How does it work - inverter generators 110 230 Volts switching

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
Hi everyone and thanks for letting me be part of this forum.

I have a china made XG-SF5600 Pure Sine Wave Generator.

Here are the output voltage my inverter genset is capable of according with factory specs:
Rated AC Voltage 110/220/230/240V.

This genset has no dual voltage outlets ( 110V and 220V like the Honda ). This china inverter generators come either 110V or 220V. My question is how the factory makes them produce 110v or 220V. I think it is the inverter module that does that convertion since the generator head is capable of producing 3 phase voltages ranging around 400V AC I think.

Since this inverter genset is capable of producing voltages from 110 to 220v, what should I change in order to make it 220v.

Any ideas ?
 

debe

Joined Sep 21, 2010
1,389
There is no transformers in these units heres pictures of the Inverter unit & they are made for the difGEN_21.JPG GEN_24.JPG ferent voltages & so is the generator head. Not interchangeable.
 

debe

Joined Sep 21, 2010
1,389
Your owners manual should have a circuit in it, this is the circuit of the diesel model & should be similar. The speed control steper motor circuit isn't shown. These generators have a diferent inverter in each model for voltage & frequency. On the 240V model there is up to 400V AC betwean each phase on the gen head output with the Eco switch off.
 

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debe

Joined Sep 21, 2010
1,389
This is a typical stator of an inverter gen. Bottom LH corner burnt windings are the 12AC for the inverter electronics. The inverter developed a short & burnt the windings. Wasn't hard to rewind but price of new inverter was too mutch.STATOR.2.JPG
 

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
Thanks debe for the info you are bringing to us.

With this info, are telling me that the fundamentals of inverter power generation in these portable units are different than what you find in the web that a the generator head is a high voltage one, usually 3 phase ?

By the way, the unit that I have is a gasoline one, 2014 model, slightly different. It only came with user manual with no circuit diagram.

I thought that power head was the same and inverter module was the one that differs from 120v and 240v.

I'll check the curcuits you brought later because I am in a cell phone.
 

Kermit2

Joined Feb 5, 2010
4,162
i find it hard to believe the company would want to stock multiple inverter units AND multiple gen heads for all those voltages. I would suspect the same gen head is used on most and the control unit merely tweaks field excitation to get higher or lower AC voltage
 

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
May I use a step up transformer and then hook it ( the transormer's 220v output) to my house circuit ?

Do those outboard step up transformers split the phase on each 120v hot ?
 

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
i find it hard to believe the company would want to stock multiple inverter units AND multiple gen heads for all those voltages. I would suspect the same gen head is used on most and the control unit merely tweaks field excitation to get higher or lower AC voltage
That's what I also think. But I am not savy about it, that is why I am asking.
 

debe

Joined Sep 21, 2010
1,389
Kermit2, there s no field excitation on these types of generator. On the 240v model the voltage betwean phases is around 400v. The 120v model will be mutch lower. The Chinese churn these generators out at quite cheep prices. If you burn one out its cheaper to buy a new generator rather than repair it. The picture of the burnt stator is from a 2.6Kv gen. I rewound the burnt windings, but the inverter was going to cost around $600, its not mutch more for a new Generator. I did manage to find a 750 watt inverter module for free of a generator that threw a crank rod. I wired it to the generator & it now works but only at 750 watts. This is the circuit of a petrol 2.6Kv 240v inverter gen that I have.CIRCUIT DIAG.jpg
 

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
There is no transformers in these units heres pictures of the Inverter unit & they are made for the difView attachment 81115 View attachment 81116 ferent voltages & so is the generator head. Not interchangeable.
Hi debe. My genset has two inverer units like the one you show here and 2 toroidal coils for esch inverter units, each one producing 120 volts. Might it be possible to combine both in order to have 240v?
 

debe

Joined Sep 21, 2010
1,389
They are line filter chokes. Can you post a picture of the otherside of what appears to be 2 Inverter units?
 

Thread Starter

redcentinela

Joined Feb 26, 2015
49
I'll try later if I can take a picture from the board side, but as you can see above, they are 2 independent inverter units. I measured the output voltage of each one and measure 120v. ( between black and white conector from the cablw coming directly from rhe inverters.
 
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