Automatic Transfer Switch testing

[TedS]

This picture may help .

[ajg617]

This picture may help .

Ted,
Interesting. I know the dealer all cables directly connected to the batteries so I was assuming that what went on behind was sound. Picture is a good guide. Thanks.

[acoleman43]

ajg617 My trailer came with a similar ATS for the inverter. This is a diagram of the connections.




This is the diagram of your ATS from shore/generator to control panel.

[howson]

This is an awesome thread! "Thank you" to all the contributors. I added the Reference Library tag to it so the Search function will find it (at least that's the hope).

[IDRVr]

The two inputs on the magnum should be the inverter (I think that’s the top on your picture) and input 2 will be the output of the other transfer switch.

This is generally not true. There is no way the inverter transfer switch, 15 or 20 amps, 120v, could handle the output of the AC input transfer switch, 50 amps, 240v.

Usually, the output of the "other" (WFCO WF-T57-R) transfer switch goes to the AC breaker panel. The input ("input 2") to the inverter transfer switch is generally a feed from the breaker panel. On our Solitude it is a dedicated breaker. The diagram in post #33 shows this correctly except that the "AC Source" item at the top would be replaced by the additional transfer switch (WFCO WF-T57-R) whose inputs are either shore power or the generator.

By the way, the User Manuals for the WFCO WF-T57-R and for the Magnum inverter transfer switch are attached.

WFCO T-57R 50 amp Transfer Switch UM.pdf

Magnum Transfer Switch (Inverter) UM.pdf

[ajg617]

This is generally not true. There is no way the inverter transfer switch, 15 or 20 amps, 120v, could handle the output of the AC input transfer switch, 50 amps, 240v.

Usually, the output of the "other" (WFCO WF-T57-R) transfer switch goes to the AC breaker panel. The input ("input 2") to the inverter transfer switch is generally a feed from the breaker panel. On our Solitude it is a dedicated breaker. The diagram in post #33 shows this correctly except that the "AC Source" item at the top would be replaced by the additional transfer switch (WFCO WF-T57-R) whose inputs are either shore power or the generator.

By the way, the User Manuals for the WFCO WF-T57-R and for the Magnum inverter transfer switch are attached.

Thank you for attaching the Magnum document - I had not seen that one. This thread has been very helpful!

[ncitro]

This is generally not true. There is no way the inverter transfer switch, 15 or 20 amps, 120v, could handle the output of the AC input transfer switch, 50 amps, 240v.

Usually, the output of the "other" (WFCO WF-T57-R) transfer switch goes to the AC breaker panel. The input ("input 2") to the inverter transfer switch is generally a feed from the breaker panel. On our Solitude it is a dedicated breaker. The diagram in post #33 shows this correctly except that the "AC Source" item at the top would be replaced by the additional transfer switch (WFCO WF-T57-R) whose inputs are either shore power or the generator.

By the way, the User Manuals for the WFCO WF-T57-R and for the Magnum inverter transfer switch are attached.

[ATTACH]n129237[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]n129238[/ATTACH]

That is probably true. When I posted the pictures and manual had not been posted yet and I thought he had a second full power transfer switch that handled the whole rig. Thats is why we instructed him to trace his wiring down, changes in design vary from day to day on the assembly line.

[TedS]

This is generally not true. There is no way the inverter transfer switch, 15 or 20 amps, 120v, could handle the output of the AC input transfer switch, 50 amps, 240v.

[ATTACH]n129238[/ATTACH]

The 50 amp switch does not produce all that power, it is rated to handle that power. If the load does not demand more than 15 or 20 amps that's all both switches need to handle. The trick would be to connect only one leg of a two leg 50 amp switch to the inverter switch since that switch has just one leg connection.

[IDRVr]

The 50 amp switch does not produce all that power, it is rated to handle that power. If the load does not demand more than 15 or 20 amps that's all both switches need to handle. The trick would be to connect only one leg of a two leg 50 amp switch to the inverter switch since that switch has just one leg connection.

That is not how the RVs are generally set up. For simplicity, let's call the transfer switches the "shore power ATS" and the "inverter ATS". For a 50 amp RV, the breaker panel has two sides with each side capable of carrying 50 amps at 120v AC or 6,000 watts. Each side may have a fireplace, microwave, one or two ACs, electric water heater, converter/charger, etc - in most cases well in excess of the 15 or 20 amp capability of the inverter ATS. Just because an electric device is only carrying a small load at any given time, the system must be wired for all of the load it COULD carry. The inverter ATS is only rated for 1,800 or 2,400 watts maximum and should only carry about 80% of this on a continuous basis. Assuming one did this, how would you supply the half of the 50 amp breaker panel that no longer has a supply? With the output of the inverter ATS? That would limit that entire half of the breaker panel to 15 or 20 amps, well below the pull of the devices hooked up in the typical 50 amp RV.

I doubt that the inverter ATS terminals could even handle the No. 6 wire required for 50 amps.

Running one of the 50 amp legs of a 50 amp shore power ATS into a 15 or 20 amp inverter ATS would be a VERY bad idea. I suppose if one was determined to do this, you could put a 15 or 20 amp fuse between the shore power ATS and the inverter ATS.

I know that you can get devices that are all-in-one solutions like the Victron Multiplus II, but that is a totally different animal and unrelated to the OPs issue.