Inova Remote start and applying load (without letting magic white smoke out)

Please disregard - Inova provided the answer I needed.

Well thanks for sharing.

Detailed description of the solution.

Sorry - should have posted the solution.

For the Inovahightech autostart controller board one the MEP803a or MEP802a without the K-Ext relay for cool down the following connections need to be made in order for the controller board to engage the load after the time interval set by the dip switches. This is not clear from the current installation documentation provided on the Inova website. Peter provided me with the needed connection information.

Connect TB#10 from the autostart controller with terminal K8-12
Jumper TB#9 and TB#1

My particular setup has another breaker switch between the panel which also provides me with gauges that reads Volt, Amp, Kilowatt and Kilowatt hours on the generator side of the switch. This allows me to see when the circuit is energized on the generator which then allows me to close the feed to my electric panels after I have disconnected the main feed and the manual interlocks allow me to switch the generator backfeed on to the panels. Load balancing is done manually and the aforementioned gauges allow me to see how much load is on each circuit. The panels and switch are located inside my garage which I have access to when we're all boarded up and strapped down when a hurricane rolls through the neighborhood. I activate the autostart with a RF remote relay installed inside the MEP which applies +24V DC current to the TB#3 connection.

Hope this helps.

Since you provided the solution, for which MEP does this apply? They make several auto/remote start kits from MEP-002a to MEP-806b.

Chainbreaker said:

Since you provided the solution, for which MEP does this apply? They make several auto/remote start kits from MEP-002a to MEP-806b.

Click to expand...

Previous post updated.

impi said:

Sorry - should have posted the solution.

For the Inovahightech autostart controller board one the MEP803a or MEP802a without the K-Ext relay for cool down the following connections need to be made in order for the controller board to engage the load after the time interval set by the dip switches. This is not clear from the current installation documentation provided on the Inova website. Peter provided me with the needed connection information.

Connect TB#10 from the autostart controller with terminal K8-12
Jumper TB#9 and TB#1

My particular setup has another breaker switch between the panel which also provides me with gauges that reads Volt, Amp, Kilowatt and Kilowatt hours on the generator side of the switch. This allows me to see when the circuit is energized on the generator which then allows me to close the feed to my electric panels after I have disconnected the main feed and the manual interlocks allow me to switch the generator backfeed on to the panels. Load balancing is done manually and the aforementioned gauges allow me to see how much load is on each circuit. The panels and switch are located inside my garage which I have access to when we're all boarded up and strapped down when a hurricane rolls through the neighborhood. I activate the autostart with a RF remote relay installed inside the MEP which applies +24V DC current to the TB#3 connection.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Thank you. The sound you heard in the background was me banging my head on the wall, before you edited. Now it's clear!

impi said:

Sorry - should have posted the solution.

For the Inovahightech autostart controller board one the MEP803a or MEP802a without the K-Ext relay for cool down the following connections need to be made in order for the controller board to engage the load after the time interval set by the dip switches. This is not clear from the current installation documentation provided on the Inova website. Peter provided me with the needed connection information.

Connect TB#10 from the autostart controller with terminal K8-12
Jumper TB#9 and TB#1

My particular setup has another breaker switch between the panel which also provides me with gauges that reads Volt, Amp, Kilowatt and Kilowatt hours on the generator side of the switch. This allows me to see when the circuit is energized on the generator which then allows me to close the feed to my electric panels after I have disconnected the main feed and the manual interlocks allow me to switch the generator backfeed on to the panels. Load balancing is done manually and the aforementioned gauges allow me to see how much load is on each circuit. The panels and switch are located inside my garage which I have access to when we're all boarded up and strapped down when a hurricane rolls through the neighborhood. I activate the autostart with a RF remote relay installed inside the MEP which applies +24V DC current to the TB#3 connection.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

What breaker switch are you using that has volt, amp, and kw gauges on it?

The breaker box is a Square D 4 Circuit 2 space 70 Amp Main Lug Load center. In installed a 60 amp switch. The gauges is a home grown solution.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Square-D-4-Circuit-2-Space-70-Amp-Main-Lug-Load-Center/3135851

I installed a double pole 60 amp switch in it. The feed wires coming in from the MEP are stranded 6AWG running in conduit rated at around 70 amps if I recall correctly. So the feed wire rating is higher than what the MEP will run at (Even at 100% plus loads). and the switch is rated at lower amps than the wire.

The gauges are installed on the generator feed side of the switch. They feed from the supply side of the switches so they will light up once the breaker closes on the generator to energize the circuit. The wires are fed through one of the knockouts on the breaker box - I still need to clean it up a bit by installing the two gauges in a small project box but for now it works. The gauges are DROK Digital AC Multimeter Voltmeter Ammeter 80-300V 0-100A Watt Power Energy Meter 3000W, Voltage Ampere Active Power Energy Meter Monitor Color LCD Display and were sourced off Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRZAFAF/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

On the other side of the breaker box I feed two separate panels (I have a single feed coming in from the utility which feeds the two panels which each have a separate service disconnect.) The generator feed on each panel is connected via a 60 amp dual pole breaker and each panel has a manual interlock installed which only allows the generator to be switched once the service disconnect has been switched off.

So my basic startup procedure is to fire up the MEP with the remote start and wait a couple of minutes for the warm up to complete and the breaker to close. Once that happens I can see the power in the garage by my panels. At this point I will switch all breakers off, including the service disconnect. I will then start the generator connect by first closing the main supply breaker where the gauges are located. From there I will close the backfeed breaker on each panel with the interlocks in place. From there I start applying load. The gauges allows me to keep an eye on the load distribution and add / shed as needed so things don't get completely out of whack.

