Wfco WF-5100HP inverter

[Skip12]

Hi, I have a WFCO WF-5100HP inverter that I believe is dead, but would like some advice.

When plugged into shore power, a green light is on. This is expected, I believe.

When unplugged from shore power, with batteries connected, there is no sign of life. It's got a switch, a button next to the display, a remote switch and a tiny circuit breaker in the back I've messed with all of them and nothing happens.

Does anyone have experience with the circuit breaker on this model? I can't tell if its tripped and if so, if I've properly rest it or not.

Should the display show something even when connected to shore power?

I checked all the connections and read the manual but haven't had luck figuring out what's wrong with it.

Thanks.

[SeaDog]

If you are getting the green light the unit is operating. Check the fuse in the battery cable at the batteries, this unit requires a fuse within 18 inches of the battery let the forum know what you find and fix.

[Skip12]

Thanks SeaDog. I couldn't find a fuse near the batteries in any wires that might go to the inverter.

Later this week, I'll check to see if juice from the batteries is making it to the inverter or not.

I'll keep a positive thought that if the green light is on while connected to shore power, the inverter itself is ok.

If anyone has a similar set up with a fuse near the battery as SeaDog describes, please share.

Thanks again,
Skip

[Skip12]

I finally got the inverter hooked up to a multimeter. It reads 1.1 volts. I moved to the batteries. One battery is good. The second reads, you guessed it, 1.1 volts.

I jumped the hot wire from the dead battery to the good battery and the inverter fired right up. That's a relief. Thanks SeaDog. Good call.

But now why isnt the second battery charging? I think that the converter isnt reaching the second battery, so once it died, it was done.

Anyone have a good diagram of a two battery system, including a disconnect switch and Hi-Amp (tm) buss? I think I might missing a wire. There are
are no wires directly connecting the batteries to each other, but without knowing exactly what I'm doing, and with everything else working well, I hesitate to experiment until I get some advice.

Thanks!

[F.R.O.G.]

Skip12, I received the following information from Brian Moran at Forest River Service and Warranty. Many of the folks here know Brian from the seminars that he's held at several FROG rallies around the country, and from the "Know Your Stuff" series of seminars that he presents at the FROG International Rally in Goshen.

Bob, Saw this on the site, can you forward to him?? Thanks, Brian

Your WFCO Inverter has 3 lights. Green, Yellow or Amber, and Red.

Green means you are on VAC or shore power, Yellow or Amber means you are on battery, and Red is error and you should see a code. If you press the red button on your Inverter when you are connected to battery and you hear a fan run, the internal fuse is good, and if you do not get any VDC output, the Inverter is bad and you can contact your Forest River division.

If you do not hear a fan run, turn Inverter off, remove the negative battery cable that goes to the Inverter (usually a 4 gauge wire), set your meter to read VDC and place one end of the meter leads on the battery negative post and the other on the negative wire. You should see a VDC reading and it should climb to the voltage on the battery. If you do not get any readings, the internal fuse is blown and the Inverter has the internal fuse blown which means it was hooked up backwards.

Also remember we used two different types of inline fuse protection. One is a square looking auto reset breaker, and the other is an in line fuse that has a rubber pill shaped boot over it. The pill shaped fuse, is replaceable if it blows. The auto reset has not been an issue blowing as it will auto reset. I hope this helps you.

[Skip12]

Wow, thanks for the awesome, detailed response. I really appreciate it.

Turns out that when the dealer added the second battery, they didn't hook it up properly. The batteries aren't connected to each other all. The second battery only powered the inverter and isnt connected to the converter, so once it was drained, there was no chance it would be recharged.

I'm back to a single battery configuration which works fine until I get the necessary parts to properly connect the second battery.

Thanks again for the details. I now understand how the auto reset break works!

[F.R.O.G.]

Glad to hear that the information was helpful, Skip12. Brian Moran is absolutely the best at what he does. Unfortunately, he's spending much of his life this year on the road working with dealerships and upgrading their training, so that he's not nearly as available to conduct seminars at local rallies as he'd like to be.

[sleblanc]

Guys this is my first post on the forum, but I have been reading it for months. I am currently experiencing the same thing with a 3 month since delivery Arctic Wolf. When I am plugged into shore power weather it be 20, 30, or 50amp service inverter light is green. MY display on my inverter on the first trip with the unit was dim but seemed to be working and no issues. On our last trip it was a long haul when we go to the location icebox had been off and was not cold. checked the inverter and it was not powering the icebox on 12 volt. I multimetered the battery at 13.26 volts, but the inverter never kicked on. Monday I called the dealership and explained the situation but since i am far away from them they were going to send me an inverter to replace it. As of today I get a call stating that they will send me a new Inverter but if it is tested on this one that the internal fuse blew I would be out of pocket for a new inverter, that the issue it looks like i have was the camper recieved a power surge. I do not know how that would be possible as i use a surge protected plug on the unit. From what I have been reading the only way to blow the internal fuse is if something is hooked up backwards on the inverter. Can you guys offer any advise.



I apologize for being long winded.

[Skip12]

When you tested the voltage at the battery, where did you test it? Did you test it at the inverter or the battery? I recommend testing at the inverter. It sounds to me that the voltage from the batteries isnt making it's way to the inverter. With my issue, one battery was getting charged, the other was not. I think a green light is a sign that it's not a blown fuse but I'm not 100% sure about that. Hope that helps. Good luck. Regardless, let us know how things turn out.

[sleblanc]

I checked it on the battery post. My green light is on on my inverter but no display and nothing happens when i disconnect shore power. I will try to run through the trouble shooting guide tonight. I only have one battery on this unit so no issue with it not getting charged like a two battery setup. I also noticed their is no online fuse from the battery to the inverter wires like the instructions state.

[Skip12]

As F.R.O.G. / Bob / Brian described above, my camper has the square auto reset breaker. It does seem to have a button on it though. Do you have one of those near the battery? If so, check to see if you're getting electricity on the inverter side of the breaker. I highly recommend that you test the voltage at the inverter. What you describe is exactly the same behavior I observed when no voltage was delivered to the inverter.

Anonther thought - Do you have a battery disconnect swtich? Is it switched on?

Good luck.

[sleblanc]

Got 13.06 volts to the back of the inverter still have not found any inline fuses or breakers thanks for the help. I am thinking the auto reset breaker is a square back box behind my batter says waterproof 100amps on it but I have not found a regular inline fuse on the hot side of the battery. Tomorrow I will disconnect the negative and try like stated. I just put the meter on the post on the back of it tonight because I was short on time.

[sleblanc]

well inverter came back on today. i dont know if my wall switch in the camper got stick inbetween off and on but i pressed the switch and went directly to the inverter and turned power on there and it kicked on. turned power back off on the inverter and turned the remote switch back on and everything seems to be working fine. my only question is that the fan seems to run continous should it kick off any on?

[Skip12]

Yes, I'm fairly certain my fan runs comtunuously. Glad it's working now. I sure hope it keeps working.. I dont like when things fix themselves. If it stops working again, check the ground wire. Good luck and thanks for giving us a status update.