[TJ Clark]

Hello all you sparkies. 

My Outback FX inverter has been shutting off when I am running the genset. Sometimes predictably, most time not. It comes back on sometimes in mere seconds sometimes a minute will pass.  

When the bedroom AC is running it doesn't shut off, ever. 

When hooked to shore power it never shuts off. 

When no outside power going through the ATS it never shuts off. 


Did I burn something in the ATS? Is the inverter charger about to die? 

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. 

Cheers.

[Jack Houpe]

Its hard to say, if your batteries are fully charged and in good shape then the inverter doesn't really care if it has AC voltage or not. But it is strange it only does it with generator so I would check the automatic transfer switch first, could be some contacts need some sanding or filing which is creating a low voltage which the inverter see's and shuts down.

[bestgenman]

This is just a guess since I’m not very familiar with Outback inverters.  It sounds as if the problem is frequency related, works fine on shore where it sees 60hz.  It also seems to work with an AC unit on with generator running but when the AC is off it shuts down.  When the generator is unloaded the frequency is around 63hz but with an AC unit on the frequency drops to a level acceptable for the inverter.  

Does this sound like what is happening?

[TJ Clark]

This is just a guess since I’m not very familiar with Outback inverters.  It sounds as if the problem is frequency related, works fine on shore where it sees 60hz.  It also seems to work with an AC unit on with generator running but when the AC is off it shuts down.  When the generator is unloaded the frequency is around 63hz but with an AC unit on the frequency drops to a level acceptable for the inverter.  

Does this sound like what is happening?

Yes. The logic is sound. 

Let me add one thing I see now should have been in the original post. 

This started recently. I have been full time in the coach for a year and this started in early June. 

It took awhile for me figure out that it was happening and when. 



If it is the frequency what changed?

---

Its hard to say, if your batteries are fully charged and in good shape then the inverter doesn't really care if it has AC voltage or not. But it is strange it only does it with generator so I would check the automatic transfer switch first, could be some contacts need some sanding or filing which is creating a low voltage which the inverter see's and shuts down.

Is this akin the points in the distributors of my youth? 

Pull the cover off the ATS and it becomes obvious?

[Richard]

Don’t know anything about Outback inverters. Is it showing any fault codes? Is there a way of retrieving fault codes?

[TJ Clark]

Don’t know anything about Outback inverters. Is it showing any fault codes? Is there a way of retrieving fault codes?

I don't know. I didn't think about that. 

Let me get back to you on that.

[TJ Clark]

I see no errors in the log. I have experienced this issue on many occasions and checked the error logs and everything is normal.

[Richard]

Again, I know NOTHING about Outback inverters. But I am always amazed at the ambiguity in the English language so forgive me for asking some detailed questions, because I do not know what you mean by inverter shuts off.

Do you mean while on gen power the pass through portion of the inverter fails, meaning the outlets that are powered by the inverter when on battery power, no longer operate?

Or do you mean, that the inverter is no longer charging the batteries?

Or do you mean all circuits stay powered up, but the Inverter is ON Light goes off?

I think you mean the first one, the inverter based circuits go dead when on gen power. If so, and you state it never happens when on pedestal. It never happens when using battery to provide power through the inverter, then I would suspect some burned points in the ATS switch. If this is the case, then it’s not the inverter at all, but rather the inverter pass through is not getting power on that leg from the ATS.

Are your voltage meters where you can see them when driving? If so, does the voltage drop to zero on that leg when the issue occurs?

If I have guessed right, then you can (after unplugging everything and making sure the gen won’t start)take a flex hone and slip between the points on the contactor in the ATS. If that cures it, go ahead and replace the entire contactor soon. In my experience, cleaning up the burned contact points doesn’t last very long unless you can burnish them.

[TJ Clark]

Again, I know NOTHING about Outback inverters. But I am always amazed at the ambiguity in the English language so forgive me for asking some detailed questions, because I do not know what you mean by inverter shuts off.

Do you mean while on gen power the pass through portion of the inverter fails, meaning the outlets that are powered by the inverter when on battery power, no longer operate? Yes this is correct.

Or do you mean, that the inverter is no longer charging the batteries? This happens as well when on gen power.

Or do you mean all circuits stay powered up, but the Inverter is ON Light goes off? No 

I think you mean the first one, the inverter based circuits go dead when on gen power. If so, and you state it never happens when on pedestal. It never happens when using battery to provide power through the inverter, then I would suspect some burned points in the ATS switch. If this is the case, then it’s not the inverter at all, but rather the inverter pass through is not getting power on that leg from the ATS.

Are your voltage meters where you can see them when driving? If so, does the voltage drop to zero on that leg when the issue occurs? I have not seen a drop in voltage, it is steady. I do see fluctuations in amperage. But nothing unusual IMO.  

If I have guessed right, then you can (after unplugging everything and making sure the gen won’t start)take a flex hone and slip between the points on the contactor in the ATS. If that cures it, go ahead and replace the entire contactor soon. In my experience, cleaning up the burned contact points doesn’t last very long unless you can burnish them.


Thanks Richard. I'll tackle it this week.


Well it started happening plugged in to shore power now. 

The priority has been elevated. 
 

[TJ Clark]

Is there a recommendation for a new automatic transfer switch?