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Pat M · 02-07-2023, 09:30 AM

Good morning all,

Walked by my Trace Inverter RC7 Panel and it was chirping and the battery gauge was flashing. It chirp for 60 seconds then stopped? The battery full light is solid and charged light is flashing? System Status: Float charging, Time left to charge is 0.0 hrs, Battery state of charge: 100% full, Time left to run: 25.5 hrs. We’ve been on shore power since Jan. 2, any suggestions?

Thanks and as always safe travels,
Pat M
1999 Monaco Executive

ArtJoyce · 02-07-2023, 10:20 AM

Try a hard rest. Turn off battery and power off interverter. Then restart power to both.

Pat M · 02-07-2023, 10:37 AM

Do I actually need the inverter, since I’m on shore power?

Pat M · 02-07-2023, 10:39 AM

I’m sorry there a few things in the RV that run on 12v., if I’m not mistaken.

jacwjames · 02-08-2023, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat M

Do I actually need the inverter, since I’m on shore power?

Do you know what model Trace inverter you have?

I have a Trace RV2012. This is a 2000 watt inverter but also serves as the battery charger which you need.

My inverter actually has two circuit breaker from the main service panel that feed it. The inverter itself has a pass through function in that if you are on shore power it goes right through to the secondary inverter panel which powers all the circuits for the inverter. In my case it powers the microwave, one outlet behind the refrigerator, and two separate outlet circuits.

I could completely remove my inverter but would have to install a piece of equipment to charge my batteries and be able to use the 12 volt circuits.

But the if I was not hooked to shore power I would have to run my generator to power any of the 120 volt circuits.

So my advice it keep the inverter, if it is bad repair or replace it.

I thought I was having trouble with my inverter in 2021 and actually checked prices to replace. Fortunately it was not an inverter problem. The Trace would not have been repairable, the pass through relays are no longer available and I would have needed a new inverter and display panel, a Trace would have cost ~$2500. A lot of people replace with Magnum, which I would have probably considered due to price and that repair parts and facilities are more readily available.

Pat M · 02-08-2023, 02:01 PM

Good afternoon all,

I did the hard rest on the Trace RC 7 inverter/charger. But then again the chirping/alarm come and goes. My manual states the alarm buzzer will sound up to five minutes and display an error message, suggesting appropriate action. Mine flashed battery state of charge which is not one of the error codes? The green button on the inverter is flashing 4x per seconds identifying a float charge? Also, the fan was not working and the manual does not state if it should run continuously or when needed? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and as always safe travels,
Pat M
1999 Monaco Executive

jacwjames · 02-08-2023, 02:24 PM

When my display went crazy I checked the batteries and found one bad. I used a multimeter and checked each battery and found one bad, the voltage across the posts was lower then it should have been.

Other thing you could try is unplugging both ends of the communication cable, many there is a little corrosion on one end.

Pat M · 02-09-2023, 05:51 AM

Good morning all,

So far so good no chirp/alarm since reset, thanks ArtJoyce for you suggestion. jacwjames, I will test batteries and clean the communication cable, I did check them but didn’t clean them.

Thanks again to both of you who responded and as always safe travels,
Pat M
1999 Monaco Executive

Pat M · 02-11-2023, 02:06 PM

Good afternoon all,

First the inverter is a RV 3012, manufactured in the 3rd quarter in 1998. Chirping/buzzer returned yesterday. Called Trace they went through some trouble shooting with same results. They could not explain the chirping/buzzer without an error code? They gave me a number to call and I will on Monday.

As suggested, turned Inverter off, unplugged from shore power, isolated and tested the 12v batteries (13.38 & 13.48) and cleaned the communications cable, returned everything and 3 hours later no chirping/buzzing yet?

Two things I notice: 1. Before I shut everything down my batteries were 100% charged at the RC7 board. After I restarted everything they were at 51%?
2. The last couple of days, I never heard or seen the fan working?

If I get information on Monday to resolve the problem, I post it.

Thanks to all who responded and as always safe travels,
Pat M
1999 Monaco Executive

jacwjames · 02-11-2023, 06:58 PM

Battery readings seem strange, you might try disconnecting again from shore power and see what the readings are after 3 hours.
My display shows strange battery readings also sometimes. Posted this question a couple times and never got a good question. When I charge the batteries via the generator the display never shows a good charge voltage after a couple hours. Shut off the generator and it might read 85%, wait and hour and the batteries will read +90%.

That was one of the reasons for me to install a Victron battery monitor, much more accurate showing charge voltage and + or - charging amps and usage.

When I thought I had trouble with my Trace RV2012 in 2021 I called Trace. Explained my symptoms and some ohm readings on some circuits, and the rep said my inverter was toast and gave me all the part numbers I needed to replace, ~$3K.

I decided to call this place https://inverterservicecenter.com/
Talked a knowledgeable technician, told him the same symptoms and ohm readings. He said nothing wrong, and instructed me to put the inverter back in and gave me some tips on how to troubleshoot the circuits. I found a problem with one of the inverted circuits, if it was on the generator would not run. Rerouted the wiring around the bad section and all was good.

You might try calling the link I provided above.

Pat M · 02-14-2023, 11:01 AM

Good afternoon all,

Talked to the technician at Xantrex (800.670.0707). Explain the chirping/beeping from the remote control panel. She asked about control panel and the error display, when I told her that the error light was not flashing and no code was in the window. She suggested that I pulled the communication cable for 5 minutes. So I did and also sprayed cleaner on the connector again. After 30 minutes got busy, I replugged the phone type connector and after an hour no chirping/beeping. I asked if the chirping/buzzer returns will it do damage to the inverter/charger, she said no, only that the RC7 control board needs replacement and of course there no longer made. Hopefully, this reset will work but the frequency of chirping/buzzing events has drastically decreased.

I did not get a chance to pull shore power for 3 hours and checked the batteries. Didn’t want to upset the progress, However, I did take a reading of 13.78. Since I now know that unhooking from shore power will not upset anything, I will wait a couple of days or if the chirping/beeping returns.

Thanks to all who responded and as always safe travels,
Pat M
1999 Monaco Executive