POW-SunSmart SP5K Frequency Issues

[Korishan]

Ok, so I've ran into another issue with this blasted piece of hardware. I'm really starting to get fed up with PowMr equipment

Hardware Configuration:

Mains -> Inverter/Charger -> UPS -> Server Rack
.                                \-> Living Room

The Living room has my computer/monitors and the fridge and a ceiling fan (DC fan, non-inductive).

A couple weeks ago I was noticing that the inverter was showing energy usage >800W with spikes up to 1200W. I have no heavy loads on my setup. About this time I started noticing my fridge making odd sounds while the compressor was running, kind of sounded like it was shuttering, best I can explain.
So I started to think the fridge compressor was going bad.

Fast forward to this past weekend I happened to be visiting the Server Room to do inspections and I found that the UPS was constantly triggering on/off Battery-Backup Mode. Loud "cachunka chunka" and "bbbuuzzzz" sounds as it do this. "Ohhhh great, now my UPS is going out" is what I thought.

So I shut the servers down, disconnected the UPS from Grid and disconnected the battery and let it sit for a few minutes. Hooked everything back up and powered up and resumed the exact same issue. I did not test without the battery connected, but didn't have to. I looked at the Logs of the UPS and it showed the error:

So that got me to thinking to check the Inverter output. Only reason I could think the UPS would be triggering is due to either High/Low Voltage, or Frequency out of spec. Got out one of my new DMMs that can do also check frequency and boy howdy did I find an issue!!

These 3 readings showed up all within 5 seconds. The 4th shows there's 0V on the Mains (breaker off)

So I decided to record a few videos showing switching between Mains AC and Inverter AC and explained the situation to PowMr.

I'll post the whole email conversation as of now instead of just doing a reader digest version (Sorry, since it's an email history, gotta read it bottom-top ):

Hello, Sir,
Thank you for your feedback and video sharing. According to your information, when you did this test, the load that was plugged in was the refrigerator, right?
Can you try replacing the load with a bulb around 100W and see if the inverter output frequency can return to normal?
Kind Regards.


---- Korishan <.....@mail.com> 在 Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:04:08 -0800 写到：---

Completely powered off the Inverter and disconnected Mains and Loads. Checked Mains AC Input and checked Inverter AC Output. Inverter AC Output continues to show high frequency fluctuations when restarted with or without Mains turned on and with or without Load turned on. It appears the frequency is higher, over 100Hz, when the Load is low. Output frequency should always be a steady frequency of 60Hz just like the Mains AC Input is steady.

https://youtu.be/ (Link removed)

Strange behavior is Mains AC Input shows 60Hz when Circuit breaker is turned off; this is shown as 0V on Input. I did not disconnect the wires during this test.

Korishan
On 11/12/2024 9:28 PM, PowMr wrote:

Hi sir,
Thanks for your feedback and video sharing. If you disconnect load from the inverter and only connect utility power and battery power to start the inverter, then use the meter to test the HZ on the output, see if the output's frequency will be normal？
Kind Regards



---- Korishan <.....@mail.com> 在 Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:23:14 -0800 写到：---

I created another video:

https://youtu.be/ (Link removed)

This video shows around 300W load. I also showed values with the Mains AC Disconnected and the frequency results are actually HIGHER!!!

This is NOT ok situation working mode. Something is wrong here. Good thing the only thing on that circuit is computer equipment that doesn't rely on Frequency of 60Hz. My fridge is induction motor and it does not like it when the frequency changes while the motor/compressor is on.

Another issue I noticed and not sure if this is normal is that while I had Mains AC Disconnected, the relays inside the Inverter kept clicking. I do not know what relays these went to. The video picked up the audio of them clicking, but might have to turn up the volume to high. The dog started barking about 24 seconds so might turn down volume at that point.

Korishan
On 11/11/2024 10:26 PM, PowMr wrote:

Hi sir,
Thanks for your feedback and video sharing.
This abnormal AC frequency variation only when you use mains power to feed your load?
If you remove the mains from the inverter and only uses PV and battery to feed load, will the AC frequency be normal?
Please also let us know what load you connected on the inverter when you meet this situation.
Try to replace your load with a around 200W light, see if this situation will disappear?
We also send your problem to our develop center, here are some suggestions from them:
1. The output voltage and frequency of the machine in the state of mains bypass are adaptive mains terminals
2. The display frequency of the machine display does not fluctuate
3. The machine is working normally, the load at the output end is about 300W, and the machine with abnormal frequency at the output end cannot carry the load
4. The measurement frequency table is not accurate when measuring the frequency of the output end.
Kind Regards.



