Help with inverter Xantrex Inverter

[Lyne]

We have a new Jayco 2023 Alante. We had problem from day one with our batteries and inverter. We changed batteries from normal to lithium. Hoping we would be able to have more power. We use exactly the same equipement cpap and Ipad that we did in our last RV. We never had any problems with it.
Now every night we get an alert and my husband cpap stops. The retailer tells us its because of what we use. Help don’t know what to do.
We have solar panels Go power of 200 and 1000 inverter. We are from Quebec, Candiac near Montreal. Thank you for your help.

 

[OldSkool]

Is it showing a "Low Voltage Cut-off error" and then resetting? My 2023 Entegra 34G does the same thing with 2 x 100AH lithiums that replaced the OEM AGMs. Still working on getting warranty to replace inverter.

 

[Rich W.]

Your inverter may not be designed to charge lithiums and if not you are probably only getting a partial charge. I’m guessing you have only very limited monitoring ability. Check the specs, manual, talk to xantrex, etc. If not, my advice would be to buy a better inverter/charger. Victron would be my first choice. Next would be Magnum or even Outback, but not xantrex. If you haven’t already done so, you should also do your energy calcs to determine how much solar and battery bank capacity you need to charge your batteries and make it through the night running your anticipated loads.

 

[OldSkool]

Xantrex is inverter only, at least on mine. The converter/charger has a lithium switch and charges my lithiums at 50amps. I did have to disconnect the house side of the Battery Isolation Management until I can't get one designed for Lithium and not burn up the alternator.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Time to calculate loads!
This may sound insulting to some, so understand this is how I think!

Batteries are a storage device! Panels (solar) is the power provider, and your devices are the load.

Think of your favorite lake. It rains, the lake fills. This works and the overflow stream flows till you start using the water to fulfill your needs. The stream drys up, and the supply of rain has not changed, the lake continues to shrink.

The first rain you get excited as you think things will go back to normal, but normal, no matter will not return because you continue to use the water, and nothing has been done to increase the supply.

You can increase the supply, or decrease your use. The storage has nothing to offer that has not been added to it.

As a side note. Less than 500 watts of solar is a toy! An experiment, and even then will not keep anyone happy!
Also auto inverters are not efficient! Think of them as a hole in a pond liner!

 

[Lyne]

Is it showing a "Low Voltage Cut-off error" and then resetting? My 2023 Entegra 34G does the same thing with 2 x 100AH lithiums that replaced the OEM AGMs. Still working on getting warranty to replace inverter.

thanks, the code error says a bad connection. But then, why does it word than stops?? And when the sun goes back up it starts. How do you do for the warrenty? Thanks

 

[Lyne]

Time to calculate loads!
This may sound insulting to some, so understand this is how I think!

Batteries are a storage device! Panels (solar) is the power provider, and your devices are the load.

Think of your favorite lake. It rains, the lake fills. This works and the overflow stream flows till you start using the water to fulfill your needs. The stream drys up, and the supply of rain has not changed, the lake continues to shrink.

The first rain you get excited as you think things will go back to normal, but normal, no matter will not return because you continue to use the water, and nothing has been done to increase the supply.

You can increase the supply, or decrease your use. The storage has nothing to offer that has not been added to it.

As a side note. Less than 500 watts of solar is a toy! An experiment, and even then will not keep anyone happy!
Also auto inverters are not efficient! Think of them as a hole in a pond liner!

Thanks, That the problem, we use exactly the same thing we did with our last rv. the last one never had any problem Worked very well.

Sorry newbie here what is 500 watts Of solar? How can I find out how mine has. Should I change my inverter? thank you for your help

 

[AbdRahim]

Check manual. Make sure the inverter is set for lithium batteries. Don't know which Xantrex you have. The Xantrex 2000 has settings for FLA (flooded lead-acid) agm, and I think it has a setting for lithium. Sometimes installer forgets to change the setting.

 

[Lyne]

Check manual. Make sure the inverter is set for lithium batteries. Don't know which Xantrex you have. The Xantrex 2000 has settings for FLA (flooded lead-acid) agm, and I think it has a setting for lithium. Sometimes installer forgets to change the setting.

 

[Lyne]

I looked in the manuel, can’t find it. If I call Xantrex do you think they will help me?

 

[AbdRahim]

yes. It is in the section that has a chart with what seems like the hundreds of settings. pg 23

 

[Lyne]

thanks I will look at that.

 

[Rich W.]

I looked in the manuel, can’t find it. If I call Xantrex do you think they will help me?

probably not. Best to buy better equipment.

 

[Lyne]

I don’t have that section in my book? Can you help me find it on internet

 

[Rich W.]

My guess is you’re trying to get apples from oranges. You need to identify your power needs, design a system that will meet those needs, and proceed accordingly. I seriously doubt you’ll ever get there with 200w of solar and a xantrex inverter. The good news is that you may have already invested in an adequate battery bank, or at least are on the right track there. You probably need around 1000w of solar and a good inverter/charger to compliment your lithium (?) batteries, and a sufficient battery bank to get you through the night with your required power consumption.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Thanks, That the problem, we use exactly the same thing we did with our last rv. the last one never had any problem Worked very well.

Sorry newbie here what is 500 watts Of solar? How can I find out how mine has. Should I change my inverter? thank you for your help

About the technology:
Lithium batteries use a built-in device called a battery management system (BMS). This bms works only to protect the battery. You may not have noticed because it is built-in to the battery. When the charge reaches a low voltage set point (not adjustable), the battery is disconnected so it can no longer discharge! This is why everything quits at some point! And you get a warning you have a bad connection.

Solar panels have labels that give there vital information! However, if mounted with no data sheet, one has to guess their size. For this discussion we assume 20% efficiency. The sun is said to grace the surface of the earth with 1000 watts of light energy per square meter! Guessing or measuring the panel size times the efficiency number gives watts thus the panel/s rating.

Solar Controllers come in two technologies! PWM and MPPT. The MPPT controller is the only controller worth its weight! And must be sized for panel specs and battery type.
Additional information!!!
From disconnected BMS state, it requires hours to fully charge a lithium battery with solar. The grid will get the batteries up to full power, overnight, and slow charging will make any battery last longer.
The larger the bank the more chance you can make it through the night! This requires you to calculate load vs. Battery capacity. Ultimately however, if you don't have the charging capacity, your batteries will not get charged. Therefore the load will be calculated and the charging system must meet the load, and charging (to replenish the power used during the night previous), or your batteries will constantly lose power.

Hope this helps!!!

 

[AbdRahim]

What model is the Xantrex? And as stated, if you want to run stuff oaway from shore power you need more umph!

 

[ADR1RU]

@OldSkool Could you expand a bit on your comment about the (vehicle) alternator? This is the 2nd time I’ve heard someone mention it, when they swap over to Lithium batteries.

 

[TheLooks]

I saw that also. The alternator in a motorized camper will charge the house batteries but is isolated by a diode, or one way circuit. I am not sure what is being replaced other then a better diode?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

@ADR1RU I am wondering what you were thinking when you read about the automobile alternator?