Inverter Doesn’t Work [RESOLVED]

rrcbov

I picked up my new Tab 400 BD a week ago Tuesday and found on my extended trip home that the inverter wouldn’t switch on.  With shore power off the yellow LED light was on like when connected to shore power.   You are supposed to be able to push the button on the remote inverter switch by the bed when not connected to shore power and see a green rather than yellow light - and get power to the outlet below the switch.

The techs at NuCamp weren’t able to help.   Any ideas on how I might fix this myself?   It’s 600 miles back to the dealer - I think I could replace the inverter and switch for less than the cost of that trip.

Another clue - the LED light was green one evening while I was on shore power.

I sent a note to AIMS power to see if they might be able to suggest a way to fix it myself.  I’ll probably have to open up the bed (I’m guessing that’s where the inverter is) to check the wiring - also pull the switch and take a look.

Denny16

AMIS will probably send you another inverter, there was another post here about a similar issue, turned out a fuse or wire to the fuse between the inverter and battery had come loose.  I had a bad crimp on the inverter to fuse cable on my inverter, causing intermittent operation.  

The inverter is located under the bunk, behind the center storage compartment where the battery is.  You need to unscrew the rear part of the cover the storage area lid is hinged to, and lift the entire middle bunk part off.  See photo below:

The blue box in the red circle is the inverter behind the battery compartment.
cheers

Kamate

We had the same issue when I blew the AIMS fuse (may be your fuse was bad at pick up).  

Please know that I'm not in anyway an electrical guru but this is what fixed the issue for us.

AIMS has its own big fuse.  It's located between the storage space on the right side of your T@b and the inverter shown in the pic above.  Looking at the picture and the red circle, see that black wire on the left, if you follow that to the adjacent compartment, that's where the tech told me the fuse was at (he had just screwed everything back shut so I didn't actually "lay eyes" on the fuse).  But he did fix the issue.

I believe this ling below will work based on "Fuse Tab List" (search on forum for file) page 105 under AIMS Inverter entry.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQEYQ0/?coliid=I1D1398K6PJF0E&colid=11PBHGSNZMRI0&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it 

Denny16

The battery distribution connector block is in the same space between the battery compartment and the cargo area, it is a false wall.  Remove the driver’s side bed support plywood and you will find the fuse and battery connection block (square black box with wires connected to it).  Check the fuse, check for lose confection or poor cable swag fitting (copper ring attached to the wire).
cheers

rrcbov

After I returned to my rv after putting it in storage I found that the inverter now works.   I’m wondering if there is some sort of fault/reset function that kicked in and if so, how I could intentionally activate it?

My initial troubleshooting before my initial post included disconnecting and reconnecting shore power.   The difference in the storage scenario was I disconnected the battery.  Perhaps this is the solution if it happens again?

I sent a question to AIMS on this but didn’t get a response.

rhyno

The way most Tabs are wired, the inverter should work whether you're on shore power or not, EVEN if the battery disconnect switch has been thrown. There are posts on here of folks accidentally leaving the inverter on and draining their battery even when they have the battery disconnected at the switch.

If your inverter does not work when the battery disconnect switch is engaged, then yours may have been wired differently. If the inverter is truly disconnected from the battery it will drain it's capacitors in about a day. This capacitor drain is the AIMS way of doing a "reset" on the inverter.

Dutch061

rhyno said:

The way most Tabs are wired, the inverter should work whether you're on shore power or not, EVEN if the battery disconnect switch has been thrown. There are posts on here of folks accidentally leaving the inverter on and draining their battery even when they have the battery disconnected at the switch.

If your inverter does not work when the battery disconnect switch is engaged, then yours may have been wired differently. If the inverter is truly disconnected from the battery it will drain it's capacitors in about a day. This capacitor drain is the AIMS way of doing a "reset" on the inverter.

This is 100% correct, the Inverter has a much higher amp draw than will pass through the wiring or the Perko that NuCamp uses. The only way around would be to install a continuous duty high amperage solenoid that is only active when the Perko is on.  

Something like this would work perfectly. 

https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Solenoid-Relay-Nickel-Plating-Marine/dp/B072MZHK48/ref=sr_1_3?crid=33BAE2KUAPENR&dchild=1&keywords=continous+duty+12+volt+solenoid&qid=1621873049&sprefix=continuos+duty+%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-3

Brad

rrcbov

Dutch061 said:

rhyno said:

The way most Tabs are wired, the inverter should work whether you're on shore power or not, EVEN if the battery disconnect switch has been thrown. There are posts on here of folks accidentally leaving the inverter on and draining their battery even when they have the battery disconnected at the switch.

If your inverter does not work when the battery disconnect switch is engaged, then yours may have been wired differently. If the inverter is truly disconnected from the battery it will drain it's capacitors in about a day. This capacitor drain is the AIMS way of doing a "reset" on the inverter.

