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Old 06-05-2018, 05:58 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Chateau Super C 33SW
State: Florida
Posts: 92
THOR #10499
Smile Inverter Maintenance Lesson-Learned

My lesson-learned for the month...check ALL of the connections before assuming there is a bigger issue with your equipment.


I was having trouble with my inverter (Xantrex XM1800) powering the refrigerator. The fridge would turn on, and after a few seconds the inverter would go off on either low voltage or overload - it was sporadic. The inverter would shut off and restart to end up with the same errors. The TVs would work just fine.



I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out if I had bad batteries, a bad inverter, or what. I was at the point of taking the batteries out to be tested, although all 3 were holding 12.4V-12.7V when resting - checked individually with a volt meter. Total charge corresponded with the 12.6V the inverter display was reading. I was starting to shop batteries and new inverters, contemplating making the jump to a pure sine wave or inverter/charger.


Crisis averted!



Turns out, both of the battery input leads to the inverter were so loose, I was able to turn the nuts about 3 full turns each before they were snug. I couldn't see them because of the location and how the inverter is mounted in the compartment, and was afraid to grab them - been shocked before and it isn't a pleasant experience! Once I disconnected and removed the batteries, I grabbed the cables and noticed they were extremely loose on the inverter. Tightened the connections, and everything is working great now!



I have a residential fridge, 110V only. I reconnected all of the batteries and turned on the inverter and refrigerator. After 6 hours of the fridge running at full capacity, the batteries were still holding at 12.3V, pulling anywhere from 11-15A DC. Once the compressor shut off, they were at 12.5V holding steady on the inverter monitor panel.


Everything is working as it should now, and my wife is giving me hell about not checking the connections earlier! LOL!

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Old 06-05-2018, 06:07 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Four Winds 22E
State: Illinois
Posts: 117
THOR #10965
Having a charging issue and when I pull the chassis and house battery this weekend I will be going through every connection I can find and checking them.

I am also afraid of being zapped, I've gotten zapped from the distributor coil on a car, I think what saved me was me dropping the hood on my arm to break the connection.
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Old 06-05-2018, 06:42 PM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Chateau Super C 33SW
State: Florida
Posts: 92
THOR #10499
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bogie View Post
I am also afraid of being zapped, I've gotten zapped from the distributor coil on a car, I think what saved me was me dropping the hood on my arm to break the connection.

Good luck. There are also several fuses and disconnects installed between the charger and batteries. Make sure they are not tripped or blown.



I was once zapped by a coil also. I tell you, I'm glad the 50kV that it puts out is momentary! And fortunate it was at the plug, not the coil itself.
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Old 06-05-2018, 08:11 PM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 273
THOR #10354
Getting hell for fixing the problem

That sounds familiar to me! Maybe the wives should be fixing the RV problems.
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