Call me Inverter Challenged

[Alden Miller]

Ok, while I have had my AS for a while I have never used the inverter. I wasn't even sure if it worked. A couple weeks ago I plugged a light into the outlet on the side of the inverter and lo and behold it worked (when disconnected from shore power). To me this was exciting since I didn't have to fix anything to get it to work.

Now, my question is this. What is the wall switch that is tied to the inverter for? Is that to turn the inverter on and off? If so, mine does not work, the power still stays on no matter what I do with the switch.

The inverter is a Trace model 2012. The wall switch is a round black button with a red light in the middle.

-Alden

[kendrick.l.j]

Great question. Hopefully some of the forum members who have your exact model will post a reply very soon. I don’t have a switch on the wall for mine. But it’s great that your inverter still seems to be working, kinda.

[OTRA15]

Do you have an owner's manual? There might be one available online if not. It should cover the inverter and that switch among other things. There is usually an electric circuit diagram at the back, both for 12-volt DC and 110-volt [then] AC.

Any chance that the inverter was not Airstream OEM, and that a former owner added it? Not sure they were standard in 1993.



Here is the manual for the inverter, not dated anywhere that I see:

http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Dis...9901-02-01.pdf

The typewriter font suggests that the inverter could be OEM for your AS IMO.

More in next post.

[OTRA15]

PS -- This manual may cover your unit:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...0110i.arc_.pdf

The Electrical section starts at p. G-1 [PDF p. 103/222]. The schematic for the 34' is on p. G-14 [PDF p. 116/222], and I don't see the inverter listed as a circuit. Does your 12-volt distribution panel have a circuit breaker for the inverter?

On p. G-28 [PDF p. 130] is the start of the 110-volt pages. No mention of the inverter IMO.

Lastly [within edit time window], the index at the end of the manual does not list the inverter.

Good luck!

Peter

[chugchug]

In my case, I have to press the ON/OFF button a little harder to turn the inverter OFF. Turning ON is easier. I do not know if that is typical or just my unit.

[Alden Miller]

Thanks, I had the manual for it and have read it a few times. From what I can tell this is an on/off switch. Apparently you have to press it twice to turn it on after the batteries are installed. After that press once to turn off, once to turn on again.

It also indicated that there is a small diode that will light up momentarily when the switch is pressed. I think if I set my phone up recording that light and go press the switch a couple times I can tell if that is working.

I am wondering if the outlet on the side of the unit is always on regardless of the switch position.

I was able to determine where the power out connection is so I can trace that to see if I have any 120 outlets connected to it.

-Alden

[Alden Miller]

Update: With my wife helping push buttons I found that the remote switch does not work except for lighting up to show that the inverter is on. This could be just a loose wire, more testing will tell.

I found an on/off switch on the front panel of the inverter that does work though. Next step is to see if the Romex cable coming from the inverter is powered when the inverter is running and trace where it goes to. Current last sighting of that wire is as it runs under the dinette.

-Alden