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spidgrou avatar image
spidgrou asked

Multiplus with inductive load

Hi guys,
Just installed a new Victron Multiplus 12V/3000VA/120A on a boat.
I'm doing some tests so I can learn how it works.
I used the inverter without any problem with the water heater (1200W), very silent even with the fan starts blowing.

Yesterday I tried with my washing machine and when the washing machine drum spins I can hear a strange noise from the inverter, not overload, just 80W.
I tried with a air drier...same result very noise.

In attach a short video with the washine machine drum spinning, at the end of the video the drum stop and the noise disappear. So I assume that is something with the electrical motor (inductive load).

Is it normal? Or I have any issued to solve?

Thanks

MultiPlus Quattro Inverter Charger
vid-20211115-134310.mp4 (12.0 MiB)
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2 Answers
Mike Dorsett avatar image
Mike Dorsett answered ·

The motor will take a largish starting current, which will reduce and as you assume shift to inductive as the drum comes up to speed. The real power will decrease too. The inductive current won't show up on a watts reading, but will on a VA reading. If the VA range is in the range of the inverter, then there is no problem - but the current flowing in the transformer will cause it to hum.

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Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@Spidgrou

Yes triac based motor and some fan controllers make that horrid sound as they chop the sine wave. Sounds nasty, the newer firmware seems to have calmed it down a lot, at least on my little home one.

So while the motor is inductive the electronics that control it are not.

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