Inverter Kicking Off

[Gabrielle]

@Gabrielle do you still have a problem?
If yes, what is the problem?

Apparently not. It seems that the temperature controller was causing the problem. I'm not able to stress test at the moment but so far so good with new approach.

 

[John Frum]

Apparently not. It seems that the temperature controller was causing the problem. I'm not able to stress test at the moment but so far so good with new approach.

How have you determined the temperature controller is the problem?
And how does the problem manifest?

 

[Gabrielle]

Grounding is complicated and not do be done capriciously.
Please read and understand this whole series of documents before you start poking the beast.

Grounding Made simpler - Part 1: AC/houshold grounding

To get the paper, click on the orange button at the top of the screen. The subject of grounding is a complex, multifaceted subject, that is often treated as an after-thought but needs to be considered from the beginning of the design and build...

diysolarforum.com

My approach is anything but capricious but I was under the impression that grounding in a mobile application was relatively simple and seems that some don't even bother.

Im definitely wanting to properly ground though. So thanks for the document I'll check it out.

 

[Gabrielle]

How have you determined the temperature controller is the problem?
And how does the problem manifest?

The problem was manifesting with the inverter beeping out of control and shutting down anytime I plugged my 'converted' fridge in, which was where this thread began.

I plugged the freezer in without the controller after realizing the appliance can be set to a low 'fridge' setting and now things are running without shutting the inverter down. Therefore, I am hopeful that this was the problem all along.

 

[John Frum]

The problem was manifesting with the inverter beeping out of control and shutting down anytime I plugged my 'converted' fridge in, which was where this thread began.

I plugged the freezer in without the controller after realizing the appliance can be set to a low 'fridge' setting and now things are running without shutting the inverter down. Therefore, I am hopeful that this was the problem all along.

What does the inverter manual say the beeping means?

 

[Gabrielle]

What does the inverter manual say the beeping means?

It does not say anything. Checking that was troubleshooting step one for me, about a week ago- well it does say there's a low voltage alarm and high voltage cutoff if I remember correctly.

 

[John Frum]

It does not say anything. Checking that was troubleshooting step one for me, about a week ago

I think I'm sensing frustration.

 

[wmgeorge]

It does not say anything. Checking that was troubleshooting step one for me, about a week ago- well it does say there's a low voltage alarm and high voltage cutoff if I remember correctly.

The PDF manual I found on Amazon addresses beeping. Its on the link I posted above, scroll down and look for the Owners Manual. Here > https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1Oz36lxOWL.pdf

 

[Gabrielle]

I think I'm sensing frustration.

I mean definitely I've been frustrated as hell. Weeks of frustration with this system, ha! But right now not so much frustrated, just responding to what's being asked

 

[Gabrielle]

The PDF manual I found on Amazon addresses beeping. Its on the link I posted above, scroll down and look for the Owners Manual. Here > https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1Oz36lxOWL.pdf

Okay, great I'll check that. I couldn't find anything in my paper copy

 

[12VoltInstalls]

if the motor does not have to run at its full capacity doesn't it use less watts? and are you saying the kill-a-watt meter is not accurate when it reads 70 watts with compressor on?

A motor at its recommended voltage and same load always runs at its full capacity. It will run with the same watts because the temperature in the fridge doesn’t change the load on the motor. If running as a fridge it will run with less watt-hours because it will work for less time per hour

Regardless sounds like 1000 watt would be appropriate for this fridge

I’m running a 5CF (4.5CF?) fridge on 1000W MPPSolar 1012LV with no probs, and ran all last year on a 1200W Giandel no probs.

Why would you add insulation to the unit? just curious..that's the whole reason I used a freezer

To be even MORE efficient
My 5CF isn’t very thick insulated- it does ok - fine- but annoys my head that it’s less than half as thick as my RV fridge was.

I'll disconnect the going-wack inverter

Personally, I do not know that brand inverter. It looks like some others…
Anyways I don’t know if returning is an option but I’d have lost my attention span on that thing and bought something else. It seems like you’ve done the things that make sense, so other than if that unit has a defrost cycle that hits 18A or something (unlikely?) I’d blame the inverter- right or wrong. I do know Giandel, Reliable, and MPP stuff works, and Victron and the other top-shelf inverters have a good rep.
I know my 1200W Giandel pure sine has been flawless for four years, but if it had issues I would have had something else and quick.

This would mean I need a 6 AWG or even 4 AWG run to the chassis from the inverter case? Seems odd when the grounding post is so small on the inverter. Just run it from there down to the chassis and screw the wire in anywhere on the metal?

Read the grounding info others linked. But in an RV my way of doing that case ground is to ground the battery or busbar to the frame- yes- but run the case ground homerun to the busbar or battery. In an RV that is your earth. Read below.

When parked if I want to earth ground it I would just run a wire from the case to a metal post (like a copper rod) in the earth?

