24-volt stuff

[Vern Faulkner]

I am trying to spec 24-volt inverters... I need a pure sine unit with very low search power consumption. Ideally, a 24-volt version of the 300 watt Morningstar sure sine.... It seems only a 1800 watt Xantrex is close, but I don't need that much ooomph.

[Westbranch]

check these out http://www.cotek.com.tw/product/ , you may find one that fits your needs.

[vtmaps]

I am trying to spec 24-volt inverters... I need a pure sine unit with very low search power consumption. Ideally, a 24-volt version of the 300 watt Morningstar sure sine.... It seems only a 1800 watt Xantrex is close, but I don't need that much ooomph.

If it needs to be hard wired and UL listed, check out the exeltech inverters.  If not, look at the Victron Phoenix inverters which are listed for marine use and have spectacularly low power draws.

--vtMaps

[Photowhit]

I'll second Vtmaps, but check that they have the correct UL listing for homes, I've never seen which UL listing they have but make the assumption that since they can be hard wired and have provisions for conduit that they have UL1741 (Home use)

[MyEnergy]

Check out - http://www.outbackpower.com/pdf/specs/GFX_Intl_Series_SpecSheetA4_02.2012_lr.pdf - for another quality, low draw, non-UL listed option.

[Vern Faulkner]

Check out - http://www.outbackpower.com/pdf/specs/GFX_Intl_Series_SpecSheetA4_02.2012_lr.pdf - for another quality, low draw, non-UL listed option.

That idle power - 6 w at search - constitutes 144 w/hr per day. I'm leaning to the Xantrex 1800 inverter - it's got about 2w search draw IIRC.

[dgd]

The inverter will not be in idle mode all day, will it? So the idle power consumption per day will be much lower as you will be using the inverter 

Dgd

[Vern Faulkner]

The inverter will not be in idle mode all day, will it? So the idle power consumption per day will be much lower as you will be using the inverter 

Dgd

Not as we've envisioned it, actually. All appliances (water pump, fridge, freezer) will be direct 24-volt powered. The only thing the inverter will power are a few spot lights (the rest will be 24-volt LED) and occasional things like crockpots, blenders, and so on.

[Photowhit]

The only thing the inverter will power are a few spot lights (the rest will be 24-volt LED) and occasional things like crockpots, blenders, and so on.

Be careful of ghost loads, lights on motion sensors have a draw, that LED on you surge protector has a draw, I just was checking things out, my toaster oven, with NO LED panel draws 1.7 watts! My induction hot plate has a draw when off...

Nice to check everything with a Kil-A-Watt meter, but even then be careful, My LED lit TV draws such a small amount while 'off and waiting' that it doesn't register on the meter.

[Vern Faulkner]

Be careful of ghost loads, lights on motion sensors have a draw, that LED on you surge protector has a draw, I just was checking things out, my toaster oven, with NO LED panel draws 1.7 watts! My induction hot plate has a draw when off...

Fully aware of such things. Motion sensor lights will be self-contained solar-power things. Rechargers, etc., will all be on a switched outlet, etc. etc.

[zoneblue]

Like you our house is 24VDC for lighting, fridge and computers.

Ive found the search mode in our case to be almost ZERO use. As mentioned above all sorts of stuff draws power, to the point that you spend half your day going round trying to figure out whats keeping the damn invertor on. I got tired of it and went with the remote on switch mounted in the house.

I switch it on to do a laod of laundry, use the blender, power tools etc, then turn it off. Works.

PS. One appliance i am having difficulty running off DC is the cordless phone. Ive tried several different switching power supplies for it, but all i get is a buzz and crackle. Its a panasonic, with 6.5VDC plugpack.

BTW if you really want to see what you are doing using dc powered leds check out my write up here:
http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=led-lighting

[boB]

BTW if you really want to see what you are doing using dc powered leds check out my write up here:
http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=led-lighting

I hear ya about running around figuring out what's keeping the inverter running ?
The outback FX has a mode where you can adjust its search mode to keep things
like clocks running but still keep it in search.

Hey !  You've got some beautiful hiking places down there !  GREAT pictures !

boB

[Vern Faulkner]

PS. One appliance i am having difficulty running off DC is the cordless phone. Ive tried several different switching power supplies for it, but all i get is a buzz and crackle. Its a panasonic, with 6.5VDC plugpack.

Our solution to that is old-school. Corded phones, in different locations.

[dhsola]

We used a 12 volt DC Isolator from Backwoods Solar for the cordless phone. Got rid of the buzzzzzz
Model# SH12-670