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Topic: Blow EFI on 120v in storage (Read 445 times) previous topic - next topic

Blow EFI on 120v in storage

Went on a nice 10 day trip to Malibu CA.
When home the EFI pops at the storage facility when plugging it in.
Narrowed it down to popping when the inverter kicks on to charge batteries.
Two RVs are on the one circuit.
Other RV is fine. Mine blows with other RV is disconnected.
Used to work great until now.

Turned all ac breakers off, everything good with everything on, but inverter.
Soon as inverter is turned on EFI pops.
Brought to house, works great n 50 amp

I have a new inverter installed at Foretravel. Think it's a freedom 1500

On my old one I could reduce current onAC input, not sure on this one.
Open for ideas
1998 u320 3600 build 5200

Re: Blow EFI on 120v in storag

Reply #1 –
It sounds like the inverter (charger side of it) is pulling too many amps for the rated capacity of the breaker at the storage facility.

Does it have a setting to limit the current draw for battery charging?  Most do.  Check the manual to see if you can adjust the settings.

Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Blow EFI on 120v in storag

Reply #2 –
It is possible that you have a ground fault in the installation, or the charger is causing a ground fault. Confirm that when connected to shore power there is not any connection between the neutral and ground in the RV. The generator transfer and inverter relay should also be switching that connection. The fault could also be caused by electrical interference from the charging section. I had a golf cart charger that would trip the GFCI as the battery hit 80%. 
Dennis Haynes
Bohemia NY
2008 Nimbus 342 SE Carlyle
Build #6475
Motorcade #19148

Re: Blow EFI on 120v in storage

Reply #3 –
As Michelle mentioned, pretty easy with most inverter/chargers to limit amp draw using the "power save" or "power share" feature of programming the inverter/charger.  For storage the lowers setting is a good choice-- usually 5 amps.  That 5 amps of 120 VAC will provide over 40 amps of 14 VDC-- way more than you need while in storage.

If it still trips, you are chasing a Ground Fault.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020
 

Re: Blow EFI on 120v in storage

Reply #4 –
Assume we are talking about GFCI and not AFCI, both 120-volt AC protection devices.
GFCI do not trip on current overload, although GFCI can be built into circuit breakers that do trip on overload.
GFCI trips very quickly on extremely small current imbalances.  Normally, electric current/amps that flow in hot/black wire are the exactly the same current/amps in the neutral/white wire.

GFCI are designed to prevent people from be electrocuted, which happens when hot/black wire current flows through a person to their ground, and not back to the neutral wire.  They are usually mandated on 120-volt outlets that are near ground, water, bath, kitchen, etc.  And may be optional in main breaker boxes.

It is common for some RVs with their charging/electronics systems to trip 120v GFCI.  That is one of the reasons campgrounds do not usually put GFCI protection on 30-amp outlets.  With campground 50-amp circuits sharing one neutral with two hot wires, GFCI protection will not work at 50-amp breaker.  Not-All GFCI trips are from something broken.

To find what on the coach is tripping GFCI protectors, turn off all breakers in coach, plug in, turn breakers on one a time until GFCI trips.

Other ways to get around the problem is to not have breaker-box GFCI's, and use GFCI outlets in the coach.

Of course, if the breaker box does not have GFCI protection, then this discussion is just a short-story for another day, as today it is a weak breaker, inverter short, or overload.  First try to replace breaker. . .