Hi all, I recently purchased a 2nd hand campervan and the 1000W inverter doesn’t seem to be doing it’s job. It seems to be receiving power from the batteries (2 x 110Ah) fine, as the remote button to turn it on works and it shows a green light but I can’t seem to get any power from it, even when plugged directly into the inverter. Does anyone have any idea why it appears to be receiving battery power and showing no faults, but still not providing output power? Photo below
Any assistance much appreciated, thank you!!
I would start by looking for a switch or reset button on the inverter itself rather than the remote.
If that fails, check the batteries for a full charge, never rely on solar for that part. Most auto part stores can check the batteries for free too.
If the batteries check out okay, then consult with the inverter manufacturer.
Thanks very much for your suggestions, I did actually get the batteries tested recently at a repair centre and they were holding charge fine without solar. I’ll contact the manufacturer and see if I have any luck. Thanks again!
They think there’s likely been some damage to the transistor or driver chips inside the inverter; unfortunately they don’t have a repair centre in the UK so might be time for a new inverter! Thanks for your help
What do you need the inverter for? Everything I need can be run on 12v, so no inverter is needed.
Inverters create a lot of inefficiency if you can get by without them you are better off.
@fulltimer I disagree with that. Inverters do consume a tiny amount of power (may be 0.5A when operating) but if you use them, you can now choose many (but not all) of the devices/gadgets that you could use at home, so the selection of gadgets now becomes infinite. And the 110V gadgets that you will be using may be much more efficient, and the electronics much better designed, than the very limited selection of 12V gadgets you would have to choose from without an inverter. Also, inverters today are very intelligent and provide a handful of protections from bad things happening (such as low battery power, high ambient temperature, high power consumption, and more).
I have been living in my passenger van for the past 10 years, and I have passed 8Ga wires from the battery through the firwall into the cabin of my van, so I can use 300W through my inverter. I am also an electronic technician, although all this has nothing to do with the issue discussed.
Inverters can vary widely, some people have reported up to 20 amp draws with no load on their inverters. Many people also have unrealistic expectations, like trying to run 3,000+ watt inverters from a 100a battery and expect that to power a 1500+ watt air conditioner or heater 24/7. Or the opposite, trying to run a 1500+ watt appliance from a 500 watt inverter.
I also see many people using inverters to charge cell phones, laptops, and other electronics that are DC to begin with, so they’re converting DC to AC then back to DC. Very inefficient.
Your system sounds much more practical than most I see. I will totally agree that with realistic expectations, an inverter can add options.
My neighbor in the campground was complaining of a perpetually dead battery. Upon examination, his rarely used inverter was always on, and drawing 8 amps. He explained that even with a full a battery, it wouldn’t run his electric heater, a/c, induction cooker, deep fryer, or air fryer. It was a 450 watt inverter… He didn’t know what his battery capacity was, but swore that it shouldn’t make a difference, and everything should work with what he had. He also expected 35w of solar to keep his battery fully charged.
