Forcing Xantrex inverters to give me clean power

[mbryner]

Maybe the lights were just too cheap.   Do the more expensive ones have better ballasts?   You say it's a fishing trip, but is there a way to tell about the ballasts besides the trial-and-error method.

Thank you BruceM.   Looks like I need to read about inductor filters.

Marcus

[BruceM]

No way to find out which electronic ballast design does output regulation short of trying them, the companies don't let engineers answer questions on the phone, you only get baloney from non-tech idiots.  It would make sense to try more expensive, non-bargain, China ballasts.

[Jedon]

Jedon, do you have solar panels with a charge controller?   If so, which charge controller?

I have 780W of panels, 2 of them output 69.5V, the other 2 65.9V. I have them wired together and hooked directly to the battery bank without a charge controller. I know I am losing capacity but I didn't have the money to spring for a $500 MPPT charge controller

Flickering lights for me is sometimes an issue and sometimes not depending on how the generator is loaded.
The Halo fluorescent recessed lights I have in the kitchen do not flicker, I guess they have good ballasts.
The incandescents flicker really bad and the normal CFL's are in between. The LED's act like the incandescents.

Marcus, why not keep the ST and use a truck alternator also? That way you have 120V and 240V right from the 6/1 plus you have DC to charge the batteries? I know this incurs some loss spinning the ST.

[Jedon]

I have acquired some more stuff and was hoping it might help.
Trace 2512SB 2500W 12V inverter/charger
8 6V golf cart batteries.
If I could just use the Trace as a charger that would be great but it's a 12V not 48V charger.
I don't really want to use the power from it for the house, it's modified sine not pure sine like my Xantrex 5548's and is half the power.

[cujet]

Ya know, a number of windmill generators are 48V nominal. I wonder if you can contact a manufacturer of those generators and purchase one for lister use via belt drive. This might be the easiest way to produce the DC power to charge the batts with the Lister.

[mbryner]

Jedon,  yes, I could run an ST head and alternator, but aren't 48 volt alternators quite expensive?  Where do you get them?  And then I'd need a separate charge controller, too, correct?

cujet, a windmill generator is an interesting idea, but they're all like $1000, unless homebuilt.   Maybe I'll ask my local supplier and see if he can get just the generator with out the pretty cowling, blades, tower mount system, etc., and see what the cost is.

Marcus