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06-11-2021, 02:53 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3401
State: Washington
Posts: 831
THOR #22245
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Inverter fan???
Hi: In the last week my inverter fan has come on for a long time following plugging into my house power. This is follow driving for a while. Last night it was on so turned off house battery switch. This morning turned it back on and fan stayed off. Any ideas? Batteries have proper level of water.Thanks: 2021 Aria.
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06-11-2021, 04:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
Posts: 4,147
THOR #12751
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Your Inverter is wired directly to the battery so putting the Use / Store switch into Store will not power off the Inverter. The Inverter fan is temperature controled usually so that means the Inverter is getting hot.... either from use, not enough air for cooling where it is installed and / or very warm air temperatures.
You need to turn your Inverter off at the control panel for it to truly be off. Now if your inverter has a built-in ATS, it can still be powered on when plugged into shore power even if the control panel for the Inverter is in the off position.
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06-11-2021, 04:56 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3401
State: Washington
Posts: 831
THOR #22245
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Judge
Your Inverter is wired directly to the battery so putting the Use / Store switch into Store will not power off the Inverter. The Inverter fan is temperature controled usually so that means the Inverter is getting hot.... either from use, not enough air for cooling where it is installed and / or very warm air temperatures.
You need to turn your Inverter off at the control panel for it to truly be off. Now if your inverter has a built-in ATS, it can still be powered on when plugged into shore power even if the control panel for the Inverter is in the off position.
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So, when I am plugged into shore power and house battery switch is on, should I turn inverter off? Will my 120 then be running off shore and not inverter? Frig, microwave and such?
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06-11-2021, 05:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
Posts: 4,147
THOR #12751
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HMCSW
So, when I am plugged into shore power and house battery switch is on, should I turn inverter off? Will my 120 then be running off shore and not inverter? Frig, microwave and such?
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What's your Inverter Make and Model?
Here is how it works with most coach Inverters.....
1. Certain outlets are wired to the Inverter circuit to power a critical item like a residential fridge and entertainment items like the TV.
2). The Inverter has a built-in Automatic Transfer Switch. When you are on shore or genny power, the AC voltage passes through the Inverter to provide power to the redsidential fridge, etc.
3) If the Inverter is powered on and you lose shore power, the Inverter's ATS will switch over to use battery power to provide AC to the fridge, etc.
4) If the Inverter is power off and there is shore power, the Inverter can still be on (and the cooling fan running) because AC still has to pass through the Inverter via the ATS to provide power to the fridge and other outlets on the Inverter circuit. When shore power is removed and the Inverter is in the off mode, it will shut down completely.
So the bottom line is.... the Inverter will always appear be on when there is shore power (even when the Inverter control panel is switched to off). But it is not the Inverter supplying power. It is the ATS allowing your shore power to pass throught he Inverter to power those outlets in the circuit.
Now your Inverter should have a 15A or 20A breaker in the Power Distirbution Panel that controls the AC input to the Inverter and the built-in ATS. That breaker could be labeled "Inverter" but I have also seen it labeled as "TV or Fridge Receptacles." If you switch that breaker off and you turn the Inverter control panel off, you will shut down the Inverter entirely. But be advised that means a fridge and anything else on the Inverter circuit will have no power if you switch off the breaker and switch the Inverter control panel to off.
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06-11-2021, 06:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3401
State: Washington
Posts: 831
THOR #22245
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Thanks. I guess we will live with it as is: we bought the coach in March and have been on the road 30% of the time and never heard it on until last week. I will look up the info went I get home:
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06-11-2021, 06:10 PM
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#6
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 68
THOR #16876
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If your inverter stays on while on shore power all you need to do is go to your panel, go into the AC display, tap on the inverter button until it says "Pass-Through". Be aware that if you go through the 3 different settings, one of them says "Off". That will reset your Microwave time and turn of your refrigerator.
While on shore power, your inverter should switch to pass-through automatically a few seconds after shore power is applied.
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Living the dream a day at a time!
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2019 Thor Aria 3901 w/Yellow Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
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06-11-2021, 06:52 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Redwood
Model: 36FB
State: Arizona
Posts: 1,766
THOR #3610
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Just to be clear which you're referring to?
An inverter uses the 12 volt coach batteries the power 120 volt items connected to it, residential fridge & possibly a couple plugs, typically not the microwave or the entire 120 volt system in the coach.
A converter uses the 120 volt incoming voltage, be it shore power or generator, to power all the 12 volt items onboard & charge the batteries. If running lots of lights, the furnace or the batteries are getting weak not holding their charge the cooling fan will run constantly due to the converter running constantly trying to maintain the batteries.
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Fulltimed 10+ years
Sold '13 Thor Redwood 36 FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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06-11-2021, 06:58 PM
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#8
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 68
THOR #16876
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans
Just to be clear which you're referring to?
An inverter uses the 12 volt coach batteries the power 120 volt items connected to it, residential fridge & possibly a couple plugs, typically not the microwave or the entire 120 volt system in the coach.
A converter uses the 120 volt incoming voltage, be it shore power or generator, to power all the 12 volt items onboard & charge the batteries. If running lots of lights, the furnace or the batteries are getting weak not holding their charge the cooling fan will run constantly due to the converter running constantly trying to maintain the batteries.
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Sure - Clarification follows:
The originator of the post owns an Aria 3401. This model of coach uses an inverter and has a firefly panel where the controls for the inverter exist.
With that in mind, I made the suggestion of setting the inverter into pass-through mode.
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Living the dream a day at a time!
