Friday, Jan 30, 2004 at 12:12
Current thinking is that the solar regulator failed
with a resistance fault and the batteries did the rest. I understand that if
the unit failed in this manner, it would need much less than the 40 amps
pretection to kill it. What made the unit fail ?? Suspect lightning.
The wires are only dead at the solar regulator
connections i.e. unscathed in the cupboards, so we are saying lightning itself
did not directly do the damage. The unit itself ‘fried’, starting a
small fire which killed the cables at it’s base.
A dead short would have seen other cable damage
(maybe), although there is auto reset C/B on the battery leads to the unit. I’m
checing into how these operate and if they could keep pulsing on and off due to
resetting, manual ones may follow.
We may know more when BT have pulled it all off. They
have to re-roof for the hail damage so an inspection of the cables will occur.
One thing that maybe effected the result was I had
load and solar isolated at the time (testing the charger cycle). I maybe
barking up the wrong tree, but to me if there was a lightning stike, it may
have caused more issues with the regulator with batteries not there to accept a
surge and electronics open rather than closed.
Thaks for the offer re towing, but were not slow at taking
an opportunity to vist sunny QLD. Can’t wait till mid year for a fix as
no batteries, no use. Anyway we are Isa/Centre/Broken Hill/Copeton for
August/Sept.
Were booked in for 1st March for a repair
at BT, which they are saying is less than a week, so I am sure we will find
something to do in the area. It’s been a while since we have been to
Rainbow beach. I’ve only been back to Noosa once since my yearly surf
treks in early 1970’s and it has changed too much for the memories.
----------------------
Gary Harding
TriSys Engineering/III
AnswerID:
560998