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Biljol · 06-11-2021, 07:47 PM

Ok I think this may still be an inverter/transfer switch issue. Your inverter bonds ground/neutral when shore or genset power is not present. As soon as shore or genset power is applied the bond moves to the power source.

Is sound like the bonding is swapped to a different leg from the inverter or the shore power. I know I am not explaining this correctly or I am an idiot.

I am just guessing here but with you saying the bond is different from one to the other is my guess.

Others can say if I am blowing smoke.

Was the transfer switch swapped and maybe the leads from genset reversed.

Fffrank · 06-11-2021, 08:55 PM

I did see in the xantrex manual that the neutral/ground bond has a defeat inside for the Canadian market (where the code prohibits that bond.) Maybe I'll pull the cover off and remove that jumper wire to see if that has any effect.

I haven't done any work on any of the systems..... But who knows what a previous owner may have hacked together. I'd love to figure this out myself but also starting to wonder if a professional may be able to get to the bottom of it more quickly.

Skip426 · 06-11-2021, 09:04 PM

Just in case , this may help , after a few weeks of chasing a similar issue with a friend on a 98 Diplomat , a quick conversation with a mobile RV tech , who laughed and said " Ice maker " frost build up around the ice maker was tripping the GFCI , a plug we didn't realize was on the circuit .

lawjohnson · 06-11-2021, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fffrank

Had an idea in the shower just now -- can I wire the load to the GFCI on the line terminal instead of the load terminal? This would leave my bathroom sink protected but allow the remainder of the outlets to bypass the GFCI? Hard to imagine a situation where someone would be exposed to water + a handheld appliance outside of the bathroom area?

This is what I ended up doing, sort of, after 3 GFI replacements. Mine is in the bathroom then goes on into the kitchen, the coffee maker gave all three of them fits! I thought is was the coffee machine causing the problem so I replaced it... still popped! I ended up just setting up the GFI as a stand alone and direct wired the rest of the circuit. There were no outlets close enough to water in the kitchen to cause an issue.

Fffrank · 08-12-2021, 10:15 AM

Update: I'm not saying that I don't also have a transfer switch problem, but replacing the GFCI with one "approved" by Xantrex seems to have solved the blowing-all-the-damn-time problem.

KanzKran · 08-12-2021, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fffrank

The only "clue" I have is something weird I discovered while rewiring it this eve. With coach plugged into 20a circuit and main breaker off, the outlet is off.

Turn on main 50a breaker and #5 breaker..... Still no power at outlet.

Turn on inverter. Now 110v at outlet.

Turn off inverter. Still 110v at outlet.

I'm not sure if this indicates a problem with the main transfer switch, the inverter transfer switch or something else but it seems really odd. Could be related or a red herring but I'm pulling my hair out.

Anyone have any ideas??

That's exactly how my Xantrex Freedom SW3012 inverter/charger works. When I plug in shore power, I get nothing at the 120V receptacles and other loads until I enable the inverter. Then I can disable it, and still have shore power.

I just recently installed the remote control/display for this unit in the electric panel where all the other electric controls are, so I can see what's going on, which is helpful since there is no display on the unit itself other than an indicator light or two. I can enable or disable both charging and inverter functions independently, and set the shore power circuit ampacity so the charger will reduce or stop the charge rate based on total shore power load on the fly. I can see the charging rate increase when the A/C cycles off.

There is a wireless access unit with router, but that's a pain to use, so I spent the money for a panel.

shootist · 08-12-2021, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KanzKran

That's exactly how my Xantrex Freedom SW3012 inverter/charger works. When I plug in shore power, I get nothing at the 120V receptacles and other loads until I enable the inverter. Then I can disable it, and still have shore power.

I just recently installed the remote control/display for this unit in the electric panel where all the other electric controls are, so I can see what's going on, which is helpful since there is no display on the unit itself other than an indicator light or two. I can enable or disable both charging and inverter functions independently, and set the shore power circuit ampacity so the charger will reduce or stop the charge rate based on total shore power load on the fly. I can see the charging rate increase when the A/C cycles off.

There is a wireless access unit with router, but that's a pain to use, so I spent the money for a panel.

There is something wrong in your inverter pass through relay. I never turn on my inverter unless the power is out. Never have a problem with oulets. I have the same inverter.
You may want to see if the inverter is set to suppliment shore or gen power. Also the invert threshold draw required. I have suppliment off a the draw sensing set low.

KanzKran · 08-12-2021, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootist

There is something wrong in your inverter pass through relay. I never turn on my inverter unless the power is out. Never have a problem with oulets. I have the same inverter.
You may want to see if the inverter is set to suppliment shore or gen power. Also the invert threshold draw required. I have suppliment off a the draw sensing set low.

From memory, I believe it does supplement. I know it's capable of that, and I think I've seen it do that, but I'll have to check the settings to verify.

When first plugged in, the display shows something on the AC power line like "verifying. . ." but it won't send power through to the receptacles until I hit either the reset button, or the invert button, though the inverter does not have to be active for power to continue to pass through.

KanzKran · 08-14-2021, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootist

Also the invert threshold draw required. I have suppliment off a the draw sensing set low.

That's probably it! Invert threshold is 50W with a 5s time set, and my little voltmeter/nightlight isn't enough to trigger it obviously. That's the only thing on AC power unless I turn on the A/C unit or the Truma Combi with electric elements enabled.

Gen support was set at 4A, but is disabled. I just remember seeing somewhere that it could provide short-time support, which might be useful to me being plugged into a 20A receptacle while visiting family. A/C running plus a minute or two of my little K-cup machine heating cycle puts it just above 20A, so I shut the air off to do that. I may try the supplementing function just to see what it does.

ziaptrn · 12-04-2021, 03:49 PM

Thanks to all of your for posting in this thread. I had the bathroom GFCI tripping off and on, so I replaced it. I didn't even think about approved vs unapproved; the new GFCI was find on shore or generator power, but tripped immediately on inverter.

I checked the inverter manual, and sure enough, there were 3 'approved' units. I ordered one, replaced the offending GFCI and bang - works perfectly with zero tripping, etc.

Thanks again for everyone helping me save both time and money!

John