[Gerald]

I’m not a generator expert, but your post suggests you have a problem with the voltage regulator on the generator.

I don’t know if you can adjust the voltage on each leg or if the problem requires a replacement of the voltage regulator.

It sounds as though the low output on the one leg drops further when loads are applied so the resultant voltage is below the inverter input requirements.

Perhaps a Vantate expert can help here, but I presume even though all circuits are run through the inverters that does not mean when an outside 120 volt source is available that the inverters are still inverting. I am guessing the inverters are passing through 120 volt power and using that power input to function as chargers. If the loads are heavy such as the 2 ACs, and the inverters are set for high charging current you could have loads heavy enough to pull the incoming generator voltage below the inverter operating range.

[Bill]

Jon beat me to it, regulator comes to mind. I’m not familair with Vantare either, but do know everything goes through the inverters. Since the batteries have just been changed, any chance one of the inverters is setup wrong? I’m sure you have Trace and there is a gazillion settings that can be changed.

[Archived]

Not a generator expert either but it sure looks like you are overloading one side of the split 240V phase when its voltage dips below 110V. Voltage is automatically adjusted via field current and is the same for both sides of the split phase. If one side of the split phase is idle and the other close to max amps, you’d see the voltages your are observing.

I’d check amps and loads on both sides of the split phase and then try to balance the load better. Put some load on the idle side of the split phase. Highly asymmetric loads are not good for generator longevity.

[Archived]

My thought are with Threegreens, I would check the voltage as it leave the generator. If those are different than it’s the generator.

[JIM]

Thanks for the replies. The voltage leaving the generator and at the inverter is generally the same. When I put a heavier load on the problem leg( inverter 2) then I get a noticeable drop in voltage in that leg as well as a corresponding increase on the other leg e.g. 105v / 135v. If I leave the load on, ultimately the inverter disconnects from the gen and begins inverting and finally over current because of the load I suppose .

[Archived]

I had my last Trace inverters 7 years ago, but I remember the option in setup for the inverters to supplement power coming from a source, gen or shore, that would boost voltage to prevent brownout. Peak Load or something like that comes to mind. Maybe you can tweak it a little to get you by and add juice to the low voltage leg.

[Archived]

The inverter disconnects because the voltage drops to 105V (too low). How many amps are you pulling?

It seems to me that the voltage regulator in the generator is trying hard to raise the output voltage. That is why the other leg is at 135V. The low leg is either overloaded pulling the voltage down or there is a partial short in the generator windings of that leg. How is the voltage when the generator has no load applies? Is it the same for both legs?

Do the inverters work fine on shore power? Same loads?

Gerald

[Archived]

I think Gerald has the question that goes to the heart of the problem.

Good one Gerald!

[David]

I’m in the camp that says it’s the generator, likely the regulator. When one leg drops in voltage the other should not rise. In fact, at 135V that leg’s voltage is too high. One interesting note is that your generator is maintaing 250V between leg 1 and 2.

[Peter]

So, at this point I’m being told it is a bad fuel pump, wouldn’t allow genset to make sufficient RPM./ Power

[Archived]

How are they explaining the voltage? I hope the injection pump works although I’m doubtful.

[Archived]

I just got the message, I will ask , but I too wonder how it would only affect one leg. The only explanation is that leg had a heavier load and therefore was being impacted more.

[Rod]

Did this ever get corrected?

Gil’s comment about the voltage adding to 250 volts got me thinking.

Bad/loose neutral or ground?

Ed Roelle

98 Royale

[Hector]

When you have such mismatched voltages, it is due to either no or poor neutral wire and terrible miss matched loading on one leg.

Both issues are non exintant when wired as 120 volt only. When using the 120/240 volt connections is when load balancing is important and required for a nice running system. Some of the things that occur with such high voltage, you start to burn up things.. UL Listed equipment spec is 10%+/- voltage and 5% +/- frequency.

Cheers

Dave M

[Jerry]

I’m really involved in generator repairs right now. And on mine, the
power to the Generator breaker has a jumper that connects both legs
feeding the breaker. On the output side of the breaker, they are
separate going to the Inverters.

If yours has the old brown
plastic box with a bunch of white wires for a regulator, I would look
there first as most have suggested. I had some simular erratic voltage
readings out of mine, but they were from 119v all the way down to 15.4v.

If you change regulators, the new style will be analog, and make sure you talk to someone before wiring up the new regulator, I’m assuming you have a Powertech. If so, call Jeff Jones there, he can direct you. It does not wire up anything like the one that’s in it. (if it’s the brown plastic one)

Also, there are manuals on their website that will give you a sequence of steps to check.