Why won't my generator run my washing machine?

[tomandsophie]

I don't know if you're still having problems with your washing machine, but here's my experience:

We have a standard household washing machine running off a 2.2kva frame genny. It won't run at all unless we have at least one 240v light turned on (we just have a 60w household bulb which we turn on when the washing is on). Bizarre, but true! Worth a try...

[smileypete]

That's right. It does take a while for the washing machine to want to start from the generator. The end of cycle still flashes (about 10 or 11 flashes) and this happens 2 or 3 times but eventually the start light illuminates and I'm able to start the machine.

 

Phone Zanussi or their agents, ask what 10 or 11 flashes mean.

 

cheers,

Pete.

[Gibbo]

I don't know if you're still having problems with your washing machine, but here's my experience:

We have a standard household washing machine running off a 2.2kva frame genny. It won't run at all unless we have at least one 240v light turned on (we just have a 60w household bulb which we turn on when the washing is on). Bizarre, but true! Worth a try...

 

That's on a normal generator. The waveform from them us awful until they have some sort of steady load. Washing machines don't like the waveform and won't run. Putting the lightbulbs on cleans up the waveform. Blackrose's generator is an inverter generator which produce a perfect sinewave.

 

But it's good tip for those with normal gennies.

 

Gibbo

[blackrose]

Ok, here goes..... I'm going to diagnose this by remote control and telepathy!

 

Two points you need to understand to follow me......

 

On a normal mains supply with an RCD, if you short neutral and earth with no load switched on nothing happens. If you then start to draw increasing power from the supply, the live current will be whatever it is, the neutral current will be half as much (assuming the neutral and earth conductors are the same size) because the return current will be shared between the neutral and earth conductors. So as the load current is increased you reach a point where you are drawing 60mA and are actually drawing 60mA down the live wire and returning 30mA up each of the neutral and earth wires. This is the point where the RCD trips. It detects the imbalance of 30mA between the live and neatral. With it so far?

 

On a normal supply, the neutral earth bond could be some distance away, in the case of a marina it could easily be hundreds of metres away. This means that with lots of loads on, shared between lots of users, there could be a substantial voltage difference between the neutral conductor and the earth conductor without causing any problems. All due to the resistance of the supply cables. With your neutral earth bonded generator this cannot happen as the bond is so much closer to the load. Follow that?

 

A washing machine has the motor and its speed control triac connected directly to the live and neutral. That has to be the case obviously.

 

What is less well known is that very often the computer and it's power supply are also connected directly to the mains. The computer is actually at mains potential and its power supply is by way of a capacitor dropper as opposed to the more expected transformer. This saves a few pence in manufacture as no transformer is needed and no galvanic isolation between the computer and the triac controlling the motor speed. The capacitive dropper power supply is the reason many washing machines actually blow up when run from MSW inverters as the harmonics cause excess voltage on the regulator feeding the computer.

 

Now this power supply (purely for the computer) is connected between live and neutral with two "Y" capacitors, one connected between live and earth, the other connected between neutral and earth. If something has gone wrong there, maybe a dodgy solder joint or a blown capacitor, it is quite conceivable that the power supply for the computer is trying to draw its power from between live and earth. This is a very low power circuit, milliAmps. However you will instantly see that the unit will not work without a neutral earth bond, further it will also be causing an imbalance between the live and neutral currents of a few milliAmps. This would be further compounded by a voltage difference between the neutral and earth.

 

I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions from this.

 

Gibbo

 

Ok, I don't follow the detail entirely but I get the general gist - thanks.

[blackrose]

Ok, here goes..... I'm going to diagnose this by remote control and telepathy!

 

Two points you need to understand to follow me......

 

On a normal mains supply with an RCD, if you short neutral and earth with no load switched on nothing happens. If you then start to draw increasing power from the supply, the live current will be whatever it is, the neutral current will be half as much (assuming the neutral and earth conductors are the same size) because the return current will be shared between the neutral and earth conductors. So as the load current is increased you reach a point where you are drawing 60mA and are actually drawing 60mA down the live wire and returning 30mA up each of the neutral and earth wires. This is the point where the RCD trips. It detects the imbalance of 30mA between the live and neatral. With it so far?

