Author Topic: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later  (Read 5594 times)

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Offline station240Topic starter

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My area doesn't have hard rubbish collection, but I still managed to get things this past month.

First thing I got was a Sunny Roo 5000, 5000w Solar Inverter.
Apparently dead, but so far I've not found faults. General thoughts are it's just got some minor design issues related to software/monitoring and throws errors/disconnects easily. Also smells of cheap crappy caps after my last test where I fed 375V DC into the solar PV inputs.

Being a grid interactive inverter, I really need a fake grid to connect it to, or a better output stage.
Then I got a second bigger inverter.

MGE Comet S31 20Kva UPS
Active power: 16Kw
Input: 3 phase 415V AC
Battery voltage: 288V DC nominal
Output: single phase 240V AC
Net weight without battery: 210 Kg

The solar inverter is 28Kg and wall mountable, the huge UPS is fridge sized and probably heavier than a dumpster.
Neither have anything more than a very basic block diagram, so I'm making my own. At a basic level both have a Boost Inverter and an output inverter, the only transformers are tiny ones confined to the LV supplies to the electronics.

UPS teardown, testing, etc is up to day 4 now.
 

Offline necessaryevil

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2015, 10:01:26 am »
Can't wait to see this one! I love the bigger stuff, I started my hobby with tearing down industrial stuff from my uncle's company when I was a kid. In the mean while, watch this one (no not me):
 
« Last Edit: October 05, 2015, 10:18:29 am by necessaryevil »
 

Offline station240Topic starter

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2015, 01:21:40 pm »
Still working on this, want to have proper block diagrams, as the company supplied ones are very basic.

Discovered some technical info not present in the published info.
Main DC bus: +199V 0V -199V

Also the inverter won't sync until the grid is functioning. So if you turn it off during a blackout, it won't restart.
The Battery charger is easily disabled by unplugging a 12 pin plug with thick cables.
Seems it will take any suitable voltage as an input on the battery terminals, could be the same for the 3 phase inputs.

Below is the battery cable I got with it, ran to an external battery cabinet. Batteries use the same 0V center tap arrangement as the main capacitor bank, +144V earth -144V.
 

Offline AF6LJ

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2015, 03:09:47 pm »
Thanks for Sharing.  :-+ :-+
Sue AF6LJ
 

Offline JacquesBBB

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2015, 06:46:35 pm »
MGE Comet S31 20Kva UPS
UPS teardown, testing, etc is up to day 4 now.

Welcome to the club !
I have a similar one that I still need to move.
It is so heavy that I will have to take it in parts, so I will be looking for your teardown.
I have just moved the batteries, but the remaining part is still too heavy.

How did you manage to get it from the dumpster ? 

 

Online NiHaoMike

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2015, 03:48:49 pm »
Open it up and remove the big transformers (noting where they connected if you intend to reassemble and use it) and that will considerably reduce the weight.
Cryptocurrency has taught me to love math and at the same time be baffled by it.

Cryptocurrency lesson 0: Altcoins and Bitcoin are not the same thing.
 

Offline station240Topic starter

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2015, 04:46:40 pm »
Welcome to the club !
I have a similar one that I still need to move.
It is so heavy that I will have to take it in parts, so I will be looking for your teardown.
I have just moved the batteries, but the remaining part is still too heavy.

How did you manage to get it from the dumpster ?

Yes it's still 150Kg without batteries, as for how I managed to get it home.
Well two men got in into a trailer by using the wheels to move it, then used a makeshift ramp (timber and bits of timber packing crates) to load it onto a trailer. It arrived on it's side as they tipped it over to get it loaded. Not sure exactly how they did it, not recommended.

Jacques mind if I use your photo, I don't have any of the internal batteries installed, as mine came sans batteries.

@NiHaoMike It's transformerless, would be far heavier if it wasn't.
 

Offline JacquesBBB

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2015, 06:21:01 pm »
Yes it's still 150Kg without batteries,

Now I understand. It was not so easy. As I  want to  transport it in my car (sedan), this is why I will
try to dismount it as much as possible.

Quote
Jacques mind if I use your photo, I don't have any of the internal batteries installed, as mine came sans batteries.

No problem, be my guest !

I had about 200 kg of batteries. I intend to revitalise them. I found that  most, if not all have lost a lot of water.
Just adding some water already revive them to decent voltage.
 

Online NiHaoMike

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Re: Dumpster dive transformer less inverters - teardowns to come later
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2015, 05:12:17 am »
From the picture, there appears to be a big transformer or transformer-like object (inductor?) behind the vent.
Cryptocurrency has taught me to love math and at the same time be baffled by it.

Cryptocurrency lesson 0: Altcoins and Bitcoin are not the same thing.
 


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