How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
(OP)
Hello all,
I am running a few household items with an off-grid inverter powered by solar panels. All is fine except my laptops. When I am using the track-pad the mouse cursor jumps around like crazy. Only if I am holding the laptop case with my other hand it works again.
I think I understand my this is happening: Even if the inverters grounding pin is connected to the ground there is no 'neutral' wire, so its basically 'L1 and L2' instead of 'L and N' and the potential is floating around.
Is there a way to pull that one line to neutral?
Many thanks in advance
Markus
I am running a few household items with an off-grid inverter powered by solar panels. All is fine except my laptops. When I am using the track-pad the mouse cursor jumps around like crazy. Only if I am holding the laptop case with my other hand it works again.
I think I understand my this is happening: Even if the inverters grounding pin is connected to the ground there is no 'neutral' wire, so its basically 'L1 and L2' instead of 'L and N' and the potential is floating around.
Is there a way to pull that one line to neutral?
Many thanks in advance
Markus






RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
Can we assume that the issue is still present when the laptop is running on batteries?
For any further considerations we'd need to know what the output of the inverter is (and your location...), or at least some more details of your distribution.
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
-running on battery: no problem
-running with power supply plugged into wall plug: no problem
-running with power supply plugged into inverter: jumping mouse cursor
The inverter (pure sine wave model) is connected to SLA batteries and I am running a 50ft 3 prong cable to the laptop.
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
A single phase, single voltage circuit has no neutral. That said, the common wire in a 120:240 volt service is called the neutral as it is connected to the neutral of the 240:120 Volt panel and wires connected to the neutral bus are called neutral wires even though they don't meet the strict definition of neutral.
The neutral in a residential circuit is characterized by having a connection to ground and for 120 Volt circuits is more accurately called the grounded circuit conductor.
The lack of a ground reference on either of the inverter lines may be causing your issues.
If one side of the inverter output may be safely grounded, that will emulate the common 120 Volt residential circuit and may cure the issues. If the inverter output is not allowed to be grounded on either line, your option is an isolating transformer with one side of the secondary grounded.
Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
I am using a pure sine inverter so I doth know if this works for MSW as well but I might test this soon.
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter
Does the lamp light up? Full brightness?
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: How to create a 'neutral' for an off-grid 1-phase inverter