reverse polarity warning light on generator

[Danny55]

Hoping someone out there knows what my problem is as not yet found an electrician who does!!!

Have a KV8 generator - it runs fine - problem is when I try to put any load on through the inverter - reverse polarity warning light comes on and after 30 seconds the inverter trips back to battery power.

Any thoughts welcome!

 

[VicS]

A google search failed to find a "KV8" generator can you be more precise as its identity.

Can you identify the inverter too.

 

[Danny55]

A google search failed to find a "KV8" generator can you be more precise as its identity.

Can you identify the inverter too.

Hi, thanks for response.

Generator is VETUS, 8 KVA
Inverter is a Victron 2.5kw.

 

[Danny55]

Hi, thanks for response.

Generator is Vetus 8KVA
Inverter is Victron 2.5kw

 

[mjf107]

Hoping someone out there knows what my problem is as not yet found an electrician who does!!!

Have a KV8 generator - it runs fine - problem is when I try to put any load on through the inverter - reverse polarity warning light comes on and after 30 seconds the inverter trips back to battery power.

Any thoughts welcome!

Is the generator 240v AC or battery voltage, how are you interfacing it with your other electrics? How comprehensive are they?

 

[superheat6k]

These are my thoughts as I digest your thread ...

Could be due to noise produced by the inverter sending ripples and spikes back into the generator. Many generators use inverters to smooth the output, and fitting another in line could cause an electrical conflict.

Also the reverse polarity light sits between neutral and earth, so if it comes on it means the neutral is receiving live side voltage or at least something towards it. On the generator the neutral should be earthed at the source point anyway. Is it possible your inverter is also earthed at its neutral.

BUT when you say put load on through the inverter are you trying to run the AC system from both the generator and inverter at the same time ?

My certain advice would be DO NOT DO THIS - you will wreck the generator or the inverter or possibly both. You could even send a 240v live into the generator earth via the neutral link and light up the whole boat if the bonding system is not connected to the generator. If the generator earth is connected to the bonding you could pass AC voltage into the water and this could be lethal for any swimmers or fallers in.

In boat use inverters are often two way devices - they convert AC power from another source into 12VDC to charge the batteries and power the DC system, but they can also use 12VDC from the batteries to produce 240VAC.

AC voltages from differing sources must be very carefully controlled to ensure they are in phase and at the same voltage. Only larger vessels would have the necessary 'paralleling' equipment.

Last thought is that your inverter is reversed Live - Neutral. When you put generator 240v on the inverter the live is entering the neutral feed and this in turn is earthing via its neutral earth link, the earth becomes a high potential and the reverse polarity neon lights up.

Whatever is causing this I suggest you avoid using the set up until a Marine Electrician has solved the problem.