Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Topic: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter (Read 954 times) previous topic - next topic

Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

January 03, 2017, 04:09:58 pm

Left for Galveston last Thursday, all good. Parked and plugged into shore power. everything works. DW hears a intermittent clicking sound from under the bed. I check from outside and hear the noise from the back of the engine compartment (foot of the bed area).
Eventually it stopped. Left to come home today and have no 110v to residential refrigerator when on invert. Fired up the old faithful generator and drove home. Turned off generator and still no 110v to refrigerator. Batteries are up and charged. Solar seems to be working fine. What do you think??
Note: No more clicking.
My guess is ATS.

John

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #1 – January 03, 2017, 04:52:22 pm

Easy to tell. If ATS is bad, nothing on at least one leg of 120 VAC will turn on.

If refrigerator is the only thing that is not working, not the ATS.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #2 – January 03, 2017, 04:53:34 pm

Refer is the only thing we looked at...Noticed while we were driving, started gen, all well...plugged in at storage site. all is well. Unplugged, not so well

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #3 – January 03, 2017, 05:47:09 pm

Let's start the 20 questions..

Does the refer have 120v power when plugged into shore ?
Does the refer have 120v power when generator is running ?
Have you checked the breakers in the inverter subpanel?
Have you checked any breakers on the inverter ?
Does the microwave have inverter feed? Is it getting power ?
What inverter do you have ?

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #4 – January 03, 2017, 06:01:43 pm

Refer does have 120 when plugged in
Refer does have 120 when generator is running
Have not checked breakers at all
Yes and have not checked
Freedom 25

John

Will be on it tomorrow as far as breakers

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #5 – January 04, 2017, 05:19:42 pm

Ok, went to the coach and:
120v everything works when plugged in
No 120v anywhere when unplugged and on inverter
all 3 circuit breakers on inverter are fine
Sub-panel is fine
12v works fine. either pugged or un plugged
John

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #6 – January 04, 2017, 05:30:46 pm

I had the same problem about a week ago. Took the cover off the inverter ATS and turned off power with the main circuit breaker. The contacts were not closing from the inverter to sub panel. I manually pushed down on the plastic over the contacts while looking at the refrigerator light with the door open. Refrigerator worked while I did that. I was going to bypass the second ATS as my SW3012 has an ATS built in. Unfortunately it started working again and hasn't stopped for me to trouble shoot what was going on. I made a device to push the contacts and hold them if it quits working on the road.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #7 – January 04, 2017, 05:38:01 pm

Quote from: craneman – January 04, 2017, 05:30:46 pm

I made a device to push the contacts and hold them if it quits working on the road.

I think they call that thing a clothespin.

Trent

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #8 – January 04, 2017, 05:57:31 pm

Quote from: TulsaTrent – January 04, 2017, 05:38:01 pm

I think they call that thing a clothespin.

Trent

Nope, it is a vertical motion and can't get behind the non moving contacts. Weighted small pouch to hold the contacts down.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #9 – January 04, 2017, 06:43:52 pm

Just make sure if you manually hold down the contacts that they are FIRMLY held down. Were they to separate just a little, could easily cause excessive arcing and overheating.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #10 – January 04, 2017, 06:52:27 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – January 04, 2017, 06:43:52 pm

Just make sure if you manually hold down the contacts that they are FIRMLY held down. Were they to separate just a little, could easily cause excessive arcing and overheating.

Amazing how powerful the electro magnet is that pulls them together. I tried to manually pull the contacts apart that feed the inverter during my trouble shooting when mine wasn't working. The only way to separate them was kill the main breaker.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #11 – January 05, 2017, 02:55:15 pm

I have 2 ATS boxes, lower box seems to be working. The upper box does nothing. Also I cannot push contacts together with a screw driver manually....Looks like I may have dropped a leg as I have 230v between the red and neutral and 0 between the black and neutral

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #12 – January 05, 2017, 03:03:53 pm

The lower box on the '99 is for the inverter. When you cut power the contacts switch to power coming from the inverter. My upper one is the ATS for shore or generator.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #13 – January 05, 2017, 03:32:28 pm

Must be a mechanical locking system that will not let me force contacts together....Also have a dead leg as I have 230v on the red wire and 0 on the black
Obviously electronics is not my strong suit.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #14 – January 05, 2017, 03:50:36 pm

Can you get a picture? The contacts are only held open with small springs, it is the closed position that the electro magnet holds down. The inverter doesn't put out 220 volts, you might be checking the main ATS and it would only have voltage on one side at a time.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #15 – January 05, 2017, 04:10:27 pm

Quote from: craneman – January 05, 2017, 03:50:36 pm

the main ATS and it would only have voltage on one side at a time.

