Inverter problems

[Foldbak]

I picked up my rig from Holly Generator today. They did a great job making my Onan 3600 LPG fit in the 5500 cutout. I tested the gen before I left and all was good. When I got home I opened the unit and tested it as though I was dry camping. I turned on the TV and lights and checked the inverter display. It was reading around 12.5 volts. I started the gen and the transfer switch was immediate. I then shut off the gen and......nothing! No transfer to the inverter. I waited but no change. I then manually disconnected the inverter and reconnected it and it came on. I noticed that the display status light was yellow and not green. When it's on shore power it's green. I can't find anything about this display unit online.

[RMcNeal]

I have the CSW1012 inverter, but I don't have the remote. That may be what you have in your pics. Here's the Owner's manual for the CSW1012.

[Foldbak]

After further research I found that this inverter is a revision of the CSW2012-x. https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/si...W2012-X%29.pdf


I've concluded that the inverter is setup properly but there appears to be a problem with the remote, Power button isn't working and the inverter is only transferring one direction. I'll play with it today and report back.

[Foldbak]

The inverter sees 120 volts and passes it but when the 120 volt input drops the inverter doesn't invert. The on/off button on the remote doesn't work. If I cycle the battery disconnect it comes on and inverts. It appears that the internal transfer switch isn't working? One thing I noticed when I picked up the trailer form Holly generator was that the GFI in the storage compartment and on the kitchen island were tripped. I've reset them. It there another GFI in the system and would that be a cause? I'm taking the trailer to the dealership tomorrow morning and will feel pretty stupid if it's something as simple as a GFI..

[Foldbak]

A shout out to Folsom Lake RV for getting my in with 1 days notice to troubleshoot and repair the inverter! Problem the inverter transfer switch is faulty. Part ordered next day delivery. I guess after spending 150K over a 5 year period with this dealership I earned some preferential treatment!

[Lee-CI]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

A shout out to Folsom Lake RV for getting my in with 1 days notice to troubleshoot and repair the inverter! Problem the inverter transfer switch is faulty. Part ordered next day delivery. I guess after spending 150K over a 5 year period with this dealership I earned some preferential treatment!

Congrats on getting the Magnum inverter issue resolved! At least you were able to get preferential treatment in lieu of torment.
Now go have fun! Happy camping...

[Foldbak]

Update:
God bless them for trying but things change so fast that the dealership can't keep up. They spent 2 hours on the phone with Sensata to determine that the remote control switch was faulty and 4 weeks back ordered. I call BS!



Having had and installed 3 trailers with Onan power and xantrex and aims inverters I know a thing or two.



Problem: Turn on the inverter with AC power off and it inverts.
Turn on AC power and the inverter goes into bypass mode. Passing the AC.
Turn off AC power and the inverter remains in bypass. The remote control panel is non functional. Cycle the batter power to the inverter and it inverts.


My diagnosis is a faulty internal transfer relay circuit. I'm going to deliver the troubleshooting manual to them tomorrow morning....

[Foldbak]

Update. After supplying the dealership with the information I found, they told me that their going to replace the inverter. They said that tech support didn't appear to know what they were talking about. They diagnosed a faulty remote switch and gave them a part number that was a different switch. The switch that is in my unit is completely different. I brought the trailer home and played with is today as I wait for the new inverter.


I'm really hoping someone here has some input. I'm extremely frustrated after my findings today.


This unit is gen preped. I had an Onan installed last week. When I picked up the unit I found the 2 GFI's tripped. I assumed that it occurred during the gen install so I reset them.



System test:
On batteries, inverter is on and working. Start gen and inverter goes into bypass. Stop gen and inverter stays in bypass. (it should switch to invert within 30 mil seconds)


Manually toggle inverter battery connection off and on and inverter switches to invert mode but both GFI outlets trip. Reset GFI's and inverter outlets are working.



Plug in shore power with the same exact scenario. I still think it's the inverter but why would the GFI's be tripping? Could there be 2 problems? I got 2 weeks to figure this out....

[RipNC]

I had that same inverter (victron now) and even though the inside panel shows otherwise, it will not invert if there is no 12v on that ignition wire (orange/white wire in 1st photo). Everything will look correct but it will not invert. If coach 12v is off (battery switchin convenience center) there is no 12v on that igiition wire. Check the wire for 12v (you can use negative on back of inverter for negative lead from tester).

