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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Discussions => Topic started by: toyman on December 03, 2014, 11:07:32 pm

Title: Inverter ?
Post by: toyman on December 03, 2014, 11:07:32 pm
In the Campin in cold weather thread....someone said, and a schematic presented (same as in my book) showing a separate transfer switch between the main breaker panel - the inverter - & the sub panel. Not wanting to hijack....

I've been doing doctor things today or I'd have checked ..... Does this external second transfer switch exist ? Wonder why since the inverter has an internal xfer ?(on Prosine equipped coaches)
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: morninghill on December 04, 2014, 08:42:14 am
I believe the prosine internal transfer relay is 30 amp. On our coach the secondary transfer switch is fed through a 50 amp line from the main panel to the inverter sub panel which has two 20 amp circuits.
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: toyman on December 04, 2014, 07:39:49 pm
Looks to me, at first glance, like someone just added a second failure prone component. I just looked at mine, appears that a motor starter (A?)has been installed as a second transfer switch. To protect the internal Prosine transfer switch ? Maybe, since on my rig the Prosine is limited by a 20A breaker, which may save the internal transfer switch.

Thanks for the reply.
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: rsihnhold on December 05, 2014, 12:00:10 pm
My electrical drawing shows the same thing as the drawing that Michelle posted but it isn't the way its actually wired and it doesn't look like it has ever been modified.  No splices or junction boxes and I seriously doubt that one of the previous owners was able to pull cable through the floor like the factory did to make the changes. 

The separate drawing for the panel schedules seems to disagree with the 110v Electrical Relay System Drawing secondary transfer switch on my coach, also.  In the end, everything that is powered by the inverter electrical panel passes through the inverter at all times on my coach, whether it is inverting or just feeding through.  I'm actually glad mine has the simpler method of doing things, as Toyman has mentioned.
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: toyman on December 05, 2014, 01:44:00 pm
So, Robert, yours does not have the second (or third ?) transfer switch ? I guess it depends also on the inverter you have. The more thought I give it, the better it becomes, I have a Prosine 2.0 also in my Lazy Daze, the transfer relay failed at an inconvenient time (is there any other ) last summer. I had installed it using 30A receptacle and plug so it wasn't a great chore to wire it out of the system, but getting to it was. Ordering a $1500 replacement, because they are nonrepairable was also a chore !
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: krush on December 05, 2014, 01:48:55 pm
My electrical drawing shows the same thing as the drawing that Michelle posted but it isn't the way its actually wired and it doesn't look like it has ever been modified.  No splices or junction boxes and I seriously doubt that one of the previous owners was able to pull cable through the floor like the factory did to make the changes.

I brought this up in another thread. My schematic shows the same as yours, but there is no secondary transfer switch anywhere to be found under the bed and nothing that I've seen in the storage bays. I've never seen a secondary transfer switch on an invert installation--they have always used the internal transfer switch on the inverter.

I think the reason to use the transfer switch inside the inverter is to allow seemless load transfer controlled by the inverter.
Title: Re: Inverter ?
Post by: rsihnhold on December 05, 2014, 02:32:05 pm
So, Robert, yours does not have the second (or third ?) transfer switch ? I guess it depends also on the inverter you have. The more thought I give it, the better it becomes, I have a Prosine 2.0 also in my Lazy Daze, the transfer relay failed at an inconvenient time (is there any other ) last summer. I had installed it using 30A receptacle and plug so it wasn't a great chore to wire it out of the system, but getting to it was. Ordering a $1500 replacement, because they are nonrepairable was also a chore !

The only external transfer switch I have is the ATS that switches generator and shore power under the bed.  I originally had a Heart Freedom 25 inverter/charger which died 2(?) years ago and I replaced it with a Xantrex SW2012.  I followed all the wiring back to the underbed area when troubleshooting the old Heart unit and double-checked before installing the new Xantrex unit.  Nothing but wire between the inverter and the electrical panels.  I guess everyone will have to check theirs out to really know how it is set up.

The original mounting location for the Heart did not work for the Xantrex installation requirements, which was unfortunate.  I had to mount the new one on a wall rather than on the floor and it was not easy holding it up with one hand while bolting it in place. :) Luckily it is one of those set it and forget it type of things.

Krush,
Agreed.