Prosine Inverter Problems

Post here if you want to discuss a topic specific to the MV/32, MV/34, and MV/41.
rbingham
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Prosine Inverter Problems

Post by rbingham »

Please understand that I have no personal experience with this equipment but I have followed a similar, continuing thread on Trawlers & Trawlering List. The Xantrex Prosine Charger/Inverter appears to be totally unreliable and prone to the type of faults described on this list. Try Googling "Prosine inverter site:samurai.com". You will read many similar complaints.
Regards,
Roger Bingham
France
Kama Kat
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Prosine Inverter Problems

Post by Kama Kat »

Kama Kat (Hull #42) changed out the original Prosine unit after about 800h of engine operation, and today, at about 1560h on the engines, we are pleased to report NO PROBLEMS.
Initially, we had various error messages popping up with increasing frequency, and the Prosine "help desk" offered various "text book" type suggestions as to potential source of problems .......ranging from corroded battery connections to improperly installed wiring. Of course, before calling them, I checked all these obvious things and Chris, of PDQ confirmed that ALL Prosine related wiring had been "blessed" (approved) by Xantrex.
With Chris's help, I was able to call the Xantrex specialist directly, who is familiar with our boats.
In our case, we have three pair of house batteries for an installed capacity of 660amp-hours. For some reason, the "Bulk Charge Rate" was set to 30% (as received rom PDQ), charging us at close to 200amps, WELL BEYOND recommendations. The Xantrex specialist suggested this charge rate be below 100 amps, preferably at 10% bulk charge rate ...which for us is 66amps. Unfortunately, such "fine tuning" did not save the old unit, which they replaced under warranty in Sept 2005.
The replacement unit arrived with some generic factory settings, requiring that I re-set to reflect "Battery Type", "Battery Capacity" and "Bulk Charge Rate".........since then, NO PROBLEMS!
I strongly suggest that the Bulk Charge Rate, and Battery Type be confirmed on your own boat so the actual charge rates do not overload your "system". Even with a two-pair house battery installation (440amp-hrs), I would reduce the bulk charge rate to 15% (66amps). Charging at this lower rate will go far to extend the service life of the Prosine unit.
In hindsight, I should have checked these settings upon picking up the boat....HOWEVER....life being what it is, I too only look at problems when I can no longer ignore them.
May the electrons flow smoothly in your boats!
Frank Farago
Kama Kat
duetto
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Post by duetto »

i have posted this earlier in this thread, but i'll post it again because i think it's very important. on our boat (#23) the charger is mounted in a closed locker. when the charger is in bulk charge mode that locker becomes HOT. i mounted a 12V pc cooling fan from radio shack. it drops the temperature level dramatically. i believe that keeping the unit reasonably cool will go a long way to helping the charger have a long life.
john & diane cummings
duetto mv34 #23
Kama Kat
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Prosine Inverter Problems

Post by Kama Kat »

I posted my last message on this subject at Charleston, NC, while "en-route" south.
The "electron-gods" must have been displeased at my "NO PROBLEM" statement, and literally the next day, our unit shut down with Comm 1 and Comm 2, error messages. Xantrex help desk worked with me to try re-setting our Prosine, by disconnecting/re-connecting wires, re-booting, etc. Some of what we did, seemed more like black magic than pure logic ... BUT, it did turn on.
Next day, same error messages returned, and the Prosine died, refusing to respond to all commands.
Xantrex sent a replacement unit, still under warranty, and I installed it in Ft. Pierce, FL .......re-programmed it, as per my original message, and it works.
I could understand why my original installation failed.
The replacement unit could have been simply a "lemon" ....... BUT, my faith in Prosine has been shaken.
Fortunately, the Xantrex support remained excellent!
Frank Farago
Kama Kat
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Prosine Inverter Problems

Post by Sno' Dog »

I'm happy to report that our Inverter problems now appear to be behind us. After several conversations with Xantrex Technical Support they eventually agreed to send us a new Prosine 2.0 under warrantee - which we have installed. And so far, no further problems.

As an engineer, however, I couldn't help but ponder on the possible cause of our problem, particularly in light of the fact that other PDQ owners have had similar issues. Specifically, our problem was a periodic shut-down with the message: "Internal Error #0258".

According to Xantrex, this particular error is most likely caused either by inadequate DC wiring OR by induced voltage in the wire going to the control panel. Early on, we determined that the DC input lines meet Xantrex specs - so this raises the second possibility. Upon following the line which runs from the inverter to the control panel on the wheelhouse, I did notice that it had been tightly bundled with the wires going to the galvanic isolator - some of which I assume carry 115 VAC. As you can see in the photo below, the inverter control wire runs parallel to the other wires for over 24 inches.

View photo by clicking: http://www.snodoglog.com/Wiring9904-EM.jpg

So, before installing the new warrantee replacement inverter, I cut the wire ties and pulled the light gray wire going to the control panel away from the other (black) wires and re-routed it along the back corner of the wheel house enclosure.

I can't be sure if this really was the cause of the problem, but everything has been working just fine since I did this - so I thought it might be worth passing along this information. (I sent a copy of this note to PDQ Customer Service, aka Chris Calver.)

Henry Clews - Sno' Dog
Last edited by Sno' Dog on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
duetto
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Post by duetto »

hi all,

was speaking to jack rabbit electric yesterday. discussion got onto charger/inverter. person there said that xantrex has worked with taiwanese manufacturer of prosines and fixed fundemental problems. the fixes are showing up first in re-built units. so his reco was if need to replace get/request a remanufactured unit.
john & diane cummings
duetto mv34 #23
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