Overvoltage coming from the inverter

[IWander]

Hi All;


2005 Cayman, purchased within the last month. I'm just getting used to it, and getting it road-worthy.


My current issue is that when I turn on the inverter on the control panel a volt-meter plugged into a socket reports 120+ volts. The GFCI outlet in the bathroom trips and I lose everything downstream of that.


All the batteries were replaced about a week ago, and I don't know if I was on inverter power since then or not.


Where do I start looking ?


TIA,


Davd

[Cj D]

120v does not sound that out of range to me. The GFCI should not trip just based on the voltage...it is sensing a loss of power to ground. In other words, if the white wire is not returning what the black wire is sending, then there is a loss to ground somewhere...and that is what the GFCI trips for. Not voltage, unless the unit is also a surge protector.

Does the GFCI trip under shore or generator power?

[IWander]

Originally Posted by Cj D

120v does not sound that out of range to me. The GFCI should not trip just based on the voltage...it is sensing a loss of power to ground. In other words, if the white wire is not returning what the black wire is sending, then there is a loss to ground somewhere...and that is what the GFCI trips for. Not voltage, unless the unit is also a surge protector.

Does the GFCI trip under shore or generator power?

<sigh>


120V is a typo, the plug in voltmeter reads 130+, it's kind of pinned to the end, not 120V.


The outlet is new and works fine with the genset running or on shore power. The only issue is with the inverter.

[twinboat]

Did the inverter work correctly before replacing batteries ?

Did you replace 6 volt batteries with 12 volt batteries ?

Can you read the DC voltage at the inverter cables ?

Maybe post a picture of your battery cables.

[YC1]

Use another voltmeter. Could be modified sine waves peaking out without load

[JeepTJ5]

I have to agree with YC1. I have a cheap analog plug-in voltmeter I got from CW and it reads really high when my batteries are fully charged and the inverter is on. 130+. Measuring it with a good Fluke multi meter the voltage is right around 120V. Also, when I plug the same analog meter into a Pure Sine Wave inverter, it reads correctly.


If the GCFI outlet is constantly tripping, then either there is something with some kind of ground fault plugged in to one of the outlets that GCFI plug supplies or the outlet is bad. Check all the inverter powered outlets - don't forget the TV and refer ice maker outlets. Remove anything plugged in and see what happens. If it still trips, replace the GCFI. They do go bad.