Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 13, 2025 ...

Inverter fault and serge protector is tripping

March 13, 2021, 11:29:57 am

Hi there
We got up this morning and everything in the coach is completely dead. New Battle Born batteries are dead, inverter has a fault and the surge protector clicks as soon as we plugged into shore power and then the inverter goes into fault. We have turned off all Circuit breakers and disconnected the batteries. The batteries are at 10.2.  We have the freedom 3012 inverter. 

Update - The charge rate on the inverter was incorrect for the Battle Born's we had them at 100% and they should have been at 50. we were able to take one of the engine batteries trickle charge the new Battle Born's and that allowed us to get enough stability so they are charging again and the inverter is working. 

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Re: Inverter fault and serge protector is tripping

Reply #1 – March 13, 2021, 11:43:47 am

Battle Born BMS will shut the batteries down at a minimum voltage to protect them.  If you are connected to a land line then the inverter/charger should be charging.  If your surge protector is tripping and preventing power from coming into the coach try the 30 amp connection or a different post.

If your Battle Borns have shut down then starting the generator is not an option. Do you have an autostart feature set up on the generator?

If you can start the coach and your Battle Borns are configured with a charge while driving system they should begin charging.

How much capacity so you have in your BB?  How long do you think you were without power?

Xantrex user manual attached.  With the system control panel you should be able to determine the cause of the fault (see ~page 74)

It does not appear that this inverter/charger has a specific LiFePO4 charge profile but a "custom" one where you can set parameters.  Maximum charge rates for Battle Born batteries is 50% of capacity.  Charging them at a max rate of 20% of capacity will maximize cycle count (longest life).

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Re: Inverter fault and serge protector is tripping

Reply #2 – March 13, 2021, 12:12:08 pm

Then that's what the problem is we have configured at 100% which we discussed on the phone with Battle Born.  We just did this call yesterday. Somebody recommended that we jump the Battle Born's to wake them up.  Do you recommend that?

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Re: Inverter fault and serge protector is tripping

Reply #3 – March 13, 2021, 03:17:48 pm

I guess you could but they should start taking a charge when one is available, the issue is why are you getting a trip in the surge protector and a fault on the Xantrex?  Have you had any luck figuring this out?

Any charger for a short time on the BB is OK - 14.something volts for 20 min per battery is OK.  A smart charger with a LiFePO4 setting is better.  Float at 13.4-13.6 volts is fine, that's what solar will do configured for lithium.

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