Inverter failure .

Topic: Inverter failure . (Read 2975 times) previous topic - next topic

Inverter failure .

September 15, 2017, 05:20:54 pm

Pulled into Hays , Kansas last evening feeling good about the days drive . Put the slides out with the gen set running , turn the air conditioners and in about 20 seconds the gen set shut off . It would start right back up , but as soon as it had a load it quit . Played with this a while , nothing . Had a hot night trying to sleep . Up at 4:30 , headed East , destination Kansas City , Missouri to the Central Cummins location off I-435 . I had called ahead , was told they could not look at it till Monday . Hmmm. Got there about 10:30 explained I had two freezers full of meat and was worried sick -----The ice broke , got it in the shop and two hours later was notified that the secondary inverter was bad . Now the fun part price of inverter a mere------$5,400.00 plus freight , plus labor . Will be in the neighborhood of $7,000.00 when completed . This coach has two inverters , glad both didn't up and die at the same time . Might have to rent out Barney for a spell . In my wildest imagination I figured the cost might be around $3,000.00 tops , boy was I wrong . Just a pity party ---that's all .

Brad Metzger

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #1 – September 15, 2017, 05:48:13 pm

What exact inverter? I have a local guy who repairs inverters. Save the box and ship the deceased one to me after I verify parts are available for that unit.

Yes I know it's heavy. $125 roughly each way ups.

At $5k I would fix the unit and have a spare myself.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #2 – September 15, 2017, 05:52:36 pm

Believe this is similar to the system Brad has. Doubt your local guy can fix it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef-qFE8be98

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #3 – September 15, 2017, 05:56:46 pm

All I can tell you is what was said to me by the shop foreman --The secondary inverter failed ---- There are two and I don't know one from the other . They are stacked and water cooled thru the gen set radiator by electric water pump . Yes , I will keep the old one and contact you on the rebuild effort .Way over my head kind of stuff . Brad Metzger

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #4 – September 15, 2017, 06:06:40 pm

2010 Foretravel Phenix 45 Priced at $

Note the generator installed in 2010 Phenix's

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #5 – September 15, 2017, 06:34:38 pm

Damm the fun just keeps on coming?

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #6 – September 15, 2017, 06:48:12 pm

That is one fancy invertor, and you have a pair of them. The $5,400. I can understand the $1,600 labor I don't.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #7 – September 15, 2017, 07:36:03 pm

You can buy A LOT of generator fuel for 7K.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #8 – September 15, 2017, 08:07:00 pm

Quote from: Dakota Slim – September 15, 2017, 07:36:03 pm

You can buy A LOT of generator fuel for 7K.

Problem with the Onan Hybrid System is that even if gen runs fine, it will not power anything, if rest of system, [including inverters] are not working. Kind of like engine and transmission work great, but driveshaft is broken.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #9 – September 15, 2017, 08:40:59 pm

New ih45 does not have the hybrid system it seems

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #10 – September 15, 2017, 08:51:49 pm

The big bite in the hiney is when either of these inverters fail you got absolutely nothing except what is in your batteries . problem being this coach #6527 is total electric and this leaves only 12 volt things . The inverters are what makes this thing dance . I have six 8-D gell batteries which feed the inverters but they got to be working . The Cummins tech has things wired in such a way that on (--Shore Power--only) , every things works except that the house batteries won't charge only the chassis batteries . It is great to be at their CG , and hooked up , fridge and everything that is on 120 works . After being way too hot last night the air conditioners have new worth . So many things get taken for granted because they are there and work . Don't like the $$$$ thing but what are the choices . Yes , I will pay , not like it but---- Hmmm Brad Me3tzger

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #11 – September 15, 2017, 08:56:55 pm

A separate battery charger should work. 6 gel 8d's Batteries can take up to 270 amps charging.

I carry a 60 amp smart charger

Cummins store should have a hd charger I would think.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #12 – September 15, 2017, 09:10:04 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – September 15, 2017, 08:56:55 pm

A separate battery charger should work. 6 gel 8d's Batteries can take up to 270 amps charging.

I carry a 60 amp smart charger

Cummins store should have a hd charger I would think.

