Inverter - 220/110 question

atulin

New member
Here is a link to the control panels that I have in the van. The amps are now down to 4.2 as it is getting cloudy here in Boulder.
Link to image of control panels
In the photo you posted above, the inverter control panel said your bank voltage was 10.9

If you just bought this and it has been sitting like this you may need to replace the batteries.

On your inverter/charger control panel you can turn off the inverter and the charger. Have you tried turning them off and then plugging in?
 

supermoo

Member
Not sure where the 'home built' comments are coming from. This certainly wasnt built by the owner. The solar/electrical were built/installed by Coach Masters in Bend http://www.coachmastersrv.com/, interior OSV, etc. I would have to say the electrical is well put together, I suspect the issue has to do with a couple of items: (1) the Mercedes dealer in Bend let the batteries run too low (2) now they are so low when I plug in the cable into the 120volt in the garage the draw is just too much and trips the GFI breaker.

I will try process that was noted with plugging it into a different plug to see if trips the house breaker (non-GFI) and post a response.

Here are a few interior images of the van.


Skip the question on my last post - I missed earlier comments that the coach is home built.:bash:
 

Attachments

Last edited:

mendonsy

Member
OK.... just for reference.
We have a 3kw Xantrex unit in our van. It is more than willing to draw 30 amps when the batteries are low if you let it. I installed a 30 amp service to plug it in for charging. It has a keypad setting that allows the input current to be limited to several settings between 10 and 30 amps. When it is set for 15 amps, it works fine on an extension cord from a standard outlet. I have not tried it on a GFCI outlet though.
I suspect that the unit you have is very similar to the Xantrex.
 
Jim Rixen in Sandy, OR is a master at this stuff. I would google Rixen Enterprises and call him. His shop is more "eccentric genius" than Mercedes tech "white lab coat." But he knows what he's doing and could help you.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
supermoo said:
Not sure where the 'home built' comments are coming from.
That was my interpretation of this statement:
One thing I dont get with this van is the original owner did all this work but didn't hook up the engine alternator to add a charge into the battery pack when driving.
...from your earlier posting. "owner did all this work"

It certainly does sound like the batteries were flattened by the MB dealer, and may now be in need of replacement.
built/installed by Coach Masters in Bend
I'd be more than tempted to make an appointment and have them diagnose it, *plus* get a full wiring diagram (they should have it in their records)

good luck
--dick
 

supermoo

Member
OK well I might have some good (i think) news, at the end of day I should know more. This morning I changed which 15amp plug to use on from the house rather than the garage and the 'Absorbing Charge' came up on the control panel, which is a good thing. The inverter showed that it was 'charging' and there was no tripping of the breaker within the house. So I am putting the tripping of the garage breaker down to there being not enough amps/voltage available?

Once I get home tonight I will check to see what the state is of the charging and post an update.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
So I am putting the tripping of the garage breaker down to there being not enough amps/voltage available?
I would not lightly dismiss the breaker tripping.
As plcpitt posted, your garage may be a GFI circuit, and either of two things could've tripped it:
(a) momentary surge of current as the inverter powered up
(b) the Ground Fault detector saw a problem...

Let's talk about (b): there used to be an RV electrician who posted here who was dedicated to educating owners of the potentially fatal dangers (and frequency) of ground faults in RVs... both from mis-wired campground outlets *and* faults in the RV's wiring.
If the vehicle frame ends up (even lightly) connected to the 120v feed, and *you* establish the connection between it and "earth" by grabbing the door as you're stepping up from the wet grass... you're toasted.

In that webpage ( http://www.rv-dreams.com/rv-electrical.html ) i provided earlier, they discuss simple test devices. You might buy the best of them.
If you have a voltmeter (or run out and buy one, or even get the "free" ones offered by Harbor Freight), check that (when it's plugged into shore power) your Sprinter's metal does *not* have a potential (voltage reading) relative to a good earthed electrical ground.
(you can probably use the 3rd pin of a standard house-socket as a first reference point)
If you see more than (perhaps) 1 volt, GET IT CHECKED. (it should be zero, but long extension cord runs can bring to view minor ground-discrepancies in your house wiring)

If you have a gadget like a "kill-o-watt" power-consumption tester, you can measure how much current/power you are using *right now* in your "plugged in and charging" configuration. This will be a good number to know (hardware stores or local power companies frequently have loaner kill-o-watts, but they're only $30 or so).
If you find that you're only drawing (say) 5 amps or so, yet you still trip a 15 amp GFI breaker, then *CHECK IT OUT*.
Kill-o-watt/kill-a-watt:
http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8xd9yt0bzq_b


--dick
p.s. my home-built "system" just uses a typical 15 amp plug. But i do carry along a plug-in GFI unit to place between my Sprinter and the campground outlet. If it trips i dig out my voltmeter and check the power kiosk's outlets. I have encountered kiosks with swapped power and neutral wiring. (the wider blade of a 15 amp socket should be at (very) near-ground potential.)
 
