WFCO WF-5100HP Inverter Failure

[Freebird2020]

Hello, the WFCO Model WF-5100HP that came with my 2017 Cedar Creek 38EL may have died. It is giving a Fault Code 04. I tried removing the negative battery cable for a reset and same.

This unit has been flaky from day one. Worked on a trip or 2 but had to run generator while on the road more times than not. Anyway I am done with this unit.

I was wondering how many people have had issues with the WFCO inverters?

If you had yours replaced, what did you replace it with? Looking for ideas.

Right now I am just going to replace with a 1000 watt unit to power the fridge as before.

Thanks

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Freebird2020

Hello, the WFCO Model WF-5100HP that came with my 2017 Cedar Creek 38EL may have died. It is giving a Fault Code 04. I tried removing the negative battery cable for a reset and same.

This unit has been flaky from day one. Worked on a trip or 2 but had to run generator while on the road more times than not. Anyway I am done with this unit.

I was wondering how many people have had issues with the WFCO inverters?

If you had yours replaced, what did you replace it with? Looking for ideas.

Right now I am just going to replace with a 1000 watt unit to power the fridge as before.

Thanks

On our way to Florida last December, our inverter gave us the same code on our 2nd day out on our 2018 36CK2. The refrigerator of course warmed up as we traveled, thankfully the refrigerator work fine when on shore power. Tried all the things that you probably have done - turn off, completely disconnect all power, etc. I called WFCO the maker of the WF-5100 inverter and the tech told me I had done everything that he would have recommended. He also said the one I had was out of warranty and recommended the WF-5110RS as the WF-5100 was discontinued. So while spending the month of January in Fort Myers we had a mobile RV repair come by and guess what - it started working when we turned it on after having been idle for a good week or so.

Wanted to get it replaced through my extended warranty as I knew it was toast (even though working at the moment) and get one slightly larger than the 1000 watt that failed as had read it might be too small of a unit to run the refrigerator. Because of the tight space the existing invertor was in, the RV repair company had problems (according to them) in finding something that would fit. I also called the warranty company and found out the RV repair company had told them that the unit was working so the warranty company denied the claim. About a week before we were to leave Fort Myers for St. Augustine, I got a quote from the RV repair company for $2590 but they couldn't guarantee me they would have something in time before we left, so I told them to forget it.

On the way to St. Augustine the invertor worked for the first day but quit working again the 2nd day with the dreaded E04 code. So after we were in St. Augustine I looked on-line and found a WF-5100RS from Boat & RV Accessories that I could have in less than a week. I ordered it and installed it myself that probably took me a good hour overall (now it probably would take about 1/2 that). With shipping and taxes the total price came to $475.77 plus my time. Here is a link to the unit I bought - https://www.boatandrvaccessories.com...f12e9c4a&_ss=r

We had no problems for the rest of our trip. One thing I really like about it is that the fan only runs when more than 2 amps is being used otherwise it stays off, unlike the WF-5100 with the fan running continuously.

When I had it at Orvan's in April, I was explaining to him about the new invertor. We turned the unit on and being the refrig had been off the invertor fan kicked in. Being I had placed the new unit in the exact same place as the old one had been in, I determined that it needed to be moved as there was not enough clearance between the front of the invertor and the door. The exhaust air was really being blown right back into the invertor's exhaust thus creating an overheated situation. Take a look at yours and see if it is right up against the access door.

So this past week I placed another longer board I had laying around under the new invertor (the existing shelf wouldn't handle moving the unit back) and moved it away from the door about 3 inches minimum. I probably wouldn't have had to do that being the fan doesn't run continuously but thought it best to do so. Makes me wonder, if the original unit had sufficient air clearance, would it have failed. I now think that the 1000 watt will probably be sufficient especially with the additional exhaust air clearance - time will tell.

Replacing the unit was extremely easy as all the connections were the same on the new invertor as on the old one.

Good luck and be safe -

[Freebird2020]

Little Bill, it sounds like you had similar problems as I did. Work one day and find out when you are on the road it's not.

I decided to move away from WFCO.

I decided to upsize a little and ordered a Xantrex Freedom XC 2000. I also need new batteries so I will likely replace with Lithium Ion.

I will install it myself.

Thanks for the reply!

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Freebird2020

Little Bill, it sounds like you had similar problems as I did. Work one day and find out when you are on the road it's not.

I decided to move away from WFCO.

I decided to upsize a little and ordered a Xantrex Freedom XC 2000. I also need new batteries so I will likely replace with Lithium Ion.

I will install it myself.

Thanks for the reply!

Kind of wish that I have seen the Xantrex before I bought the WFCO due to the higher watts.

It's not the neatest work but I had this piece of stained plywood lying around and cut it to fit. I think with the new WF-5110RS moved back away from the access door will help it from overheating. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully this inverter lasts longer than the original which I think it will as one thing the fan only runs when there is more than 2 amps being drawn.

Good luck and be safe -