 

On a normal supply, the neutral earth bond could be some distance away, in the case of a marina it could easily be hundreds of metres away. This means that with lots of loads on, shared between lots of users, there could be a substantial voltage difference between the neutral conductor and the earth conductor without causing any problems. All due to the resistance of the supply cables. With your neutral earth bonded generator this cannot happen as the bond is so much closer to the load. Follow that?

 

A washing machine has the motor and its speed control triac connected directly to the live and neutral. That has to be the case obviously.

 

What is less well known is that very often the computer and it's power supply are also connected directly to the mains. The computer is actually at mains potential and its power supply is by way of a capacitor dropper as opposed to the more expected transformer. This saves a few pence in manufacture as no transformer is needed and no galvanic isolation between the computer and the triac controlling the motor speed. The capacitive dropper power supply is the reason many washing machines actually blow up when run from MSW inverters as the harmonics cause excess voltage on the regulator feeding the computer.

 

Now this power supply (purely for the computer) is connected between live and neutral with two "Y" capacitors, one connected between live and earth, the other connected between neutral and earth. If something has gone wrong there, maybe a dodgy solder joint or a blown capacitor, it is quite conceivable that the power supply for the computer is trying to draw its power from between live and earth. This is a very low power circuit, milliAmps. However you will instantly see that the unit will not work without a neutral earth bond, further it will also be causing an imbalance between the live and neutral currents of a few milliAmps. This would be further compounded by a voltage difference between the neutral and earth.

 

I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions from this.

 

Gibbo

 

Ok, I don't follow the detail entirely but I get the general gist - thanks.

[Radio-Ga-Ga]

That's on a normal generator. The waveform from them us awful until they have some sort of steady load. Washing machines don't like the waveform and won't run. Putting the lightbulbs on cleans up the waveform. Blackrose's generator is an inverter generator which produce a perfect sinewave.

 

But it's good tip for those with normal gennies.

 

Gibbo

 

I have to dissagree (somebody allways does so it might as well be me)

 

The waveform from a standard generator is excellent, very near perfect and completely analogue, the problem is holding a steady engine RPM and that affects the frequency Most gensets hold the RPM/frequency slightly high without load and slow slightly under load, that brings the frequency close but never perfect.

 

Inverters or generator/inverters have near perfect frequency control But the waveform is a digitaly simulated one that increases and decreases voltage in a series of steps and can never be perfect. the ouput waveform of a "pure sine" inverter lies somwhere between a Quasi wave and a pure wave, the point at which the wave is alleged by the maker to be pure is an unknown variable.

 

It has to be said that any inverter called a pure sine by its maker SHOULD be capable of running any appliance within its capacity.

[Gibbo]

I have to dissagree (somebody allways does so it might as well be me)

 

The waveform from a standard generator is excellent, very near perfect and completely analogue,

 

Sorry but that's completely wrong.

 

You have obviously never actually looked to check this "well known fact".

 

Some years ago we had problems with the (then) new Freedom range of combis getting the charge/transfer function to lock onto plenty of generators. I was tasked with finding out why and borrowed, stole and/or purchased about 75 common generators. I 'scoped every single one under various loads, logged them all and worked out what the problem was.

 

I still have all the graphs somewhere on a PC in the office. If I can find them next time I'm in there I can probably show you a graph of *your* generator running into various loads.

 

It's a very common misconception. I suspect it came about because people just *assume* the waveform from small generators is a nice clean sine wave (because people have told them so) but never *actually* bothered to look at one on a 'scope. Those who have *actually* looked (rather than assumed) *know* that the waveform is a complete and utter mess.

 

They are typically close to a squarewave at zero load then at small loads have two enormous "holes" in the waveform at 45 degrees before and after the zero crossing point.

 

Here is a typical one (that people *assume* have nice clean waveforms)....

 

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/bits/genny.bmp

 

If I remeber corredctly that one is Honda 2.2kW

 

Gibbo

 

Inverters or generator/inverters have near perfect frequency control But the waveform is a digitaly simulated one that increases and decreases voltage in a series of steps and can never be perfect. the ouput waveform of a "pure sine" inverter lies somwhere between a Quasi wave and a pure wave, the point at which the wave is alleged by the maker to be pure is an unknown variable.

 

I don't know where you get your information form but this is complete hogwash.

 

A typical pure sinewave inverter has less than 1% THD at zero load and less than 5% THD into ANY load, whatever the power factor as long as the load is within the manufacturer's rating.

