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Old 09-19-2015, 07:58 PM   #1
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Inverter not working

The inverter worked briefly when we picked up the 21'. Now when it is turned on, it makes a noise as if working, the correct battery reading is given, but nothing is going to any 120s. No lights on the microwave.

Reace said we might have tripped the GFCI and to remove the plug on front of Samlex inverter and try resetting. Did. Nothing still. Flipped the little reset button on front of inverter back and forth a couple of times. Nothing. Flipped the 15A breakers on transfer box a couple of times. Nothing. Did these both with and without battery switch on.

Anybody have an idea what we should try next? Thanks. Oh, tried it with thongs, too.
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Old 09-19-2015, 08:06 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Floating Cloud View Post
Oh, tried it with thongs, too.
I'm afraid to ask about this and, in fact, I really don't want to know.
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Old 09-19-2015, 08:17 PM   #3
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Did you try resetting the GFCI plug, which is outside (the "awning lights" plug)?
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Old 09-19-2015, 08:32 PM   #4
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Did you try resetting the GFCI plug, which is outside (the "awning lights" plug)?
We have a GFCI right on the front of the inverter which is what Reace told us to try. We did hit one on the back exterior which other people do not have because we have an extra 120 on the exterior. And the awning one you mention. Hit all three. Nothing. But we don't seem to get these reset buttons to necessarily work right so that one side pops out or clicks. We try several times. Had trouble getting a click on the 19' also.
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Old 09-19-2015, 08:48 PM   #5
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Did you try plugging in something like a shaver charger or small lamp into one of the A/C receptacles that should be powered by the inverter?
Is there a GFCI on the socket behind the microwave?
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:02 PM   #6
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We have a GFCI right on the front of the inverter which is what Reace told us to try. We did hit one on the back exterior which other people do not have because we have an extra 120 on the exterior. And the awning one you mention. Hit all three. Nothing. But we don't seem to get these reset buttons to necessarily work right so that one side pops out or clicks. We try several times. Had trouble getting a click on the 19' also.
First step - does the inverter work?

I assume ETI installed a wire which is plugged (via normal plug) into the outlet on the inverter. Unplug it from the inverter and press the GFCI reset (not the test) button on the inverter outlet. Plug something in to the inverter outlet and see if it works (even if the GFCI won't reset.) If it works use it as is or troubleshoot the trailer wiring. If it doesn't work there is a problem in the inverter, the power to it, or (most likely) the GFCI outlet on the inverter.
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:06 PM   #7
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Not exactly the same thing but close. I'm plugged in and no electricity. Turned the surge protector off and still nothing. Check the outside gfi plug and nothing. Any ideas on what could be wrong?
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:09 PM   #8
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By the way , I'm watching TV with my inverter. Thank God for inverters!
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:13 PM   #9
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Not exactly the same thing but close. I'm plugged in and no electricity. Turned the surge protector off and still nothing. Check the outside gfi plug and nothing. Any ideas on what could be wrong?
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The surge protector in our 17B won't turn on the power if there is an error code displaying on the surge protector. The most common we have run into is 'no ground'. When we plug into a good socket the surge protector checks it and says 'ok' and passes the power through.
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:29 PM   #10
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I'm totally unfamiliar with your inverter but, absent any solution you might as well check out this often ignored, hidden little breaker. It failed for me and for a few other members. I believe if defective your only electric source will then be from the batteries.

Should find it someplace near the inverter. I am not familiar with a location on the 21. As I recall the thing is near impossible to test with a multimeter because of ghost, or trickling currents but... all my trouble vanished when I just up and replaced it.
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Old 09-19-2015, 10:39 PM   #11
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Did you try plugging in something like a shaver charger or small lamp into one of the A/C receptacles that should be powered by the inverter?
Is there a GFCI on the socket behind the microwave?
There could possibly be a fourth GFCI, however, none of the several 120s works. Yes, we plug something into at least a couple each time we try to get it going and we get nothing at any of them.
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Old 09-19-2015, 10:48 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by jamman View Post
First step - does the inverter work?

