When I first purchased my 5th wheel I was told to turn in my inverter to run my refrigerator while towing. Once I hooked up to shore I should turn off the inverter and it will run the fridge from the shore line and it has done just that for two years. Recently the fridge stopped working when the inverter is turned off. I have found the reset button and pressed it but no results. Is it necessary for the inverter to be turned on for the fridge to run? Any ideas?
Inverter question
- Thread starter Mygodrulz
- Start date
Capacitor
Senior Member
I assume you have a 120 vac residential refer. To run it needs shore power or when not available the inverter will produce the 120 vac from your battery bank.
In the breaker panel located inside your RV find the breaker that is labeled either fridge or inverter or maybe both. Turn the breaker all the way off and then turn it back on.
It sounds like the breaker has maybe tripped and not allowing shore power to get to your inverter and pass-thru to your fridge.
Also, if that does not work go into the basement to,the backside of the inverter and make sure the inverter is plugged into a receptacle. Most inverters receive the shore power via a receptacle that is supplied from the breaker. Make sure that cord has not become unplugged.
It sounds like the breaker has maybe tripped and not allowing shore power to get to your inverter and pass-thru to your fridge.
Also, if that does not work go into the basement to,the backside of the inverter and make sure the inverter is plugged into a receptacle. Most inverters receive the shore power via a receptacle that is supplied from the breaker. Make sure that cord has not become unplugged.
Last edited:
Moved thread from the General Tech and Repair section to the Appliances and Electronics sub-forum since the OP's questions are specific to that sub-forum and not general questions.
Well, yea. That is not my question. Does the in enter need to be on at all times to run shore power?
Aussieguy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2022
- Posts
- 6,433
Leaving it on/off depends on how the fridge is wired after the inverter
Plug in shorepower turn off inverter
Does it run?
If no …….. would indicate your fridge is only getting power from inverter/battery
The converter on shore power will supply the power and not stress the battery bank
Plug in shorepower turn off inverter
Does it run?
If no …….. would indicate your fridge is only getting power from inverter/battery
The converter on shore power will supply the power and not stress the battery bank
CHICKDOE
Senior Member
short answer no!
if shore power is present that should power the refrigerator and the inverter can be off.
however, the devil is in the details. when you are plugged into shore power it should flow all the way to the refrigerator and run the refrigerator. but i can think of several reasons why that may not be happening. there could be several places in that power path where shore power get blocked so that it does not flow to the refrigerator. i do not know which if these potential 'blocks' you may have.
if you have a built in generator there will probably be a transfer switch that is failing to let shore power pass through.
the refrigerator branch circuit breaker may have tripped and needs to be reset.
the inverter may have a pass thru relay that has failed and in not letting shore power pass through it. if the inverter does not have a built in pass thru relay there will be a small external transfer switch that is not letting shore power pass through to the refrigerator.
a wire connection could have come lose in the shore power path to the refrigerator.
one thing you did not mention is whether you have shore power to all the other 120 volt devices when you are plugged in. know this would help determine where the shore power blockage is. also knowing the make and model of the inverter would help as they almost always have indicator lights / status panels that indicated the status of inverted and shore power. not all do but many do.
if shore power is present that should power the refrigerator and the inverter can be off.
however, the devil is in the details. when you are plugged into shore power it should flow all the way to the refrigerator and run the refrigerator. but i can think of several reasons why that may not be happening. there could be several places in that power path where shore power get blocked so that it does not flow to the refrigerator. i do not know which if these potential 'blocks' you may have.
if you have a built in generator there will probably be a transfer switch that is failing to let shore power pass through.
the refrigerator branch circuit breaker may have tripped and needs to be reset.
the inverter may have a pass thru relay that has failed and in not letting shore power pass through it. if the inverter does not have a built in pass thru relay there will be a small external transfer switch that is not letting shore power pass through to the refrigerator.
a wire connection could have come lose in the shore power path to the refrigerator.
one thing you did not mention is whether you have shore power to all the other 120 volt devices when you are plugged in. know this would help determine where the shore power blockage is. also knowing the make and model of the inverter would help as they almost always have indicator lights / status panels that indicated the status of inverted and shore power. not all do but many do.