 

In general that is cleaner than the national grid.

 

Yes, a pure sine inverter waveform does lie somewhere between a quasi sinewave and a pure sinewave. So does the national grid, so does an oscillograph of someone coughing, so does a trumpet and so does a bass drum. Nothing is a pure sinewave. NOt even the national grid.

 

I defy anyone to see any steps on a pure sinewave inverter without some *very* flash test equipment.

 

Gibbo

[Radio-Ga-Ga]

Sorry but that's completely wrong.

 

You have obviously never actually looked to check this "well known fact".

 

Some years ago we had problems with the (then) new Freedom range of combis getting the charge/transfer function to lock onto plenty of generators. I was tasked with finding out why and borrowed, stole and/or purchased about 75 common generators. I 'scoped every single one under various loads, logged them all and worked out what the problem was.

 

I still have all the graphs somewhere on a PC in the office. If I can find them next time I'm in there I can probably show you a graph of *your* generator running into various loads.

 

It's a very common misconception. I suspect it came about because people just *assume* the waveform from small generators is a nice clean sine wave (because people have told them so) but never *actually* bothered to look at one on a 'scope. Those who have *actually* looked (rather than assumed) *know* that the waveform is a complete and utter mess.

 

They are typically close to a squarewave at zero load then at small loads have two enormous "holes" in the waveform at 45 degrees before and after the zero crossing point.

 

Here is a typical one (that people *assume* have nice clean waveforms)....

 

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/bits/genny.bmp

 

If I remeber corredctly that one is Honda 2.2kW

 

Gibbo

 

 

 

I don't know where you get your information form but this is complete hogwash.

 

A typical pure sinewave inverter has less than 1% THD at zero load and less than 5% THD into ANY load, whatever the power factor as long as the load is within the manufacturer's rating.

 

In general that is cleaner than the national grid.

 

Yes, a pure sine inverter waveform does lie somewhere between a quasi sinewave and a pure sinewave. So does the national grid, so does an oscillograph of someone coughing, so does a trumpet and so does a bass drum. Nothing is a pure sinewave. NOt even the national grid.

 

I defy anyone to see any steps on a pure sinewave inverter without some *very* flash test equipment.

 

Gibbo

 

Oh dear our first tiff!

 

Just been looking arround if any inverter makers admit to the accuracy of their inverter waveform, only one found so far from the stirling website

 

"Wave form! All inverters are attempting to mimic the mains 230 volt sine wave form. This ensures that all equipment to be run on an inverter receives the same input waveform for which it was designed. With some equipment such as heaters" ect

 

They call their best inverters pure wave not Attempting to mimic pure wave!. As my login suggests I'm a radio ham and I do own a scope, I can only speak for the items I own and have tested and can say for fact my northern lights M673L2 waveform is very near as good as the mains, on the other hand I can see the steps in the wave from my Victron multi-plus 3000. Both will run my hotpoint washine machine without any problem. (even though frequency is slightly variable on the genset)

 

If your scope shows the mains to be as bad as you say I'd get on to your provider - it looks clean as a whistle where I live. (the waveform) not the voltage.

[Gibbo]

Oh dear our first tiff!

 

We're talking about small generators here. The thread is about a 3kW genny. Once you get past about 5kW it's a whole new ballgame. Get your 'scope on some 2 and 3kW generators. You'll be amazed.

 

And put a distortion analyser on your multiplus then the mains.

 

I'm not guessing at this.

 

Mastervolt spec their mass series at "typical 3%" THD.

 

http://www.mastervolt.com/view_product.php...V%20(230V/50Hz)

 

EN 50160 which specs the national grid specifies "less than 8% THD". On average it sits at around 4% depenging upon the time of day, increasing at "factory start up time" but some areas are continually at 8%.

 

www.emctla.co.uk/anew/TGN%2047%20-%20Assessing%20an%20electromagnetic%20environment.doc

 

Gibbo

Edited May 21, 2008 by Gibbo

[Radio-Ga-Ga]

We're talking about small generators here. The thread is about a 3kW genny. Once you get past about 5kW it's a whole new ballgame. Get your 'scope on some 2 and 3kW generators. You'll be amazed.

 

And put a distortion analyser on your multiplus then the mains.

 

I'm not guessing at this.

