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Old 02-09-2017, 05:58 AM   #1
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Location: Logan Indiana (Near Cincinnati Ohio)
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Monaco Signature inverter not always passes 110

Curious if anyone else with a Trace Inverter system in an older Monaco (mine is 1999 Signature) has issues with hooking to shore power at various locations?

Mine works 80%-90% of the time just fine but sometimes we hook to shore power and no AC is permitted through the Trace inverter. I show line voltage on both volt meters and systems not ran through the inverter (Roof Air, Washing machine...) work fine. My first clue is my fridge will show low AC.

Trace says to just replace the unit with a newer unit, yea great, $2K and up!

It ALWAYS works at places it works meaning it is not a random failure but rather appears to not care for something it is seeing in the shore power at "new" to us places to plug in.

Curious if anyone has had this issue or has this issue.
Thanks
Windecker
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Old 02-09-2017, 09:15 AM   #2
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Windecker, I agree in that I think your problem is with your invertor switches. I have a 1999 electrical diagram booklet and it shows main power coming in to the Main 50 amp breaker and then on to the inverter thru the 30 amp L1 and L2 breakers in the main power panel. The power then sets two switches in the inverter and comes back to the secondary power panel to the L1 and L2 30 amp breakers that power the rest of the circuits.

Air conditioners and the water heater are on separate breakers.

I had to have my switches in the inverter replaced many years ago but I don't know if anyone will do it now.

One thing to try when it fails, turn off and then back on the Main L1 and L2 30 amp breakers. You will not have convertor battery charge with the breakers off but it should come back on when working, mine has about a 10 second delay. You can try that anytime to see how it works.

Good luck with it.
Larry
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Old 02-09-2017, 10:40 AM   #3
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I blew out my Trace Eng inverter a few years back. I was ready to replace it and also knew that I would have to replace my remote unit at the same time. It seemed like it would have involved a lot of money, time and headache.

I then found a company to fix it. Tekris has 2 repair facilities; one in New Jersey and one in Arizona. I sent it in, it got fixed and sent back very quickly. Price was under $500 and they were fast.

You should probably give them a call and see if they can help you.

Alternative Energy | Mesa, AZ - TEKRIS Power Electronics Inc.
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2000 Monaco Dynasty-2007 Lexus GX470
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Old 02-09-2017, 07:18 PM   #4
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Hum, interesting to say the least, thank you!

Something that may or may not be related, when we upgraded from our 5th wheel I paired my Honda 2000EU to the Monaco and it worked fine for about 4 hours, then the power went off and the Honda will not pair with the Monaco anymore. I have always wondered if something Popped or whatever in the MH. Honda said the EU generators are an issue with any inverter and would likely not work anyway.
Thanks for the tip.
Windecker

Quote:
Originally Posted by larry koenn View Post
Windecker, I agree in that I think your problem is with your invertor switches. I have a 1999 electrical diagram booklet and it shows main power coming in to the Main 50 amp breaker and then on to the inverter thru the 30 amp L1 and L2 breakers in the main power panel. The power then sets two switches in the inverter and comes back to the secondary power panel to the L1 and L2 30 amp breakers that power the rest of the circuits.

Air conditioners and the water heater are on separate breakers.

I had to have my switches in the inverter replaced many years ago but I don't know if anyone will do it now.

One thing to try when it fails, turn off and then back on the Main L1 and L2 30 amp breakers. You will not have convertor battery charge with the breakers off but it should come back on when working, mine has about a 10 second delay. You can try that anytime to see how it works.

Good luck with it.
Larry
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Old 02-09-2017, 07:23 PM   #5
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Perfect, thank you. I would also like to send my Solar power panel in as one of the circuits is not working, it is an RV30A and I assume one transistor is bad as it only supplies voltage to one side (Has coach and Chassis outputs).
I appreciate the link, for sure calling them.
Windecker

Quote:
Originally Posted by patmsp View Post
I blew out my Trace Eng inverter a few years back. I was ready to replace it and also knew that I would have to replace my remote unit at the same time. It seemed like it would have involved a lot of money, time and headache.

I then found a company to fix it. Tekris has 2 repair facilities; one in New Jersey and one in Arizona. I sent it in, it got fixed and sent back very quickly. Price was under $500 and they were fast.

You should probably give them a call and see if they can help you.

Alternative Energy | Mesa, AZ - TEKRIS Power Electronics Inc.
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Old 02-09-2017, 10:38 PM   #6
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Windecker, I wore out one Honda EU2000 and am working on my second one now. We have dry camped all summer for 18 years. I bought a 50 amp to 15 amp connector and then only run a regular extension cord to the MH. Ok, it is a bit tricky sometimes to get it to set. I think the main problem is the voltage qualification circuit Monaco put in. Voltage has to be above and below a certain level, something like between 100 volts and 125 volts. If there is a bit of a current draw as the contacts close the generator will dip and the circuit drops out. I make sure my inverter is on so everything is running when the generator takes over so it doesn't get a current hit. Sometimes I have to plug and un plug a couple of times.

Also, my first generator got to running a little fast towards the end of it's life and had a little to high a voltage so I used two extension cords to drop the voltage a little bit. Discovered that one day when I had room to put it way out in the woods so we would not be able to hear it at all. No problem getting it to work that way.

Larry 1998 Monaco Executive 241K miles
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Old 02-11-2017, 08:31 AM   #7
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Well that is one way to skin a cat LOL.

I never tried any of those things, I sort of figured it was just not meant to be. It would be great though to run the simple, cheap, quiet EU2000 overnight at times.

The first time this happened to me the campground actually did have a power issue which took out all of my Square D circuit breakers. Nice, about $70.00 each to replace!

I am going to talk with Tekris folks and go from there.
Windecker

Quote:
Originally Posted by larry koenn View Post
Windecker, I wore out one Honda EU2000 and am working on my second one now. We have dry camped all summer for 18 years. I bought a 50 amp to 15 amp connector and then only run a regular extension cord to the MH. Ok, it is a bit tricky sometimes to get it to set. I think the main problem is the voltage qualification circuit Monaco put in. Voltage has to be above and below a certain level, something like between 100 volts and 125 volts. If there is a bit of a current draw as the contacts close the generator will dip and the circuit drops out. I make sure my inverter is on so everything is running when the generator takes over so it doesn't get a current hit. Sometimes I have to plug and un plug a couple of times.

Also, my first generator got to running a little fast towards the end of it's life and had a little to high a voltage so I used two extension cords to drop the voltage a little bit. Discovered that one day when I had room to put it way out in the woods so we would not be able to hear it at all. No problem getting it to work that way.

Larry 1998 Monaco Executive 241K miles
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Old 02-18-2017, 05:09 PM   #8
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Well Tekris Power said my relays were burned out which I understand. I would "think" that burned relays would show up more often and at places that are known good from time to time but $700 later, we will see.
Thanks a lot for the information on sending the unit to Tekris, hope they go it!
Windecker
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