Inverter Transfer Function

[VegasDogMan]

Been doing some reading in my Heart Freedom 25 Inverter manual.

It states that there are two AC inputs. One for the "Charger" and the other for the "Transfer Switch".

My understanding is that when AC is available on the Transfer Input, a relay closes and passes the AC through without using inverter function.

It is also my understanding that on my 97 Liberty when batteries are below 10.5V and "Charger" breakers are OFF I have little or no AC available from Inverters.

Shouldn't the AC be available whenever coach is plugged in?

Or, does Liberty not use the Transfer Switch AC Input on the Heart Inverters?

Anybody know the lowdown on this??

Lee Bornstein
97 Liberty 40

[jello_jeep]

Hi Lee, how ya been?

I am not an expert on Liberty operations or Heart inverters, but if the Leiberty dudes don't pipe right up, I am sure the techs @ Liberty would be happy to give you the lowdown.

If your voltage is in the 10's, your inverters should not be producing AC, (actually before that). But if you are plugged in, as stated the relays should be closed, and passing AC through to the coach, even if you are electing not to charge. I am not clear why you wouldn't want to charge too if you are plugged in?

My inverters allow you to set a "power sharing" value, so it adjusts the amount of AC it will draw for charging, to the amp rating of your service.

In theory, you should always have AC if you are plugged in, barring blown breakers!

How are things over @ ORA Vega$ ? I keep meaning to stop by and check that place out!

[VegasDogMan]

The Heart Inverters have two AC Inputs - One for the Charger and one for the Transfer Switch. The way I under stand it is if NO AC on Transfer Input then AC Output comes from Inverter. If AC IS on Transfer Input then Relay closes and passes AC through without using inverter function.

I'm guessing that Liberty - for some reason - does not use the Transfer Input and always relies on Inverter to produce AC. Only reason I can see for this is it allows you to draw more than 50A periodically. Washer/Dryer, Chargers, Air Cond, Water Heater and cook top are NOT on inverter so these devices could all be on drawing 50A from post and still allow Fridge, TV, Microwave, and outlets to run without overload.

Liberty does this with Water Also. All water I use comes from Tank. Autofill will refill water tank when it gets empty. Coach does no have ability to use city water directly without first going into tank and then being pumped to coach. Just like Batery Charger/Inverter.

I may be wrong but that's my theory on how I think my coach works.

Lee -\
Still on the road somewhere outside of Fargo ND...
Left Vegas to go to Pog III and havent gotten back yet.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Actually, on our Liberty if the water fill switch is off, and the water pump is off, city water pressure from the water supply will supply our coaches with water without depleting the tank.

The reason Liberty prefers to rely on the water pump is to provide the pressure and volume of water to flush the Headhunter toilet and provide water for other devices such as a faucet with no loss of performance.

As to the inverter set up the battery charger portion of the inverter is provided its own separate circuit, and unless that circuit is turned off, the batteries will be charged (as necessary) any time there is shore or generator power. The supply to the inverter is only a pass through as long as there is shore or generator power. When there is no shore or generator power the inverters are the source of power via the batteries. I do not know specifically why it is set up this way. Lee's thinking on this may be correct but I'm not clear on how the switches have to be set for this to happen.

[VegasDogMan]

I guess my main question is ... Why, when plugged into campground, does my AC Power in coach go off when I turn off the Inverter switch on the Heart Control Panel?

According to Documentation ....

"The internal transfer switch will continue to be engaged with the switch off and AC power will be available at the output of the unit. If AC power is removed the unit will not come on as an inverter."

Still puzzled...

Also, with regard to water... when connected to park water and pump is off I get water flow inside but at very low pressure. Not enough for a shower. I will stick with the pump.


Lee

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Lee, sticking with the pump is exactly what Liberty prefers. In the campground water system it has to have both the water flow and the necessary pressure to flush the toilet while running a shower for example.

But, you can use campground supply only, but your pressure accumulator tank needs to be properly pressurized so it will deliver that initial flow otherwise you are solely dependent on the CG system. If your pump is short cycling the accumulator tank needs a shot of air pressure.

As far as the inverters requiring power this is only a guess. If it is an incorrect assumption someone needs to jump in here. If you turn off power to the inverter the relay that closes in the presence of shore or generator power does not close so that power source does not flow to the circuits supplied by the inverter.

I suspect if you turn off the inverters you do power things like the AC units or other circuits not powered by the inverter.

[VegasDogMan]

I've got a call in to Xantrex on the inverters. I'll let you know what they say when I reach them.

Lee

[VegasDogMan]

Spoke to tech at Xantrex today. He said that On/Off switch on Inverter remote turns off Inverter function as well as blocking AC Pass Through so with switch off, no AC on Output.

Tomorrow I'm going to unplug coach, turn off Charger, turn off house battery switch and then plug in coach and see if I get AC passed through inverter.

Lee

[gmcbuffalo]

Lee
I had one Freedom 30 that didn't work as you explain and it was the transfer switch in the inverter. I have three and one wasn't working so I took it apart and found a wire that had come loose. I soldered it back to the post and everything was OK. If you can not isolated the problem to one inverter, assuming you have more than one, you make have a problem with the main transfer switch for CG, generator or inverter power. My coach has a delay while it switching from one source to the other where I have no lights.

Greg

[gmcbuffalo]

On the water pressure problem fromCG source you may have too many pressure reducers inline. In my coach there is a built in reducer just after the water enters the coach and then I have a water filter that also reduces pressure. So if I put one on the hose at the CG spigot I think the flow gets even slower. When you use the Tank and pump you only have the filter in the system.

Just some thoughts

GregM