Solar help needed

[ImaCannin]

After a year of living off a 3000 watt Honda generator, our solar is finally hooked up. When we tried to run the washer on solar power, the washer just stops. This is on a full charge 16 batteries, 4400 watt - 48 volt inverter. Upon doing some research, my GE washer does not like the power it’s being offered via the solar. The washer runs just fine on power from the generator.

Is there a device that I could plug the washer into, then plug that into the wall and have it clean up the solar power?

Thanks for any help!

Ima

[hoarder]

I have found that most of the new electronic appliances are real finicky about electricity. I ended up getting rid of mine and buying a used Speed Queen washer with a mechanical timer. That means one with the old style dial that goes click click click when you turn it.
I don't know of a device to clean it up, but there may be settings on your inverter that will make it more compatible.
If your inverter is not locked in service all the time (I keep mine on standby), it might help to turn on a few lights before you start the washer so that the inverter doesn't go to sleep and wake up during the cycle. The "fill" cycle is not enough power draw to hold mine in.
I'm not much of an electronics guy, but in the long run I think you will find that the main design bottleneck of solar power systems is the inverter. In general, none of them are much good and they definitely are not user friendly.
Another possibility is that a run of wire is too small in size and it would cause dips in voltage when a load is applied.

[ziero0]

Run it off the generator. Do it on cloudy days. Plug in a charger to the generator and top off your solar batteries while you are at it.

[hoarder]

Also, never run a washer or vacuum off batteries at night or on a overcast day. it's too much for the batteries.

[ImaCannin]

Thanks for your input. I will try running something else while running the washer. My washer is the bottom of the line GE top load with an agitator. I didn’t want all the electronics. When hooked up to the generator, my generator makes odd sounds during the wash cycle. Kind of like it’s pulling a load. The dude at Homo Depot said my washer was a power hog and the front loads take less power. My washer has dials that click click click. I will see if I can locate an old machine!

As of right now, even when running a window AC my batteries are at 98% most of the day. We have not had any cloudy days for a long time. My clothes would get ripe if I waited for a cloudy day.

Again, thanks for your help

Ima

[Neuro]

What is the maximum power your inverter supplies? It might be too little for the washers peak usage? It could be that the washer is an energy hog…

[ziero0]

"my batteries are at 98% most of the day"

Mine is much smaller. One system has 2 marine batteries in parallel with two series 6 volt batteries while the second system just has two 12 volt marine batteries. I use a Honda to recharge each several hours after dark. Each system uses a 800 watt harbor freight modified sine wave (aka square wave) inverter.

"My clothes would get ripe if I waited for a cloudy day."

You would have a reason to look for cloudy weather.

Likely your inverter is modified sine wave too as opposed to pure sine wave. The modified sine inverters don't put out nearly the heat of the pure sine wave but will contain frequencies some electronics don't like. Sola is one brand of regulating transformers that removes higher frequencies but it could set you back a couple hundred.

[monty]

My aunt washed clothes in one of these two cycle Maytags. She made her own soap from lard and lye water she collected from running the water over Juniper ashes.



http://youtu.be/Xa8tLm-GNmk

https://youtu.be/Xa8tLm-GNmk