Ignacio Cano

[IGNACIO]

Should have intoduced my self b4 posting at all

Rural Clewiston Florida by Lake Okeechobee on 1.25 ac track, 1100 sqft mobhome, have 2 465w 24v PV panels, a PJ 8000 Watt LF 24V, will upgrade to 11.3 true split phase board, with 8 100aH 12v lead acid deep cycle batts.

Will do an automatic sun tracking panel rack.

and plenty Sun…

Have not put system together yet

AND THANKS FOR SHARED KNOWLEDGE

[dickson]

a PJ 8000 Watt LF 24V, will upgrade to 11.3 true split

DO you know what  control board in your 8kw PJ now ?        I  found out the rev 11.3  controlboard will replace the rev 11.1  control board  only with mainboard cable modify by the seller or the FETs will blow up .    The rev 10.3 mainboard cable is different and will also blow up the FETs  .     The seller may not know this and do not care .    

[IGNACIO]

board on this one is 9.x version from April 2019 when I got it… my moving to rural got delayed quite a bit so now is when I will hook up

at any rate, will the 11.1 be a better choice? Just need the true split phase…

maybe if go from PJ to two wire 240/three wire120-GRD-120 transformer will do it for me…

[dickson]

board on this one is 9.x version from April 2019 when I got it…

Powerjack in China  do not make the  11.0 or 11.1 or 10.3 or sell those control board anymore .      If you find a used one then it wiii replace the ver 9.0 control board .    I have a new Rev 11.3 control board and the  mainboard  cable is wired  completely different  from the  rev 9.0 or 10.3 or 11.0 or 11.1 and will blow the FETs  instantly .   The  rev 11.3  mainboard and cable  need to be replace  with the rev 11.3 control board  together to work .   The rev 11.3 mainboard and cable is about 190 dollars .    IF your rev 9.x control board still work and your transformer is  5  wires  then  it can easily be  re-wired for pure split-phase  .     Sean  show on youtube how to make pure split-phase  .  A  4 wires  transformer will not work .  

[dickson]

maybe if go from PJ to two wire 240/three wire120-GRD-120 transformer will do it for me

L1 - Ground - L2  Is NOT  L1  N  L2  and your house will  burn down .     You can not use ground to replace Neutral  and you may be electrocuted  .     The transformer must be 5 wires  with a separate  Neutral  to make  L1  N  L2  and ground to the inverter case .    

[Sid Genetry Solar]

Whoa, @dickson don't go burning someone's house down over terminology......

As I continue to note over and over again: there has been zero innovation in the Chinese LF inverter market pretty much since the beginning.  All of the PJ boards since the beginning use exactly the same drive circuitry--so apart from different connectors, there is no advantage to any particular board set.

[Sid Genetry Solar]

None of the PJ control boards handle "true" split phase.  Some are wired to regulate from just one phase (L1 - N, leaving L2 connected directly to the front panel with zero filtration), while others regulate from 220v (L1 - L2), with N connected directly to the front panel.

So in other words, there's no point in replacing the control board.

[dickson]

so apart from different connectors, there is no advantage to any particular board set.

I  have the rev 11.3 control board  and it will work with the older rev9.x PJ inverter BUT the connector to the main board pins do not match and need to be trace  one by one to connect correctly  and not easy to do  or the FETs will blow up .     A lot easiler  to also replace the main board  with a new rev 11.3 main board with cable that match .   ALL  the PJ  board work  the same but  the cable  connector  make it difficult to repair older PJ inverter  for most people .   

[dickson]

So in other words, there's no point in replacing the control board

HIS  REV 9.X  control board will work for pure  split-phase  and  no need to change .     I  do not know why he want a rev 11.3 control board  or if the rev 9.x  control board is broken .    I also know that  some early  8kw  PJ has 4 wires transformer  with NO  Neutral  and can not be  pure split-phase  L1  N  L2  .       

[IGNACIO]

the 11.3 upgrade is based on a youtube showing it convert to True Split Phase, that has been my reasoning, but if can get it done without it, the better

about the transformer it wouln’t be 4 wire but 5 wires, 2 on primary and 3 on secondary( 2 plus center tab)

[IGNACIO]

and Thank You ALL, really opening up my understanding. The contribution of your experience is invaluable…

now been looking for that video where Sean shows how to make True Split Phase, my transformer is 5 wire and maybe I misworded my concept of 120/center tab/120 to achieve split phase with a transformer. Any suggestion is appreciated 

[dickson]

 the transformer it wouln’t be 4 wire but 5 wires, 2 on primary and 3 on secondary( 2 plus center tab

Good  then  you do not need to see the youtube video  and do what Sid  say  above .       I  can   show you the picture  of the  neutral  connection  as I made my 8kw PJ  into pure split-phase  also  ?        

[Sid Genetry Solar]

1 hour ago, IGNACIO said:

now been looking for that video where Sean shows how to make True Split Phase, my transformer is 5 wire and maybe I misworded my concept of 120/center tab/120 to achieve split phase with a transformer. Any suggestion is appreciated 

Wiring really depends on how your inverter currently is wired.  If you have a 4-wire transformer (2 primary, 2 secondary), then the output voltage will be the regulation voltage (i.e. 120v out -> 120v regulation.  240v out -> 240v regulation).  It's not practical to try to change a control board between the 2--it requires SMD rework.

But if you're wanting a split-phase output, then it doesn't really matter what control board you have--you just need to know how to wire it.

[dickson]

None of the PJ control boards handle "true" split phase.  Some are wired to regulate from just one phase (L1 - N, leaving L2 connected directly to the front panel with zero filtration), while others regulate from 220v (L1 - L2), with N connected directly to the front panel.

From Sid   and the youtube .      Connect the  Neutral  or center tap  wire  to the front  panel  and a 10uf capacitor between L2 and N  .      Sean  youtube  makes it look way too difficult  .       

[Sid Genetry Solar]

30 minutes ago, dickson said:

Connect the  Neutral  or center tap  wire  to the front  panel

You can't blanket-statement this.  Some PJ control boards regulate from 120v, others from 240v--and that changes how you wire a split-phase transformer to them.

[dickson]

You can't blanket-statement this.  Some PJ control boards regulate from 120v, others from 240v--and that changes how you wire a split-phase transformer to them.

I  see  some control board with charger board tag  110vac  and some  220vac  but do not know if  split-phase will be  wired different  if charging is not use .    

[Sid Genetry Solar]

15 minutes ago, dickson said:

but do not know if  split-phase will be  wired different  if charging is not use .

"Charging" determines the control board regulation/operation voltage.  And yes, this means that the "split phase" wiring will be different.

"110vac" only handles L1 - N on the board; L2 goes to the front panel.

"220vac" only handles L1 - L2 on the board; N goes to the front panel.

 

That's of course assuming the right sticker was put on the board...

[dickson]

That's of course assuming the right sticker was put on the board.

Getting the right parts from ebay  makes it too difficult for me to fix or modify  any PJ inverter .   PJ  in China no longer makes parts for all  PJ  inverter with control board older than rev 11.3  .    NO more  11.1  or 11.0  or  10.3  or 9.x  control board .