Inverter noise

[Derek B]

Since purchase in April my inverter has been off. While at a rest stop yesterday tried to use microwave on inverter. Microwave would immediately shut off. Now when the inverter is placed in the off position it gives off a high pitched whine or squeal. The only way I can get the sound to go away is to leave the inverter on. Currently connected to shore power and inverter light when on is green and no error codes. Also reset GFI on inverter. Inverter is the pro watt 2000. Hull 484.

Anyone run in to this issue before? Or thoughts what the issue could be.

[Mike and Carol]

What batteries do you have?  Are they fully charged?

[Derek B]

Four 6 volt wet cell batteries about one year old. They should have had full charge at the time since we had just disconnected from shore power that morning. But can’t say without a doubt.

We are at another campground now on shore power. I may disconnect and see if happens again, or what I can run on inverter since I had never used before. 

[Mike and Carol]

3 hours ago, Derek B said:

I may disconnect and see if happens again, or what I can run on inverter since I had never used before. 

I had a few issues with our first inverter, called Xantrex and they asked about our batteries.  They had me do a reset and it then worked fine for a couple of years.  I eventually replaced it after about 5 years.  The second one has worked fine.  We can run the MW or brew coffee with no issues.  Mike

[Derek B]

Thanks Mike, I can call Xantrex this week. Do you remember what you did for “reset”.

[jd1923]

@Derek B We have our original 2KW Xantrex and it works great, never a sound and as Mike wrote runs the MW, electric tea kettle, a blow-dryer, etc. Sorry, do not remember the reset procedure because I have never needed it, but just search for 'Xantrex' as I remember reading how to in the last 6 months or so.

The great Johnny Carson had a saying, "Use it or lose it!" (Though he was referring to something quite different!) I run ours almost every day I'm in the Oliver, like just to have the TV on while I'm working on something. We only plug in during summer to run AC, and I just ordered a transfer switch so that with other upgrades we can run the AC on inverter too. I often stay at campsites, when it's only a night or two, and do not bother connecting to shore power and water since we have enough of both with us. I suggest when you get yours reset or fixed that you start using it, and be practiced with it, for the time you get stuck w/o shore power.

[Derek B]

Thanks @jd1923 and @Mike and Carol found the older post about hard reset of Xantrex. Looks like procedure is removing both positive and negative cables and let sit couple days before reconnecting. I will give it a try next week when we return home. 

[Mike and Carol]

37 minutes ago, Derek B said:

Thanks @jd1923 and @Mike and Carol found the older post about hard reset of Xantrex. Looks like procedure is removing both positive and negative cables and let sit couple days before reconnecting. I will give it a try next week when we return home. 

Yes, disconnect from power and let it sit for at least a day or so.  We don’t use ours much either, but it is handy when we’re off of shore power and need it!  The Xantrex service guy was very helpful.  I’d do the disconnect and see how it goes.  Mike

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, Derek B said:

Thanks @jd1923 and @Mike and Carol found the older post about hard reset of Xantrex. Looks like procedure is removing both positive and negative cables and let sit couple days before reconnecting. I will give it a try next week when we return home. 

You’re welcome and hope all you need is a reset. Yeah, I remember the 1-2 days off thing. That’s got to be BS. Capacitors lose charge in minutes or an hour at most! When somebody gets on the phone with  Xantrex we need to someday learn a realistic reset procedure. If I was stuck in the AZ backcountry and mine was not working, I’d find a faster reset! Something like disconnect the battery ground, wait 10 min, jump the inverter +/-  DC cables, to drain all capacitance and reconnect. My bet is this works, not waiting a day.

Best wishes. Enjoy your trip!

[Derek B]

Follow up to my inverter issues. Completed the “reset” and reinstalled. All was good until tried to use the microwave again as a test. Inverter immediately failed but this time I was able to catch an error code before it disappeared. Code was E04 (overheat). 

Contact Xantrex tech support and they asked me to check all trailer connections and if no issues inverter likely needed to be replaced. I checked all wiring and found no issues. In order to eliminate the trailer from the equation I removed the inverter and hooked up to a known good automotive battery. I tried to run one of the wife’s hair dryers and inverter immediately shut down again.
 

Replaced inverter today with new Xantrex pro watt 2000 from Hodges Marine. Lowest price I found and arrived 2 days after ordering. New inverter working great and handled everything I tried to run on it.

 

I did look into replacing with the all in one inverter, converter and charger but could not justify the 2 or 3 times cost difference when I still have no solar and wet cell lead acid batteries. Maybe in the future, for now I have a new inverter with 2 year warranty.