| Author | Message | ||
| Robert C. Meyers (Bob_meyers)
Registered Member Username: Bob_meyers Post Number: 11 Registered: 5-2008 Posted From: 67.49.33.40  Rating: N/A |
The led light that tells you the inverter is on. Stopped coming on. When I press the inverter button on the controller the green lights come on that tell voltage, amps coming in etc. The battery bank (8 lifeline amg's) was left on w/o being plugged in or genset on. Used up over 700 amp/hrs in 6 days at a repair facility. What could cause the light to stop coming on? Did the inverter burn up? I'm at a loss! Thanks, Bob | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 801 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 67.142.130.21 Rating: N/A |
It would help if you told us what make and model of inverter you have. If you really used 700 amp-hours from eight batteries at 24 volts, you may have killed those batteries. (If that figure was at 12 volts, maybe not). At that voltage, even the beefiest Lifelines will only give you about 900 amp-hours at 100% DOD -- most models far less. There is a possibility of recovering them, but I would disconnect them for now until you get the inverter issue figured out. You don't want to drain them any further until you know for sure. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member Username: George_mc6 Post Number: 758 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 64.55.111.6 Rating: N/A |
Bob, As Sean says, if you have really used 700 amp hours since the last charge, your batteries are most certainly discharged. Have you attempted to charge them since you found out that the inverter won't work? Most inverters have a low-voltage cutout, and won't start on low voltage. So, please tell us a make and model, and maybe a little time on either shore or gen to see if they charge? Are you set up to charge your house batts from your main eng alternator? (I hope.) If so, start the main eng, then try the inverter. If it inverts, you have dead or discharged batts. Watch for things getting hot quickly, if one house batt is shorted. Regards, George | ||
| Nick Badame Refrigeration Co. (Dnick85)
Registered Member Username: Dnick85 Post Number: 280 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 75.198.111.86  Rating: N/A |
Hi Robert, Just to add to Sean and Georges advive, Xantrex inverters will lock out after trying to start up a few times. I think you may be able to go to the inverter and hit the reset button. This happened to me a few years ago and it was in lock out. All was fine after resetting. Good Luck Nick- | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 996 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.75.244  Rating: N/A |
1st thing I would do is check battery bank voltage. If it is low, you need to recharge or replace the batteries before proceding. Do you currently have the coach plugged in to 120 AC? If you do, is the charger portion of the inverter charging the batteries? Jack | ||
| Skip N (Skip)
Registered Member Username: Skip Post Number: 40 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 161.7.88.189  Rating: N/A |
On my inverter if the batteries are totally discharged it will do nothing. I just start the engine throw the switch to charge the batteries and then turn on the inverter. I usually check water levels at this time also. FWIW Skip | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1374 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
That happened to me a couple of years ago without shore hooked up; sucked batteries dead after about a month? Appears inverter has parasitic load if not connected to a shore cord or gen output. Anyway, it wouldn't come on after shore connected till I hooked up a battery charger to house batteries for a little bit. After that, it would come on and start charging. | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 806 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 67.142.130.14 Rating: N/A |
To back up Skip and John, this is exactly what I am guessing is wrong, too. However, I'd like to know the specific model inverter so I can look it up. Also, merely getting the inverter to start charging these batteries may not be the best strategy. Given how far they have been discharged, you may need to test each one individually to make sure none is so far gone that it will cause the charger to kill the others. Furthermore, you may need to charge each battery individually with a quality stand-alone charger before putting it back in the bank. Lastly, you will likely need to "equalize" the bank before you do anything else, and I'd like to look up for you how to do that with your inverter. In addition to the inverter model, the make, model, and number of batteries in your bank will be critical information to have at hand. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| Robert C. Meyers (Bob_meyers)
Registered Member Username: Bob_meyers Post Number: 12 Registered: 5-2008 Posted From: 98.151.192.244 Rating: N/A |
Hey fellas,thanks for all the help and suggestions. I have taken the rig to my favorite shop. They are charging the batteries( I don't have a big charger)when they are charged up I will have the converter/inverter checked out. The converter is a Heart and the inverter is a Trace. I don't have the model numbers at home. Bob |