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JimWoods · 12-20-2024, 07:39 AM

Hey y'all, I've tried the search function, I never have luck with it on this sight. My inverter only flashes about 1 x every 5 seconds, every light, even the inverter reset button and charger reset but. The display panel in the house went dead when all this started. I was trying to change the inverter from disable inverter to enable when the panel blanked out and things started flashing. I can't find any info anywhere on possible causes. I have disconnected power for overnight with no success. Any suggestions?

Jim

jacwjames · 12-20-2024, 08:20 AM

Not sure on yours

But I have a RV2012 inverter with the RC7GS display. I was having trouble back in Sept of this year. Found my inverter was going into the equalization charge mode on it's own and continually going in/out. Almost ruined my batteries.
Did a bunch of testing and found it was the display. But also fount the inverter will work on it's own without display BUT the default charging mode is for AGM batteries, not optimal for lead acid.

I did call a Inverter Sales and Service and talked to a tech there and they gave me some trouble shooting tips to help diagnose. I have a Victron VBM712 battery monitor so I could watch the voltages with and without the display plugged in, which confirmed what was going on. The Victron also has the ability to go back and look at history in graph form showing the inverter had been going into equalization mode continually for ~2 weeks.

I also have a Bluesea MLACR which dropped the chassis batteries out so they didn't see the high charge rate. The house did and it almost boiled them dry, I'm sure I lost some life but I went on a trip in Oct and the seemed to do OK
Once I confirmed it was the display I started looking for a used one, they are obsolete so displays are hard to find. After doing multiple searches with no success as a last ditch effort I called the Inverter Sales and Service and talked to sales and asked if they might have a used display, the guy chuckled and said NO saying they don't keep them long but then he checked his inventory and a used one just hit the shelf the day before so I bought it right then and he shipped it out FedEx that day.

Buy a volt meter and check voltages on batteries with the inverter/charger plugged in and see it they are charging and compare to your manual as to charging profiles.

JimWoods · 01-04-2025, 10:42 AM

So I pulled my batteries out they were down to about 5.7volts, trying to charge them up , hoping the inverter/charger won't recognize them and kick on because of the low voltage. They are 6 6 volt batteries wired to a 12v setup.

Persistent · 01-04-2025, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimWoods

Hey y'all, I've tried the search function, I never have luck with it on this sight. My inverter only flashes about 1 x every 5 seconds, every light, even the inverter reset button and charger reset but. The display panel in the house went dead when all this started. I was trying to change the inverter from disable inverter to enable when the panel blanked out and things started flashing. I can't find any info anywhere on possible causes. I have disconnected power for overnight with no success. Any suggestions?

Jim

Sorry your post went so long without an answer. Usually you get multiple answers withing 24 hours.

See page 4-5 Owner's manual for general troubleshooting instructions. The last step in this procedure is to contact Xantrex directly.

I suspect you must do a "cold" reset. Remove all 120 volt power. Remove 12 volt power. Reconnect according to installation procedure.

https://xantrex.com/wp-content/uploa...09-3000_OG.pdf

I need a better explanation of the symptoms.

The Xantrex has two main components. The first is the main Inverter/Charger. The second is the remote control panel.

When referring to a flashing light you must be more specific as to which light. See page 1-8 for lights on the Xantrex itself.
See page 2-3 for lights on the remote panel.

Start up From page 2-4:

"When the RS2000 is powered up or comes out of a reset state, all of the
front panel lights illuminate and remain on for a minimum of five
seconds. After five seconds, the lights remain illuminated until the front
panel has status information for all the lights.
The RS2000 is disabled every time the unit is powered up. The inverter
must then be enabled."

Light behave in a specific way as startup proceeds. At what point do the lights not follow expected pattern.

JimWoods · 01-09-2025, 05:49 PM

Thanks for the reply Paul.
So all the lights on the inverter/converter simultaneously flash about every 5 seconds and immediately go out,5 seconds later flash on again,the SCP in the RV when black when this started. I was hoping this would reset when I killed the main disconnect for the house batteries,and the disconnect for the coach batteries,I let it set overnight,I'm not plugged in to shore power. When I restored the house batteries it immediately started flashing in the same manner.

