Need help with self installed Power Inverter issue

[Long & Winding road]

Ok, here is the strangest thing I have come across in all my years of tinkering with autos and home AC repairs/mods. I installed a new power inverter (Aims 1200 watt) with a built in transfer switch about 6 weeks ago. Everything works perfectly EXCEPT for the one power outlet under the dinette (in a slide). I know they are all on the same circuit because when on shore/Genny power when you flip the correct breaker all of the outlets (and Frig) are dead (or have power when flipped back on) but when on the inverter only just that one outlet is dead.

No snap, crackle, pop, smoke or smells.

None of them are GFI.

I checked with my tester and everything is fine when plugged in but when on inverter power only its dead.

I’m wondering if it had something to do with being in a slide? Or if something else was connected to this circuit other than the outlets I was trying to control with my inverter? I thought about the slide motors but they are 12 volt right? Or are they? I did a ton of searches on line and I cannot find anything that addresses my exact problem.

I installed a chassis ground on the inverter as well just in case it had something to do with this issue. I also used 4 gauge 12V high quality power and ground wires like the instructions from Aims manual shows. I also installed a 40 amp circuit breaker next to the inverter for safety.

Been testing and using inverter for weeks now and both TV’s and outlets next to the TV’s (for DVD players) and the refrigerator work just fine.

I asked CW the other day and all they said is "thats strange, you will have to bring it in so we can figure it out". Well I dont like to bring anything in that I can fix myself - its not a matter of money its just principal plus CW will want to keep it for two weeks or more and I like to use my RV most weekends for day trips and tinkering.

Any ideas?

[Shawn62]

This may be a stupid question but I have to ask. Did the receptacle have power to it when you used your old inverter? On my coach not all the receptacles get power when using just the inverter. The TV and refrigerator and light circuits plus a couple others get power on the inverter. The other receptacles don’t.

Shawn

[Long & Winding road]

My RV did not come with a factory installed inverter. So this is all my handy work. And I have verified 4 time that this one recepital IS on the same circuit as the rest so something strange is going on.

[Shawn62]

Ok. That’s good info to have. I forgot they build some newer RV’s without an inverter system especially if it was a custom build or designated to be a rental. I had a similar condition once. Two different power systems isolated by a transfer switch. Each system brought the power in from opposite ends/directions to each circuit. My problem was a loose connection in a receptacle. Just an idea.

I would like to try a project like yours on an older RV. Did the inverter come with all the directions you needed?

Good luck.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by Shawn62

Ok. That’s good info to have. I forgot they build some newer RV’s without an inverter system especially if it was a custom build or designated to be a rental. I had a similar condition once. Two different power systems isolated by a transfer switch. Each system brought the power in from opposite ends/directions to each circuit. My problem was a loose connection in a receptacle. Just an idea.

I would like to try a project like yours on an older RV. Did the inverter come with all the directions you needed?

Good luck.

Many of the "entry level" RV's dont come with an inverter. It was not even an option. I tought I might just replace the receptal anyway but it works fine when Im NOT trying to use the inverter. That is what is so baffling about it. And like I said Everything else on the inverter works fine. Yes I followed the instructions and I also found that had a You Tube on his install with the same exact inverter (Same model #) on the same exact RV (But diff floor plan) on the same exact circut (we only have two choices = GFI and Non GFI). And his was fine.

[Shawn62]

Just to be clear, I am not being critical of your installation. I only asked about instructions because sometimes I find them lacking all the necessary info. I spent many hours trouble shooting a problem to discover it was an uncrimped pin in a wiring harness connection block. Something I never ran into before.

I understand your frustration. These motor homes really test your patience. Logic and common sense are thrown out the window sometimes.

[16ACE27]

Here's my guess and you'll need a multi-meter to confirm it.

What if the receptacle in question was miswired? What if Hot was on the common leg.....and ground was open? Or some other mis-mash of faults and incorrect wiring. Plug an extension cord into the faulty receptacle, remove power from the circuit and do some continuity testing between the extension cord and a receptacle that works.

[Long & Winding road]

Ok, thanks. I plugged in my tester that give you green lights (or differ color lights) depending on what is wrong and it showed everything is fine while on Genny or shore. I think I will just replace the cheap receptacle that the factory uses with one with USB plug ins. Up until this year (thanks to the RV) I only been using my multi meter at best once every 3 years so Im not familiar with all the setting ..... but im getter there thanks Thors quality control. LOL.

[Shawn62]

Is there a receptacle in the shower/ commode area? If so is it a GFCI? And if so, could it be feeding the receptacle under the dinette? That would make it a GFCI controlled. Is your receptacle tester designed for GFCI testing?

I like your choice of inverter. Good value for a pure sine wave inverter. I think I might have watched the YouTube video you used. The one I saw only hooked the NON GFCI receptacle breaker to the inverter.

[ComputerChips]

There may be more than 1 receptacle circuit. Seems like you have to decide which 1 circuit that you will choose to reroute through the inverter...right? The inverter only supplies 1 circuit with power, not every circuit in the 30 amp box.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by Shawn62

Is there a receptacle in the shower/ commode area? If so is it a GFCI? And if so, could it be feeding the receptacle under the dinette? That would make it a GFCI controlled. Is your receptacle tester designed for GFCI testing?

