reactive load/ spikes that the switching power supply may be presenting to the gen inverter.
When troubleshooting, you always want to try to remove all the variables you can.. Then one by one add in the "variables" as you get things figured out.
