Installing new Xantrex inverter

Topic: Installing new Xantrex inverter (Read 1112 times) previous topic - next topic

Installing new Xantrex inverter

August 04, 2021, 12:40:06 pm

Ok. New Xantrex showed yesterday so the project begins. I have 2 grounds to the 4 coach batteries and one to the 2 start batteries. Can I just pull the grounds and start removing the Heart inverter or should I pull all the power leads as well to kill battery to everything?

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #1 – August 04, 2021, 01:10:57 pm

There should be no power to the unit. The shore power should be disconnected and not on generator and yes, your grounds should be disconnected.
Make sure you mark the in coming and out put wiring for your current inverter. You don't want to mix up the wires and blow the new unit.
The new unit may require you to install larger (4/0) cables for proper charging. There is a large number on the forum that make their own cables for this. I was lazy and ordered mine from Zoro an are quite happy with them.

Good luck,

Glen

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #2 – August 05, 2021, 07:46:34 pm

Open up Heart and find good cables with lug single hole ends to reuse battery & ground cables. Will have to damage Heart to get at both cable inside ends.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #3 – August 06, 2021, 09:31:45 am

Thanks Barry, I wondered about that since they came with the cables installed

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #4 – August 06, 2021, 04:15:17 pm

Quote from: dans96u295ft – August 04, 2021, 12:40:06 pm

Ok. New Xantrex showed yesterday so the project begins. I have 2 grounds to the 4 coach batteries and one to the 2 start batteries. Can I just pull the grounds and start removing the Heart inverter or should I pull all the power leads as well to kill battery to everything?

Photos please, before and after. And any issues ?

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #5 – August 07, 2021, 12:24:41 am

Watched a video today and they had a good point, Flip all breakers off, Salesman switch and the generator breakers besides disconnecting all grounds to all batteries just to be sure. Thought it was a good idea

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #6 – August 07, 2021, 12:31:18 am

And if there is solar panels shut them off.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #7 – August 08, 2021, 09:40:26 am

Ok. Got the old Heart out and the Xantrex mocked up. I'll post before and after pictures when done. This 3000 XC Pro almost bolted in place with the old bracket. Just had to drill new holes in both and bolts in. Need a weld to repair the broken Heart bracket and should be able to finish

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #8 – August 09, 2021, 03:21:38 pm

Well I'm stumped. Got it all in. Dc-inverter works fine but when I plug into shore power, the ATS-100 automatic/geanerator switch
at the foot of the bed starts chattering and throws the 20 amp. breaker in my shop. I have a call into FT tech help. Waiting on Ronnie to call back
Any ideas what's wrong?

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #9 – August 09, 2021, 03:34:21 pm

You may need to set the "power save" or "power share" feature to 5 amps.

This limits the amount of 120 VAC that can be used to charge the batteries and is a good idea when on limited shore power.

BTW, that 5 amps of 120 VAC will charge the batteries at around 50 amps. So, no worries about being able to charge them.

Could it be something else? Sure, but start with the simple stuff first.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #10 – August 09, 2021, 05:28:51 pm

Wolfe 10. I assume in the Zantrex menu there is a power share or save? The old Heart was a 160 charger, this is a 150amp charger

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #11 – August 09, 2021, 05:42:53 pm

Should be covered in your Xantrex owners manual.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #12 – August 10, 2021, 01:34:54 am

Quote from: dans96u295ft – August 09, 2021, 03:21:38 pm

Well I'm stumped. Got it all in. Dc-inverter works fine but when I plug into shore power, the ATS-100 automatic/geanerator switch
at the foot of the bed starts chattering and throws the 20 amp. breaker in my shop. I have a call into FT tech help. Waiting on Ronnie to call back
Any ideas what's wrong?

This is easy to correct. The default value of your AC Input Breaker for load share is 50 amps.

The breaker you probably have on your inverter AC circuit is 30 amps unless it. So you should never set this above 30 amps. Now your hooked up you say to a 20 amp breaker in your garage, so it should not be set higher than 20 amps. The other issue is how long the cord is to your garage, as its length may cause your voltage to go down and amps drawn go up, so I would now set this AC Circuit Breaker setting to 15 amps, and let me know how that goes. On page 77 of your owners manual you will see adjusting this down to 15 amps will automatically reduce your charger so you do not exceed the available amps in, and thus pop your 20 amp breaker in the garage.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #13 – August 10, 2021, 03:46:31 pm

Ok. Xantrex works fine with AC output disconnected. I moved it down from 50 amp charging to 5-15 amp and still chatters the ATS100 auto. line/ generator switch and trips my shore ac 20 amp breaker in my shop

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #14 – August 10, 2021, 04:24:00 pm

Quote from: dans96u295ft – August 10, 2021, 03:46:31 pm

Ok. Xantrex works fine with AC output disconnected. I moved it down from 50 amp charging to 5-15 amp and still chatters the ATS100 auto. line/ generator switch and trips my shore ac 20 amp breaker in my shop

How long is the cord going to your shop, and what gauge wire is in the cord? Is it a 50 amp cord or a 30 amp cord, going all the way to the 110V outlet in your shop, or is it a 10 amp or 15 amp cord?

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #15 – August 10, 2021, 04:38:54 pm

I really have nothing to add towards a solution but, I have ran my Xantrex on a 15 amp outlet through a fifty foot extension cord with no problems. The converter and refrigerator were the only things that I knew to be on at the time. It was that way for over a week running on the original factory settings.

Glen

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #16 – August 10, 2021, 04:50:43 pm

Have you checked voltage out of the inverter to ATS. On pass through (shore power on) it should be exactly the same as the shore power IN (or measure at any of the outlets in the coach that are not on the inverter sub panel).

