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01-29-2016, 06:44 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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116 VAC on inverter when running on 12V battery
Silverback 29RE with factory inverter. When running off battery the VAC reads 116V, yellow light on. Is that normal?
Battery is fully charged.
Shore power disconnected.
Thanks,
Joe
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01-29-2016, 07:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 259
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Is this hard wired in, if so is the converter still connected? If the inverter is not hard wired into the 120 ac circuits then there is something wrong with the inverter assuming you actually have 12.7 dc volts to the inverter input.
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01-29-2016, 07:40 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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I am not sure which inverter you have or which yellow light you are referring to but 116 or 117 VAC is within the acceptable range. Does the voltage change when you plug in a load?
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2015 335DS
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01-29-2016, 11:09 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BendOrLarry
Is this hard wired in, if so is the converter still connected? If the inverter is not hard wired into the 120 ac circuits then there is something wrong with the inverter assuming you actually have 12.7 dc volts to the inverter input.
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Yes it is hard wired, and the converter is connected.
Not sure how the converter would enter into the equation, if the unit is not connected to shore power. The sole purpose of the inverter is to run the fridge. I would not want low AC voltage damage my fridge. Perhaps something is wrong with my voltmeter, it was reading 13.9 volts on the battery. The battery had just been charged and the voltage may not have had enough time to settled down. Thank you for your response.
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01-29-2016, 11:13 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein
I am not sure which inverter you have or which yellow light you are referring to but 116 or 117 VAC is within the acceptable range. Does the voltage change when you plug in a load?
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Thank you. I think my question is answered that 116 or 117 VAC is within acceptable range.
At the end of the day running the fridge on the road the VAC does drop to 114.
Sound like I should call Forest River technical support to find out if 114VAC is acceptable.
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01-29-2016, 11:46 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Space Coast of Florida
Posts: 4,022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CC75
Silverback 29RE with factory inverter. When running off battery the VAC reads 116V, yellow light on. Is that normal?
Battery is fully charged.
Shore power disconnected.
Thanks,
Joe
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Yes, the range is normal. The "Yellow LED" indicates the inverter is active and running off battery power. When operating from shore power the "Green LED" will be lit and the inverter is in "Standby Mode".
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01-30-2016, 12:42 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Nominal line voltage is 120 +/- 5%. That is 126 to 114. Most appliances will handle a bigger range than that since power fluctuations are often more like -8 or - 10%...especially in RV parks in the summer.
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2015 335DS
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01-30-2016, 02:53 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 211
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Somme square wave inverter will read only 90 volts AC and this is normal and that will not damage the appliances.
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01-30-2016, 03:04 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Excellent point. I never thought about "modified sine wave" inverters and RMS voltages.
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2015 335DS
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01-30-2016, 07:08 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 190
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The WFCO inverter is a Pure Sine Wave Inverter, so modified sine wave inverters have no bearing on the OP's observation.
I think the Silverback has room for 3 or less batteries, the Cedar Creek has room for 4 batteries. It looks like 2 batteries in picture above. 116V is within 120V +/- 10%% and OK.
If you have 2 12V batteries, consider adding a third battery. If you do, try to match the new battery with the existing batteries. Also check the gauge of the battery cables. I would hope for 2 AWG, not 4 AWG or higher (thinner).
The yellow light indicates "battery back up status". That is normal when not plugged into 120VAC.
http://wfcoelectronics.com/wp-conten...00-Manual1.pdf
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01-30-2016, 07:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 211
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Thank you for the manual.
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01-30-2016, 11:07 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonol
Somme square wave inverter will read only 90 volts AC and this is normal and that will not damage the appliances.
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X2
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01-31-2016, 01:25 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racer4
The WFCO inverter is a Pure Sine Wave Inverter, so modified sine wave inverters have no bearing on the OP's observation.
I think the Silverback has room for 3 or less batteries, the Cedar Creek has room for 4 batteries. It looks like 2 batteries in picture above. 116V is within 120V +/- 10%% and OK.
If you have 2 12V batteries, consider adding a third battery. If you do, try to match the new battery with the existing batteries. Also check the gauge of the battery cables. I would hope for 2 AWG, not 4 AWG or higher (thinner).
The yellow light indicates "battery back up status". That is normal when not plugged into 120VAC.
http://wfcoelectronics.com/wp-conten...00-Manual1.pdf
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Thanks for the manual.
The pic is old. I have since added a third identical battery. The new battery was only a few weeks older than the ones the dealer supplied. I did use 2 AWG cables to connect the batteries in parallel, with the positive and negative terminals going to the rig from most farthest apart batteries. (i.e. positive from battery 1 and negative from battery 3 to the rig)
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01-31-2016, 04:51 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southeast VA
Posts: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CC75
Thanks for the manual.