Cman,

I respectfully disagree if you are talking about each leg. If OEM, the main ATS (shore to generator) on a '97 will have 2 legs of 120. (one leg of each phase) If you are referring to both relays (in the ATS) you could have voltage on both relays if you are plugged in to shore and are running the generator.

If John has 230 on one leg there is a major problem that needs to be found. Like a burnt neutral wire inside one of the ATS.

Pamela & Mike

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #16 – January 05, 2017, 04:14:33 pm

Well this has gone way past my pay grade....Going to schedule a trip to "Coach Buck City".

John

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #17 – January 05, 2017, 04:14:52 pm

Readings in ATS:

Red (one hot) to white (neutral)= 120 VAC
Black (other hot to white (neutral)= 120 VAC
Red to black= 240 VAC
Either red or black to green (ground) 120 VAC

On edit: if you are plugged into a 15 amp or 30 amp outlet, the only difference will be that red to black= 0 VAC because the single hot on the shore power 15 or 30 amp outlet is, in the adapter connected to BOTH hots out of the 30 amp male to 50 amp female adapter.

Any other reading is a PROBLEM!

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #18 – January 05, 2017, 04:31:57 pm

Sounds to me like you have an open neutral situation. Since I don't really believe in electricity, I'd unplug stuff and find an RV electrician. May be a tuff find.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #19 – January 05, 2017, 04:39:35 pm

I do not trust my readings as the battery in my test meter is weak and I believe giving false readings.
Gonna try again tomorrow.
THANKS TO ALL.
John

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #20 – January 05, 2017, 05:34:15 pm

Quote from: Pamela & Mike – January 05, 2017, 04:10:27 pm

Cman,

I respectfully disagree if you are talking about each leg. If OEM, the main ATS (shore to generator) on a '97 will have 2 legs of 120. (one leg of each phase) If you are referring to both relays (in the ATS) you could have voltage on both relays if you are plugged in to shore and are running the generator.

If John has 230 on one leg there is a major problem that needs to be found. Like a burnt neutral wire inside one of the ATS.

Pamela & Mike

Someone correct me if I am wrong, But I thought the ATS only will work one or the other gen. or shore not both at the same time.
I know you can have power to both ATS switches at the same time if that is what you are referring to. If both relays closed in the ATS the generator would feed back to pedestal and vice versa.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #21 – January 05, 2017, 05:38:55 pm

Some confusion here.

Many Foretravels have TWO separate ATS's. The "regular" one for generator OR shore power.

The second one for power from the first ATS OR inverter.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #22 – January 05, 2017, 06:51:21 pm

Quote from: craneman – January 05, 2017, 05:34:15 pm

If both relays closed in the ATS the generator would feed back to pedestal and vice versa.

This is correct as there is an interlock that keeps this from happening. So if the generator is running the interlock should give priority to the generator side (unless someone has swapped the wiring) and you can still be plugged into shore power without back feeding into the power grid. In this instance both relays in the ATS will have power on all incoming legs. Only one relay will be closed feeding power through to your coach. This refers to the "regular/main/primary" ATS as the other ATS, (as Brett has mentioned) is to swap between the main ATS and inverter.

Pamela & Mike

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #23 – January 05, 2017, 07:04:18 pm

Quote from: Pamela & Mike – January 05, 2017, 06:51:21 pm

This is correct as there is an interlock that keeps this from happening. So if the generator is running the interlock should give priority to the generator side (unless someone has swapped the wiring) and you can still be plugged into shore power without back feeding into the power grid. In this instance both relays in the ATS will have power on all incoming legs. Only one relay will be closed feeding power through to your coach. This refers to the "regular/main/primary" ATS as the other ATS, (as Brett has mentioned) is to swap between the main ATS and inverter.

Pamela & Mike

We are on the same page just different terminology. When I had the covers off and switched main on and off and then generator on with shore power the contacts only let one power feed through at a time. When I said power would only be on one side at a time I meant only coming out one side at a time. Thought that it was understood that the input would always be there as it is hard wired.

Re: Automatic Transfer switch or Inverter

Reply #24 – January 13, 2017, 12:29:17 pm

Have just been out to the coach....Plugged in and now the batteries are down to 9.3v... red charge light on the panel lit....

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