NO. Absolutely do not do that

Or if it's already grounded to the chassis for driving then when parked extend it from chassis to the earth post

The issue is with shorepower the “ground” is completed at the hitching post (the source of power) and adding a ground is actually dangerous. The ground needs to be established at the source of power for 120VAC. While 12VDC may have a ‘ground’ connection as well it doesn’t need dirt to be grounded. The grounding links will show you how on shore power the ground will find ‘dirt’ through the hitching post for shorepower and how to insure safe grounding while on inverter power.

Grounding is complicated and not do be done capriciously.
Please read and understand this whole series of documents before you start poking the beast.

Grounding Made simpler - Part 1: AC/houshold grounding

To get the paper, click on the orange button at the top of the screen. The subject of grounding is a complex, multifaceted subject, that is often treated as an after-thought but needs to be considered from the beginning of the design and build...

diysolarforum.com

 

[John Frum]

Page 20 describes the buzzer states.

 

[Gabrielle]

I mean definitely I've been frustrated as hell. Weeks of frustration with this system, ha! But right now not so much frustrated, just responding to what's being asked

It just shut off again, so NOW frustrated yes, very. Gonna go sleep about it.

 

[John Frum]

Before you head off to bed, which buzzer state maps to your problem?
Continuous or intermittent?

 

[Gabrielle]

Page 20 describes the buzzer stat

A motor at its recommended voltage and same load always runs at its full capacity. It will run with the same watts because the temperature in the fridge doesn’t change the load on the motor. If running as a fridge it will run with less watt-hours because it will work for less time per hour

I’m running a 5CF (4.5CF?) fridge on 1000W MPPSolar 1012LV with no probs, and ran all last year on a 1200W Giandel no probs.

To be even MORE efficient
My 5CF isn’t very thick insulated- it does ok - fine- but annoys my head that it’s less than half as thick as my RV fridge was.

Personally, I do not know that brand inverter. It looks like some others…
Anyways I don’t know if returning is an option but I’d have lost my attention span on that thing and bought something else. It seems like you’ve done the things that make sense, so other than if that unit has a defrost cycle that hits 18A or something (unlikely?) I’d blame the inverter- right or wrong. I do know Giandel, Reliable, and MPP stuff works, and Victron and the other top-shelf inverters have a good rep.
I know my 1200W Giandel pure sine has been flawless for four years, but if it had issues I would have had something else and quick.

Read the grounding info others linked. But in an RV my way of doing that case ground is to ground the battery or busbar to the frame- yes- but run the case ground homerun to the busbar or battery. In an RV that is your earth. Read below.

NO. Absolutely do not do that

The issue is with shorepower the “ground” is completed at the hitching post (the source of power) and adding a ground is actually dangerous. The ground needs to be established at the source of power for 120VAC. While 12VDC may have a ‘ground’ connection as well it doesn’t need dirt to be grounded. The grounding links will show you how on shore power the ground will find ‘dirt’ through the hitching post for shorepower and how to insure safe grounding while on inverter power.

I've been talking to the company this week. Passed my Amazon return by a couple days. Definitely lost my patience with it ages ago and would've bought higher quality to begin with knowing what I know now.

Good info on the grounding. See I get these ideas from other threads like the stick a rod in the ground but I know it's a scramble of ideas and not necessarily relevant to my setup. I guess I was taking grounding as a bit of an afterthought. When learning from Will Prowse vids he just ran a wire from the case to the dc fuse box neg. Looked simple enough.

Gonna read up on those docs and get real studious again before I ground. And done with the troubleshooting.. gonna try a quality inverter.

 

[Gabrielle]

Before you head off to bed, which buzzer state maps to your problem?
Continuous or intermittent?

Continuous I believe. I mean even that's up for interpretation to me! Not continuous as in nonstop but as in beep, beep, beep, about every second.

 

[John Frum]

Continuous I believe. I mean even that's up for interpretation to me! Not continuous as in nonstop but as in beep, beep, beep, about every second.

That sounds like intermittent to me.

 

[wmgeorge]

It just shut off again, so NOW frustrated yes, very. Gonna go sleep about it.

So much information to process and a lot of it going nowhere. If your living in a RV and its connected to a proper electrical service and its got a ground wire thats all you need per the NEC. Getting your inverter connected to that RV ground may or may not help. I am thinking again that your inverter is bad. You can run a temporary ground via a jumper wire to try if you wish.

 

[John Frum]

The inverter manual also talks about status lights.
Usually the sequence and combination of buzzer and lights will give more insight.
But, I understand that you are over the whole troubleshooting thing.

 

[acdoctor]

I would start simple and charge that battery to SOK’s stated fully charged voltage. You know it’s not DC over voltage. So it’s DC under voltage or AC over amperage on startup. The freezer may work as a fridge but the start amps may be higher than if it were working at 0 deg f. You could switch back to freezer mode. The thermostat cycle differential may be smaller on the fridge setting causing a restart before refrigerant is fully equalized. We already know the refrigerant will be at higher pressures than at freezer temperatures. From the picture I don’t think you have adequate ventilation on the sides. The condenser will be hotter as a fridge than freezer.