The pic is old. I have since added a third identical battery. The new battery was only a few weeks older than the ones the dealer supplied. I did use 2 AWG cables to connect the batteries in parallel, with the positive and negative terminals going to the rig from most farthest apart batteries. (i.e. positive from battery 1 and negative from battery 3 to the rig)
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So with these upgrades to the 3rd battery and the cables, is your output voltage still at 116 Volts? Just wondering because I have a 16 RE and only 2 batteries and mine reads 116v.
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Busybeavers
2016 CC Silverback 29RE
2012 GMC 2500HD 4x4
Crew/6.5 Bed
Pullrite Superglide
Duramax/Allison
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02-01-2016, 09:32 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Busybeavers
So with these upgrades to the 3rd battery and the cables, is your output voltage still at 116 Volts? Just wondering because I have a 16 RE and only 2 batteries and mine reads 116v.
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Yes. The AC voltage did not change when I added the third battery. I have more reserve power. On long trips of 6 to 8 hours, with the fridge on, the voltage stays at 116V. I check it at every stop (which is every 2 to 3 hours), and when I get to my final destination, just before I setup. Since this is new to me, I do not want to miss a low voltage, and ruin the fridge.
I have seen it drop down to 114V once, when the fridge was running off the inverter all night, rig not connected to the truck nor shore power, about 8 hours. The batteries were about 70% discharged (i think it was bout that, did not write it down, but do not remember being alarmed by it, 50% discharged would have alarmed me, well I do not think I would have had a panic attack, but concerned )
Once I get the hang of this, I am thinking of installing a Trimetric Battery monitor along with 6V golf cart batteries to replace the cheap Sears DieHards. The idiot lights that FR has provided in the rig, just does not do it for me.
Eventually I plan on boondocking, and have a ways to go learning all this. This is my first real rig; had a Colman tent trailer before; this not the same.
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02-05-2016, 04:21 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southeast VA
Posts: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CC75
Yes. The AC voltage did not change when I added the third battery. I have more reserve power. On long trips of 6 to 8 hours, with the fridge on, the voltage stays at 116V. I check it at every stop (which is every 2 to 3 hours), and when I get to my final destination, just before I setup. Since this is new to me, I do not want to miss a low voltage, and ruin the fridge.
I have seen it drop down to 114V once, when the fridge was running off the inverter all night, rig not connected to the truck nor shore power, about 8 hours. The batteries were about 70% discharged (i think it was bout that, did not write it down, but do not remember being alarmed by it, 50% discharged would have alarmed me, well I do not think I would have had a panic attack, but concerned )
Once I get the hang of this, I am thinking of installing a Trimetric Battery monitor along with 6V golf cart batteries to replace the cheap Sears DieHards. The idiot lights that FR has provided in the rig, just does not do it for me.
Eventually I plan on boondocking, and have a ways to go learning all this. This is my first real rig; had a Colman tent trailer before; this not the same.
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Seems that we are typically in the same learning boat as many others. Had a TT but gas refrig, really like the residential but creates problems like boondocking. I have a lot to learn, understand and hopefully not duplicate the mistakes others have made ahead of us. Thank you for your updated information. I hate to get rid of brand new 12 volt batteries, but I really like the idea of 2 6v golf carts batteries (Trojan if hope) and eventually move up to 4 -6v batteries, then investigate the gen vs solar deli ma. Good luck!
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Busybeavers
2016 CC Silverback 29RE
2012 GMC 2500HD 4x4
Crew/6.5 Bed
Pullrite Superglide
Duramax/Allison
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02-05-2016, 05:37 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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With residential fridge you absolutely need a Trimetric. If you would have been alarmed at 50% discharged I would be beyond that at 70% discharged!!!! Bottom line is that you can't use the panel LEDs with a system like this. The Trimetric will be really good for your blood pressure! Then you can have 85%, 80% and all the rest.
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2015 335DS
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02-07-2016, 11:25 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Near Dallas
Posts: 293
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Correction: oops. I reported 70% discharged, I meant 70% charge still on the batteries based on the volts I read off the batteries. 30% discharged is what I should have reported. As ScottBrownstein implied, 70% discharged would have been very bad.
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02-07-2016, 09:43 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Kirtland, OH
Posts: 328
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Don't try to over-engineer this. Several years into life on the road with a residential fridge, the worst problem is keeping the darn doors shut and the food inside. You should get days on battery. If the inverter hasn't shut down your fridge is getting the juice it needs. It can also keep food cold for another 1/2 day with out any power. Batteries last longer, up to 10 years, if not discharged below 50% regularly.
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