arresters

[kim roy]

hi
just recently got hit by lightning and it took my inverter out. i have an epanel and am installing the midnite arrestors. The only time the led comes on is when i start the generator the left one lights up until the battery charger kicks in then it goes out. is this normal
thanks

[TomW]

hi
just recently got hit by lightning and it took my inverter out. i have an epanel and am installing the midnite arrestors. The only time the led comes on is when i start the generator the left one lights up until the battery charger kicks in then it goes out. is this normal
thanks

Kim;

How do you have the MNSPD wired in to your system?

The LEDs do not light unless there is a voltage on the line and that will depend on the way it is wired.

I am sure Ryan or boB will come in to offer better help soon. In the mean time you might find good info over here in the documents area for the MNSPDs:

Installation Manual PDF:

http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/SPD_Installation_Manual.pdf

General information :


http://www.midnitesolar.com/doc_prod_list.php?menuItem=products&productCat_ID=23&productCatName=Surge%20Protection%20Devices

Good luck with it.

Tom

[kim roy]

yes that is the way i have it wired i just followed those instructions you posted. thanks for the quick reply.

[boB]

OK, so it sounds like the SPD is connected to the AC wiring.

Is it connected to 120/240 VAC or just one leg of 120 VAC ?
Also, is it an MNSPD 115, 300 or 600 ?

If connected to 120/240 then I would expect both LEDs to light up.

The common (green) wire of the SPD connects to ground.   If your
AC neutral is not connected to ground, then the LED(s) may only
light dimly until neutral is bonded to ground.

If you have one hot wire of the SPD wired to L1 of 120VAC and
the other hot wire to neutral, then you may only see one LED
light up which would be normal.

More info on what your system is will help here.

Thanks,
boB

[kim roy]

i am not at the lake right now but i will check.  It is wired  exactly how the instructions say. If the led does not light up am i still protected. both green wires are connected to the ground inside the panel. thanks .

[boB]

i am not at the lake right now but i will check.  It is wired  exactly how the instructions say. If the led does not light up am i still protected. both green wires are connected to the ground inside the panel. thanks .

If it is wired correctly, it should be good.   Both LEDs will not necessarily light up under certain
circumstances even though the dark LED very well may light up during an actual lightning
strike.   I would be surprised if you were watching just at the right time though to see it though.

A lot of this lightning protection stuff has to do with the lightning, when it strikes, bringing both
hot and neutral wires above ground only during that time.   Well, the hot wire (L1) is normally
going above ground 60 times per second so it will always light up but the neutral of course
usually sits at ground potential so it won't light up under normal conditions.

boB

[kim roy]

so is it normal for the left one to light up when i start the generator then go off after the batt charger kicks in thanks

[Alanbrad]

lightning arrester will help you at all times. try it.

[boB]

so is it normal for the left one to light up when i start the generator then go off after the batt charger kicks in thanks

Maybe.

It may be that when the battery charger does kick in that it disconnects the bond between GND and negative.

Is your charger (inverter/charger ?)  an RV type ?  Those can do this ground switching function.  The source (generator) when charging and the inverter (when no shore power connected) is what needs to ground the neutral wire.

What I usually find is that the LEDs will go dim but not go completely off.  Can you see those LEDs at all when charging ?

Either way, I doubt this is a real problem at all but we can figure out why they go out I think.

boB