BurbMan
Long Island, NY
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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Ok, what am I missing here? An inverter converts 12vDC to 120V AC. The Honda puts out 120 V AC. How does the Honda power the inverter? So the TT is plugged into the Honda. Converter/charger in the TT feeds the batteries, which in turn feed an inverter to power the 120V outlets for the TT? Sounds like a big loop.
Maybe what you need is a home made transfer switch so you power the TT off of either the inverter or Generator, not both?
I'm no EE guy, so tell me if I'm out in right field here...
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2oldman
Indio CA
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Joined: 04/15/2001
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BurbMan wrote:Ok, what am I missing here? He has an Inverter/charger. It does both.
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Wayne Dohnal
Banks, OR.
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Joined: 03/09/2003
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I have no solution to offer, just a comment that I've observed the eu2000i driving bad power factor loads a whole lot better than the Onan Microquiet. The waveform of the Onan distorts like heck with the bad power factor, and looks just plain ugly. I'm assuming that is because of its voltage regulator averaging things out over at least several AC power cycles. The eu2000i looks like it compensates on a sub-cycle basis. The waveform distorts some, but everything considered, comes out looking pretty decent. My somewhat random guess is that your charger is hitting the AC line with a huge initial power draw. The result could even depend if you happen to engage or not engage the load near the AC zero crossing. I'm sure you've got the eco switch off. The only other game you can play with the generator is to put a big load on it so it runs at full RPM, switch it off and switch the charger on before the generator has a chance to spool down. The water heater or microwave might do the trick on that.
2009 Fleetwood Icon 24A
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rolnrolnroln
WA
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Joined: 02/15/2004
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Thanks to all for the responses. Wayne: I think you may be right about the zero crossing point engagement. The Hz of both the generator and the inverter/charger are rock steady, but not always on the same point when first engaging. Both the Honda and the Victron will shift around to synch with whatever the exact Hz of the input current happens to be. Makes me wonder if they are both holding out their hands to do a handshake and synch up, but each one is waiting for the other. The interesting kicker is that if I switch the Victron to "charge only", it locks up right away. The Victron flashes its operations LED for a few seconds prior to the relays engaging. I suspect(without knowing) that the Victron is looking at the input power to see if it meets the criteria for lock up.
Burbman: There isn't really a loop although I can see why you might think so. The Victron and 6 AGMs live in the truck bed. Like lots of others, the Victron is both an inverter and a charger. If it is plugged into shore power or the generator, it uses that power to charge the batts. If the AC load becomes too high (above the set limit), the unit switches back to the inverter mode and adds its inverter power to any incoming AC from shore power or the generator.
It will run the Air without generator for at least an hour. While running Air with the generator, the unit supplies extra juice to start the AC and a little bit extra to make up for what the generator doesn't give it. Between Air cycles, the unit switches to charge (or at least it's supposed to) to make up at least some of the power it stole during the Air on cycle. In the evening, the TV, micro, whatever, run from the batts. It's nice to be able to use all the outlets just as if you were plugged in somewhere. However, I'll be the first to admit that one large generator would be considerably simpler.
There is a bit of redundancy and inefficiency because I use the TT's converter to charge the two Trojans in the TT. I would like to get everything on one charger, but then I have one charger doing flooded cell and AGM at the same time. I have to have the Trojans in the TT for emergency brakes and they handle the furnace and stuff just like the old days. If they are charged, I unplug the TT converter. Running a large cable from the bank in the truck won't help because I still have to have emergency batts. Nothing's perfect.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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Where is the input current limit set at? Instead of limiting charge current maybe a lower limit on the input current is in order. I am thinking 8 to 10 amps max. Probably you have tried this already.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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smkettner
Southern California
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Have you tried plugging in first and then starting the Honda similar to starting the second when running in parallel?
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rolnrolnroln
WA
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Yes, I have tried plugging it all together and then starting the gen. AC current limit is set at 9.5 amps which is roughly 70% of max continuous amps. I have set it as low as 4 amps for grins but that makes the invert. draw a lot of amps from the batts. This inverter even has a slow ramping setting to allow idling gens come up to speed before applying full load. That function actually makes things worse. It's not a terminal situation as the Victron will engage the generator power eventually, but as I said, I can't help but think the continuing strike every 30 seconds or so can't be good for the relay contacts. Again, thanks to all for trying to help. I've been given some new ideas to consider and test. I've laid in a supply of 300 amp fuses as they are not available locally. :-)
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Honda EU####i inverter generators are TRUE SINE WAVE, some of the cleanest power you can imagine. and Hondas are about a order better at frequency regulation than other makes, else you could not parallel them.
The EU-2000i should be able to run most any converter/charger made. The EU-1000i can take a 60 amp PD 9200 and I'm told those are not power corrected, The 2,000 should be able to kick start my power factor corrected Xantrex on "HIGH" (100 amps)
However.. I do not think adding a capacitor to the generator will improve things (Suspect the improvement will be negative) but I'm not an expert on that technology.
I would ask what else is on in the rig... Fridge, Water heater, A/C and such
I also know that when my Prosine 2.0 first connects, either to AC or DC, it does some rather impressive things current wise. That might be the issue
You may need in-rush protection on the inverter/charger. NO, I can't tell you how to do that.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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Learjet
Louisiana
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add a surge cap. to the 12 volt? I don't have a clue, but sounds good. 
2006 Nissan Titan CC with tow package added Timbrens
2006 KZ Frontier 2303P-F
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in the past...2001 Hurricane 30Q Chevy workhorse
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gunny357
North Carolina
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Your problem has absolutely nothing to do with Power Factor.
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