Help-Inverter Issue

[Jn1edosp]

My wife and I just arrived at Naples Motorcoach Resort to enjoy a week on the RV and our inverter (Xantrex PROwatt SW) has gone nuts. This being Christmas eve I don't expect that I will be able to get technical support until the 26th.

The problem is that the alarm is on and nothing I do turns the alarm off. The power switch does not work. I tried to reset the ground fault and it is "dead". Turning the batteries off does not help. I am reluctant to disconnect the negative cable to the inverter based on safety warnings in the manual.

Has anyone experienced this problem and know of a solution? My head is ready to explode from the noise.

[wa8yxm]

Turn off using switch ON THE INVERTER itself (not remote)
Disconnect from 120 volt (Shore power)
Disconnect the negative cable
Enjoy a cup of java (or any delay of 1-5 minutes)
Re-connect
Re-connect
Turn on
NOTE: If this works,, Great, If not your FREE is hearby cheerfully refunded.

[nothermark]

Go to a local big box home repair store and pick up a voltmeter. Under $20. Check your voltages in and out of the Inverter and you may get a clue about why it is giving you error messages. Anything we say without some basic data is pure guesswork.

That said the one thing that might work is to disconnect the power cord and disconnect the negative battery cable for 5 minutes or so then reconnect it. That should let the computer in the inverter reset. If that is scrambled it is like any other power off reboot for a computer controlled system. Maybe it fixes the problem and maybe not.

Without reading your manual I can still bet that most/all the warnings are basic lawyerese that boil down to telling you to be careful. The negative side is the safest to remove but get a wrench between an open ground lead and ground and you will still get sparks. It won't hurt to turn off everything in the coach and pull the shore cord in preparation. It removes loads that can draw current and the supply path to the inverter. Loosen the lead, move the tools and pop the lead off by hand so there is no metal waving around other than the wire end you are controlling. Hold the ground lead or tuck it where it cannot get back to the battery terminal or wrap in in a heavy plastic bag or rags to keep it from touching the battery terminal while you wait. It can touch the chassis metal with no problem at that point. You might get a spark when you put the lead back. You will not get a big arc because the voltage is too low. The point is to not dither. Line the terminal up with the battery and then move it quickly and firmly in contact. Then you can use a wrench again.

Until you actually pop off the terminal you have a short circuit to ground that will bypass accidental touching between the chassis and wire. That is why they start there instead of the positive terminal.

[vsheetz]

Is there a reason for the alarm? Low or high input voltage? High temperature due to cooling fan or other failure? Is it ok with the output disconnected?

Checking the manual for alarm reasons may lead to the answer.

[twinboat]

I had 2 ProWatt inverters fail, just the way yours did. You need to disconnect the negative cable.

You can try re-connecting it but it may lock into fault mode again.

See if you can smell any burnt components. That's a sure sign.

[Winemaker2]

Caution
Magnum issues a caution to always remove positive feed to the inverter before the negative or risk damage to the inverter.
Check your user manual carefully.
My manual did not have the caution but later online version did and Magnum reinforced the caution when I contacted them.

[YC1]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you have to be here on Christmas Eve..

Check out page 26 if this manual applies. Is there any error code?

Loose connections from the battery anywhere along the line will drive an inverter crazy.

[Sbrownstein]

Since you are in an RV resort, I presume you have shore power. The reset on the GFI will do nothing. The inverter thinks there is a fault (there might be.) For safety sake, first remove the plug that plugs into the GFI as well so that if your transfer switch has failed it will remove the load. I would then disconnect the positive cable or look for the fuse in the positive cable and disconnect that.

When you remove the positive cable the inverter should shut up after a few seconds. If you don't feel comfortable leave it until you can get service. It may reset the fault.

If you do feel comfortable, check the voltage on the positive to negative 12 volt feed. If that is OK, reconnect the cable and see if the inverter is happy (there will be no load and good power) If it isn't you have a bad inverter.

[Quincy]

You say the GFI is "dead" Does that mean when you try to reset it that it wont reset? If so, could that be the cause? If the GFI wont reset then there may be moisture somewhere in or around and it can be as little as very high humidity.

Actually I dont have a clue but when you said you were at wits end I felt I had to try to help

Q

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

Since you are in an RV resort, I presume you have shore power. The reset on the GFI will do nothing. The inverter thinks there is a fault (there might be.) For safety sake, first remove the plug that plugs into the GFI as well so that if your transfer switch has failed it will remove the load. I would then disconnect the positive cable or look for the fuse in the positive cable and disconnect that.

When you remove the positive cable the inverter should shut up after a few seconds. If you don't feel comfortable leave it until you can get service. It may reset the fault.

If you do feel comfortable, check the voltage on the positive to negative 12 volt feed. If that is OK, reconnect the cable and see if the inverter is happy (there will be no load and good power) If it isn't you have a bad inverter.

No transfer switch on this inverter.

GFCI is only output, no hard wire connections.

[Sbrownstein]

Originally Posted by twinboat

No transfer switch on this inverter.

GFCI is only output, no hard wire connections.

I understand as I have two Prowatts in my coach. There had better be a transfer switch since the converter ain't going to provide 100 amps under almost any condition. The transfer switch plugs into the GFCI and drops the inverter when it sees AC coming from the panel. The inverter then idles at significantly less than 1 amp.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

I understand as I have two Prowatts in my coach. There had better be a transfer switch since the converter ain't going to provide 100 amps under almost any condition. The transfer switch plugs into the GFCI and drops the inverter when it sees AC coming from the panel. The inverter then idles at significantly less than 1 amp.

Not sure what 100 amps thru a converter has to do with anything.

You have factory installed ProWatt inverters ?

[Sbrownstein]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Not sure what 100 amps thru a converter has to do with anything.

You have factory installed ProWatt inverters ?

One is factory installed the other I added. Both have transfer switches.

If there is no transfer switch, the loads will always run off the inverter...and the 12 volt batteries. As such, something will have to charge the batteries...enter the converter. If you draw 1200 watts off a circuit that will be 100 amps off the DC system if there is no transfer switch on the loads...thus the 100 amps.

I would never recommend installing an inverter without a transfer switch...somewhere, either manual or preferably automatic.

Xantrex and Kisae make them and they all plug into the GFCI duplex output of the inverter.

[YC1]

If turning off the batteries did not help then the inverter is connected to them before the switch.

The GFCI will not reset if it does not have 110 volts to it and because the inverter is howling it probably is not working due to low input voltage.