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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 11:53:48 am

Title: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 11:53:48 am
With shore power, charging function of Freedom 25 doesn't seem to be charging house batteries.  Link 2000 panel indicates 12.5 volts with red charge light remaining illuminated.  With Genset engaged with or without shore power connected, charging function is working. With shore power disconnected, Genset running, charging function is working.  What would be causing this disparity?  I am thinking the problem is not the Freedom 25, but some other component, but I have no idea what my problem may be.  Can someone help me out, and make some suggestions on what I need to check, and what the problem may be.  I am not electrically minded.
Thanks for the help.
Mike
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: FourTravelers on April 05, 2022, 11:59:48 am
Do your 120v loads operate while on shore power? (AC's / microwave / receptacle outlets)
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 12:41:28 pm
Yes. I  now have full charge on batteries, and am on batt power alone, with inverter selected.  It took a few minutes for it to pick up AC power, but it did.  I did bang on the Freedom 25, not sure if that is what made it pick up the AC load or it did it on its own.  When I went in to check, it was working.  Going to run on batts alone to drain batteries, and see what happens. 
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: turbojack on April 05, 2022, 01:21:33 pm
You don't need to run on batteries to check.  Just plug in.  If the charger is on and charging the voltage should be somewhere around 13.8  and it will show putting out a few amps to take care of the items that are using power.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: wolfe10 on April 05, 2022, 01:28:28 pm
Agree, first thing is to verify that BOTH hots have power in to the main breaker box.

So, do both front and back roof A/C's work.  If so, you know power is getting to the main 120 VAC breaker box.

Next would be to turn off and back on the inverter breaker on the main panel.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 02:47:26 pm
From original post, with shore power, no charging.  With genset, charging.  So something is preventing shore power input from charging batteries.
Mike
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: wolfe10 on April 05, 2022, 02:52:38 pm
And, since from ATS onward through main 120 VAC breaker panel and on to inverter, the wiring is exactly the same the same, either ATS is not seeing both legs (L1 and L2) or there is an issue in the ATS itself.

I would open the ATS and check for power IN and OUT after verifying that indeed your CG outlet is good.

To check CG outlet:

Either outer straight to center straight or center round= 120 VAC
Center straight to center round= 0 VAC
Outer straight to outer straight= 240 VAC though a reading of 0 with other readings being correct will work.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 03:25:44 pm
With shore power, both A/C's work.  And after replugging shore power, charger is now charging, so I have to consider this charging problem intermittent with shore power.  Readings from EMS indicate while in charging mode on line 1 to be around 18 amps, 0 amps on line 2.  With both A/C's on and charging, 23 amps line 2 and 15 on line 2.  When not charging and no power requirement, 0 amps on both lines from EMS unit.  Not sure what the ATS and CG outlet are?
Thanks, Mike
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: wolfe10 on April 05, 2022, 03:39:52 pm
ATS= Automatic Transfer Switch. Raise the bed,  it is in front of the motor in the narrow compartment. 

You may have two.  If one it is shore power IN and generator IN and OUT to main breaker box.

If a second one, it will be from main breaker box IN and inverter IN and OUT to subpanel

CG outlet= Camp Ground Outlet-- the 50 amp outlet you are plugged into.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: turbojack on April 05, 2022, 04:02:28 pm
From original post, with shore power, no charging.  With genset, charging.  So something is preventing shore power input from charging batteries.
Mike

I am going to say when you were on shore power you only had 1 leg of power in coach. When running generator both legs get 120V power so charger working.

Locations of problems
1.Pedestal not having correct power on both legs.
2.If using a progressive surge (or something like it at the pole) relay in unit not forwarding on both phases
3.Cord reel  (if you have one)  not carrying both phases thru.  (At the Mid South Rally few weeks back, an owner talked about losing his neutral at the cord reel in the middle of night, They thought the coach was on fire)
4.Cord plug at coach (if you have this instead of cord reel)  Need to make sure cord is twisted tight clockwise at coach.  If not will only get 1 leg sending power through)
5. Transfer switch shore power contact bad or wires loose or bunt at contactor.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 04:07:30 pm
Thanks Brett and Turbo.
Yea, with the charging complete and in float, amp usage drops to 0 on line 1.  I do have power coming in on both lines 1 & 2.  And I have 2 ATS boxes.  So when charging mode is charging the amp usage is around 18 on line 1.  So now after getting the charge mode to float, I am going to turn the charge mode off with shore power in for a couple of hours and then turn charge mode on and see what happens.
Mike
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: turbojack on April 05, 2022, 04:57:13 pm
Thanks Brett and Turbo.
I am going to turn the charge mode off with shore power in for a couple of hours and then turn charge mode on and see what happens.
Mike

I do not remember exactly what my Freedom display in the coach looked like in the 97 coach I owned, but you should be able to tell if charger is working by looking at the amps and/or voltage that the charger is putting out. You should not have to turn the charger off.
Title: Re: Freedom 25 converter/inverter/charger questions
Post by: Yetch on April 05, 2022, 05:01:51 pm
On the Link2000 there is a switch that can turn the charge mode off and on, along with inverter.