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2019 Thor Aria 3901 w/Yellow Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
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06-11-2021, 09:22 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Georgia
Posts: 2,585
THOR #4735
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Thor generally provides not only a vent within the INVERTER compartment, which is generally in one of your rear compartments, but many times also a 'secondary' FAN, temperature controlled, ADDED by the factory. It's not necessarily the INVERTER that is getting hot, but the Fan SENSOR is getting hot, meaning the fan will STAY ON, sometimes hours and hours, even when you are NOT using the inverter.
Touch the 'button' sensor with a piece of ice for a moment, and it will turn the fan off.
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06-11-2021, 10:12 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Brand: Entegra
Model: Accolade 37TS
State: South Dakota
Posts: 8,726
THOR #1469
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam
Thor generally provides not only a vent within the INVERTER compartment, which is generally in one of your rear compartments, but many times also a 'secondary' FAN, temperature controlled, ADDED by the factory. It's not necessarily the INVERTER that is getting hot, but the Fan SENSOR is getting hot, meaning the fan will STAY ON, sometimes hours and hours, even when you are NOT using the inverter.
Touch the 'button' sensor with a piece of ice for a moment, and it will turn the fan off.
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Never had a vent or supplemental fan in any compartment which housed the inverter in any motorhome.
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06-11-2021, 11:06 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: Florida
Posts: 14,129
THOR #7035
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HMCSW
Hi: In the last week my inverter fan has come on for a long time following plugging into my house power. This is follow driving for a while. Last night it was on so turned off house battery switch. This morning turned it back on and fan stayed off. Any ideas? Batteries have proper level of water.Thanks: 2021 Aria.
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Do you have an inverter/charger? Or a converter/charger. From your description it sounds like a charging circuit is loaded to charge the house batteries when you stopped and plugged in, hence the cooling fan running.
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Ted & Melinda
2016 ACE 27.1
2016 Chevy Sonic Toad - Selling
2020 Chevy Colorado Z71 Trail Runner Toad
2024 Chevrolet Trax 2RS - Soon 2B TOAD
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06-12-2021, 03:22 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Georgia
Posts: 2,585
THOR #4735
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Palazzos and many diesel 'whole house' Inverter installs are supplemented with an additional FAN in the bay that houses the Inverter - it gets hot in there, there's little air movement.
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the Turners...
two Campers, two Electric cars
former diesel pusher traveler
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06-12-2021, 03:44 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3401
State: Washington
Posts: 831
THOR #22245
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Right- it is just something that has not come on since we have owned it and 3,000 miles and: 30 nights at RV parks. But it has been a little warmer so maybe that is it?
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06-20-2021, 02:19 PM
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#14
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Venetian M37
State: Texas
Posts: 63
THOR #10920
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam
Thor generally provides not only a vent within the INVERTER compartment, which is generally in one of your rear compartments, but many times also a 'secondary' FAN, temperature controlled, ADDED by the factory. It's not necessarily the INVERTER that is getting hot, but the Fan SENSOR is getting hot, meaning the fan will STAY ON, sometimes hours and hours, even when you are NOT using the inverter.
Touch the 'button' sensor with a piece of ice for a moment, and it will turn the fan off.
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I have the ADDED fan…. Operation is a problem in warm/hot weather. Fan always on, unless you use the ice cube approach or just disconnect the temperature switch.
Have tried to find a temperature switch with slightly higher set points, but no luck. Have you investigated that alternative? Any success?
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06-21-2021, 03:37 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 695
THOR #9660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
I have the ADDED fan…. Operation is a problem in warm/hot weather. Fan always on, unless you use the ice cube approach or just disconnect the temperature switch.
Have tried to find a temperature switch with slightly higher set points, but no luck. Have you investigated that alternative? Any success?
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This is the one I installed. Works great.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Mike
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Vicki and Mike, Aria 3901- The Wined Up Bus, towing 16 Jeep JKUR.
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06-21-2021, 10:52 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Tuscany 42GX
State: Missouri
Posts: 1,158
THOR #9178
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam
Thor generally provides not only a vent within the INVERTER compartment, which is generally in one of your rear compartments, but many times also a 'secondary' FAN, temperature controlled, ADDED by the factory. It's not necessarily the INVERTER that is getting hot, but the Fan SENSOR is getting hot, meaning the fan will STAY ON, sometimes hours and hours, even when you are NOT using the inverter.
Touch the 'button' sensor with a piece of ice for a moment, and it will turn the fan off.
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Exactly
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06-21-2021, 12:14 PM
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#17
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Venetian M37
State: Texas
Posts: 63
THOR #10920
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m1noel
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Thanks for the reply…. Ordered one. Will see how it works
BTW…. What sittings did you use. Thinking on around 115. Off would then be 20 less or 95
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06-21-2021, 01:24 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 37LS outlaw
State: New Jersey
Posts: 516
THOR #5248
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Just a added note. The ats relay isn’t a latching relay. It is held operated when on shore power. Even if the inverter is off heat is still created by this relay and the fan will cycle to keep the equipment cool.
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06-22-2021, 03:49 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 695
THOR #9660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Thanks for the reply…. Ordered one. Will see how it works
BTW…. What sittings did you use. Thinking on around 115. Off would then be 20 less or 95
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Richard,
I will look in the morning and see what it is set at.
Mike
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Vicki and Mike, Aria 3901- The Wined Up Bus, towing 16 Jeep JKUR.
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06-22-2021, 01:03 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Aria 3901
State: Idaho
Posts: 695
THOR #9660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Thanks for the reply…. Ordered one. Will see how it works
BTW…. What sittings did you use. Thinking on around 115. Off would then be 20 less or 95
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Richard, I have ours set to come on at 120. There is a 20 degree differential, so off at 100. It will still run awhile on really hot days, but I think it is needed.
Mike
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Vicki and Mike, Aria 3901- The Wined Up Bus, towing 16 Jeep JKUR.
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