Inverter and Electronics

[PIPEWRENCHGRIP]

After buying our new coach last July and taking our first trip, we set up in a campground with shore power, turned on our Sat reciever and our KVH Sat antenna. Everthing worked perfectly. We were having problems later and could not get a Sat signal and we could hear the KVH system making some odd noises. Then again, at the next stop it would work fine.

This has gone on intermitently now for about a year. When I asked a tech about it, it was working at the time. He said he can't fix what ain't broken. Well, it finally dawned on me that the only time it would't work was when I was parked not using a generator or shore power. I was on the inverter. I was under the impression that I had a true sine wave inverter, but maybe not. Apparently, the reciever doesn't like it. However, if I once have the signal and shut off the antenna, it works fine, even with the inverter. This is an in-motion KVH system and it works ok If I have the gen set running.

Has anyone else run accross this problem?

Bill

[wolfe10]

Bill,

What inverter do you have? Then we will KNOW whether it is a sine wave or MSW.

Brett Wolfe

[garykd]

Hi Bill,

I do not think you have a problem. My KVH in motion system works like yours. We turn on the KVH and the Sat receiver while at CG registration. By the time we get to our site the KVH is locked onto a Sat and we have TV. If there are trees, having the KVH already locked onto a Sat allows me to quickly position the coach, on the site, so as to maintain reception. Once we are parked, air dumped and level, the KVH is switched off. Everything works as advertised.

If I forget to turn off the KVH, it will from time to time try to make minor adjustments in it's aim. It makes a growling noise. I wait until it stops and then turn it off.

[PIPEWRENCHGRIP]

Bill,

What inverter do you have? Then we will KNOW whether it is a sine wave or MSW.

Brett Wolfe

Brett we just got home and check the inverter/charger. It is a Magnum ME 2012 it is a modified sine wave unit. Something else we discovered, we have a digital clock in the bedroom and when inverting, it will gallop along twice as fast as it should. Time really goes fast.

Thanks for you response.

Bill

[wolfe10]

Brett we just got home and check the inverter/charger. It is a Magnum ME 2012 it is a modified sine wave unit. Something else we discovered, we have a digital clock in the bedroom and when inverting, it will gallop along twice as fast as it should. Time really goes fast.

Thanks for you response.

Bill

Bill,

My recommendation would be to call KVH. Tell them what inverter you have (MSW) and your symptoms and ask (1) IF this is abnormal and (2) IF IT IS, whether the MSW inverter could be the cause. They are the best ones to trouble-shoot their system.

Brett Wolfe

[dbelanger]

We have a KVH Satellite dish on our rig. It is not an in motion unit. I have to shut off the unit once we acquire a signal as the Class A gas chasis even when jacked up and leveled moves enough when we walk around or move in bed to start the dish searching for signal. It may not be the inverter

[Guest BillAdams]

I would doubt that there is a relationship between the inverter and your current problem but it is odd that this appears to be the only time you see the issue. Is it possible that the KVH is using a direct 12V connection and that as the the inverter runs the batteries down the lower voltage to the KVH becomes an issue?

I don't have a KVH so I have no first hand knowledge, but a good clean consistent source of 12V power to many, many automatic satellite antennas make them operate much better. If you can install a 120V to 12V converter to power your KVH it might eliminate this problem.

As to your clock, that's a fairly typical issue while running on the inverter so a good battery powered alarm clock is now at our beside.

[Cruzer]

I installed a KVH L3 in-motion dome on my 2003 Suncruiser. It was indeed a 12 volt power supply, unlike my present KingDome which uses a 120 VAC to 12 VDC adaptor. So, the inverter shouldn't affect the operation of the dome. However, it may (and probably does) affect the operation of your satellite receiver, especially if it's a DVR which has a hard drive in it. I had no problems with my KVH L3 or my DVR however I ran it via a Xantrex Prosine 2500 inverter, which was true sine wave. I also had no issues with my alarm clock but then it was a 12 VDC model.