Inverter Puzzle

[MK397THR]

I am trying to solve an inverter question. Conditions are as follows: We used the oven on our Insignia range Sunday night, No problems. Monday night we went to use the cook top and had no power to the range. Checked breakers and fuses, no problem found... We went to the basement to get out our portable cook top and I noticed the Inverter was on. Turned off the inverter and the cook top has power. I know that the inverter disables the 110 to the cook top. My puzzle is what would cause the inverter to activate? There are no indications of power loss to the 5er. We are on 50 amp shore power(dedicated). If a power flicker did activate the inverter. Should it have not switched back when power was restored?
I hope this post makes sense, this is our first experience with an inverter....

[howson]

@M&K337 -- due to all the substitutions on the production line, what specific model of inverter is in your 337?

[MK397THR]

howson We upgraded to a Momentum 397THS-R December 3rd. It has the WFCO 5110RS Inverter for the residential fridge.

[Jkwilson]

howson We upgraded to a Momentum 397THS-R December 3rd. It has the WFCO 5110RS Inverter for the residential fridge.

Do you have the remote?

[MK397THR]

It looks like what they are calling a remote is the switch in the basement. The inverter itself is located in the front compartment with the generator.

[howson]

It looks like what they are calling a remote is the switch in the basement. The inverter itself is located in the front compartment with the generator.

According to the manual (available here: https://wfcoelectronics.com/wp-conte...0RS-Manual.pdf )

Should utility power be cut off, the WF-5110RS automatically switches to invert mode, providing clean 120 VAC to the appliances. When utility power is reapplied, the WF-5110R switches back to the run-through mode.

I'm stuck on how the inverter status is related to the range top...isn't the inverter for the refrigerator? What range is in your 397th-R?

When you state the inverter was "on", was it inverting or just, well, on? (It's supposed to be on so it will switch to inverting mode should shore power drop.)

Also--would you like your username changed to MK397TH-R or something similar? (Removing the "&" makes it easier to tag you...the software doesn't like the ampersand symbol in a username.)

[OffToHavasu]

howson that's interesting how the inverter would turn off the cooktop.

Could this be one of those things that the planets were perfectly aligned and the shore power dropped thus turning on the inverter for the refrigerator and without shore power the cooktop wouldn't work. By the time M&K337 got to the inverter power was restored? Spit balling here.

[MK397THR]

howson Yes, the username update would be awesome.
The inverter is for the fridge. When I turned it off at the remote I heard a sound that I assume was the inverter powering down or transferring. We have the insignia range. The power cord goes behind the fridge so I cannot tell what is does from there..

[howson]

howson Yes, the username update would be awesome.
The inverter is for the fridge. When I turned it off at the remote I heard a sound that I assume was the inverter powering down or transferring. We have the insignia range. The power cord goes behind the fridge so I cannot tell what is does from there..

USERNAME
As a heads-up...when I change your username the system may require you to change your password the next time you log in. Don't think I locked you out. I'll change your username to MK397THR once I get confirmation (please respond you understand about the password possibility).

RANGE

I know the Insignia oven requires 120vAC to fire the igniter to light the pilot. That's well documented. I didn't realize the cooktop also uses an electric ignitor? Or am I misreading the manual and the cooktop has a piezo ignitor (the thing that gives one loud "CLICK" when turned). If both the oven and cooktop are electronic, that means if no 120vAC then no oven or cooktop ignitors. (You might be able to light a burner using a campstove lighter, but definitely not the oven.) From the manual:


If you're willing to try an experiment, make sure the inverter is on and in standby mode. Shore power should pass through the inverter and power the refrigerator. Confirm the cooktop and oven both work.

Now kill external power by shutting off the circuit breakers at the pedestal. Did the inverter switch to inverting mode? Is the refrigerator still powered? What about the oven and cooktop--do they light?

If you've got a multimeter or can monitor battery voltage on the CompassConnect panel, note the DC voltage level when on shore power and also when you switch over to inverter mode. (This is to check that your battery bank is healthy and can handle powering the inverter for a short period.)

[MK397THR]

howson Understood on the password reset.
You are correct on the cook top. The igniter for the burners is 120v, multiple strikes till knob is released. They can be lit manually with no power.
I will try that experiment, might not be tonight, DW is trying to get things ready for Christmas. I don't think she will appreciate me killing the power....
Battery level seems to stay around 13v on shore power. I will monitor how fast it drops unhooked running the inverter. Will give me a chance to see if the inverter switches back to pass thru once power is restored.

[howson]

howson Understood on the password reset.
You are correct on the cook top. The igniter for the burners is 120v, multiple strikes till knob is released. They can be lit manually with no power.
I will try that experiment, might not be tonight, DW is trying to get things ready for Christmas. I don't think she will appreciate me killing the power....
Battery level seems to stay around 13v on shore power. I will monitor how fast it drops unhooked running the inverter. Will give me a chance to see if the inverter switches back to pass thru once power is restored.

Username changed! Perhaps a note in your signature line that you used to be M&K337?

[MK397THR]

Will update Signature

[MK397THR]

howson Update: I did the test that you recommended. At first this created more confusion than insight. I reviewed the manual for the inverter. It appears to me that it only has on or off positions. In the off position it only passes power through. In the on position, power passes through as long as line voltage is present. When line voltage is removed, it switches to supplying inverted power. When line power is restored it returns to pass through mode.
Now for the results. I made sure the inverter was turned on. I removed shore power. Results were: range still works correctly, refrigerator does not have power and inverter does switch correctly……. Confusion created……
After trying to re chase the wires behind the fridge, it appears the range is plugged into a dedicated receptacle for the inverter. However the fridge is plugged into the other receptacle that is part of the regular series. Both of these are to the side of the stove, that will have to be removed to gain access.
Back to the original problem. I’ll go with the cosmos theory. No idea what turned the inverter on, but it seams to me the inverter was not allowing power to pass through to the range. When I shut it off it must have caused it to reset. Will have to see if that problem happens again.

[howson]

I made sure the inverter was turned on. I removed shore power. Results were: range still works correctly, refrigerator does not have power and inverter does switch correctly...

Allow me to reflect what I think I just read: the range was plugged into the refrigerator's outlet (the one tied to the inverter) from the factory? If that's the case I'll pass this info (with your VIN) to a factory rep as a "heads-up".

Did you get a chance to look at the battery voltage level when you switched to inverter only? Without the refrigerator load it shouldn't have dropped much. Regardless, consider pursuing verifying you've got a healthy battery bank...that's the only thing I can think, other than a glitch in the inverter, that could cause the initial problem.

Howard

[MK397THR]

howson You are correct, The range is plugged into the inverter receptacle and the fridge is not. As far as I know it came from GD this way.
The battery showed 13.5 with shore power and dropped to 12.8 unhooked. Inverter showed full battery on display while in boondocks mode.
Keith