American Coach: 2009 Revolution 42k LE inverter problem

[Weathrman1]

Hello all,

So our coach has an inverter with a 30 amp breaker button on the side. I have popped/tripped that button breaker before, and justifiably so. I was doing something like running the dishwasher, microwave, coffee maker, house electronics , fridge, hot water heater, and maybe the washer or drier. Today I have tripped it multiple times with seemingly little current pull. I was running the house electronics( tv, stereo, dvr, computers, routers, printer), fridge on elect, hot water heater, and microwave. Other times today i have tried to use an electric heater that we have used often in the past, and have tripped he breaker button. These are things we run all the time and have never had a problem until today. I'm trying to figure out the why now question. I'm just not sure where to start. If it was just while running the heater, I might say it was a short in the heater.
I guess I could try unpluging everything and turn each item on independantly to check amp pull, and compare this to what it is listed as? I realize that the elect heater, or microwave are probably near the 10-12 amp range. I just dont get why we are having this issue now. Its been a little cooler, could it be more pull from the hot water heater? But I wouldnt think that the water heater would be on the inverter circuit.

Thanks for your help/comments,
Lucky

[Tha_Rooster]

I would say microwave, electric frig,and electric water heater would be very close to 30 amps all at one time. It sounds like your a way overloading at times which will heat up a breaker till it becomes weak and the more you trip it and reset it the easier it trips.

[Weathrman1]

Rooster, thanks for the reply. I agree with your assessment, except that I believe the electric water heater is not run through the inverter as it only works when on shore power.

1) So I did a little reading about our inverter, the Magnum SM2000. We may have had a setting wrong. There is a setting for "Shore Max". My understanding is that this is the setting that you want to change to indicate the current at which the inverter would start to throttle the battery charging. If the AC load got close to this setting then the throttling would increase. It was set at 50 amps, and I lowered it to 30 amps.

2) I tested after changing the setting. I powered on the space heater, and the fridge was on AC, some electronics working, and some lights. The breaker once again tripped. When it tripped I noticed on the inverter remote panel it showed 10.4V and DC amps being pulled 175 amps. When I do the calculations to determine the watts it comes to roughly 1900 watts. First I don't know why 10.4V. However, when I computed the amps that would be pulled when on AC at that wattage I get 17-18 amps. So again I am confused as to why the breaker is tripping at that amperage.

My final question for the evening (and don't laugh) is what setting the charger and inverter should be when the coach is connected to shore power. Should they be switched on or off?

Lucky

[Tha_Rooster]

My question is why would you have the inverter turned on if you are plugged in.

[GregOk80]

Some power is still ran thru the inverter. I have also heard that you need to find a 110 volt plug that does not run thru the inverter for you space heater. The inverter will run this but long term use destroys you inverter over time. My inverter in my 2002 Revolution runs the TV Microwave, and some 110 volt outlets. And as to why the inverter runs while on shore power is because 110 volt to TV and such is also cleaned up power from generator

[Gary RVRoamer]

Only some circuits are powered through the inverter, but power for those circuits passes through it whether on shore power, generator or battery. In most coaches, that circuit (or group of circuits) is limited to 30 amps total, regardless of the amount of shore/generator power available. The inverter input circuit has a 30A breaker and the inverter itself has an internal 30A breaker as well.

You need to identify what items are on inverter-supplied circuits so you can correctly assess how much power is being used. Common items are the microwave, tv/entertainment systems, galley wall outlets, and the fridge icemaker (but maybe NOT the fridge cooling unit). Plus, the charger function of the inverter is always using some input amps (that's what the Shore Max setting is for).

If you have one or more bad batteries, the charger may be working overtime. Even at the 30A setting, it could be hogging a substantial portion of the available 30A, thus making the total load exceed 30A. That 10.4v DC reading sure is suspicious, as is the 175 DC amp figure. By the way, that figure usually can read either plus or minus, i.e. amps going into or out of the battery bank. Since you were on shore power, the amperage should have been IN to the batteries rather than drawing from them. Can you verify which one it was?

[ro_sie]

I wish you guys were continuing this thread, possibly for nothing else than to exchange information. My husband and I recently purchased a 2007 Fleetwood revolution LE and we have had quite a learning curve with it. We have figured out a lot on our own, but one thing continues to baffle us. Beside the bed there is a small wood cabinet. on the front of it there is a rocker switch. it has what looks like a lightning bolt on it. We cant find what it powers. We thought it might be the water heater, but when we tried it, it didn't seem to do anything. Do either one of you have a clue as to what I am talking about? Enquiring minds need to know

[KF5UMC]

If the The Rocker switch with a lightning bolt is spring loaded (momentary) that switch should be a remote switch to power up or off, the Generator. Flip the switch on and if it returns its a momentary switch. Hold the switch "ON" and in about 5-15 seconds the generator should start. Release the switch as soon as the generator starts. Hold the switch
ON" again and hold it until the Generator stops.

Regarding the Inverter, it should NOT be connected to the refegerator, only the ice maker and the frig will only run on shore power, generator or LP GAS. Never run a space heater from one of the wall plugs regardless of the source AC power into the coach or you will burn up the primary AC wires going into the inverter as most of these connections are with wire nuts and get loose or hot. Like me I found out the hard way and found one of the AC wires shorting to the frame of the inverter OUCH!

[ro_sie]

KF5UMC,

Thank you so much for the reply. I have just now read it, so have not been out to the MOHO to check it out, but, I bet you are correct. Previously we had a HR Endeavor and loved it, but that thing was pretty simple compared to this Fleetwood. I have never seen so many switches in my life. Because you have been so kind answering me, I will tell you how dumb we have been.

The second weekend we had the Fleetwood we took it on a weekend outing about an hour from home. Just to give it a trial run and not too far from home. You know, a just in case deal. well, we got there on a Friday afternoon. everything fine til Saturday morning. The fan above the bed came on. we each thought the other one turned it on. In the afternoon we began to wonder about it and discovered neither had knowingly turned it on. so, the hunt began. Looking for the way to turn it off. we searched and search. Nothing worked. We had determined that the white looking control was for the sleep number mattress. When I decided I was going to bed and read awhile, the fan was STILL on. After reading a bit, I looked up, the fan was off. I didn't do it. My husband said he didn't do it. The only thing I could have touched was that round circular thing for the mattress. So, we finally figured it out. We had a good laugh over that one.

So, again, thank you. Your kind reply was greatly appreciated.

BTW, We live just outside Greenville In South Carolina. Moved here 20 years ago from Ct. Nice area, not too hot, not too cold.