Question about floating neutral

jkjenn
jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
I would like to use my Goal Zero Yeti 1000 to run my microwave and charge my T@b when I am boondocking. In the past, I have simply run an extension (heavy duty) cord from the Yeti to a Noco Genius charger and the charger to the bus bars that are connected to my T@b.

My first thought after getting the microwave was that I could use my 15 amp doggone and connect to the 30 amp connection on the T@b.

The Goal Zero Yeti I have has a floating neutral bond and therefore the Progressive EMS throws an error and prevents the power from coming to my T@b.

I tried plugging a N - G adapter plug into the extra plug on the Yeti and that did not work.

Would using a a short (2-3') GFCI extension cord like this work? Or would I be better to continue ue charging as I have and run an extension cord directly from the Yeti to the microwave?

I will probably be looking at an inverter install over the winter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GSPTUZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1sTrFbJR8JKP7

2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited August 2020
    Depending on your microwave, we got a small one, and our 1800 watt sine wave inverter connected to 200 amp battery will only run the Microwave for 20 seconds and than the inverter kicks off, microwave stops running.

    Try running a cord directly from the Yeta Goal Xeromtomthe microwave and see if it will power it.  
    Cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Denny16 said:
    Depending on your microwave, we got a small one, and our 1800 watt sine wave inverter connected to 200 amp battery will only run the Microwave for 20 seconds and than the inverter kicks off, microwave stops running.

    Try running a coward directly from the Yeta Goal Xeromtomthe microwave and see if it will power it.  
    Cheers
    Good idea. The microwave is only 700w.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • VictoriaP
    VictoriaP Member Posts: 1,496
    jkjenn said:
    Denny16 said:
    Depending on your microwave, we got a small one, and our 1800 watt sine wave inverter connected to 200 amp battery will only run the Microwave for 20 seconds and than the inverter kicks off, microwave stops running.

    Try running a coward directly from the Yeta Goal Xeromtomthe microwave and see if it will power it.  
    Cheers
    Good idea. The microwave is only 700w.
    From a question on Quora:

    ”Short summary: Home microwave ovens are typically 40–60% efficient. So if your 700W microwave oven is really generating 700W, it should draw between 1200 and 1800W or 10 - 15A at 120V.”

    https://www.quora.com/How-many-amps-does-a-700-watt-microwave-use

    I’ll be interested to see if you can get it to work on the Yeti, definitely update!
    2019 320s BD Lite, white with blue (“Haven”)
    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6r (unsafe 200lb tongue weight limit until 2020 models)
    2020 Subaru Outback XT
    Pacific NW
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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    Yes, please do.  I figured I needed at least a 2,000 wat inverter to run our small microwave, and it is around a 700 watts unit.  The 40-60% efficiency rating explains why the 1200 watt inverter did not work.  Thanks Victoria.
    cheers

    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • VictoriaP
    VictoriaP Member Posts: 1,496
    Denny16 said:
    Yes, please do.  I figured I needed at least a 2,000 wat inverter to run our small microwave, and it is around a 700 watts unit.  The 40-60% efficiency rating explains why the 1200 watt inverter did not work.  Thanks Victoria.
    cheers

    No problem, this is my kind of random research project. It was interesting to see how inefficient microwaves actually are.
    2019 320s BD Lite, white with blue (“Haven”)
    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6r (unsafe 200lb tongue weight limit until 2020 models)
    2020 Subaru Outback XT
    Pacific NW
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    VictoriaP said:
    jkjenn said:
    Denny16 said:
    Depending on your microwave, we got a small one, and our 1800 watt sine wave inverter connected to 200 amp battery will only run the Microwave for 20 seconds and than the inverter kicks off, microwave stops running.

    Try running a coward directly from the Yeta Goal Xeromtomthe microwave and see if it will power it.  
    Cheers
    Good idea. The microwave is only 700w.
    From a question on Quora:

    ”Short summary: Home microwave ovens are typically 40–60% efficient. So if your 700W microwave oven is really generating 700W, it should draw between 1200 and 1800W or 10 - 15A at 120V.”

    https://www.quora.com/How-many-amps-does-a-700-watt-microwave-use

    I’ll be interested to see if you can get it to work on the Yeti, definitely update!
    It will be interesting. The Yeti's inverter is 1500w with a 3000w surge capacity.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • VictoriaP
    VictoriaP Member Posts: 1,496
    jkjenn said:
    VictoriaP said:
    jkjenn said:
    Denny16 said:
    Depending on your microwave, we got a small one, and our 1800 watt sine wave inverter connected to 200 amp battery will only run the Microwave for 20 seconds and than the inverter kicks off, microwave stops running.

    Try running a coward directly from the Yeta Goal Xeromtomthe microwave and see if it will power it.  
    Cheers
    Good idea. The microwave is only 700w.
    From a question on Quora:

    ”Short summary: Home microwave ovens are typically 40–60% efficient. So if your 700W microwave oven is really generating 700W, it should draw between 1200 and 1800W or 10 - 15A at 120V.”

    https://www.quora.com/How-many-amps-does-a-700-watt-microwave-use

    I’ll be interested to see if you can get it to work on the Yeti, definitely update!
    It will be interesting. The Yeti's inverter is 1500w with a 3000w surge capacity.
    I would think that should work when directly plugged in. If it does, maybe contact GZ & Progressive about the neutral issue. I tried a Google search earlier, but didn’t find anything useful.
    2019 320s BD Lite, white with blue (“Haven”)
    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6r (unsafe 200lb tongue weight limit until 2020 models)
    2020 Subaru Outback XT
    Pacific NW
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    I have an email in to GZ, so hopefully I hear back, soon.

    I tried the extension cord and it worked! For a brief second (literally a second) it wasn't sure it wanted to work, but then it did. 

    Next, I will try the coffee maker. It's a single cup Keurig mini.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    If you got the microwave to work, the coffee maker should be fine, as it uses less watts than the microwave, I would think.
    cheerw
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    The Yeti is earning i's keep tonight: powering a fan and some GZ mini lanterns in the house due to a power putage.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • TNOutback
    TNOutback Member Posts: 633
    edited August 2020
    interesting that it is supposedly a floating neutral yet a bonding plug did not resolve the EMS trip.  Have you tried to confirm the Yeti is floating with a 3-light plug tester?  It should tell you right away whether the plug has an open ground or not.
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    TNOutback said:
    interesting that it is supposedly a floating neutral yet a bonding plug did not resolve the EMS trip.  Have you tried to confirm the Yeti is floating with a 3-light plug tester?  It should tell you right away whether the plug has an open ground or not.
    GZ documentation indicates it is floating. I have no reason to doubt them. 

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Tundra57
    Tundra57 Member Posts: 640
    Did your EMS indicate a ground neutral fault? Mine will not power up if the neutral and ground are not shorted together. i wonder if yours trips because the voltage is low. It should throw an error code.

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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Tundra57 said:
    Did your EMS indicate a ground neutral fault? Mine will not power up if the neutral and ground are not shorted together. i wonder if yours trips because the voltage is low. It should throw an error code.

    Yes, it indicated a ground fault (E 02.) The battery was fully charged and I had no appliances running so the voltage should not have been low. 

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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