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ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 191

Posted: 06:19am 23 Feb 2022

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Thanks for the first hand knoledge Revlac.

Was going to buy one and they're back out of stock. Looks like I sat on the fence too long...

Ellen
Newbie

Joined: 21/02/2022
Location: United States
Posts: 9

Posted: 02:03am 09 Mar 2022

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Quote Also doesn't seem like you can use the inverter and charger at the same time. At night I would like to run off the inverter with the grid keeping my batteries from being too deeply discharged.

You are wrong on both counts as I have one running in Lightning Ridge .

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 961

Posted: 02:09am 09 Mar 2022

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Quote You are wrong on both counts as I have one running in Lightning Ridge .

Same model or different model?
Some models are capable of it and some are not.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 191

Posted: 06:48am 09 Mar 2022

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Would you mind sharing what model you are running Ellen? If one of the more expensive ones can do both I would be interested.

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 961

Posted: 08:05am 11 Mar 2022

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Hi ryanm,
You might find some answers on the EV forum, it is quite extensive, but found it helpful on occasions.

https://forums.aeva.asn.au/viewforum.php?f=64
It might be Easier to straight out ask them, there should be a few people that have or know the exact ones that do the job, and some may have some photos of the innards.

On your inverter, the direction of airflow from the fans, do they force the hot air out the bottom (most did) or out the top?
Most people have changed the fans so the hot air exits out the top.

Can see the little monster on the fan vent enjoying the heat, best not to let them get into the inverter.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

noneyabussiness
Guru

Joined: 31/07/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 506

Posted: 08:23am 11 Mar 2022

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revlac, if those things were gone, most grubberment contracted Eleccys would be out of a job... they destroy thousands ( dare say way more) in electronic equipment every day... sooo many times we would lose a air con etc from a fried gekko or their poop..

I think it works !!

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 961

Posted: 11:44am 11 Mar 2022

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They have been responsible for burning a hole through someones inverter board (despite the conformal coating), they can fit through the power in/out hole on these units, I do my best to plug any holes, keep the buggers out.

Had a few of them whacked by the fan in the aircon......Damn things stink like hell...and some....for something so small.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

Ellen
Newbie

Joined: 21/02/2022
Location: United States
Posts: 9

Posted: 08:40pm 11 Mar 2022

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My model does not appear any more for purchase but these are the same thing.

There are at least 100 of these installed round Nimbin NSW.

Surface spray directly on them kills gekos.

Ebay item
Edited 2022-03-12 06:44 by Ellen

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 961

Posted: 02:27am 12 Mar 2022

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Be careful with different brand names.
https://www.mppsolar.com/v3/fake/

Some clones as well, some may work well or at times might offer slightly better options than genuine brands, however they can have lesser quality components, often no designators on the pcb, and often the firmware might not be upgraded, also little support if something goes wrong.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

Davo99
Guru

Joined: 03/06/2019
Location: Australia
Posts: 1577

Posted: 03:07am 12 Mar 2022

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Good Info Aaron.
I have looked at the Mpp site several times and missed that.
Looks like some people have been suckered with these cheap knockoffs already.

What is the benefit of exhausting the heat out the top and reversing the fans?
Is that for convection?

I have radiator fans on my GTI's blowing from the top to the bottom because it goes against convection and I think the resistance, as nothing as it may be will help pick up heat.

The fans are solar powered and direct connected to panels so as soon as there is any worthwhile power the fans are blowing. Even though these are essential sealed units with no internal venting, having the fans blowing over the whole casing as well as the heatsink at the back makes for a huge difference in inverter temp with and without the fans.

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 961

Posted: 05:51am 12 Mar 2022

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Mostly for convection, The top left side is the hot spot, has the choke and IGBT heat sink, at least for the older models, the newer version I expect it would be similar perhaps.

One old one in the shed the fans are very slow and I put a fan on the top outlets to help, the fans on the inverter that runs the house they rev up as the load increases and remains quite cool.
They keep the lights on and the fridge, freezer and general house stuff running, The home built MAD Inverter (will build another one) does all the Heavy work, large power tools etc. Been happy running this way.
When the authority of some ilk turns up they will only see the commercial unit, not the other one.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

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