Refrigerator+Inverter

[xzacx97]

Hi all, my 2018 37mre has a weird problem. When unplugged from shore power the fridge does not run on the inverter as it should. The inverter is confirmed to be on. I have a WFCO WF-5100 1000watt inverter without the GFI breaker on the back. That being said the refrigerator works on shore power so the outlet must be good right? Another weird thing, I got in touch with support to ask about the question and they said the only thing running on the inverter should be the refrigerator. However, when I was checking the system I had my desktop computer plugged in to an outlet in the living room near one of the slides and when unplugged from shore power my desktop stayed on. I bought the camper used but I don't believe anyone would have messed with the wiring? Any thoughts would be nice.

[5picker]

Sounds like the circuits wired into the inverter are wrong or have been changed.

15 minutes with a multimeter will give you a confirmation of what is what.

[xzacx97]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Sounds like the circuits wired into the inverter are wrong or have been changed.

15 minutes with a multimeter will give you a confirmation of what is what.

So Im looking through my breakers and I have two breakers, one labeled "general" and one labeled "GFI Inverter" when I flip the "general" breaker my refrigerator dies. So this may be the culprit. I believe the refrigerator should be on the "GFI Inverter" breaker.

[dalford]

Originally Posted by xzacx97

So Im looking through my breakers and I have two breakers, one labeled "general" and one labeled "GFI Inverter" when I flip the "general" breaker my refrigerator dies. So this may be the culprit. I believe the refrigerator should be on the "GFI Inverter" breaker.

Actually it is more than that… you need to trace the output wire from you inverter that looks to me to be misfired to your laptop receptacle. The general breaker probably should go,there and the inverter output should go to your fridge.

I have the same inverter and I did a short video of how it should be wired and operate..

https://youtu.be/pf7NhvBu3U0

[CHICKDOE]

you never stated it. is it a 120 volt ac residential refrigerator? a 1000 watt inverter probably only has enough output power to run the refrigerator and nothing else.

you said a desktop computer. this would not have a battery in it. if it was a laptop pc it would have a battery and the battery would be powering it when you shut down shore power.

did you read the indicators on the front panel of the inverter? what do they say? is the inverter on? if it is off it may still pass ac power through it to the output side. it probably will not inverter 12 volt dc power to 120 volt ac power and pass it to the output if the power button is off.

one other possibility is that the batteries are too low to allow the inverter to run.

as mentioned a multimeter or even a cheaper 120 volt circuit tester would help immensely. use them, don't guess! i suspect this is resolvable.

[xzacx97]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

you never stated it. is it a 120 volt ac residential refrigerator? a 1000 watt inverter probably only has enough output power to run the refrigerator and nothing else.

you said a desktop computer. this would not have a battery in it. if it was a laptop pc it would have a battery and the battery would be powering it when you shut down shore power.

did you read the indicators on the front panel of the inverter? what do they say? is the inverter on? if it is off it may still pass ac power through it to the output side. it probably will not inverter 12 volt dc power to 120 volt ac power and pass it to the output if the power button is off.

one other possibility is that the batteries are too low to allow the inverter to run.

as mentioned a multimeter or even a cheaper 120 volt circuit tester would help immensely. use them, don't guess! i suspect this is resolvable.

Yes it is a residential refrig. Yes the inverter was on with normal indication on the panel. It was not a laptop but an actual desktop computer. The inverter must be running for the computer to operate so the batteries are probably good.

[xzacx97]

Originally Posted by dalford

Actually it is more than that… you need to trace the output wire from you inverter that looks to me to be misfired to your laptop receptacle. The general breaker probably should go,there and the inverter output should go to your fridge.

I have the same inverter and I did a short video of how it should be wired and operate..

https://youtu.be/pf7NhvBu3U0

Thanks for the video! Im going to chase the output wire here in a bit.

[filthy-Beast]

I have a 2020 and my inverter powers the fridge, outlet by the TV and outlet the theater seats were plugged into.

[xzacx97]

Originally Posted by filthy-Beast

I have a 2020 and my inverter powers the fridge, outlet by the TV and outlet the theater seats were plugged into.

Yea that's what I thought it would be but after a call with the Riverstone rep he assured me that my model year only powered the fridge.