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06-29-2009, 08:55

OK... the switch was on the inverter panel next to the driver's seat. (Memory) it's on the lower left hand corner of the little panel with the red lights.

It's possible that the sensor wires between the battery and control panel became unattached. Check to see that there are some very light weight wires attached to the batteries and that the connections are tight.

I have the same Freedom 25 inverters as you have. The previous owner upgraded the _controller_ only to a Heart Link 2000 R it controls 2 inverters and the output from the alternator (that's the "R" in the name). It is necessary to get the best life out of AGM batteries -- a choice also made by the P.O.

Which 120 v outlets are dead? There are 2 GFI (ground fault interrupter) circuits. One is controlled by a GFI outlet in the bathroom (mine is directly above the bathroom sink) and the other is controlled by a GFI outlet in the galley area (mine is directly above the counter between the sink and cooktop). These GFI outlet are wired to provide GFI "protection" to several non-GFI outlets in the same general area. For example, the one above the kitchen counter also controls an outlet on the end of the galley cabinet serving the 'salon' area. (I think it also controls an outlet on the other end of the galley cabinet as well.) GFIs can trip very easily, so try pressing the test then reset button. If the GFI outlet was replaced, but not wired correctly, it can cut off power to the satellite outlets.

To determine if your shore power is getting to both legs, take a look at the voltage meters above the front door. The two gauges should read 115-125 volts, or so. If they're both reading, then you're getting power. Next is time to check the main electrical panel and see if you have one of the mains tripped. You may need to take off the cover (careful! there is deadly voltage inside) and use a tester to ensure that the breakers are working properly. It's possible for an internal fault to kill a breaker -- I've had it happen in my home panel.

The main panel breaker that covers the non-working outlets should also be tested for an internal fault. Just because a breaker is set or reset, doesn't mean it's OK. On my home panel, turning a tripped breaker directly back to ON almost always ruins it. You _must_ turn it fully off, then back on. The point is, breakers can seem to switch normally, but an internal component can fail, causing them to be permanently "tripped" no matter what the switch position. Testing the breaker for continuity is the only way to check this -- and you have to pull the breaker out of the panel to make that test.

On the inverters themselves, the lower front edge covers a variety of output pins. You can use a non-contact AC tester* to see which connections are hot. You should find 120 v on at least one connecter on each Inverter. Note that inverted current causes slightly screwy sensing for the non-contact AC current testers. On "real" 120 vac power, the light glows, but with the inverted power, the light will flicker. Apparently, that's normal and has to do with the modified sine wave current from the inverter.

*This is the type of tester I'm referring to:

<http://www.happcontrols.com/electrical_s...028100.htm>

I got one at a home center for $16 or $18 or so....

Lastly, the automatic transfer switches may be involved. They can have a build up of corrosion on the contacts (from the inevitable sparking during transfer) that will kill them. I'm not entirely sure exactly where the transfer switches are located. Someone told me that they are inside the inverter. (I suspected that problem when I was troubleshooting my apparently "dead" inverter.) However, I found the rather simple (stupid owner, flipped switch) problem before I got to the point of pulling the inverter to tear it down to find the transfer switch.

Do you have power on both legs when running under the generator? The same transfer switch handles both shore power and generator power.

Be sure to use your multi-tester on the shore power source to ensure that you have power on both legs.

top pin is ground

Left and right are hot

bottom pin is neutral.

You should have 120 (or so) VAC from left to bottom and from right to bottom pins. 240 VAC (or so) when you go from left to right pins. (Top to bottom _ought_ to be zero.) If one leg of the shore power is out, you should see that the left or right pin is dead.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jun 29, 2009, at 12:05 PM, Ron Thompson wrote:

It appears that a breaker has been tripped. I did check those 4 breakers you mentiobned and tripped all of them off then back on and it didn't chanbge a thing. The Inverter panely that is next to the drivers seat (two of them) , the bottom one is off. No indicators are lit at all. Evidently your coach has a different Inverter than mine. Mine is a Heart Interface, Freedom, Model # 25.

THIS MAY BE THE KEY!

I think the Inverter has a breaker tripped somewhere. I have some 120 volt outlets with no voltage even though I am plugged into shore power so that is a clue to the problem I would think. It appears that the shore power has a leg that is non functional.

Note my suggested troubleshooting tests. Make sure you've got shore power to both legs. (Look at the voltage meters above the front door, first.) Then check the "mains" in the primary 120 vac electrical panel in the bedroom.