 

Mastervolt spec their mass series at "typical 3%" THD.

 

http://www.mastervolt.com/view_product.php...V%20(230V/50Hz)

 

EN 50160 which specs the national grid specifies "less than 8% THD". On average it sits at around 4% depenging upon the time of day, increasing at "factory start up time" but some areas are continually at 8%.

 

www.emctla.co.uk/anew/TGN%2047%20-%20Assessing%20an%20electromagnetic%20environment.doc

 

Gibbo

 

to be honest I joined this forum to look arround at boaters opinions of products and services in general so that I could make informed choices on purchases, I didn't intend to post as it always ends up in bickering. but even my original intention has gone by the board because most threads I've read end up with arguments and no real outcome. As it happens I did no research on the topic of inverters/generators, just put forward my own findings and opinions and I realy don't intend searching the web for justification. definately my last post in this thread, and Hope I can refrain from posting in any other!

[PeterF]

Waterways world did an article in June 2007 where they looked at the waveform forms from small portable generators of the size boaters would use. It was hardly a substantive survey but it tested a standard frame mounted unit (cheap), an expensive inverter generator and a cheaper inverter generator. The cheap frame mounted unit had a truncated sawtooth waveform with no load and a square waveform when under load. The inverter generators had good waveforms although not pefect at the peaks / troughs.

 

PeterF

[Tumblehome]

I've been diligently reading the various posts.

 

If I understand floating earths correctly, there is no path back from the earth to the neutral coming from the generator.

 

So, if I just have my generator sitting outside on my back deck and plugged into my shore connector, using live and neutral connections only, surely

the worse that can happen is that the boat will become live (i.e. at mains voltage), but that is all ??

 

If I touch the steelwork of the boat or of a metal fridge (assuming the live wire has made contact with the metal due to a fault) I will be at mains potential as well.

 

Without a return path, how would that be dangerous ?

[smileypete]

I've been diligently reading the various posts.

 

If I understand floating earths correctly, there is no path back from the earth to the neutral coming from the generator.

 

So, if I just have my generator sitting outside on my back deck and plugged into my shore connector, using live and neutral connections only, surely

the worse that can happen is that the boat will become live (i.e. at mains voltage), but that is all ??

 

If I touch the steelwork of the boat or of a metal fridge (assuming the live wire has made contact with the metal due to a fault) I will be at mains potential as well.

 

Without a return path, how would that be dangerous ?

 

If the metal fridge is shorted to neutral then touching it and the live hull, or anything metal like plumbing connected to the hull, would result in an electric shock and possible electrocution.

 

The best safety comes with using an RCD and neutral earth bonding, there's usually a gotcha with doing things another way.

 

cheers,

Pete.

Edited May 25, 2008 by smileypete

[Gibbo]

I've been diligently reading the various posts.

 

If I understand floating earths correctly, there is no path back from the earth to the neutral coming from the generator.

 

Correct. But, to be pedantic, "floating earth" is not the correct term. The correct term is "floating output" or "floating supply". Where "floating earth" came form is a mystery.

 

So, if I just have my generator sitting outside on my back deck and plugged into my shore connector, using live and neutral connections only, surely

the worse that can happen is that the boat will become live (i.e. at mains voltage), but that is all ??

 

If I touch the steelwork of the boat or of a metal fridge (assuming the live wire has made contact with the metal due to a fault) I will be at mains potential as well.

 

Without a return path, how would that be dangerous ?

 

I think I know what you're trying to say but.....

 

The "boat will become live" with respect to what? All voltages have to be measured with respect to something. If they aren't then the phrase becomes meaningless.

 

Voltage is a difference in potential between TWO things so to say "something is at X volts" is meaningless unless you state "with respect to....". Now restate your question

 

If (with a floating output generator) one of the outputs touches the hull then it does nothing. The voltage of the hull doesn't change with respect to earth. But the other output (that was previously safe to touch in isolation) now becomes live with respect to earth.

 

The problem deciding which is safest (a floating output or a neutral earth bonded output) comes down to deciding which is the most likely cause of electric shock. Someone touching live while in contact with earth OR someone touching live and neutral.

 

And another problem with a floating supply is that people tend to think "Oh well I don't need an RCD", but if one of the outputs inadvertantly contacts earth due to a fault, the system is no longer floating, has no RCD protection but will continue to function perfectly, until someone touches something they thought was safe.