---- Korishan <.....@mail.com> 在 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:38:52 -0800 写到：---

Hell, Thanks for the quick reply. Here is the link to the video showing the screen display and what my multimeter shows on both the Mains AC and the Inverter AC.

https://youtu.be/ (Link removed)

Attached is the information label of the inverter and the Invoice from eBay seller PowMr-US-Store

Serial # SR-2403060023-301148-B03

Here is the eBay seller page/item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/304905429412

In the video you can see that the Mains AC Frequency is very stable. It does not change. But the Inverter Frequency jumps around quite a bit and was also >90Hz at times!! It even went above 100Hz for a moment!!

Thank you kindly,

Korishan
On 11/10/2024 9:42 PM, PowMr wrote:

Hi sir,
Thanks for your feedback.
Unfortunately, we can't open your picture. Could you show us the frequency abnormal variation by video? You can also use your meter to test the frequency, see if the real frequency variation is normal?
Then, also send us your inverter's product label, order screenshot and the online store's link.
Kind Regards.



---- Korishan <.....@mail.com> 在 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 07:30:03 +0800 写到：---

Hello. I recently discovered that this unit is causing some strange problems. I was noticing power fluctuations in lights and motor loads and a UPS. After checking the power output of the inverter, I noticed it was showing as high as 111Hz on the output. This was rare. Most of the time the frequency would jump to around 80-90Hz. This was causing my UPS to constantly trigger on/off to battery because it detected noisy power.

I used 2 Digital Multimeters to very the frequency. I also compared to the Input Mains Frequency and when connected, it's a steady output of 60Hz, on both Digital Multimeters.

I power cycled the Inverter, disconnecting battery, solar, AC Mains and let the unit sit for about 5 minutes. After reconnecting the problem was still present.

Not sure if this is a related issue, but I noticed when the settings were configured for Solar First, and Mains Second, the Solar would constantly disconnect according to the graphs in SRNE software.

Image

This is not from cloud cover. This was capture when there was 100% sunshine, 0% clouds.


Please advise of extra information that is required.

Thank you

Kori

And here's my latest reply, which I haven't gotten a respond yet:

Please advise on the next step to find out what is wrong with my inverter. It is operationally working out of designed specifications. Is there are firmware that might fix the issue, settings I need to configure, anything? If nothing can be done to fix the unit, then I need to issue a warranty replacement.

I have also included the exported data, configuration and the actual Database (data.db3) files.

I'll add them here as well for your viewing pleasure. Unfortunately the data.db3 file does not include the Inverter Output Frequency, only the Mains AC Input Frequency. The database can be opened using "DB Browser for SQLite" or similar browser. Only reason I included the DB file is because it has other parameters included that aren't in the exported xlsx docs.


So what suggestions does anyone have?? I mean, other than chucking this in the pit or such Only reason I went with them was because they had a good deal on it when I bought it, and I already had another unit that I got for <$100 and just needed to see if I could fix it. I wasn't going to dive into that unit until everything else was working properly.
On another note, I have no idea how long this has been happening. I could of been from day one. Ohh, and the other thing is weird Solar input. The MPPT would kick in, start raising current/wattage, get to a peak, and then crash to zero. This didn't matter whether I had settings to Charge (PV-1st, Mains-1st, PV&Mains, PV-Only) or Inverter (PV-1st, Mains-1st, Battery-1st)

And this happens on a super sunny day even when the battery needs to be charged. My settings are supposed to be configured so that PV/Mains supplements Output after Battery is charged, but this rarely happens.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

When my AIMS 12,000w inverter 'went out' at 5yrs / 25,000hrs of operation I was alerted by my APC UPSs going crazy, switching back/forth between the AIMS AC and the Grid. Very similar / identical to what you're reporting.

I switched in my 2nd (identical specs) AIMS and the issue went away. Eventually I sent the control board of the AIMS to a repair place, and they mainly replaced capacitors, and this fixed the issue / original AIMS seemed to OK again.

I'm not educated on circuitry but it seems like the AIMS control board started allowing 'bad AC' to come out..... due to failing components on the control circuity. Not sure if this was frequency or voltage or what exactly was going bad but it was devastating to the APC UPSs. The fixed control board fixed my problem - so 'bad capacitors'?

I have network cards in my APCs and this let's me get emails on events. This is just a small copy/paste of the emails I started receiving...

As a side note, I was grateful for the APC as it alerted me to the issue. Otherwise who knows how long I would have gone / and could it get bad enough to hurt household equipment?

 

[Korishan]

Thanks for the input. Seems like a very similar situation is going on here. And yeah, if it had not been the UPS alerting, I'd never known. And would of cost me more money as I would of thought the fridge needed replacing when it didn't. Fortunately my other equipment is mostly electronics that switches over to DC anyways to run.

 

[Korishan]

LOL OMG!! They tried to say that the frequency was stable because of the datasheet showing it being stable. Completely ignoring that the label says "Line Frequency".
So I had to explain to them that Line Frequency is the Mains Frequency, and not the Inverter Output Frequency. The only output logged is the Inverter Voltage, which is labeled Load Voltage

Thanks @OffGridInTheCity for your input, as I included that in the email reply. Good timing