Inverter Switches Off After a Couple of Minutes

[Ljsydney]

I've just pulled into a site with no shore power and as I was setting up I switched on the inverter (via the remote button in in the galley) and ran the auto program of the TV(s). Midway, the TV's turned off and although the remote button LED remained lit and green, I could hear the inverter was no longer operating. I tested it on a lamp and it did the same then again with nothing drawing on the inverter. Each time it stopped operating after about two minutes. I'd used the inverter about two weeks ago for a week with no issues. Does anyone have any insight as to what the problem may be? Thanks.

[Rich W]

Check all connections, make sure everything is tight, especially the heavy gauge wires from the battery to the inverter. Check the battery connections for the inverters, make sure they are not corroded and are tight. Make sure the inverter air intake isn't blocked and that the inverter cooling fan is running when it's turned on. Make sure nothing else is plugged into the inverter outlets that could be pulling more wattage than the inverter's capacity.

[GeocamperAS]

What Rich said.
Also if the supply voltage to the inverter (the battery) is low, the inverter will shut down.

[dkottum]

First ensure the batteries are not run down.

Some inverters will shut down if they get too hot to protect themselves. Mine is located behind the converter which has a fan to cool itself, but not the compartment that it and the converter are mounted in. If it's pretty warm there today and the sun is shining on that side of the trailer, maybe. It is here in southern AZ today. There may be an access door under a seat cushion to open and cool things.

[Ag&Au]

Do you know for sure that your tow vehicle is keeping the trailer batteries charged sufficiently while you are driving? If not there can be many factors causing that, so the campground is probably not a good place to trouble shoot it. I had a tow vehicle once that had a charging wire to the trailer connector that was not large enough to keep up with the normal trailer battery use while driving.

Ken

[idroba]

I also suspect shutdown due to low battery voltage. Discharged batteries that is.

[Ljsydney]

Thanks all…I tried it about an hour ago and it is mysteriously working now. The batteries were fully charged…I have solar panels and had just been plugged in to shore power and drove 1.5 hours. It could have been the heat issue…the inverter is mounted inside the front storage compartment of my 27FB (I had a battery upgrade and the inverter added and that's where the dealer placed it)…that side was getting the Western sun and it was mid-70's. I'll keep monitoring it and do a test tomorrow in the afternoon to see if at some point it cuts out again.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Ljsydney

Thanks all…I tried it about an hour ago and it is mysteriously working now. The batteries were fully charged…I have solar panels and had just been plugged in to shore power and drove 1.5 hours. It could have been the heat issue…the inverter is mounted inside the front storage compartment of my 27FB (I had a battery upgrade and the inverter added and that's where the dealer placed it)…that side was getting the Western sun and it was mid-70's. I'll keep monitoring it and do a test tomorrow in the afternoon to see if at some point it cuts out again.

Aw, c'mon, you can't spoil all the fun we were having coming up with electronic conspiracy theories. At least you could have lied about it and said you were following all our leads and it still wasn't working.

Anyway, enjoy your camping trip.

Ken

[mefly2]

Let us know what you find out ... if the dealer did the install ... check with them ??? Are you sure of the wiring from the inverter to the receptacle feeding the gear that is shutting down?

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Ljsydney

Thanks all…I tried it about an hour ago and it is mysteriously working now. The batteries were fully charged…I have solar panels and had just been plugged in to shore power and drove 1.5 hours. It could have been the heat issue…the inverter is mounted inside the front storage compartment of my 27FB (I had a battery upgrade and the inverter added and that's where the dealer placed it)…that side was getting the Western sun and it was mid-70's. I'll keep monitoring it and do a test tomorrow in the afternoon to see if at some point it cuts out again.

It sounds to me that you have a loose connection. It's possible that it got overheated and reset itself but you said that after only a few minutes it shut down. That sounds more like a low battery symptom and that can be caused by a loose connection. I think you should check all the connections on the inverter, the in-line fuse and the battery cables.