I like your choice of inverter. Good value for a pure sine wave inverter. I think I might have watched the YouTube video you used. The one I saw only hooked the NON GFCI receptacle breaker to the inverter.

I love this inverter - so far (and the Youtube video helped me make this choice - good value for pure sine). No receptacle in my bathroom since the sink is separate (across the hall) with my floor plan. All of the GFI's are on the other circuit. But I guess Thor could have wired something different or wrong on its way to this one in question?? Yeah the little plug-in tester will tell you if its ground fault.....It works fine when on shore/genny power but it totally dead on inverter only power....its the crazyest thing I have ever seen.

I even purchased a Fluke 1AC- Non-Contact Voltage Tester and the entire wire is dead under the dinette (on its way to the receptial in question) but when you test under the bed it has power flowing though the wire (but then I loose it in the bathroom area - goes under the floor/commode area).

Something I did notice is the power goes to this dead receiptal but also continues someplace else but I have yet to find were (No more receiptals on this line that I know of and no reason for this wire to go anywhere unless it powers the slide??). That wire is also dead when I check with the Fluke.

Perhaps Thor was going to make my toilet seat heated but last minute they moved the wire to the flux compactor ..... Where is Doc Brown when you need him? LOL

Maybe once I get the solar hooked up it will have that 1.2 GW it needs and I will transport in to the future where Thor make products that are reliable??

Good questions.... keep them comming please.....I need to figure this thing out.

I guess I need to try my slide out with the inverter on to see if it will work. I have not tried that yet since my driveway is not level.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by ComputerChips

There may be more than 1 receptacle circuit. Seems like you have to decide which 1 circuit that you will choose to reroute through the inverter...right? The inverter only supplies 1 circuit with power, not every circuit in the 30 amp box.

Yep, its only good for one curcuit and thats what I did (in my RV you only have two to pick from - GFI and Non GFI). It only runs two inside TV's, plus the two outlets next to the TV area for DVD players, the Frig, and this one outlet in the dinette that is giving me problem.

[ComputerChips]

The slide is 12vdc. If that plug is not on genny or shore then it must be wired to some other circuit that's not the "Recept" circuit that the inverter supplies.

[ComputerChips]

If that plug is Hot*...

[gmtech16450yz]

How exactly did you wire in the inverter? Are you sure you got the AC input and output sides of the inverter right? Where did you tap into the breakers? Do you have the remote switch for the inverter? What happens when the inverter is turned off or on when on shore or gen power?

You can run as many or as few circuits as you want through an inverter, it's just a matter of how you wire it in. I have both the GFI and non-GFI outlets going through the inverter. The microwave, AC and fridge are on separate breakers. I basically separated the breaker box main buss bars so that it has two separate inputs instead of just one.

[MarylandMatt]

I agree with the other people that the outlet in question is probably not on the circuit that you re-routed through your inverter. While on shore power, plug a light into that outlet, then turn off each circuit until it turns off. I know that my hot water heater is under my sink, right behind my table, and they may have been lazy and tied into that line instead of the correct one.

Regardless, you should be able to turn off each circuit one at a time at the box and verify which breaker it is on. Then with that, you can come back and let us know what you find.

I did something similar, I installed an AIMS 2000w inverter, but I went ahead and just routed everything except for my AC through it. It was funny when driving down the road and the kids were watching a movie (maybe 30 minutes after we left the campground), then everything went off. Turned out, I had left on the electric water heater and the batteries and car alternator just could not keep up.

Hope you find your solution.

[Shawn62]

Did you get a wiring diagram from Thor? Of course that doesn’t mean Skippy wired it correctly.

[Long & Winding road]

Thanks for the questions.

I followed the directions for Aims and a youtube video to the T. It is 100% hooked up correctly. Everything works like it should except for this one outlet. When on shore power (inverter on standby) this outlet works fine but when off shore the inverter kicks on instantly and all but this one outlet work.

Yes I flipped the breaks 10 times to test which outlets work and don’t work with a fan. Im am 100% sure the outlet in question is hooked up to the same circuit that I am running the inverter on - this is not the issue. I only have two breakers for outlets in my small RV,: GFI and NON-GFI and have tested both lines to make sure Thor didn’t wire them wrong.

I guess I need to call Thor and get the diagram for my coach.

Yes the inverter has a remote. I tried it on and off to see what happens. With shore, without shore, with genny, without genny. Everything functions as it should except when on the inverter power only at this one outlet only. Its driving me crazy I cant figure this out.

The outlet in question is 100% on the same line that I tapped into for this inverter. There must be something in between that it don’t like and for the life of me I cannot figure it out.

I will just have to drag my own wire from the inverter to the dinette location in order to make it work properly. Or tap into the outlet over the sink and drop one down lower? I want to be able to charge my laptop from the dinette area.

I need to access the wires in the bathroom (little acces panel under toilet) to see what I can fine in this area. Perhaps its shorting out while on inverter power but not Shore? Very strange.

[JamieGeek]

Perhaps this outlet is on that same line, but is before your inverter?

Where did you tap into this circuit? Right behind the converter? Did you miss a line off the converter?

(Just trying to cover a possibility that hasn't been mentioned.)

[16ACE27]

Or you cold do a continuity check as I recommended............