Coachman Inverter Upgrade

[Val]

Hi
I have a 2003 Coachman and have the attached Inverter. The Inverter is also hooked up to a UPS system. Looking for a replacement or upgrade. The existing inverter is overheating and fan runs continuously, also a burnt smell comes from it.
I am permanently hooked up to shore power. Fulltime RV living.
Any suggestions on my best options?
Thanks
Val

 

[calvin99]

If you are always connected to shore power you probably don’t need an inverter. The inverter converts battery power to AC power. The shore power is AC power.

 

[Val]

Thanks Calvin
How would that work without an inverter. What would I need to make it work?

 

[calvin99]

When you’re plugged into shore power, there should be AC at the outlets, no inverter needed. The power from shore should be passed through to the outlets directly

 

[Val]

Thanks,
What about the 12V direct current (DC), is that powered by the power convertor (i.e. the power convertor changes 110V (AC) to 12V DC). So when the inverter is down will the shore power kick in directly to the power convertor. Is that how it works?

 

[calvin99]

hmm..
I've never seen anything like in your picture.

From the picture, it looks like you have an Inveter, Solar Charge Controller, Battery Charger and UPS all in one box. I've only seen those as separate components.

In your picture, it appears the Shore Power is going directly to the AC outlets, just as I had said earlier.

The converter should charge the battery (AC to DC) regardless of the inverter. Normally an inverter is used ONLY when shore power is unavailable.

However, I've never seen anything like what you are showing. You may need to find someone local to check out the system.

You said you are full time connected to shore power. Are you always in one location? Perhaps there's someone in the same location that could assist? It's probably a bit difficult to remotely troubleshoot and understand your system.

Wish I could be more help.

Good luck

 

[Val]

Thanks, you have been very helpful. I now know what am looking at and the next steps to take to get this sorted out.
Cheers
Val

 

[TheLooks]

Just in case you are still engaged in this forum Val, being plugged in to shore power means your CONVERTER should be producing a charge of 14 vdc or thereabouts. It would charge a battery or batteries. These provide the power to run everything in the RV that has 12 vdc controls. Most things are controlled by 12 vdc but run on 120vac. Meaning the heat element in the W heater, the heat element in the absorption fridge, and the compressor in the AC unit. The microwave is 120 vac also. The INVERTER is only to provide SOME 120 vac when not on shore power and is limited in what it can do. It only provides 4000 watts of power and may only go to some outlets, it cannot run high wattage items for long without many batteries. For a comparison, if you have a 30 amp plug, you only have 3600 watts from the shore power. IF you have a 50 amp plug, you have 12000 watts. Most don't realize how big the difference is.

 

[Val]

Thank You for the feedback. I am a bit confused, sorry, so for all the questions, very new to RV stuff. But, the when the Inverter trips, everything shuts down, no 120 vac power. The fridge switches to gas mode. The UPS also needs to be on for the Inverter to work. Is there something I should do like a switch to turn on or off?

 

[TheLooks]

Unless you have a massive UPS it is not going to last very long. I merely explained the difference between converters and inverters. People think they can run forever on batteries but you need massive amounts of them to last overnight. Every time you invert or convert there are loses in the process. Bottom line, you cannot run your rig on an inverter for long periods without massive amounts of amp hour batteries. Only with Lithium and only with lots of them. $$$$$

 

[TheLooks]

If you are permanently hooked up to shore power your inverter will never operate. So it is your converter that is charging your house batteries and it is not working or the batteries are dead. The inverter should never come on with shore power.

 

[Val]

Thanks for the info. How do I come off the inverter and have shore power direct to the rig?

 

[Rich W.]

Thanks for the info. How do I come off the inverter and have shore power direct to the rig?

That depends on how thigns are wired, but you should be able to plug in to shore power and turn that green thing off and still have power to your outlets and all your 120v appliances. Also since it is reading 14.4v on the battery meter, I’d say that the charger is working and chances are the converter is working as well. I’m still trying to make sense of this thing. Do you have any solar panels? Was this in the RV when you acquired it? Does it have a manual? Also where did the 4000w figure come from?

Given the line diagram and indicator lights on the unit, I’d say it’s operating as designed. You have AC in, AC passing through, AC out and its keeping your battery bank charged. If you weren’t plugged in, the AC in and by-pass lights would be off, the inverter light should come on and you should still have AC out, although limited to the capabilities of the inverter and battery bank. Since you are plugged in the inverter should be off and it is. So all that is probably good, and the fan running all the time may be normal.

The over heating and burning electrical smell though are definitely indicators that something is wrong and I’d turn the thing off and see if you still have AC while plugged in. If not, call an electrician. I had a 5500w Xantrex inverter fail and catch fire in my well pump house years ago. Fortunately the fire was confined to the inverter. But my policy is when in doubt, shut it down. You can’t live and sleep in an RV with an electrical appliance that is unusually hot and smells like it’s burning.

 

[Rich W.]

Your picture is a screenshot from this video. Do you have a photo of your unit?

 

[Val]

Hi Rich
I have attached the photo's of the Inverter and the UPS connected to it. Yes, it came with the RV and no manual for it. Not sure where I got 4000W, must have been a typo error.

When the shore power is off, the inverter is still on, but, the AC is down and the AC (flashing) but, the UPS is down. The UPS is plugged into shore power. All 120V in the RV is down.

Is there any way to bypass these and have shore power direct to the RV?

Thanks
Valtyn