Re: Inverters used with gasoline generators?

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Re: Inverters used with gasoline generators? Alan 01-11-2007
Posted by Alan on January 11, 2007, 12:56 pm
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> This is more "emergency power" than "alternate power", so efficiency isn't
> particularly important in this scenario:
>
> A technical installation that consumes lots o' watts, devices on UPS's to
> carry them through short outages...
> A longer outage occurs.
> A good-quality Honda 5KW gasoline-powered generator is brought in, fired
> up, and the UPS's plugged into it... A few hours of operation time bought?
> No. The UPS's don't like the generator's flavor of 60 Cycle AC. They
> ignore the power available at their inputs and continue to run from their
> failing batteries.
>
> Observing the output of the generator on an oscilloscope shows a smooth
> 60-cycle sine-wave. Grounding the chassis of the generator to the house
> power ground corrects an apparent wiring error condition, but does not
> convince the inverters to stop running from their batteries. Connecting
> the output of the generator through an AC powerline conditioner/filter
> helps exactly not at all.
>
> Much annoyance results.
>
> Question: are there any UPS's available which will accept the output of a
> portable generator?
>
> Thanks much.

I'm in the UK, but have run 240v versions of the APC Smart-UPS 1000 and 1400
models fine from a Kipor inverter generator (copy of the honda inverter
models).

The generator was already driving other loads and once connected the UPS
switched over OK and ran for hours.

Try appying a load to the gen first and see if the UPS is then happy.

Alan.



Posted by on January 11, 2007, 1:48 pm
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On Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:56:09 GMT, "Alan"

>
>> This is more "emergency power" than "alternate power", so efficiency isn't
>> particularly important in this scenario:
>>
>> A technical installation that consumes lots o' watts, devices on UPS's to
>> carry them through short outages...
>> A longer outage occurs.
>> A good-quality Honda 5KW gasoline-powered generator is brought in, fired
>> up, and the UPS's plugged into it... A few hours of operation time bought?
>> No. The UPS's don't like the generator's flavor of 60 Cycle AC. They
>> ignore the power available at their inputs and continue to run from their
>> failing batteries.
>>
>> Observing the output of the generator on an oscilloscope shows a smooth
>> 60-cycle sine-wave. Grounding the chassis of the generator to the house
>> power ground corrects an apparent wiring error condition, but does not
>> convince the inverters to stop running from their batteries. Connecting
>> the output of the generator through an AC powerline conditioner/filter
>> helps exactly not at all.
>>
>> Much annoyance results.
>>
>> Question: are there any UPS's available which will accept the output of a
>> portable generator?
>>
>> Thanks much.
>
>I'm in the UK, but have run 240v versions of the APC Smart-UPS 1000 and 1400
>models fine from a Kipor inverter generator (copy of the honda inverter
>models).
>
>The generator was already driving other loads and once connected the UPS
>switched over OK and ran for hours.
>
>Try appying a load to the gen first and see if the UPS is then happy.
>
>Alan.
>
An inverter generator will NOT be a problem. Running from a
non-inverter type can cause problems. (frequency and voltage poorly
regulated, waveform distorted.


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