 

Gibbo

[Tumblehome]

Forgive my terminology.

I think you know what I was trying to say.

 

So, to explore the floating output scenario.

In real life, assuming the kettle gets bored with life and suddenly one half of the floating pair of wires coming into it touches the metal part of the kettle, nothing will happen ?

 

UNTIL presumerably I touch the other wire in the pair - how likely is that in reality ?

 

Assuming that little event had never happened and on another occasion, while wiring a plug onboard, I took a wire in each hand, I would get a 230V shock. With a floating output, I guess it would kill.

 

If the neutral part of that pair had been bonded to earth, presumerably my body would provide a parallel return to the supply via my boots and the boat and the RCD would trip ?

Hopefully, before I got electrocuted ?

 

Is the latter really the benefit of a bonded arrangement rather than the floating output ?

Edited May 25, 2008 by Tumblehome

[Gibbo]

Forgive my terminology.

I think you know what I was trying to say.

 

I did, that's why I said so

 

So, to explore the floating output scenario.

In real life, assuming the kettle gets bored with life and suddenly one half of the floating pair of wires coming into it touches the metal part of the kettle, nothing will happen ?

 

Correct. Absolutely nothing.

 

UNTIL presumerably I touch the other wire in the pair - how likely is that in reality ?

 

Think about it. It's *exactly* the same likelihood as someone doing something that results in an electric shock. If you touch one of the wires you have a 50/50 chance of it being the one that hurts.

 

Assuming that little event had never happened and on another occasion, while wiring a plug onboard, I took a wire in each hand, I would get a 230V shock. With a floating output, I guess it would kill.

 

If the neutral part of that pair had been bonded to earth, presumerably my body would provide a parallel return to the supply via my boots and the boat and the RCD would trip ?

Hopefully, before I got electrocuted ?

 

Yes that's the idea. For some reason people think that an RCD never protects aginst a live/neutral contact. It can (and often does) if the person is also in contact with earth, which they *usually* are.

 

Is the latter really the benefit of a bonded arrangement rather than the floating output ?

 

Yes. It isn't why it was originally introduced (that's to do with the national grid) but now it is here it is a KNOWN fact that neutral/earth bonding with an RCD is safer (both in theory and statistically) than a floating output.

 

Proponents of floating outputs argue against this but a little research simply shows that they are wrong.

 

Gibbo

[blackrose]

I've just installed a second battery charger to speed charging up a bit while I'm away from shore power. I now have my original Sterling 30amp pro-digital plus a new Sterling 40amp pro-digital. The combined chargers start off giving me 69amps and it's getting the batteries charged much quicker now. I'm running the chargers from a Honda EU30i which I'm also using to run the 1.6kw washing machine.

 

I'm quite surprised that the generator is able to cope with all these appliances. I start off with the generator on hight output mode to cope with the initial startup load of the washing machine but once it's going I turn the generator onto eco-mode. Then I switch the chargers on. I don't know the wattage demand of the chargers - but according to the manual it's between 80-130v AC for the 12v chargers.

 

Does anyone have any idea what sort of spare capacity I have? I don't really want to trip the generator by overloading it.

[Gibbo]

I've just installed a second battery charger to speed charging up a bit while I'm away from shore power. I now have my original Sterling 30amp pro-digital plus a new Sterling 40amp pro-digital. The combined chargers start off giving me 69amps and it's getting the batteries charged much quicker now. I'm running the chargers from a Honda EU30i which I'm also using to run the 1.6kw washing machine.

 

I'm quite surprised that the generator is able to cope with all these appliances. I start off with the generator on hight output mode to cope with the initial startup load of the washing machine but once it's going I turn the generator onto eco-mode. Then I switch the chargers on. I don't know the wattage demand of the chargers - but according to the manual it's between 80-130v AC for the 12v chargers.

 

Does anyone have any idea what sort of spare capacity I have? I don't really want to trip the generator by overloading it.

 

Both those chargers use active power factor correction so it's one of the rare instances on AC where Volts * Amps = Watts. So take your charge voltage, multiply it by the charger current, multiply the result of that by 1.15 (to cover inefficiencies) and that will give you your input power on AC.