This is 100% correct, the Inverter has a much higher amp draw than will pass through the wiring or the Perko that NuCamp uses. The only way around would be to install a continuous duty high amperage solenoid that is only active when the Perko is on.  

Something like this would work perfectly. 

https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Solenoid-Relay-Nickel-Plating-Marine/dp/B072MZHK48/ref=sr_1_3?crid=33BAE2KUAPENR&dchild=1&keywords=continous+duty+12+volt+solenoid&qid=1621873049&sprefix=continuos+duty+%2Caps%2C205&sr=8-3

Brad

So are you saying that the intended state is that the inverter can’t be used for a day after using shore power?

Denny16

The Inverter is not designed in our TaB400s to be used for more than short periods, and not left on at all times.  Even without a load on the AC side of the inverter, it can drain a battery in one day or so, if left turned on all the time when not not shore power.  If connected to shore power, the converter wil, help keep the battery charged.  That said, you normally only turn on the inverter whilst it is being used (making coffee or running a hair dryer, etc.).  Leaving it on for extended times, will cause an excessive unnecessary drain on the battery.
cheers

rrcbov

I’ve assumed that the switch in the cubby next to the bed is what is to be used to turn the inverter on and off.   If this is t the case I need education on how I am to turn the inverter on and off.

if not, here are my observations since I picked up my trailer on 4/27.   These observations aren’t totally disciplined.

Picked up trailer from dealer 4/27 and spent 9 days bringing it home.   I had three stops along the way, all had shore power.   At the last stop I noticed a yellow light on the inverter switch and, like a kid, pressed the button.  The light remained yellow.

I then disconnected the shore power and the light remained yellow even if I pressed the button.  There was no power to the outlet in the cubby.

Put the trailer in storage 5/7 and disconnected the battery.

Sometime after this but before 5/23 I went up to the trailer in storage, connected the battery.  No light on the inverter switch.   Pressed the inverter switch and got a green light and there was power to the outlet in the cubby.  When I pressed the switch again the green light went out.  Declared victory!

On the 24th I went on a short trip.   Before I left the storage lot I connected the battery and found that I got a green light after pressing the switch and no light when I pressed it again.  Victory confirmed.

Sometime during my trip last week I noticed the yellow light had reappeared.  After disconnecting shore power when pulling out of the CG I found the yellow light still on and pressing the button had no effect.

I went up this evening - 29 hours after leaving the trailer in storage - and found the yellow light on while the battery was disconnected. Connecting the battery had no effect - the yellow light remained on even after pressing the button and no power to the outlet.

This long-winded description will seem foolish if the button I was pressing is not how one turns the inverter on and off!

I plan to call AIMS after the holiday but thought I’d pulse the knowledge base today.

Thanks.

Denny16

Yes, the switch on the panel next to the bed, turns the inverter off and on.  It should not be on yellow all the time.  The battery disconnect switch will not disconnect the inverter from the battery, it is hard wired directly to the battery via a fuse.  Sounds like you have an issue with the inverter.  

cheers

Dutch061

@rrcbov, Sorry for my delay in responding. You can use the Inverter on shore power or battery power. Internally it will detect the presence of shore power and the LED will be green instead of yellow. There is no need to wait, as it will automatically switch back and forth as needed. 

I think on mine I have to hold the button for a second or two to turn it on or off. Also, it is important to remember that even on shore power you are limited to 10 Amps on those outlets that are provided power via the inverter. Exceeding this can cause damage to the inverter as per page 7 of the attached manual. 

Brad

bergger

Here is how our 2021 400 inverter works.  When on 12v hold the button in and the inverter will turn on with a green light, indicating 12v power.  Power will be supplied to the outlet in the bedroom cubby only.  When on 12v you should never get a yellow light on the power button.  When plugged into shore power you do not need to turn on the inverter at all to get power to the cubby outlet.  It is powered by the shore power without having to use the inverter.  Just keep it off.  However if you do turn the inverter on when plugged into shore power the power button will be yellow, indicating the presence of shore power, and the outlet should work as well.  But as I said if on shore power there is no need to even turn on the inverter to get power to the bedroom cubby.  This is how ours operates so if yours is not like this there is either something wrong with the inverter or maybe the wiring of the inverter/outlet.  

rrcbov

OK - so I spoke with a tech at AIMS Power who said my symptoms indicated a faulty transfer switch in the inverter.   NuCamp is sending me a replacement - hopefully this solves the problem.

rrcbov

NuCamp sent me a replacement inverter which I installed without incident last week, seems to work now.

I just don’t know that I’ll ever use it!

Verna

@rrcbov, I used my larger inverter in my former 400 for charging my drill batteries that also powered a fan for the dogs. I never did use the inverter to charge the eBike battery as it normally took 4+ hours to charge that battery. 

Because the large inverter took so much battery power, I used a smaller 300 watt inverter plugged into a 12V plug to power my satellite receiver. The 300 watt used so little battery power, it was not noticeable.