We had a solar panel and inverter installed when we bought our Jayco Whitehawk TT as well as converting the 12 volt to two six volt batteries. Expensive ones. The first time we used the inverter while dry camping it blew out the batteries, TV, and fried the inverter itself.Back to the dealer who replaced everything at no cost including a newer upgraded inverter. They admitted they had screwed up the installation somehow.Next time we took the trailer and hooked it up to shore power the inverter control panel showed an error message E10, overcharged batteries. Back to the dealer, who also did some other work. They said it was working fine there. Service manager said something about turning it off when not in use. Thing is, according to the manual you don't have to shut it off. Everything works automatically. But okay at the dealer the panel was reading normal.As soon as I got it back and hooked up a shore line, after a short time once again the same E10 overcharging message.Before I take it back to the dealer yet again I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation. I also wondered if somehow the solar panel and the shore line both feeding current to the batteries might be the problem. At the dealer it was in a covered shed. Only thing I could think of not having a clue how these things work.Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. BTW, Xantrex support says the fault is not with the inverter.

I rarely plug in but never shut off my solar when I do. Sounds to me that your entire electrical system needs a complete test and this dealer isn’t qualified.

seen this when a item is on and you plug in it throws the code need to change the perimiters or shut it off plug in then turn it back on.

1. Need Model of Xantrex unit2. Need model to see if it is an INVERTER or an INVERTER/CHARGER3. Your Jayco comes with a CONVERTER. You disconnect the Converter if you install an Inverter/Charger4. The Solar Panel set up SHOULD have a Controller between the Solar panels and the Battery bank5. Are you positive you have 2- 6 volt batteries and not 2-12 volt batteries? 6. When Dry camping, HOW do you recharge the batteries? Portable Genset? Doug

What is the battery voltage when you get E10?Can you adjust the voltage on the solar controller?

If your installers are that bad they likely didn't program the inverter/charger correctly. Most units (don't know which one you have) can be programmed based on the battery manufacturer's specifications for their batteries. You should never HAVE to turn it off or unplug it if it's installed correctly. All operation should be seamless and automatic, again, it's it's installed correctly.You might try finding a company who is familiar with off grid solar systems like those installed in cabins and homes. These are very similar to an inverter system installed in an RV. Be careful here thought, many solar installers only do grid-tied systems and know absolutely nothing about battery based systems.

Xanrex Inverter/Charger Over Charging | Good Sam Community

time2roll
Nomad
Nov 29, 2017
Is it this inverter? I don't see the 'SE'

Freedom Xi data sheet

Owners guide pg 25 does not show E10

E02 is over voltage at 16.7 volts. This needs to be verified on the battery but seems very odd or something else is malfunctioning. 16.7 is too high for the battery and for the RV appliances.

So just confirm nothing is hardwired to the inverter? Just plugging the tv and cell phone direct to the inverter outlet?

150 watts is maybe 8 amps into the battery 5 hours per day. Take a week or two minimum to charge that very low battery with all loads including the inverter off or disconnected. May never charge if the inverter is idling.

So you need to plug in and check the voltage on the battery. Need to know what is charging the battery and possibly exceeding 16.7 volts. I assume it has a converter.
littlesonny
Explorer
Nov 29, 2017
time2roll: It looks pretty similar. Model designation Xi doesn't sound familiar. Mine is named Freedom HFS. Think those are the letters. Haven't looked at the actual unit in a while, just the remote control panel. Installed new last year and was a later model than the previous.

I don't know where you get 16.7 volts. I cited a range between 11.3 and 12.9 in various stages. I also never mentioned E02. I did mention E04 E05 and E10.

Are you saying it would take 5 hours to put 8 amps into the battery?

Yes it is an inverter/converter.
littlesonny
Explorer
Nov 29, 2017
beemerphile1 wrote:
littlesonny wrote:
Lwiddis wrote:
“I understood the solar panel is supposed to charge the battery.”

