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Inverters, Shore Power, High Voltage
Today, I was working around the coach, removing old electronics like telephones and a old CB radio etc. Just cleaning up a bit and trying to learn our new coach. I was getting ready to leave and checked the panel box inside. I noticed line two had 140 volts incoming, line one had 122 incoming. Keep in mind this panel is new to me and I still am trying to wrap my head around inverter power and shore power and how they look in this panel. I looked at the top of the pannel and one of the inverters showed an over load. It was the one on the top left above Line one. The Inverter control on the top right above the Line 2 (which was showing an incoming voltage of 140) showed no over load. I shut down the inverters and two battery charger breakers in the panel. The only breakers that were on were the battery charger for the engine batterys and receps that had nothing plugged into them. I waited a minute or so and turned the inverters back on. Line one showed 122 Line 2 showed 123. I thought all was well. After I left I called my buddy Tim who has a Liberty also sitting in the same barn and told him what had happened. He said he was going back to the shop and he would check. Being a bus guy for years he knew what to look at found the 50amp breaker was tripped that was suppling the shore power to my coach. He went in and looked at the panel and the 140v was inverter power not line from the shore power. Tim flipped the 50 amp breaker back on and checked the incoming and both legs were 124 at his plug on the wall. Tim plugs us back in.So all is good. Now the line voltage showing on the Liberty panel show 122 and 123. Tim shuts off the shore power and goes back inside and it is back at the Line 1 122v and Line2 140 with the inverters on and no shore power. Then the left or line 1 inverter shows an over load….. So we are now on shore power. Line one and two are good. What do you think I have going on…. Sorry for the book..
Steve -
12 Replies
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With shore power off and inverting, if one inverter is showing 140 volts, you likely have an inverter problem. I think that’s what you’re saying, correct?
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Thats about it Tom, When Tim and I picked up the bus it was plugged in. When we got home and pulled in Tim’s barn we plugged in. After kicking that breaker it was the first time we were running on battery and the first time we saw that high voltage.
And one inverter showed a overload.
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I would get that inverter looked at before the next trip, but in the meantime shut off the inverter. The second one will take care of the batteries. You will lose whatever 120 V devices that are on that inverter circuit such as the refrigerator or water pump, but there is clearly an issue and when you are going down the road you will have that over voltage condition until the inverter is fixed. You do not want to risk damaging whatever is on that inverter.
We have had good feedback about Inverter Service Center near Nashville, one of our advertisers.
http://inverterservicecenter.com/index.php?route=common/home
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Thanks Jon, I will call them. Do they work on the inverters in the bus or do I need to take them out? It didn’t say anything about service or installation on their site.
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My guess is they are going to want them out of the bus. If my geography is correct you are not too far from Nashville so maybe you might want to drop them off. I think you have Heart Freedom 2500 inverters and as I recall there are two relays, a couple of PC boards and a fan. If he stocks parts it will not take long to put the new stuff in and send you on your way. Depends on his schedule and how he sets up his work and stocks parts.
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Steve,
Your buddy Tim has a spare, now let’s see how much of a buddy he really is.:)
When I had Tim’s bus, I had an inverter go bad and didn’t have any luck finding parts, so I was able to buy 2 really good inverters from a PC member. At the time, Inverter Service suggested just replacing them as parts were the problem. If I wouldn’t have found good used one’s, I would have replaced them with Magnum.
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I think Jeff has two that we took out of my bus give him a call they where in top shape
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Tom,
The coach is in his barn….. I guess if he wanted it out he could loan me one!! Peter, I may have to call Jeff, why did you change them out?
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Peter,
I think Steve’s is a Classic, 12v and not an Elegant 24v.
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Yes it is a classic,
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I put pure sine wave in for the sub zero fridge to work better I put magnums in
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i just has Chuck at Commonweath Coach replace both Heart inverters with Magnums. My inverters were putting out 93 & 94 volts. Needless to say,I could not run on battery power at all. Ordered 2 magnums and the controls heads. Both are installed and working great.
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