Freedom 458 Combi Inverter Fault

[ChewyRV]

I have a Freedom 458 Combi inverter charger in my 2000 Newmar mountain aire. On this trip it just started doing something funny. You pick push invert and it works fine when parked with everything seeming normal producing AC power and then when you start the RV with in a minute or 2 it'll go to a red fault alarm and showing the yellow blinking high voltage light at 15.5 V. So the inverter no longer works while you're driving. While still running, If you push the invert button to shut it off, it will go off like normal but it will turn right back on to show the fault alarm. As soon as you shut the motor coach down the inverter goes right back to normal operation with no fault alarm.
I'm not super clear with how these are wired and interact with the engine, but help me understand why when the diesel motor is running that a would cause a fault high voltage situation. Thanks for your help.

[757driver]

Originally Posted by ChewyRV

I have a Freedom 458 Combi inverter charger in my 2000 Newmar mountain aire. On this trip it just started doing something funny. You pick push invert and it works fine when parked with everything seeming normal producing AC power and then when you start the RV with in a minute or 2 it'll go to a red fault alarm and showing the yellow blinking high voltage light at 15.5 V. So the inverter no longer works while you're driving. While still running, If you push the invert button to shut it off, it will go off like normal but it will turn right back on to show the fault alarm. As soon as you shut the motor coach down the inverter goes right back to normal operation with no fault alarm.
I'm not super clear with how these are wired and interact with the engine, but help me understand why when the diesel motor is running that a would cause a fault high voltage situation. Thanks for your help.

Your alternator is putting out too high of a voltage and the inverter does not like it. Measure the voltage coming off the alternator or the voltage at your chassis batteries. May need a new voltage regulator for your alternator.

[shootist]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Your alternator is putting out too high of a voltage and the inverter does not like it. Measure the voltage coming off the alternator or the voltage at your chassis batteries. May need a new voltage regulator for your alternator.

I like your thinking. I would just update to a delco alternator.

[twinboat]

Its also possable that the battery sense ( Duvac ) circuit is bad.

Without the battery sense, the alternator will overcharge.

Have you done any work on the chassis batteries lately ? Could that wire been left off ?

Don't continue to run the RV like that. You will ruin your batteries and burn up your battery isolator.

[ChewyRV]

Thanks for the help guys. I went out and turned on the RV and everything worked well I started the engine and after about 2 or 3 minutes of 12.6v or so At the batteries it started to climb and jumped up to 16.3 V. Thus the reason why it shutting off. It does seem like the engine running is producing and over voltage to the batteries as stated. Thank you. I guess it's time to start researching whether or not I can change the voltage regulator or if that something I need to stop at a diesel mechanic to do? I'm on the road traveling and need to addressed this.

[shootist]

Delco 28si alternators are a better upgraded way to go. Cheaper by almost half as well. Doesn't use the exciter wire either.

[ChewyRV]

Thanks for the advice. I will work on it and I'm gonna bring it to a diesel repair and have the alternator more than likely replaced.

[twinboat]

Be careful attempting a alternator without a sense wire, if you have a battery isolator, instead of a isolator relay.

With the diode isolator, often used back at the turn of the century, you must have a sense wire hooked up.


Don't walk in and say I want the alternator replaced, tell them you have an overcharging problem.

It may just be a sense wire or Duvac fuse.