Jim

Old Scout · 01-09-2025, 11:04 PM

If I read correctly, you turned off the house bats kill switch? On Alpines, and most other DPs, the inverter/charger by-passes the battery disconnect switches and is connected directly to the house bats via a large fuse. So, you need to disconnect the house bat cables to kill power to the inverter/charger.
PS--with few exceptions, the RS2000 is a train-wreck, waiting to happen. Recommend you move on, sooner or later, to a newer model of inverter/charger.

Persistent · 01-10-2025, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimWoods

Thanks for the reply Paul.
So all the lights on the inverter/converter simultaneously flash about every 5 seconds and immediately go out,5 seconds later flash on again,the SCP in the RV when black when this started. I was hoping this would reset when I killed the main disconnect for the house batteries,and the disconnect for the coach batteries,I let it set overnight,I'm not plugged in to shore power. When I restored the house batteries it immediately started flashing in the same manner.

Jim

5 seconds is the start up status detection time. It may be detecting an overload or other fault and restarting the startup detection period.

Disconnect the 120 volt output at the Xantrex terminals and try a cold restart again.

If that does not work, contact Xantrex support.

JimWoods · 01-10-2025, 07:17 PM

Don't know if I mentioned my batteries are pretty dead through all this ,like 5.9 volts. A couple batteries look slightly bulged, they are 3 years old and we were full time in it until November when this all started and now it's just parked as I work on it. You mentioned this unit is a train wreck waiting to happen, would you recommend the new xantrex SW freedom 2000?

Old Scout · 01-10-2025, 07:48 PM

My RS2000 never failed but it was quirky from the start. Back then, Freedom Combi had a better product, so Xantrex bought them out. Don't think the RS2000 was even field serviceable. Now days, Victron products seem to be very popular with the solar/Li battery folks. Opinions may vary.
PS--5.9v on three-year old bats is extremely low--they may be cooked or best, damaged.

Persistent · 01-11-2025, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimWoods

Don't know if I mentioned my batteries are pretty dead through all this ,like 5.9 volts. A couple batteries look slightly bulged, they are 3 years old and we were full time in it until November when this all started and now it's just parked as I work on it. You mentioned this unit is a train wreck waiting to happen, would you recommend the new xantrex SW freedom 2000?

The Xantrex will charge dead batteries if it is working properly. Some other brands will not. Yours is not working.

Fully charge the batteries using a high quality charger as soon as possible. It will take 14 to 18 hours using a 40 amp charger to fully charge. A smaller charger will work, but take longer.

Since your batteries have been discharged for a long time, they may benefit from 24 hours or more charging.

Long periods deeply discharged will kill lead acid batteries.

Disconnect each one and see if it will hold a full charge. Each should hold 6.3 volts for a month or more when disconnected. They should stay above 6.2 volts for 4 or 5 months.

You can run a 20 hour discharge test to see if they still have adequate capacity. A 200 amp hour 6 volt battery should be able to deliver 10 amps for 8 hours or more. Static voltage with batteries at rest should be above 5.5 volts. A pair of batteries in series must be exactly matched.

Cinequip · 01-11-2025, 02:57 PM

Xantrex doesn't support the RS2000 anymore; they will try to sell you a new one. A large number of RS2000's have failed by now, so we see this issue come up from time to time. That being said...

I would try a full restart, which requires disconnecting the heavy duty red battery cable that goes to the "Inverter" fuse, as Old Scout suggested. That, with turning off 120v, will allow the inverter to go completely off. Wait a few minutes, and then reconnect the inverter DC cable (it will spark when to you connect it - this is normal). Then turn on 120v.

Also, the RS2000 will operate without the system control panel connected (SCP). Remove the Cat. 5 cable from the inverter during power down, just in case the SCP has failed and is taking the inverter down.

If your inverter doesn't come back after the full reboot, then it's time to replace it. The direct Xantrex replacement is a SW2012 or SW3012. I bought mine used on eBay for half of new cost. Others have replaced with Magnum 2812 or Victron inverters, but will require a little more effort due to size differences and wiring to the SCP (you'll need a new one, no matter which inverter you buy).