I assume ETI installed a wire which is plugged (via normal plug) into the outlet on the inverter. Unplug it from the inverter and press the GFCI reset (not the test) button on the inverter outlet. Plug something in to the inverter outlet and see if it works (even if the GFCI won't reset.) If it works use it as is or troubleshoot the trailer wiring. If it doesn't work there is a problem in the inverter, the power to it, or (most likely) the GFCI outlet on the inverter.
Will do this next time out. The trailer is brand new and inverter stopped working second or third day out, then worked again briefly somehow with us doing nothing about it not working, then stopped again. Will check as you say. Thank you.
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Old 09-20-2015, 11:44 AM   #13
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Do you have 120 power at all the outlts when the inverter is turned off and you're plugged into shore power?
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Old 09-20-2015, 11:49 AM   #14
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Do you have 120 power at all the outlts when the inverter is turned off and you're plugged into shore power?

Yes.
Good thing we were not depending on the inverter most of the time. Booked mostly hook-ups for this first trip in case of such a problem. Booked without services for the first few days to test such items and then when not working, only had three other days without hook-ups.
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Old 09-20-2015, 11:58 AM   #15
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My Samlex 1500 inverter starting making noises the first time I turned it on, and it continuing making a high whine even when turned off. Reace thought the problem might have been the remote, and sent me a new one, but that didn't solve the problem. I ended up the inverter sending it back to Samlex, who said they could find nothing wrong with it, but they did send me a new one, after a long conversation on the phone. I haven't used it since, but it's turned off and not making any noise!
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Old 09-20-2015, 12:22 PM   #16
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My Samlex 1500 inverter starting making noises the first time I turned it on, and it continuing making a high whine even when turned off. Reace thought the problem might have been the remote, and sent me a new one, but that didn't solve the problem. I ended up the inverter sending it back to Samlex, who said they could find nothing wrong with it, but they did send me a new one, after a long conversation on the phone. I haven't used it since, but it's turned off and not making any noise!
We hear a noise but I am not sure it is what you are hearing. Yours sounds bad. Ours is what I expect is a typical running noise and it makes it now even though no power to the 120s. When you say remote, do you mean the monitor?

We have heard what sounds like the noise from it sometimes when turning on a light in the dinette area. Noise gone when light turned off.
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Old 09-20-2015, 01:42 PM   #17
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They will hum slightly when turned on, and power is being drawn, as in your example with the light. Mine was humming even when turned off. These units have on/off switches on the inverter itself (a rocker switch), or one can buy the remote switch, which is mounted externally, in my case near the electrical panel under the front dinette.
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Old 09-20-2015, 07:34 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamman View Post
First step - does the inverter work?

I assume ETI installed a wire which is plugged (via normal plug) into the outlet on the inverter. Unplug it from the inverter and press the GFCI reset (not the test) button on the inverter outlet. Plug something in to the inverter outlet and see if it works (even if the GFCI won't reset.) If it works use it as is or troubleshoot the trailer wiring. If it doesn't work there is a problem in the inverter, the power to it, or (most likely) the GFCI outlet on the inverter.
We plugged something directly into the inverter and it did not work. We had removed the plug in the inverter, pushed the reset and put the plug back into the inverter, turned on inverter, then we plugged something else in. Got no light on a charger we plugged in that usually lights. I take it the inverter is not working.
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Old 09-20-2015, 09:42 PM   #19
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That would be my take on it. Time for a service call.
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Old 09-21-2015, 11:30 AM   #20
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If you have a remote panel for the inverter, remove the network cable for the remote from the inverter and try it using the on/off switch on the inverter.

The on/off switch on the inverter should be in the OFF position for the remote to control the inverter.

When my inverter was new, it would not start for me once. After unplugging output and remote, and toggling the on/off switch, it started ok, and has worked fine ever since. Hope that is all it takes for yours.
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