GFCI Outlet No Power

[bburns8]

Update:  We had the house batteries load tested Monday 12/3 and the batteries tested good.  We have been on shore power (uniterrupted) since Monday.  We checked the house batteries plugged into shore power today 12/6.

Plugged into shore power
House batteries 14.38

Unplugged from shore power (waited 30 min)
House batteries 12.24

The RV tech said this is normal and it is because we have the inverter turned on.  He turned the inverter off.  He said the interverter should only be turned on when driving with the generator off.  He said he would check it tommorow at noon.

I've never heard that you have to have the inverter turned off in order to charge you house batteries.  When I questioned the tech he said it's because it is a new inverter/charger and the insides are different than they were in our old inverter/charger eventhough it is the exact same model.

Does this sound valid?

[wolfe10]

16 minutes ago, bburns8 said:

I've never heard that you have to have the inverter turned off in order to charge you house batteries.  When I questioned the tech he said it's because it is a new inverter/charger and the insides are different than they were in our old inverter/charger eventhough it is the exact same model.

Does this sound valid?

No, that is NOT correct.

As posted above, anytime the inverter/charger receives an external source of 120 VAC (shore power or generator) it will charge the batteries-- irrespective of whether the inverter is turned on or off. The on/off switch ONLY controls the ability of the inverter portion to function when external sources of 120 VAC are not present.

SO, turn it OFF and see for yourself what battery voltage does.

[kaypsmith]

1 hour ago, bburns8 said:

The RV tech said this is normal and it is because we have the inverter turned on.  He turned the inverter off.  He said the interverter should only be turned on when driving with the generator off.  He said he would check it tommorow at noon.

I don't think that he is referring to charging the batteries, I think he is referring to causing a draw against the house batteries, if the inverter is turned off, it will not draw against the house batteries when shore or generator is not present. If the inverter is turned on without shore or generator power, then yes it will draw instantly against the house batteries.

 

1 hour ago, wolfe10 said:

SO, turn it OFF and see for yourself what battery voltage does.

If inverter is  on there is a load against the house batteries, no phantom, just the way it works.

If inverter/charger is in the off position, there will be no draw against the house batteries.

[bburns8]

27 minutes ago, kaypsmith said:

I don't think that he is referring to charging the batteries, I think he is referring to causing a draw against the house batteries, if the inverter is turned off,

No, the tech is referring to charging the batteries.  He clearly said that the reason the house batteries are not being charged when plugged into shore power is because our inverter was turned on.

[manholt]

BB.  2 letters.  BS!

[richard5933]

4 hours ago, bburns8 said:

Plugged into shore power
House batteries 14.38

Unplugged from shore power (waited 30 min)
House batteries 12.24

With these voltage readings it's pretty clear that you are charging the batteries while plugged into shore power. That's why your voltage goes up when plugged in.

The problem is that after only 30 minutes your voltage is down to 12.24 volts, which is quite low for only 30 minutes. There are only two possible reasons that your batteries will drop down to 12.24 after such a short period of time. Either there is something drawing power from the batteries or the batteries are not taking a charge. If there is something drawing down your batteries, you've got to start searching to see what it is. Somewhere in your coach you have something using battery power, and until you find it this and fix it this will keep happening. If you have absolutely nothing drawing current from your batteries, then the only other problem is the batteries themselves.

A sure-fire way to determine which of these is the problem would be to let the charger run at 14.38v (or whatever it's charging at) for a full day. Then disconnect the GROUND wire(s) from your batteries. Take pictures first so you can put them back the same way. Measure the voltage about an hour after disconnecting the ground cable. Measure it again a day later. It should be nearly the same.

If the ground cable is disconnected and there is no voltage drop, then the problem is something drawing from the batteries when they are connected.

If the voltage drops even with the ground cable disconnected, then the problem is the batteries themselves.

[dickandlois]

One has to understand that when the inverter is turned OFF - It is off, But the 12 volt coach wiring is drawing a level of current to power all the coach systems that require 12 volts. Refrigerator control module, furnace control system, water heater, water pump, 12 volt lighting, entry steps, power roof vents, the off air signal amplifier, smoke detector and CO-2 detector in some cases. 

How far does the battery voltage drop after 4 to 6 hrs. if you disconnect from shore power and generator?

Also, when the coach is disconnected from any source of 120 volts, The inverter only powers 2 -120 volt circuits - in most cases the Microwave, and ice maker in some cases and circuits that power some of the duplex outlets around the dining area and entertainment equipment. One can open all the 20 and 15 amp circuit beakers in the main power panel. If the inverter IS running, most likely circuits #2 and #4 will be the only 2 circuits supplying 120 volts if the inverter is running. Those 2 circuit breakers are the ones located in the output wiring of the inverter. They Are not in anyway connected or supplied from the main circuit breaker panel !!!!! SO if those 2 circuits HAVE  120 volts when the inverter switch is in the OFF position and not connected to shore power and or the generator, it is not working properly !

The only time all the 120 volt items will work is WHEN connected to shore power or the generator is running. The inverter goes into bypass mode. A auto Transfer circuit in the inverter connects the 120 volt transfer relay source directly to circuits #2 and #4. Those 2 circuits are NEVER power through the Main power panel.

Question, did the block heater some how get connected to one the inverter output circuits? This will put a 700 watt 120 volt load on the inverter and if the block heater switch is turned on, the load on the inverter is considerable !!!!

Rich.

[richard5933]

In the very first post it when the original problem was mentioned, it was noted that there was no power to the fridge.

Is the fridge on this coach being powered by the inverter?

If so, and if the inverter was turned on while the battery dropped from 14v+ down to 12.25v, that would be the answer.

[hermanmullins]

I think it is about time to close this Topic. It has gone from "No Power to GFCI"  to whether the inverter is turn on, to what the voltage is in the house batteries.

Please feel free to start a new topic and we will try to keep it focused on answering your specific question.

Herman