openinverter forum

Starting this as a new Topic so I'm not thread jacking and possibly for easier later searching of the forums for this Topic.

Has anyone made a Gen3 control board for the Gen3 inverter (maybe converter as well) board/assembly for synchronous or asynchronous generator inverting to pure sine wave mains ouput, an inverter welder or an inverter plasma cutter?

I was thinking the inverter module for either a single engine, or multiple engines, running multiple rectified generators input into the inverter might be a way to create a clean 3-phase pure sine wave 120, 208, 240, 480, etc. VAC mains output. Seems like would clean up the signal from the synchronous generators nicely and allow for more cost effectively found generators to be ganged together to create a larger 10KW or more power supply source.

Obviously inverting is a must have for the asynchronous (brushless) generators to stabilize the output from my limited newbie understanding.

Is there a feedback loop to keep a stable voltage output? Wondering what the performance capabilities are using the stock boards as well as if using whatever is better recommended in regards to the openverter or other designs?

Also, what the limitations are stock, openverter and/or other designs?

Seems logical a plasma cutter could be made, though I'm not as confident in regards to the lower voltage specifications for a welder with Constant Voltage (CV) (~12 to ~60V?) and/or Constant Current (CC) (~50 to ~300A?) options, frequency control (20-400Hz), waveform control (SPWM, square and sawtooth maybe) along with for the square waveform a DC offset so can have balance control to ratio the DC Electrode Positive (DCEP) to DC Electrode Negative (DCEN) for aluminum welding as I can use for some cast aluminum repairs. Actually, this later need is what led me down this rabbit whole of like "hey, I own a gen 3 prius... why not use parts for that to make." For those that are not aware, the DCEN cycle is the cycle that better penetrates to fuse the weld and the DCEP cycle is the cycle that cleans up the oxidation in the weld area-volume.

Anyways, probably a topic off it's own for making and engine welder using the Gen 3 CVT, though then I found cost effective CVT's not far away and 50% off sales or not on sale prices at not far away salvage yards that amazed me the parts can be found so cost effectively. Talking to everyone... no one needs since they last forever seems. I'm still amazed to this day 20KW brushless motor generators can be found for what they still sell at pricing to this day as well as the related inverter-converter and controllers at great prices. Wild and great to find resources that are taming these potential cost effective resources for more applications.

Anyways, back to the inverter as a general purpose generator inverter to output mains, welder and plasma cutter missions. Looks like I have a lot to read in regards to find the specifications for all the terminals and pinouts. Is there a best concise source to find the range of all the specifications or do I need to hunt around?

Seems the Prius Gen 2 may be more modularized inside the case and not as integrated with the aluminum case like the Gen 3 design maybe? Is that true?

Wondering if that's why there is more the preference to use or if some other use situation?

Any reason I should pickup up some Gen2 inverter-converter assemblies for parts to use or begin with?

Related post regarding "Car Inverter As 3 Phase Inverter": viewtopic.php?t=2698

Update: I have a manure pile ton of info to learn... and I committed to a gen2 Prius that I can drive home in the next few days. Looks like I'll be breaking down and hunting for a good gen 2 CVT as well as some inverter-converter assemblies. Oh boy...

Also, wanted to note here that I thought that maybe the Cruise Control setting might be useful for the welder or plasma cutter Throttle settings once the Parameters are tuned and calibrated and then once determined if there is a direct relationship using the boards as-found without further coding. LIke maybe a configuration can be saved once I get a better feel for the system capabilities and performance as-found and as-left with a better idea what HF or 20-240Hz (I like the idea of 400Hz for some avionics reason maybe?) transformers will be needed at the output.

I was thinking might save some development time.

For openinverter vers3 hardware as found here: https://openinverter.org/wiki/Main_Board_Version_3
Pin Signal Name
5 SIG_CRUISE Cruise Control Input (12V)
6 THROTTLE1 Throttle Input (0-3.3V)
9 SIG_BRAKE Brake Input (12V)

Might be useful for DCEN and DCEP possibly using the inverter as a buck/boost converter?
13 SIG_FORWARD Forward (12V)
15 SIG_REVERSE Reverse (12V)

Per the Parameters Spot Values: https://openinverter.org/wiki/Parameters
din_cruise
din_brake

Maybe the converter alone might have potential utility for the DC output systems? Of course with inductor(s) and capacitor(s) to smooth the output. Like an LLC or something circuit.

Interesting for a while I’ve been thinking of hooking up a spare gen2 inverter to the output of my dc inverter tig to make a 50/50 square wave ac output for welding aluminium, I don’t think it would be happy to pass through the hf start though although that can e turned off and could scratch start! I can imagine there’s potential to make a pretty decent welding machine from a car inverter