Main content:
Inverter is an important equipment to convert direct current into alternating current, which is widely used in many scenarios, such as solar power generation system, wind power generation system and uninterruptible power supply system. It is difficult to avoid various failures in the long-term operation of the inverter.
This article describes the fault characteristics of the inverter, the tools required for inverter testing, the test items, and the precautions in the inverter testing to help users better detect and maintain the inverter.
Identify characteristics of problems before inverter testing
Power output decline: When the efficiency of the inverter decreases or the output power is insufficient, the energy output of the entire system will be significantly reduced. This can be caused by aging, damage or poor connection of internal components. For example, after the aging of the capacitor inside the inverter, because it is responsible for smoothing the voltage waveform, over time, it can cause its capacitance to decrease. This will cause the output voltage to be unstable, which will affect the output power of the inverter.
Error codes or warning lights: Many inverters are equipped with self-test and fault alarm functions. If the inverter detects internal faults or anomalies, such as input voltage, output voltage, temperature, load, current, etc. Once these parameters are detected to be outside the preset safe range, the system triggers an alarm that displays an error code through the display.
Physical damage: Observe the appearance of the inverter, if cracks, corrosion or water traces are found, this usually indicates that the inverter has suffered external damage, which may affect its normal work. If the housing is cracked, broken or poorly sealed, the internal components of the inverter will be exposed to the external environment, increasing the risk of failure. After a collision, if these connection points are loose or broken, it will lead to poor circuit contact, resulting in unstable input and output voltages, and the inverter may experience intermittent operation, power output reduction, or voltage fluctuations.
Abnormal noise: The inverter should be kept relatively quiet when running. If you hear an abnormal hum or other noise, it may mean that there is a problem with the internal components of the inverter, the most likely is that the fan blade is damaged, if the fan blade is physically damaged, such as fracture or deformation, the rotation will produce an abnormal sound, usually expressed as friction, collision or buzzing.
Automatic shutdown under load: If the inverter shuts down frequently under load conditions, it may be caused by overload, poor heat dissipation or internal circuit failure. If the load of the connected appliance exceeds the rated power of the inverter, the inverter will activate the overload protection mechanism, which automatically shuts down to prevent damage to the internal circuits and components due to overheating or overcurrent. Overload protection is a part of the self-protection of the inverter to avoid more serious failures due to continuous overload operation of the equipment.
What tools do I need to do inverter testing?
Wattmeter: A wattmeter is an instrument used to measure power in a circuit, accurately measuring the input power (DC side) and output power (AC side) of the inverter to evaluate the efficiency of the inverter. Under normal operating conditions, the efficiency of the inverter is usually between 85% and 95%. If measured by a power meter, the efficiency of the inverter is found to be significantly lower than expected, this usually indicates an internal fault, such as component aging, damage, or circuit failure. For example, if the output power is much lower than the input power, it may mean that the power conversion efficiency inside the inverter is reduced, so using a power meter to determine the efficiency of the inverter can be a good diagnosis of whether the inverter is faulty.
Multimeter: This tool is mainly used to do inverter testing, which is mainly used to check the input and output voltage, current and circuit on-off status to ensure that the inverter can work normally under various operating conditions. Helps determine the input and output status of the inverter.
If your inverter is supposed to convert direct current to a specific AC voltage (such as 220V or 110V). However, if the output voltage is abnormal, it may mean that the power conversion circuit inside the inverter is faulty, such as the switching power module is damaged, the transformer is faulty, or the voltage regulation circuit is failed.
Backup battery: Used to provide a stable DC power supply during inverter testing to ensure that the inverter is tested under normal operating conditions. Without a backup inverter battery, the inverter testing process may be interfered with by an unstable power supply, resulting in inaccurate inverter testing data or test failure, because it is likely that the problem is the power supply itself, rather than the inverter failure.
Projects needed for inverter testing
Voltage test: Use a multimeter to measure the input voltage and output voltage of the inverter to ensure that it is operating within the rated range. Abnormal inverter voltage may indicate a problem with the inverter's internal circuit. The stability of the voltage is particularly important for the normal operation of the appliance, if the input voltage is too low or too high, the inverter may not work properly, resulting in output instability or failure. If the output voltage is abnormal, it may affect the connected load electrical equipment, which may cause damage or abnormal operation of the equipment.
Current regulation: Test the inverter's response to load changes to see if it can stabilize the output current during inverter testing. If the inverter cannot maintain stable output, the device may be damaged or the system may become unstable.
Waveform quality: Under normal circumstances, the inverter should output a smooth sine wave, or other waveform according to the needs of the application. However, inverter waveform distortion may indicate that there is a problem with the regulation circuit of the inverter, if it can not output a smooth sine wave, it is likely that the oscillator and filter are faulty, which affects the normal operation of the load equipment.
Maximum power output: Test the output capacity of the inverter under maximum load conditions to check whether it can work stably under rated load. If the output power is significantly lower than the input power, it may mean that there is a fault inside the inverter, such as a power module failure or a decrease in current conversion efficiency, resulting in increased internal consumption, which leads to energy waste and reduced system performance.
What do I need to pay attention to during inverter testing?
Wear appropriate protective equipment: During inverter testing process, be sure to comply with electrical safety practices and wear appropriate protective equipment, such as insulating gloves and goggles. High voltage DC and AC power supplies are involved in the inverter testing process, so there may be dangerous voltages inside the inverter and at the connection point. Wearing insulated gloves can effectively isolate the current and prevent electric shock or arc burn.
Avoid overload: When testing the maximum power output of the inverter, avoid exceeding its rated load to prolong inverter lifespan. The inverter has a specified maximum power that it can withstand at the factory, and overload may cause the internal current of the inverter to exceed its design specifications, resulting in damage to components such as circuit boards, welding points or inverter capacitor.
Ensure good ventilation: The inverter generates heat during operation. The inverter testing should be placed in a well-ventilated environment to ensure efficient inverter cooling or it may result in false inverter testing. When the heat dissipation system of the inverter cannot effectively dissipate heat, the performance parameters of the inverter may change abnormally. For example, excessively high temperatures can lead to unstable output voltages, increased power losses, or decreased efficiency.
Record inverter testing data: During the inverter testing process, record various parameters, such as input/output voltage, current, power and waveform quality, in order to analyze the performance state of the inverter. These recorded data can play a very important role in the subsequent need to re-check the inverter testing results or compare different test conditions. For example, the recorded data can provide a reference for easy comparison, which can ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test results, and help solve the problems in the inverter testing process.
Conclusion
As the key power conversion equipment, the performance and state of inverter directly affect the efficiency and stability of the whole system. Objectively observing and testing the performance of the inverter, using the inverter testing tools reasonably, and paying attention to the precautions in the inverter testing can effectively detect the working efficiency of the inverter, discover and solve problems in time, and improve the service life of the inverter.
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