Tks Chickdoe
What you are describing is what it used to do. I used to be able to plug into shore and the fridge would function when the inverter is off. I don't have an on board generator. But, something has changed. There is a small black button on the backside of my WF5110HP unit that doesn't seem to change anything when pressed but the fridge, now, only runs when the inverter is turned on. I do have a red light on the front. Is this system fused somewhere that I am not seeing? I have also been told that there is two GFCI on this 5th wheel but can only find one. None in the basement, kitchen or anywhere that I can find. IDK if this is tied into why the fridge only runs on the inverter or not.
What you are describing is what it used to do. I used to be able to plug into shore and the fridge would function when the inverter is off. I don't have an on board generator. But, something has changed. There is a small black button on the backside of my WF5110HP unit that doesn't seem to change anything when pressed but the fridge, now, only runs when the inverter is turned on. I do have a red light on the front. Is this system fused somewhere that I am not seeing? I have also been told that there is two GFCI on this 5th wheel but can only find one. None in the basement, kitchen or anywhere that I can find. IDK if this is tied into why the fridge only runs on the inverter or not.
No, it is not fused for AC side. It is on a breaker. The AC comes from the pedestal to your breaker panel inside your rv. Mine is by the stairs up to the bedroom. Open the panel and look for a 20 or 30 amp breaker labeled inverter of fridge or both. The power from shore goes thru this breaker usually to a receptacle located behind your inverter. Throw that breaker all the way off and then all the way back on.
If that doesn’t work then go into your basement and find the receptacle that the inverter is plugged in to. Plug a lamp or something that requires 120 vac and see of it lights. If it does then it seems you may have an inverter issue.
Here is a link to the inverter manual…. https://forestriverinc.com/files/Co...verter Model WF-5100 Series User's Manual.pdf
By the way those WFCO inverters are of poor quality. I went thru 2 of them and even had one fail out of the box.
I replaced it with this Progressive Dynamics inverter and am very happy with it.. https://www.etrailer.com/RV_Inverters/Progressive_Dynamics/PD34FR.html
I replaced it with this Progressive Dynamics inverter and am very happy with it.. https://www.etrailer.com/RV_Inverters/Progressive_Dynamics/PD34FR.html
Black wire? You mean power cord?
Red LED means inverter fault.. may be time for a new unit.. would not go with WFCO..
Just fyi ..operation of my inverter.. https://youtu.be/pf7NhvBu3U0?si=FsTYM17wniu2_mTM
CHICKDOE
Senior Member
it appears that that model inverter has an internal bypass relay. that means that the incoming ac is wired into the inverter. there is a light on the inverter status panel that glows green when it senses incoming ac power.
what is the status of the incoming ac power at the inverter?
what is the status of the incoming ac power at the inverter?
I have the newer version of the OP's inverter but of the older ones I've seen, (and mine) the 120v power should pass through whether the inverter is on or off. Sounds like the pass through function has quit working.
Update
When I first started to diagnose my problems I pulled the shoreline and checked for proper voltage. When I checked it with the DVOM I had proper voltage but this was not under load. Under a load, the voltage dropped significantly on one leg. Turns out I had a faulty breaker on the supply line and the line was corroded and the breaker was melted. This took put my GFCI plug, my electric fireplace, my converter, and the pass through on my inverter. The parts alone got to be pretty costly but I'm on my way to go camping. Thanks guys
When I first started to diagnose my problems I pulled the shoreline and checked for proper voltage. When I checked it with the DVOM I had proper voltage but this was not under load. Under a load, the voltage dropped significantly on one leg. Turns out I had a faulty breaker on the supply line and the line was corroded and the breaker was melted. This took put my GFCI plug, my electric fireplace, my converter, and the pass through on my inverter. The parts alone got to be pretty costly but I'm on my way to go camping. Thanks guys
jlankford
Senior Member
Thank you for returning here to post the resolution. Are you saying that the faulty breaker damaged the GFCI, fireplace, converter, and inverter, and all of those had to be replaced??
Yes. I finally got all of the damaged parts replaced. The inverter still worked but it was the pass through circuit that had failed. I really over thought this problem bc of not knowing how things worked for sure and the expert at the local RV store giving me misleading information. This unit actually only has one GFCI plug.
Similar threads
Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days
- Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
- Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
- Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
- and much more...