Then, after verifying again that connections are all clean and tight, call Xantrex.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #17 – August 10, 2021, 05:12:52 pm

Quote from: dans96u295ft – August 10, 2021, 03:46:31 pm

Ok. Xantrex works fine with AC output disconnected. I moved it down from 50 amp charging to 5-15 amp and still chatters the ATS100 auto. line/ generator switch and trips my shore ac 20 amp breaker in my shop

You say "I moved it down from 50 amp charging to 5-15 amp". I am not sure what you did. You need to change (see page 77 of attached manual) the AC Breaker setting to 15 amps, not the charger current which is automatically reduced when you change the AC Input Breaker setting.

If this does not work, I would change setting 99 to reset your defaults, then reset your battery bank settings, then reset the AC Breaker setting to 15 amps.

What is the voltage wolf suggest you check?

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Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #18 – August 10, 2021, 06:08:09 pm

Isn't this a normal response for too high amp draw for your shore power configuration creating too much voltage drop?

What is AC voltage reading at coach?

Try turning off battery charger before plugging in to see if it is drawing too much. May be able to limit charger battery amps.

Turn all breakers on main panel off before plugging in, then turn each on at a time to see which circuit is over loading your 20 map breaker.

What devices are powered when you plug into shore power? Refrigerator, microwave, etc.

Draw more than 20 amps, breaker opens. Only other thing that opens breaker is short circuit, which would trip immediately.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #19 – August 10, 2021, 06:14:15 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – August 10, 2021, 04:50:43 pm

Have you checked voltage out of the inverter to ATS. On pass through (shore power on) it should be exactly the same as the shore power IN (or measure at any of the outlets in the coach that are not on the inverter sub panel).

Then, after verifying again that connections are all clean and tight, call Xantrex.

I appreciate all your attention and time to this forum. Thank you. I just talked to Dan. The charger functions he now has working ok and it has raised his batteries from 12.5 to 12.9. He is only running the factory 50 amp charge cord from his shop to the rv, so no problem with this supply.

To get the above working, he disconnected his AC out from the Xantrex and lowered the AC Breaker setting which Xantrex also suggested he do. When he reconnected his AC out line, it blows the 20 amp breaker in his shop. So.......he now will check for any loose connections inside the ATC or burned contacts first, and then as you said to check the AC in and the AC voltage out of the ATS, and he has a call into Xantrex as you suggested. He is going to call me tomorrow, after he talks to Xantrex and does the above as you suggested. Dan says he is qualified to check the AC voltage, he appreciated me explaining how his ATS is wired. His system he says is as it came from FT, with the two ATS boxes. I will send you a PM or repost to you tomorrow in this thread after he calls me tomorrow.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #20 – August 10, 2021, 06:31:22 pm

Sorry, I am confused. He is plugged into 50 amps in his shop, but is blowing the 20 amp breaker in the shop when he plugs in the Inverter OUT??

So, it is a 20 amp breaker/outlet or 50 amp (100 amps @120 VAC total).

And, if inverter OUT goes to a sub-panel, if the sub-panel breakers are off does it still blow the breaker?

And, as asked, what is voltage when this happens?

Thanks.

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #21 – August 10, 2021, 07:10:20 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – August 10, 2021, 06:31:22 pm

Sorry, I am confused. He is plugged into 50 amps in his shop, but is blowing the 20 amp breaker in the shop when he plugs in the Inverter OUT??

I believe he has his 50amp shore power cord plugged into a 20amp plug???

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #22 – August 10, 2021, 07:19:14 pm

Quote from: Tommy D – August 10, 2021, 07:10:20 pm

I believe he has his 50amp shore power cord plugged into a 20amp plug???

Then job one is to turn OFF every one of the breakers in the 120 VAC panel except the inverter. Easy for something like an engine block heater or water heater electric element to trip that breaker when a small additional load added.

Also, if the above is what you have is check your 15 male to 30 female and 30 male to 50 female adapters CAREFULLY. Easy for those to be overloaded and heat up to where they fail.

Last question-- perhaps should have put if first-- did you have this exact same failure before installing the new inverter/charger?

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #23 – August 10, 2021, 10:17:17 pm

Ok. Great info. I have 120 equal volts into the ac input and ac output at the Xantrex. plugged into 20amp 120 shore power. The inverter is doing everything it should with ac into only the input side and batteries hooked into it.
I will do the all breakers off tomorrow and one at a time on. I'm using the exact same shore setup as the Heart 2500 and it was working fine when removed. I did shut all the breakers off before pulling the Heart as an extra safeguard. I then flipped them all back on when the Xantrex was ready to test the dc side, All good. It's when I tried to test the ac side by plugging into shore power this went bad. I never heard from FT or Xantrex today so hopefully tomorrow. In the mean time I'll turn the Xantrex down to 2500 watts output like the heart and start the breaker test. I assume start by turning the inverter, 30 amp on first and if good, add one at a time. with the ac output romex wire at inverter disconnected, I started the genny but no longer have anything from it which makes sense

Re: Installing new Xantrex inverter

Reply #24 – August 11, 2021, 10:47:27 pm

Ok. Checked everything today took both ac panels off, checked all connections, took both ATS transfer switch covers off checked all there, Tapped on the one that was chattering with the plastic screwdriver handle and I'll be darn, I think it was hung up. Plugged everything back in with all breakers off and started flipping them on one by one and everything is working!!!! Generator transfers again, inverter works and shore power is happy. When I hooked the Xantrex up for the first time it was not in the off position and I think may have hung the transfer switch up. After getting working, I went into the settings and set evreything up according to my old Heart 2500. Anyway, Thanks so much for all the help. Special thanks to Jack and Wolfe. I'll check again in the morning.
The best thing of all is I know a bunch more about the electrical side of the coach and do love my FT
Very thankful!

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