Inverter and/or electric troubleshooting help needed
2001 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 37' DP motorhome
2000 watt Nature Power PSW Inverter/charger (not OEM)
Residential refrigerator
This is a friends unit, they bought it in the winter and did not thoroughly check it out. They have now sold their house and moved into the MH.
Here is the story I got;
They parked at friend's home and plugged into 50a service. The refrigerator and microwave did not work. The inverter started getting very hot and the readout was flashing error codes and various craziness.
They called a mobile service tech, for $213 he told them the inverter/charger was bad and he couldn't help them. He separated the positive battery cable from the inverter. He left them disconnected from shore power and essentially dead in the water.
The owner claims the refrigerator works on generator but not on shore power.
Here is where I started;
*good 50a shore power verified at receptacle
*good 50a 240v at the main breaker in the MH breaker panel
*with shore power on but battery disconnected the inverter readings go crazy
*batteries are nearly dead at 11.8v
*verified that the inverter receptacles are dead on shore power
I found two receptacles behind refrigerator, one inverter and one shore power. By moving the plug to shore power the refrigerator started operating and made me their hero.
I did NOT reconnect battery power to the inverter.
I did turn off the inverter breaker in the panel.
The thing that really puzzles me is that the owner stated the refrigerator worked on generator power. If true, the inverter passes power on generator but not shore power. That does not make sense to me. I did not witness this but have to take the owner's word for it.
I instructed the owner to get a portable battery charger and put it on the house batteries.
I have owned many trailers with converters. I have installed stand alone inverters. I have also installed residential and commercial electric but none of that prepared me to work on inverter/chargers so I'm a bit over my head.
What can I troubleshoot further to narrow down what is wrong?
2000 watt Nature Power PSW Inverter/charger (not OEM)
Residential refrigerator
This is a friends unit, they bought it in the winter and did not thoroughly check it out. They have now sold their house and moved into the MH.
Here is the story I got;
They parked at friend's home and plugged into 50a service. The refrigerator and microwave did not work. The inverter started getting very hot and the readout was flashing error codes and various craziness.
They called a mobile service tech, for $213 he told them the inverter/charger was bad and he couldn't help them. He separated the positive battery cable from the inverter. He left them disconnected from shore power and essentially dead in the water.
The owner claims the refrigerator works on generator but not on shore power.
Here is where I started;
*good 50a shore power verified at receptacle
*good 50a 240v at the main breaker in the MH breaker panel
*with shore power on but battery disconnected the inverter readings go crazy
*batteries are nearly dead at 11.8v
*verified that the inverter receptacles are dead on shore power
I found two receptacles behind refrigerator, one inverter and one shore power. By moving the plug to shore power the refrigerator started operating and made me their hero.
I did NOT reconnect battery power to the inverter.
I did turn off the inverter breaker in the panel.
The thing that really puzzles me is that the owner stated the refrigerator worked on generator power. If true, the inverter passes power on generator but not shore power. That does not make sense to me. I did not witness this but have to take the owner's word for it.
I instructed the owner to get a portable battery charger and put it on the house batteries.
I have owned many trailers with converters. I have installed stand alone inverters. I have also installed residential and commercial electric but none of that prepared me to work on inverter/chargers so I'm a bit over my head.
What can I troubleshoot further to narrow down what is wrong?