 

Gibbo

[blackrose]

Both those chargers use active power factor correction so it's one of the rare instances on AC where Volts * Amps = Watts. So take your charge voltage, multiply it by the charger current, multiply the result of that by 1.15 (to cover inefficiencies) and that will give you your input power on AC.

 

Gibbo

 

Thanks, I make that 966 watts for the two chargers, which would make sense. So with the washing machine I'm at about 2.566 kw, although I'm only doing a 40 degree wash so it's probably not drawing the full load.

 

The odd thing is that a couple of years ago I asked Charles Sterling if my then EU10i generator (about 900 rated watt output), would run the 30amp charger and he said it would only just cover it, but by your calculations the 30 amp charger only draws 414 watts. Perhaps he was just covering his arse!

[Gibbo]

The odd thing is that a couple of years ago I asked Charles Sterling if my then EU10i generator (about 900 rated watt output), would run the 30amp charger and he said it would only just cover it, but by your calculations the 30 amp charger only draws 414 watts. Perhaps he was just covering his arse!

 

That would be the case without power factor correction. It is the current model?

 

Gibbo

[blackrose]

That would be the case without power factor correction. It is the current model?

 

Gibbo

 

They're both recent models, but I think he's brought new smaller footprint versions out with plastic bodies.

[Nickhlx]

They're both recent models, but I think he's brought new smaller footprint versions out with plastic bodies.

 

 

Is it too early toknow if these later (latest) models are just as good or better thatn the older ones they replace ?

 

I am just on the bring in getting 2 or 3 devices, was hoping to "go Sterling" but hesitant if the newer models are lower spec or "slimmed down" in any technical way...

 

I also heard that some products were proving problematical to one boat builder - too small a sample so might have been a bad batch, but generally are the Sterling products still "good stuff" ? I have been following threads for some months now on their products and most people seem to have been happy so far..

 

Nick

[blackrose]

Is it too early toknow if these later (latest) models are just as good or better thatn the older ones they replace ?

 

I am just on the bring in getting 2 or 3 devices, was hoping to "go Sterling" but hesitant if the newer models are lower spec or "slimmed down" in any technical way...

 

I also heard that some products were proving problematical to one boat builder - too small a sample so might have been a bad batch, but generally are the Sterling products still "good stuff" ? I have been following threads for some months now on their products and most people seem to have been happy so far..

 

Nick

 

I'm happy with my Sterling stuff - 2 battery chargers, an inverter and 2 alternator controllers (although one of the controllers recently started making strange noises so it was sent back - I should know the outcome today).

 

An engineer who came out to do a small repair on my engine the other day told me all Sterling stuff was "cheap crap", but I've been using one of the battery chargers constantly as a liveaboard for 3 years and it's been great. Also another forum member with an electronics engineering background who we all know uses Sterling stuff himself, so that's good enough for me.

 

However, I don't think that the quality control at Sterling is as good as it should be. I'd guess that a higher percentage of their stuff goes back under warranty than other manufacturers, so in that sense they are using the customer as their QC which is not an ideal situation.

 

Edit: Looking at the website it seems like the new ProCharge chargers are upgrade to the International range http://www.sterling-power.com/products-cha...s-procharge.htm In addition the biggest output charger is a 30 amp (12v).

 

However the Pro-Digital range http://www.sterling-power.com/products-cha...-prodigital.htm look like they are higher spec than the Internationals so I would imagine thay are still a better spec than the new ProCharge range.

Edited May 28, 2008 by blackrose

[tomsk]

Is it too early toknow if these later (latest) models are just as good or better thatn the older ones they replace ?

 

I am just on the bring in getting 2 or 3 devices, was hoping to "go Sterling" but hesitant if the newer models are lower spec or "slimmed down" in any technical way...

 

I also heard that some products were proving problematical to one boat builder - too small a sample so might have been a bad batch, but generally are the Sterling products still "good stuff" ? I have been following threads for some months now on their products and most people seem to have been happy so far..

 

Nick

 

I'm confused, Is Stirling a manufacturer?

[blackrose]

Both those chargers use active power factor correction so it's one of the rare instances on AC where Volts * Amps = Watts. So take your charge voltage, multiply it by the charger current, multiply the result of that by 1.15 (to cover inefficiencies) and that will give you your input power on AC.

 

Gibbo

 

Gibbo, do I use 12 as my charge voltage or 14.8?

 

Mike