Odd reading on my shoreline fault indicator

[Arberg0]

From: FHP_AB1 (Original Message) Sent: 1/19/2004 12:33 PM

Finished putting an invertor in over the weekend and it all works well but got an odd reading on my little fault indicator.

First of all, when I'm plugged into shore power, all look well and the indicator reads as it should. However, when I plug the invertor into the shore line, the two yellow lights come on to show it's fine, but the red light comes on as well.

There is nothing on the guide to indicate what it means when all three lights are on. The invertor shows no fault. I'm thinking that because a MH is not wired as a house...ground tied to netural at the panel, where a MH is not, this may be why the strange light combination.

If it helps, here is the light combinations and what I get.
There is a RED - YELLOW - YELLOW on the tester
Guide shows these possbilities:
OFF -YELLOW - OFF = Open Ground
OFF -OFF - YELLOW = Open Neutral
OFF -OFF - OFF = Open Hot
RED - OFF - YELLOW = Hot Ground/Reverse
RED - YELLOW - OFF = Hot/Neutral Reverse
OFF - YELLOW - YELLOW = Correct

So you see, my combination of RED - YELLOW - YELLOW doesn't exisit.

If anyone has run across this or can offer any advise, it would be appreciated.
Thanks
 



From: mightybooboo Sent: 1/19/2004 2:34 PM
What brand inverter?The best advice i got was dont hook up the whole motorhome,just plug in the actual device you want to use inside the MH.I added a power strip and was surprised it really wasnt a problem.IF you know your inverter is motorhome compliant it should be OK.IF hooked up EXACTLY as the manual shows.Using my xantrex 1200 watter from Costco,I just couldnt see risking power going  to frame and frying someone in the rain.Though they imply that shouldnt happen if the unit is properly grounded,but the pros say it doesnt  guarantee it is ALWAYS safe.Now my heart Freedom 458,  2000 watter was made for MH,so  if I used it I would feel better about it powering the whole MH.Im just a novice so take this FWIW,IMHO. A question,does your GFI circuit function correctly?Just curious.
BooBoo




From: FHP_AB1 Sent: 1/19/2004 7:34 PM
Mine is a 1700 from CTC under their brand but I was told it was a Xantrex. I followed the installation instruction for a MH intstall and getting no fault on the invertor. Don't have any GFI's installed but I suppose I could try one and see what that does.

For us, the whole purpose for it was to be able to use any outlets in the MH. We don't have any big power devices. A couple of laptops and maybe a small TV later.

Thanks




From: mightybooboo Sent: 1/19/2004 8:03 PM
I was in the exact same boat.The expert told me something can go wrong inside the inverter and change the ground to hot,so he wouldnt hook up the whole unit unless done by a qualified electrician.Actually,just plugging in the appliance directly to the unit or a plug strip isnt bad,i thought I would hate it but i dont,surprisingly.I think its knowing for sure its safe that makes the not ideal hookup so much better.We had a member here who was on shore power,lost his ground,and his child was almost electrocuted when he tried to open door in the rain.That was enough for me.Let us know if someone somewhere answers your question,my mh isnt here so I cant go outside and plug in a tester,dang it.
BooBoo

 

From: mightybooboo Sent: 1/20/2004 11:50 AM
"If anyone has run across this or can offer any advise, it would be appreciated.
Thanks"

You could try RV.NET  then post it on their tech forum,they have some electricians there.
BooBoo
 

 

From: denison Sent: 1/21/2004 7:00 AM
Im stumped. I would try using your fault indicator to measure the 'loaded output' of the inverter. That is: plug a 3 way expander or a computer power/surge strip into the inverter output, plug the fault indicator into that, and also plug in some load - start with a simple resistive load like a 100 watt lamp or two - and see if the lights come on properly and what the fault indicator shows. Its hard to hurt a 100 watt bulb. Then you could try an inductive load, like a 120 volt florescent light.
I think my fault indicator has the same fault-vs-light list as yours. I will try it with my little 300 watt inverter after work today. My inverter works fine to power my laptop, but I havent looked at its output with an oscilloscope yet. I will try that too, if the scope works. My oscilloscope is older than my winnebago. denison 




From: FHP_AB1 Sent: 1/21/2004 11:30 AM
Good thought. I'll plug in a load and see what happens. I did post to the RV.NET group as well and if I find anything out I'll post here as well. I did notice the red light was a little dimmer than the rest so perhaps trying different loads will change the result.

Thanks


 

From: denison Sent: 1/21/2004 9:30 PM
I plugged my inverter into a battery, plugged a 6 way power strip into that, and put my little fault tester into the power strip. It lit up like yours did, except my colors are: red-green-green. I loaded it with a light bulb -- no difference. I loaded it with an inductive load, my soldering gun -- no difference. Still the 3 lights on, red-green-green, which is Not one of the possibilities listed! I looked at the inverter output with the scope, and it was a stepped square wave, whether loaded or not. Tomorrow I might get time to post the picture. The fault indicator still had all 3 lights lit. A mystery! This inverter is one I just plug into a cigarette lighter socket. It works fine for the small loads I use it for a laptop and a shaver. denison



From: captainpine Sent: 1/22/2004 1:16 AM

I suspect that you do not have a problem. If the hot, thats the smaller of the two vertical slots on the face of the plug is connected corrctly, and the longer of the two vertical slots is the neutral, current carrying, but at grount voltage, and the ground, the round hole beneath the two slots is not carrying any current, but providing a safety path to ground, then the wiring is correct. The way to check is to take a voltmeter and measure frome the neutral to ground, 1-3 volts is ok. Measure from the hot to ground, you should have full voltage. Measure from the ground to ground, you should have no voltage. The problem may be is that you are comparing apples to oranges. the tester is being used to check current produced by an inverter which chops up battery voltage at 60 cycles then runs it through a transformer to raise it from 12 to 120 volts/ verses a generator which is producng genuine alternative current and reduced from higher to 120 volts. Two different  things.I don.t know how the tester is wired, but I installed an ineverter in my 72 brave and tied it into where the generator was, checked it out with my voltmeter as above. It passed and I have no problems. Hope this helps, a $10 voltmeter from sears or radio shack which measures ac (household appliances and lamps) and DC (battery powered stuff) is a good investment and easy to learn how to use. I'll keep an eye on this message board if you have any further questions, or email me at captain(omit)pine@hotmail.com.