Last edited:

supermoo

Member
If you have a gadget like a "kill-o-watt" power-consumption tester, you can measure how much current/power you are using *right now* in your "plugged in and charging" configuration. This will be a good number to know (hardware stores or local power companies frequently have loaner kill-o-watts, but they're only $30 or so).
If you find that you're only drawing (say) 5 amps or so, yet you still trip a 15 amp GFI breaker, then *CHECK IT OUT*.
Kill-o-watt/kill-a-watt:
http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8xd9yt0bzq_b

--dick
p.s. my home-built "system" just uses a typical 15 amp plug. But i do carry along a plug-in GFI unit to place between my Sprinter and the campground outlet. If it trips i dig out my voltmeter and check the power kiosk's outlets. I have encountered kiosks with swapped power and neutral wiring. (the wider blade of a 15 amp socket should be at (very) near-ground potential.)
Thanks for the information. I think I will check out the kill-o-watt links as I have had issues off and on in my separated garage. Often times in the winter or if it has rained really hard for a day the breaker will trip. I have attributed this to some sort of 'moisture' in the line but as the cable is buried, I havent been able to do much about it.

The only items that run in the garage are, 4 light bulbs, the garage door and the ski waxing iron. In the winter I would have the lights on and the iron (which I would assume uses a lot of amps). So I wonder if the line that is out to the garage just doesnt have the full 15amps available? Of course that is if I am thinking about this correct.

I will definitely check out the chassis comment as well. I am taking the van in on Friday to get it wired to charge the batteries when driving and will ask them to give it a quick review at that time.

I have the wiring diagrams as well. I found in them in the $100k of receipts.
 

ECU

2006 T1n 118 Sprinter
It also could be that the first turn on of you RV needs more than 15 amps, thus triggering.
An electric motor, for example, has a very large draw when it is first turned on and starts spinning. (also at the point where you might stop it from spinning). Yet the motor could draw much less while it runs all day long.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Often times in the winter or if it has rained really hard for a day the breaker will trip.
I have one kitchen GFI outlet mounted in an outside wall that gets *very* touchy in damp weather.
So i'm firmly in the camp of "some GFI units are moisture-sensitive".
(i have others, same brand and year (from when i wired the house) that are actually outdoors, yet don't get touchy)
I have the wiring diagrams as well.
Winner! Make copies... leave one set at home, and have (at least) another set with you on the road.

--dick
 

plcpitt

Member
Thanks for sharing the photo's & sorry for assuming the 'home built' comment was accurate. It is always interesting to see the many different ways Sprinters are outfitted.

Sounds like you are on the right path now.

The solution for your garage may be replacing the GFI and/or breaker. As long as you can limit the current draw to your inverter to less than 15 amps the wiring should be fine.

Good luck & safe travels.
 

supermoo

Member
So I got home and I am showing 16amps on the control panel and the message of 'Floating Charge' displayed. I have the maximum amps set to 10amps from the shroe power and plan to leave it thru tonight to tomorrow morning. This will be a full 24 hours of charge. I will post tomorrow morning what I see on the control panel.
 

supermoo

Member
No problem. When I started the thread I should have said that the owner (the Bend Mercedes Benz dealership owner) had taken the van to a shop to have the work completed. It's all in the details in the end right.

The sprinter was ideal for 2 people but we are 3 people so we are looking at a couple of alternatives to make sure it fits correctly. Will post images once I have a couple of the changes in place.

Thanks for sharing the photo's & sorry for assuming the 'home built' comment was accurate. It is always interesting to see the many different ways Sprinters are outfitted.

Sounds like you are on the right path now.

The solution for your garage may be replacing the GFI and/or breaker. As long as you can limit the current draw to your inverter to less than 15 amps the wiring should be fine.

Good luck & safe travels.
 

Top Bottom