I never traced the "ignition" wire to see if/where it was fused, in my case I had turned off the 12 to coach and ass/u/me/d that the functioning Magnum display meant I'd have 120v ... wrong - needs that 12v volt on the ignition wire.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by RipNC

I had that same inverter (victron now) and even though the inside panel shows otherwise, it will not invert if there is no 12v on that ignition wire (orange/white wire in 1st photo). Everything will look correct but it will not invert. If coach 12v is off (battery switchin convenience center) there is no 12v on that igiition wire. Check the wire for 12v (you can use negative on back of inverter for negative lead from tester).

I never traced the "ignition" wire to see if/where it was fused, in my case I had turned off the 12 to coach and ass/u/me/d that the functioning Magnum display meant I'd have 120v ... wrong - needs that 12v volt on the ignition wire.

Thanks. Yes I did see the ignition wire and since the unit does invert (until shore/gen power drops) it must be hot. But I will check it out today. I would have to believe that it goes to the actual battery cut off switch. The inverter has it's own battery cut off switch that I referred to in my first post.

[RipNC]

It is not inverting when shore/genset are hot - that inverter has an internal transfer switch that passes thru that 120v power. There is a second possibilty - there are 2 12v leads (they have Molex quick connects on the ends), perhaps the factory misconnected these.

Attached is the Magnum addendum instructions for your inverter. Shows which is ouput and which is in - I'd pull those Molex connectors apart and test which is hot from the panel and make sure it is going to input side, output side (wire feeding the branch) should be dead. Test the output from the inverter while the Molex is disconnected for proper voltage and also make sure the Molex connectors aren't miswired.

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

Thanks. Yes I did see the ignition wire and since the unit does invert (until shore/gen power drops) it must be hot. But I will check it out today. I would have to believe that it goes to the actual battery cut off switch. The inverter has it's own battery cut off switch that I referred to in my first post.

GFI's don't play nice with most generators. Also, do you have a neutral bonding plug somewhere in the circuit. That's a dummy plug with the Ground pin wired to the Neutral (White) that is the wider of the two.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by RipNC

It is not inverting when shore/genset are hot - that inverter has an internal transfer switch that passes thru that 120v power. There is a second possibilty - there are 2 12v leads (they have Molex quick connects on the ends), perhaps the factory misconnected these.

Attached is the Magnum addendum instructions for your inverter. Shows which is ouput and which is in - I'd pull those Molex connectors apart and test which is hot from the panel and make sure it is going to input side, output side (wire feeding the branch) should be dead. Test the output from the inverter while the Molex is disconnected for proper voltage and also make sure the Molex connectors aren't miswired.

Thanks. Yes I found this addendum as well. Just to be clear the the inverter works when no AC is present and goes into bypass mode when AC is present. When AC drops it doesn't return to invert mode.

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by RipNC

It is not inverting when shore/genset are hot - that inverter has an internal transfer switch that passes thru that 120v power. There is a second possibilty - there are 2 12v leads (they have Molex quick connects on the ends), perhaps the factory misconnected these.

Attached is the Magnum addendum instructions for your inverter. Shows which is ouput and which is in - I'd pull those Molex connectors apart and test which is hot from the panel and make sure it is going to input side, output side (wire feeding the branch) should be dead. Test the output from the inverter while the Molex is disconnected for proper voltage and also make sure the Molex connectors aren't miswired.

Maybe they changed something, but my original inverter (I now have a big inverter) has an external transfer switch made by Magnum Dimensions. It has 2 inputs, shore power and inverter. When shore power drops it gets its power from the inverter. The only load is the residential fridge. It's on the ceiling, just follow the inverter output leads.

[RipNC]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

Thanks. Yes I found this addendum as well. Just to be clear the the inverter works when no AC is present and goes into bypass mode when AC is present. When AC drops it doesn't return to invert mode.

Got you. You might try checking your auto reset breaker on your 12v in the battery compartment, it could be tripping from the charge current from your converter while on shorepower and not resetting for a bit when shorepower drops - this would kill power to the ignition wire until the breaker resets. I had that issue when I changed to LiFePO4 batteries and changed my converter to the lithium setting. The higher 12v current tripped that auto reset breaker, I swapped it out to an 80A manual breaker.

[RipNC]

Bcrvman,

The CSW 2012-HX has the internal transfer switch. All the marine units I've worked with in boats use internal transfer switches too (for better or worse).