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Inverter Problem and Incidental Mystery


Spike

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OK. I will try once more. I just took these two photos. One shows how the cable cannot be easily slid through the compartment to reach the forward battery terminals. The other shows the 8 terminals (though the photo has been turned 90 degrees in this display). I would like for someone, with a high degree of certainty, to tell me which terminal to attach the cable that delivers electricity to the inverter. (As reported before, I have received conflicting advice, and I don't want to risk damaging the system or myself.)

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Thanks, bhncb. I did not see your message before I submitted my last post. As you can see, I have received conflicting advice of where and how to attach the cable. I may indeed wait to see if I can get some professional local assistance before we start our trip. Thanks for your suggestions.

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Referencing your last photo of the eight battery terminals: On the positive post of the inner rear battery, there appears to be another terminal stacked on top of the short jumper lug. This is the connection to the main 60 Amp breaker in the street side bunk access. Look at this cable inside the battery box and see if  there is enough excess to reach the outer rear battery positive post.

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the positive post of the inner rear battery,

 

SUCCESS!

 

I took the chance and leaned the cable lug up against that positive post of the inner rear battery (no explosion or fire!) and then tried turning on the inverter from the remote switch--and VOILA! I sure am glad that the problem was not due to a fried inverter.

 

I will now work to firmly attach that previously mystery cable to the post. The mystery remains, however. How did it come loose? As you pointed out, there are indications it was once attached to something, but as I mentioned, I have had no work done in there, and I certainly did not mess with it. Perhaps it had been attached and detached at the factory for some reason. Perhaps it had been touching the post somehow for two years, allowing the connection to be made, and then flopped off during travel.

 

I can see some silver lining in two days of hassle over this issue:

 

1. I learned more about the functioning of my Ollie, as I have every time I have had to deal with some issue.

 

2. I, once more, gained appreciation of the help Oliver owners are willing to offer their fellow owners.

 

Thanks, bhncb, and everyone else who offered their insights and suggestions!

 

 

Onward through the Fog!


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This is from the 2017 LEII manual and it may help your next step.

 

THANKS!

 

I  just about ready to correct my post of "SUCCESS!" because I could not get the inverter lug on that post with the other two lugs attached. Thanks to you, I will now try putting it on the post indicated by the Oliver diagram. I AM a bit concerned, nonetheless, because a yellow sticker on the battery informs me that the screw posts are NOT to be used except for low-current applications. I supposed that powering an inverter might not be a low-current application, but was then puzzled why the lug was obviously set up to be attached in that manner. I will now suppose that powering the inverter via the screw post is OK. I am going back outside now to attach it to the post indicated by the diagram. Thanks again.

Onward through the Fog!


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Be sure to post a picture when you’re done so we can critique your work.

 

Here you go. I think that I failed to understand that you were talking about the same screw post that mossemi revealed in the diagram he shared. Please critique.

 

Thanks for your help and patience. All seems to be working. So glad I didn't have to deal with a fried inverter. Still puzzled by the loose cable.

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It’s good to see resolution to this issue. I’m sure there are others, like me, who have been following and learning.  Issues like this result in better knowledge and greater confidence. It also helps to have so many smart folks willing to jump in and help. Mike

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I'm a bit confused on a couple of points.

 

1. The lug on the short jumper attached to the outer battery, the one under the inverter cable you attached, used to appear upside down in previous pictures. What did you do that changed it to right-side-up? Ideally it should be the way it was so you'd  have a little more flexibility in aligning the inverter cable on top of it.

 

2. I heard you to say in earlier posts that the inverter cable seemed to be too short to reach the outer battery post. Can the battery tray still be opened all the way?

 

Other than this, good job. Just re-secure the flex sleeving and call it a day.

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Here are the answers to your questions bhncb:

 

1. I flipped that jumper when I was attempting to attach the the inverter cable on the same post with the solar charge cable and 12v main, thinking that it might give me more room. It didn't. I gave up trying to get it on that post, came in the house, and saw the diagram that mossemi had sent. I'm thinking that, now that it works as is, I'll let it be. (Sharp eye for noticing though.)

 

2. Yes, the cable had no problem reaching that middle battery terminal, and the tray slides open all the way. I earlier mentioned that I could not pull it out to reach one of the OUTSIDE battery terminals, which someone earlier seemed to suggest I do.

 

The mystery remains about why that cable was not attached with the inverter working for two years previous to it malfunctioning. It sure was a hassle diagnosing and solving the problem, but I'm glad that the inverter is intact, and I agree with Mike: "Issues like this result in better knowledge and greater confidence. It also helps to have so many smart folks willing to jump in and help." Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Onward through the Fog!


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Spike,

 

Are you sure there is no circuit breaker or main fuse on the + line going to the inverter?  Maybe trace the wires back from the inverter and look for one of these mounted in the compartment.

 

Look for voltage across the inverter + to - connections right on the inverter, with a volt/ohm meter, to be sure you are getting power.

 

If yes, it sounds like the inverter itself is bad or has blown a fuse internally (don't know if there is one, just speculating).

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John


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it sounds like the inverter itself is bad or has blown a fuse internally

 

Raspy, I'm not sure that you got my reply to your other post in which I let you know that the problem with the inverter had been resolved. (See my posts above.) I am happy to report that we are now in Flagstaff, and the inverter has been working. Thanks.

Onward through the Fog!


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