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Forum Index : Electronics : Bryan's Inverter build

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Bryan1

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Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1822
Posted: 06:20am 10 Apr 2026
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So if I'm right the problem may be with the VFB so may be back to looking and checking components on the control board VFB section.

It maybe a simple solder joint where the board is double sided and with me soldering the back the solder didn't flow thru to connect the top pad.

Now when I first started the inverter the voltage was around 130 volts off memory and I used the pot on the VFB part of the control board to get a 230AC output.

Well they do say building you're first inverter will get you knowing everything about it but in my case it does seem I am finding EVERY problem there is    
 
Bryan1

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Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1822
Posted: 07:54am 10 Apr 2026
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Now with my first test TinyT did point out

22.1 x 200.1 = 4420VA or watts

Now ohms law doesn't lie and if these energy meters are accurate why didn't it show the true value, I did notice when I had the dual element going then I went and turned on the toaster oven and saw 3Kw on the meter adding the 1.5Kw single element only showed about 400 watts more.

It has been years since since my shed has seen these power levels in fact time for a

/Blog

In late 2004 I emailed a company in Tiawon with the same specifications as my Selectronic SA32 inverter that has been going on my house since 2005 as I working at Telfer Gold Mine on a 28x7 roster.

Anyway got a email back from Tiawon saying in order to not get you import charge I will make you one for $999 so you don't pay import duty.

Well when the package arrived in Australia I had to use an import agent and customs asked me what the package was where I said it was an inverter where 24 volts DC in put in and 240 volts AC is put out so it will power a house. They asked me 4 times what it was then come to the conclusion inverters wasn't on the import list so I got charged for import duty.

In all I got the Kipoint inverter home for just under 2K   and a score of used telsux batteries saw me power my off grid shed for the first time off solar.

Now in 2012 I got onto used forklift batteries where I sold enough of them to take 12 months off work  

Honestly the rest is history as house is setup for it's 600AH 24 volt battery and my shed has a 735AH and both are still working today.

I did learn the lesson of not grinding near the battery and blew the top of a cell on my shed battery  

So that blue cloth you see in my pic's is that cell and it does give the idea when it's low time to water the battery.

On my house array every month since I put that 1.9Kw array on I check the water levels on the 600AH battery. Around 5-6 litres now like summer as the batteries were in float mode by lunch time the check was every week  

Lets get back to my Kipoint inverter  

I scored the old stove from Wistow's post office, found it was put in 1850 and can you believe it's still a work in progress  

Anyway I had a job to do and the Kipoint did power my arc welder, I made sure the SG was on 1024 or better then spent 5 hours arc welding up the 2 ovens that were needed.

The next day my 8" grinder wouldn't start so I did think I did kill the surge on the inverter. Around 2 weeks later the 8" grinder did start so I thought all was good and  although this inverter did go a fault I took it to Roger and mentioned the green power pot and sure enough that was the problem where it went 2Kw easily.

Now many of you will ask why I'm still on 24 volts well the system I put in just works so why change it where 48 volt systems were a dream.

All these years later I want to change it so I can have real power so this inverter project has taken over 2 years to make and every problem there is building I seem to find the all the problems one can find building my own.

The support I have gotten is golden from from members to help me in this task of getting my first build going.

My main plan as I do have 6.3Kw of 330 watt panels I put 3 of them beside my shed which is the main reason why the SG is pointing to not quite 100% but good enough.

Now I do plan when this inverter is going to add those panels to my roof so I can put one of those 5Kw grid tie inverters in so my shed is upto date with modern times so I can get my machineshop back so I can back on line. The 2 lathes and my bridgeport mill still work of the Kipoint as I put VFD's on each so I could run 3 phase off 240 volts.

But it time to fix what is working with new stuff so guy's guess my trade  
/end blog
 
phil99

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Joined: 11/02/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 3124
Posted: 07:57am 10 Apr 2026
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  KeepIS said  Or - due to toroid design or very low DC input, causing close to 99% PWM drive at low power, leaving no headroom for higher load current regulation.

Perhaps take 1 turn off the primary, assuming the battery volts aren't sagging too much (measured at the MOSFETS).
 
Bryan1

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Joined: 22/02/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 1822
Posted: 08:18am 10 Apr 2026
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  phil99 said  
  KeepIS said  Or - due to toroid design or very low DC input, causing close to 99% PWM drive at low power, leaving no headroom for higher load current regulation.

Perhaps take 1 turn off the primary, assuming the battery volts aren't sagging too much (measured at the MOSFETS).


Ok explain how one turn off the primary can solve this problem?
 
phil99

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Joined: 11/02/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 3124
Posted: 08:36am 10 Apr 2026
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  Quote  close to 99% PWM drive at low power, leaving no headroom for higher load current regulation.
Removing 1 primary turn will increase the turns ratio, increasing the maximum possible output voltage when the PWM drive reaches 99%.

It may however increase the idle current, depending on how much headroom there is between the magnetizing current and saturation.

The other option is to add extra turns to the secondary, 20 to 30 perhaps.
This won't affect idle current but will increase resistance loss at high power a bit.
There is no free lunch!
 
tinyt
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Joined: 12/11/2017
Location: United States
Posts: 553
Posted: 12:48pm 10 Apr 2026
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I suggest to 'scope the AC output waveform using an isolation transformer. If pwm is close to 100% I am guessing that the waveform peaks will be clipped.

Assuming VB = 22 volts is an accurate voltage at the inverter input, find out if there is excessive wiring voltage drop from the battery terminals to the inverter input with a 3 kW AC load:
Battery terminal voltage = ?
Inverter power input terminal voltage = ?
 
KeepIS

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Joined: 13/10/2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 2098
Posted: 10:22pm 10 Apr 2026
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No, the waveform peaks will not be clipped, poida has always made sure that  his SPWM code will never go above 99% PWM for obvious reasons.
NANO:Inverter V 8.2ksLinux AvrDude GUI script V4.1
 
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