Hope this helps.

that's great. thanks

The gauges are exactly what I was curious about. The description lists them as 50 Hz meters though. They work ok and match hand held meter?

smokem joe said:

The gauges are exactly what I was curious about. The description lists them as 50 Hz meters though. They work ok and match hand held meter?

Click to expand...

You need to expand the detailed description below the listing for the full specs. They are 50-60Hz.

Description
Parameters:
Voltage Measuring Range: AC 80.0-300.0V
Current Measuring Range: AC 0-99.99A (Resolution: 0.01A, display 100.0A when over 100A)
Active Power Measuring Range: 0-3000W
Resolution: 0.1W (under 10 000W); 1W (over 10 000W)
Electric Energy Measuring Range: 0-9 999 999kWh
Resolution: 0.001kWh (0-9 999.999kWh); 0.01kWh(10 000.00-99 999.99kWh); 0.1kWh(100 000.0-999 999.9kWh); 1kWh(over 1 000 000kWh)
Measuring Accuracy: 1% ± 2 digits
Measuring Speed: 2 times per second
Outside Dimension: 79*43*48mm
Installation Dimension: 76*39mm
Save Function: Automatically save the accumulated electricity value during the power outage.
Reset Function: Long press the reset button for 5 seconds, the accumulative electricity will be cleared to zero.

Operating Condition:
Working Temperature: -10～+50℃
Working Humidity: 10 ~ 80% (no condensation)
Working Pressure: 80 ~ 106kPa
Sunlight: No direct exposure

Wiring Connection:
(a) Connect the green wire of secondary CT(current transformer) to the BLUE terminal of the meter.
(b) Pass the circuit under measurement through the hole of the CT, and then connect it to the green terminal.
(c) After power on, the screen will display the measured data.

Note:
The multimeter can only work on AC 50-60Hz pure mains supply. Do not use it to measure square wave, inverter output and the corrected sine waves circuits, otherwise the product will burn!
Do not wrongly exchange the wiring of voltage input(green terminal) and current transformer(blue terminal), otherwise the product will burn!
Do not squeeze the LCD screen when install the multimeter, otherwise the screen will display gibberish or broken codes.

Package Includes:
1 X AC Multi-function Meter



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smokem joe said:

The gauges are exactly what I was curious about. The description lists them as 50 Hz meters though. They work ok and match hand held meter?

Click to expand...

As for the question about n accuracy - I have not compared with a multi meter. Nearest 2 amps / 500watts is good enough for me to balance loads.

The voltage reading per circuit matches to the decimal when compared with a kill/a-watt meter plugged in on that circuit.


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Ok that is exactly what I needed to know. I have been looking for something like the gauges, but I use a MEP 831 for outages that require only a little power. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that would be considered inverter tech and would not work with these gauges

smokem joe said:

Ok that is exactly what I needed to know. I have been looking for something like the gauges, but I use a MEP 831 for outages that require only a little power. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that would be considered inverter tech and would not work with these gauges

Click to expand...

On the inverter generators they use this one.
[h=1]DROK 80-260V AC Multifunciton Digital Meter With CT, 100A Ammeter Voltmeter Power Monitor Energy Tester, Wide Measurement Range, STN Full-view LCD Screen, Auto-memory Digital Multimeter[/h]
If you look at the feedback section you'll see there's a few guys using this unit on inverters and inverter based generators.

This is what I've been looking for. I hadn't had time to really dig into it. I'm using a pair of old analog meters I had inline back from a portable generac setup.

Ok I did a little digging and those weren't exactly what I was looking for. Maybe they don't make what I want. I'm looking for voltage, Hz, and amps on one gauge that can be used on inverter (831) and up to 80 amp capacity for the 803. Back to the drawing board!

smokem joe said:

Ok I did a little digging and those weren't exactly what I was looking for. Maybe they don't make what I want. I'm looking for voltage, Hz, and amps on one gauge that can be used on inverter (831) and up to 80 amp capacity for the 803. Back to the drawing board!

Click to expand...

I use a Kill-a-watt plugin meter to confirm voltage and frequency on an outlet. The others just gives me bolts, amps, kilowatt and kilowatt hour per branch. Frequency is not likely to be different per branch.


This might meet your needs.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/172866158849


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Thanks. I did find that one earlier. It doesn't say if it will work with inverter type power that I can see. I sent them a message to see anyhow. I don't need frequency on both lines. I'd just like to be able to monitor it without going out through weather 125' away to see gauges. I plan on installing the same remote board you did and would like to make sure everything is right before turning the breaker in the house. That rules out using a plug in meter since the panel would have to be energized.

smokem joe said:

Thanks. I did find that one earlier. It doesn't say if it will work with inverter type power that I can see. I sent them a message to see anyhow. I don't need frequency on both lines. I'd just like to be able to monitor it without going out through weather 125' away to see gauges. I plan on installing the same remote board you did and would like to make sure everything is right before turning the breaker in the house. That rules out using a plug in meter since the panel would have to be energized.

Click to expand...

What about wiring an outlet into the generator circuit before the panel and plugging in a Kill-a-watt.


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Actually I had considered this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kill-A-Watt-Electricity-Monitor-P4400/202196386

I was thinking about a plug off of each leg and just plugging one of these into each for my purpose. I can't think of any other way of wiring except to tag another 14 ga line in with the 4ga into the breaker though. I'm not sure this is allowable by code? Any electricians that can speak to this?