Bob, even if house batteries are fully charged, with no inverter, no air conditioning, stove, refrigerator, or anything else that run on 110 volts. Don't forget the two freezers full of meat.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #13 – September 15, 2017, 09:16:00 pm

My 6 , 8-D batteries are charged to 14.1 near full , but like you say , nothing 120 volts comes from them without the inverters . Brad Metzger

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #14 – September 16, 2017, 01:08:19 pm

According to that video, shore power goes directly to the transfer switch. Do you not have a small portable generator to use in emergencies?

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #15 – September 16, 2017, 01:21:51 pm

Quote from: Dakota Slim – September 16, 2017, 01:08:19 pm

According to that video, shore power goes directly to the transfer switch. Do you not have a small portable generator to use in emergencies?

With 3 air conditioners and an all electric coach, he would need a 10000 watt generator, most of that size would take up a lot of room in the bays, and if gasoline, would need a good size gas tank.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #16 – September 16, 2017, 02:17:22 pm

Quote from: jcus – September 16, 2017, 01:21:51 pm

With 3 air conditioners and an all electric coach, he would need a 10000 watt generator, most of that size would take up a lot of room in the bays, and if gasoline, would need a good size gas tank.

Would he be running 3 AC's in an emergency?
A Honda 3000 watt generator would run 1 AC unit, the reefer and both freezers.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #17 – September 16, 2017, 02:41:39 pm

Quote from: Dakota Slim – September 16, 2017, 02:17:22 pm

Would he be running 3 AC's in an emergency?
A Honda 3000 watt generator would run 1 AC unit, the reefer and both freezers.

True it would run that, but in the south, in the summer, in a dark painted 45 ft coach, one ac probably would cool only the bedroom.
The eu3000 burns about a gallon every 5 hours at 1/2 load, so you would need to carry a couple of jerry cans of gas as well.
If he is travelling, as he is, would have to leave a bay open for ventilation for the generator. I think I would do as Brad is doing, find a place to plug in and wait for the parts to fix his coach.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #18 – September 16, 2017, 03:49:09 pm

How about an electrical invertor bypass circuit? There are some electrical smarty's on the Forum, that with his schematic could draw something up.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #19 – September 16, 2017, 04:50:04 pm

This inverter/generator system is not your father's generator...

I don't have the exact specs, but it goes something like this, all to improve efficiency and frequency stability over old style generators that produce 60 Hz 120/240 VAC power directly from the rotating armature.

The generator produces 3 phase AC power at high frequency, say 10khz - 20kHz, this is then converted to clean DC at high voltage - say 100 - 200 volts. The inverter then converts this high voltage DC to 60 Hz 120/240 VAC power with almost perfect stability and voltage under varying loads. This type of system is not dependent on generator RPM, the generator can run slower for lighter loads and slowly speed up as load increases.

So this type of generator cannot be hot wired to the coach.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #20 – September 16, 2017, 05:05:21 pm

The other great feature of this system is the ability to run most systems on battery and inverters only. When the system senses too much load on batteries or they need charging, the gen will light off to take load or charge batteries or both. The gen will only run fast enough to satisfy the coach loads. All this is done automatically without the owners input. Here is a good article.
The Onboard Generator Market | RV PRO

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #21 – September 16, 2017, 06:25:01 pm

That article is almost 8 years old. The new stuff is probably way better.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #22 – September 16, 2017, 06:47:55 pm

Quote from: craneman – September 16, 2017, 06:25:01 pm

That article is almost 8 years old. The new stuff is probably way better.

Yes, that is the system Brad has in his coach, newer ones use 48 volt battery banks and inverters to run everything and a 48 volt dc generator to charge the batteries.

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #23 – September 16, 2017, 06:49:42 pm

These two inverters look exact same . They are stacked one in a rack above the other . Don't know which is primary or which is secondary . Had a close look at them just now . I can hear coolant circulating in them thru the tubing connected to each of them . Was looking for numbers to indicate what wattage they were rated at . Found nothing , but have heard that talked about with numbers of 2000 and 3000 watts each . Will ask specific numbers and post them . I can tell that lots of heat is involved when I feel the cooling tubes from the units going toward the gen set radiator and the returning side is a bit cooler .Looks very complex to me . Heavy wire going to and from 6 different wall mounted boxes small to medium in size and a automatic switch box and each item is labeled " Onan Quit Box System " A complete closed system that has worked very well for seven years and 97,000 miles . So , can't bitch too much , I guess , but a little pity party is going on .

Brad Metzger

Re: Inverter failure .

Reply #24 – September 16, 2017, 08:23:23 pm

Could a new bus conversion be on the way?

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