Thanks again to all. Had to take some time away from my electrical mess.
Yes, the 2 gauge wire is directly from the genset to the batteries. I never thought about it much (because it was the least of my worries), but, yes, the only purpose of that wire should be to start the generator. The other cable that I cannot see in the flooring seems smaller than the 2 AWG. It is, I have assumed the (1) connection to the power panel for the 12-volt system, and (2) the converter connection for charging the batteries when either connected to shore power or running the generator through the transfer switch. That converter charging of the batteries also has worked quite well in the past. I have not tried it with the new battery.
I've decided this. Tomorrow morning after the batteries are fully PV charged -- and my solar charging also is working quite well -- I am going to start the "process of elimination" by disconnecting everything and reconnecting ONLY the inverter to the battery. No SCC, No power panel connection, no genset connection, nothing else.
Either the inverter will run my coffee pot and microwave without problems, OR the problem is the inverter!!! I am taking that approach because I tried the microwave again this afternoon after checking EVERY wire in the system, and it crashed the system and blew another 175 amp AMG fuse. If it does that when the only thing connected to the battery is the inverter, bingo (I think), it must be a problem with the inverter?
The reason this test will work, I think, is because the entire system/the inverter is not wired directly into the power panel . . . yet. As I was building the system, I took an easy-way-out suggestion and bought two 10/3 gauge extra heavy-duty industrial extension cords and ran those from the 120V AC outlets in the back of the inverter to the RV. The microwave runs off one of those cords, so it is not running through the entire wiring system, at all. It is directly connected to the back of the inverter via an AC outlet there.
If the inverter works perfectly isolated and connected only to the battery, then I have eliminated the inverter and the (very short) 4/0 gauge wiring as the problem. After that I can rewire one element at a time (i.e., solar charge controller with the PV panels) and test each "segment" of the system that way.
The more I've thought about it as I double- and triple-checked all of the wiring and found absolutely nothing wrong. There simply is no wear/tear, loose connections, or discolored (overheated) wiring! Except for the long-installed wiring in the floor from batteries to the power panel, it is all new wiring (6 months or less).
Unless I am all wet with this approach and someone thinks it is futile or otherwise cannot work, there's no need to respond. I'll send the results tomorrow. It's a new starting point, I hope.
Thanks for all the support.
Jim
jesfl
Yes, the 2 gauge wire is directly from the genset to the batteries. I never thought about it much (because it was the least of my worries), but, yes, the only purpose of that wire should be to start the generator. The other cable that I cannot see in the flooring seems smaller than the 2 AWG. It is, I have assumed the (1) connection to the power panel for the 12-volt system, and (2) the converter connection for charging the batteries when either connected to shore power or running the generator through the transfer switch. That converter charging of the batteries also has worked quite well in the past. I have not tried it with the new battery.
I've decided this. Tomorrow morning after the batteries are fully PV charged -- and my solar charging also is working quite well -- I am going to start the "process of elimination" by disconnecting everything and reconnecting ONLY the inverter to the battery. No SCC, No power panel connection, no genset connection, nothing else.
Either the inverter will run my coffee pot and microwave without problems, OR the problem is the inverter!!! I am taking that approach because I tried the microwave again this afternoon after checking EVERY wire in the system, and it crashed the system and blew another 175 amp AMG fuse. If it does that when the only thing connected to the battery is the inverter, bingo (I think), it must be a problem with the inverter?
The reason this test will work, I think, is because the entire system/the inverter is not wired directly into the power panel . . . yet. As I was building the system, I took an easy-way-out suggestion and bought two 10/3 gauge extra heavy-duty industrial extension cords and ran those from the 120V AC outlets in the back of the inverter to the RV. The microwave runs off one of those cords, so it is not running through the entire wiring system, at all. It is directly connected to the back of the inverter via an AC outlet there.
If the inverter works perfectly isolated and connected only to the battery, then I have eliminated the inverter and the (very short) 4/0 gauge wiring as the problem. After that I can rewire one element at a time (i.e., solar charge controller with the PV panels) and test each "segment" of the system that way.
The more I've thought about it as I double- and triple-checked all of the wiring and found absolutely nothing wrong. There simply is no wear/tear, loose connections, or discolored (overheated) wiring! Except for the long-installed wiring in the floor from batteries to the power panel, it is all new wiring (6 months or less).
Unless I am all wet with this approach and someone thinks it is futile or otherwise cannot work, there's no need to respond. I'll send the results tomorrow. It's a new starting point, I hope.
Thanks for all the support.
Jim
jesfl