Grid tie inverter distorting waveform

[oz93666]

I've just wired in a 1kw grid tie inverter, feeding the power from solar panels into the mains grid, ( in Thailand , so no rules or regulations).

There are some problems I've noticed. Toaster buzzes , but works. Induction cooker won't work, lights come on , fan works but no heat delivered, when grid tie switched off, works fine again. Soldering iron ( temperature controlled) won't heat up fully.

This seems to indicate the grid tie inverter is not pure sine wave. What can be done? Would a power line filter help?

 

[berkeman]

I've just wired in a 1kw grid tie inverter, feeding the power from solar panels into the mains grid, ( in Thailand , so no rules or regulations).

There are some problems I've noticed. Toaster buzzes , but works. Induction cooker won't work, lights come on , fan works but no heat delivered, when grid tie switched off, works fine again. Soldering iron ( temperature controlled) won't heat up fully.

This seems to indicate the grid tie inverter is not pure sine wave. What can be done? Would a power line filter help?

Where did you get the inverter? Perhaps you should talk with the manufacturer about the problems. And 1kW is not a very big inverter. How big are the solar panels, and how much power do they produce in bright sunlight? I suspect that you are not getting 1kW out of the solar panels and/or they are not being operated at their maximum power point.

 

[gkam44]

I've just wired in a 1kw grid tie inverter, feeding the power from solar panels into the mains grid, ( in Thailand , so no rules or regulations).

There are some problems I've noticed. Toaster buzzes , but works. Induction cooker won't work, lights come on , fan works but no heat delivered, when grid tie switched off, works fine again. Soldering iron ( temperature controlled) won't heat up fully.

This seems to indicate the grid tie inverter is not pure sine wave. What can be done? Would a power line filter help?

Most inverters produce a facsimile of a waveshape, but very crude, a step function with copious harmonics. I would check to make sure what you did was correct first, as far as the hookup and your regulator. Are the panels balanced with the inverter and loads?

 

[zoki85]

This seems to indicate the grid tie inverter is not pure sine wave.

Good conclusion.