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EBT531 · 02-15-2014, 02:09 PM

I have a 1996 Holiday Rambler Navigator with a Freedom 25 charger/inverter. Currently on a trip and noticed that my voltage is low when running the generator. I have a digital guage and normally the voltage jumps to about 13.5 and charges to about 14.5 with the generator running. Currently the voltage slowly rises by the hundredth of a volt.

The generator seems fine as I can run the ac/micro/etc without issue and I can hear it accept a load as I turn items on/off.

The inverter remote panel normally cycles thru the DC amp draw when the generator is turned on and this is not happening currently. Also the DC amp draw is sitting at 10amp even with ac etc turned on and normally this would be a 40-60amp draw.

The remote panel shows no failure lights as stated in the manual.

I'm boondocking so I dont have the option of plugging into shore power to see if that is working or not.

All breakers etc are good.

Any ideas? Or has someone else had this problem? The manual talks about a 1/4 fuse on the circuit panel which is my last ditch effort as I dont want to start taking the inverter apart out here if I dont have to.

gruelens · 02-15-2014, 02:28 PM

I had similar issues last year. Upon testing I had a few dead cells in my house bank. After replacing house batts, inverter/charger resumed normal operation. Also, check ground wire on outside of Freedom unit. They are notorious for being attached on top of paint and loosening up over time.

The most knowledgeable guy I know to talk to would be Ron at D and R. He has helped me and is an expert with these things.
RV Service Reviews

EBT531 · 02-15-2014, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruelens

I had similar issues last year. Upon testing I had a few dead cells in my house bank. After replacing house batts, inverter/charger resumed normal operation. Also, check ground wire on outside of Freedom unit. They are notorious for being attached on top of paint and loosening up over time.

The most knowledgeable guy I know to talk to would be Ron at D and R. He has helped me and is an expert with these things.
RV Service Reviews

Batteries are Trojan and only about 2 months old. I'll check the ground

wb7auk · 02-15-2014, 02:41 PM

Does the inverter provide AC power when the genset is off?

EBT531 · 02-15-2014, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wb7auk

Does the inverter provide AC power when the genset is off?

Yes, the inverter portion seems to be working fine. The charge function is what appears to be dead

wb7auk · 02-15-2014, 03:18 PM

That leaves is the inverter getting AC power to it, double check the 30 amp breaker feeding the inverter and check the breaker on the inverter as I recall it is a 25 amp.
If all are ok then the problem is with the inverter/charger.

GaryKD · 02-15-2014, 04:47 PM

Hi EBT531,
To check the converter, with the generator running, see if you have 120 VAC into the converter. If yes, see if you have 14 VDC +/- coming out of the converter to the batteries. If yes the appliance is okay.

Next see if the VDC out of the converter is the same at the coach batteries.

These checks should put you on the right path to determine the root cause of the problem.

EBT531 · 02-16-2014, 04:18 PM

I'm pretty confident I have narrowed it down to a loose wire somewhere. Drove home and fired up the generator, its charging like normal. Then after like 20min I see the panel go black and reset and it stops charging, then maybe 10 minutes later its charging again.

I'll have to start checking all of the connections and go from there.

EBT531 · 02-16-2014, 08:36 PM

Found the AC input wire from generator into the inverter had come loose and melted part of the wirenut. Re-cut the wire and reattached with new nut and tape. Seems to be fine now.