You need to crawl in/under/all around this installation familiarizing yourself and writing down all the brands, model numbers, and sizes.

Either your installer is unqualified to do this work or you simply don't understand how to operate the system.

If you want help figuring this out, you MUST answer the questions being asked.

I provided as much information as I can muster. In the recent post. You're right. I don't understand how to run the system. I've admitted that a couple of times. Thing is 1) I was given the impression that once correct settings are made, which the installer supposedly did, it was a turn it on and forget it system. No technical or product knowledge required. When a problem arose I relied on the dealer to fix it. They sort of did once by replacing the things that the previous install had blown out.

I mentioned early on that I did not know what the settings should be other than the battery type. I don't know if there is an incorrect setting causing the problem. I haven't had a chance to look up what each parameter should be. I'm not even sure where I'd find the info. Controllers for both the solar and the internal factory controller have been mentioned. I can't find anything in the factory manual and I have no idea where one might be, what it would look like, or how it should be set up. Xantrex support just said "Nothing wrong with the unit. Take it to your dealer."

So yeah. Ignorant. Guilty.
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 29, 2017
Freedom HFS makes more sense. E10 indicates voltage above 15.5 that needs to be verified with a meter.

E04 over temp shutdown could be poor ventilation but probably overload and explain why the batteries did not last long. Inverter is powering something large... possibly the converter. Need to verify or disconnect. Converter came with the RV and should be found near or in the main breaker/fuse panel.

8 amps solar for 5 hours = 40 amp/hours per day. Battery is close to 200 amp/hours so 5 days (40ah/day x 5days = 200) but not 100 percent efficient so it takes more.

Those batteries at 11 volts desperately need a charge. Any chance you have a small portable charger just put it on and let it run.
littlesonny
Explorer
Nov 29, 2017
Okay. There's some useful info. I'll look for the converter now I know where to look. How would I check to see if the inverter is powering the converter and if so disconnect?

I have a car battery trickle charger. Likely a dumb question but running two six volts to I set the charger for six volts then charge one at a time or connect the charger to both at once (How?).
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 29, 2017
Charge both together with 12 volt setting. Connect to the + and - terminals same as the large inverter cables connect. s/b one to each battery. No need to disconnect anything.

Do not use the terminals that connect the two batteries together.
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 29, 2017
Would really help to know how the inverter/charger is connected to the 120v system. A picture might help. The unit has a transfer switch to pass through power.... how many 120v romex cables connect to the inverter/charger?

Do you plug in only at the inverter or is it wired to plug into the RV outlets?
littlesonny
Explorer
Nov 29, 2017
I'll get a picture later today. The inverter is wired to two outlets. One for the TV, which is in the small cabinet under the TV. One wall outlet. That's it.

When planning for the system we just wanted to be able to watch TV, especially sports, and have one outlet for a computer. My wife was thinking she'd be working sometimes on the road but that's not going to be. So really they only thing we use that outlet for is to charge the phones. However, it may be that we may want to use the computer while dry camping at some point.
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 29, 2017
OK so find the converter if it has not been removed. Trace what breaker supplies the converter power and turn it off. Hopefully the outlets still work.

You said the fridge was set to propane only but I would try to trace that circuit too.
littlesonny
Explorer
Dec 01, 2017
Went to charge the batteries but the charger read fully charged. My volt meter has disappeared so I wasn't able to check with that.

So I found the breaker for the converter. The breaker panel label had "utility - converter." I switched it off. The outlets still worked. Left it plugged into shore power to see if it would overcharge and left it for a day. Seemed okay all day, hovering between 11.8 and 11.9, which gave me hope. Last night I checked it and the panel read EO1, another low voltage warning. This morning I checked it and the error message has disappeared and it reads 11.8 again with shore power still connected. Doh!

I have to run some errands and will post photos of the inverter itself and the battery connections.

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