Inverter throwing error codes. Mfg. says ok?
I am installing a Cobra 800 watt inverter in my fifth wheel. I wired it so that one circuit on my shore power panel has the option of either shore power or inverter power. When I tested the circuit o...
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rtate wrote:
Well! Looks like I burnt up my inverter. It is not producing any ac power. Must have been something it didnt like about my wiring. The only thing I can think might have caused the problem was tying the common from the inverter to the common in my rv. I only switched the hot between shore power and inverter power. I never actually hooked up to my shore power. I dont understand why?
You never, ever tie the neutrals from separate sources together. There is too much potential to backfeed one source from another. And in stick/brick buildings, it is against code. If you look at any transfer switches on the market, they all switch both the hot and neutral. Some may even switch the ground, but I don't think so.
As to why your inverter quit, other than checking the fuse on the 12V side, it may be a cheaper unit which has no protections on the 120VAC side. Look into something like a Xantrex unit - they are pretty resilient to faults and mis-wiring.
Cheers!
Mike
