Flaky Victron Inverter

[SteveW]

Victron 12/3000/120. It has always been a bit flaky, starting up, or not, as it pleases. Recently it failed altogether. Some professional help got it going by simply detaching the remote VE panel. It looked like the VE panel was the problem. However, it has since reverted to turning on, or not, as it pleases. The seriousness of this problem is that when it does not turn on, 240-volt power is not available from shore, generator, nor inverter.

Has anybody done a workaround so that 240 from the generator or the shore power can be made available manually?

[Thatbloke]

Try the victron community https://community.victronenergy.com/index.html

[SteveW]

Try the victron community https://community.victronenergy.com/index.html

I'll do some searching through there. Thanks.

[SteveW]

Steve do you have the Mk3 device to connect it to your computer?
So you can use ....
Victron connect
VEConfig ??
It should work in bypass mode if you put the switch to OFF. (Direct from shore/genny to switchboard)
I installed a separate changeover switch on my old boat & have sort of similar here.
Of course we all know it MUST be done by an electrician don't we?
Have you tried it with a new network cable? Sounds a bit like poor connection or something.
PS. I am trying to sort a similar problem on a Multiplus 12/2000/80

I'll find out it I can connect to the computer. My Quattro is a '19' series, apparently. installed in 2012. The 240v has not been passing through the Victron no matter whether the switch is in On/Off/Charge Only.

[T1 Terry]

No, don't have a 12/3000 Quattro here, only one of the older 12/1600 that was analog not digital so it required a new digital remote as well. Is your remote an analog or digital Steve? We have a customer who had a rather aged 12/3000 that would turn on when it felt like it, or actually turn off and not want to turn back on. Because of the lock down we couldn't travel to Victoria to hands on look at the problem and the poor bloke has serious dementia and now can't remember anything much at all, so near impossible to direct him over the phone. Finally we managed to get hold of the lady that comes and looks after him, a friend of his for many yrs so understands the difficulties etc. Finally worked backwards through the problems till it was definitely an inverter failure. We arranged for a Victron cluey sparkie to go and check it out, dead inverter that had been on its last legs for yrs apparently and finally burnt out the circuit boards.
In that particular install, the original sparkie had wired the 240vac in let to a 15 amp powerpoint close to the inverter and another 15 amp inlet socket similar to the one outside. The inverter had an extension lead cut in half and wired into the inlet/outlet connections. It was a simple matter of making up a short lead so he could bypass the inverter by connecting the short extension lead between the power point and the inlet socket where the inverter leads had been connected. That at least got him going again, but with no battery charger and his van parked in a position that suffered shade most of the day in winter, the battery kept disconnection via the T1 Lithium BMS resulting in no lights or diesel heater.
In other installs we often are asked to add a 3 way switch from the mains supply so they can be connected to mains for an extended period without the inverter/charger pushing the battery out of balance, something that does happen if a float charge remains on a lithium battery 24/7.
If you go for the rotary type, you need to sit down with a multi-meter and draw up a truth table to figure out which connection are "in" and which are "out" in position 1 but "open" in position 2 and "out" in position 2 but the ones that were "out" in position 1 "open" in position 1 .... There are also 2 pole 2 way switches that are din rail mount switches that go in the "fuse" box type enclosures. The wiring for them is fairly straight forward if you can read the schematic printed on the side. Naturally, these are about twice the price of the rotary type, but such is life eh

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

Just in case anybody wants to get a 3 way changeover switch fitted so they can bypass their inverter I have posted this. It probably is in breach of copyright or something like that but I have done this in the interest of safety
This is a direct lift from AS 3001:2008 It also demonstrates how to wire in an RCD or RVD. Obviously you should get this wired in by an licenced electrician. Make sure that they are aware of AS 3001.
Note, currently editing this schematic as not identical to standards.

[SteveW]

I understand what you are saying, Terry. I have a 15 amp charger, a 300-watt inverter and a 600-watt inverter (pure sine wave) I can get by if I get a 2000w inverter to run the Hair Dryer (most important) and the coffee machine (slightly less important - apparently). I'm thinking that if I have an auto transfer switch to select between the shore power and the generator, I will have all bases covered. What do you think?

[SteveW]

Just in case anybody wants to get a 3 way changeover switch fitted so they can bypass their inverter I have posted this. It probably is in breach of copyright or something like that but I have done this in the interest of safety
This is a direct lift from AS 3001:2008 It also demonstrates how to wire in an RCD or RVD. Obviously you should get this wired in by an licenced electrician. Make sure that they are aware of AS3001
AS3001-2008- mod with RCD.JPG
Click to enlarge.

I thank that is roughly what I am thinking.

[jon_d]

Just in case anybody wants to get a 3 way changeover switch fitted so they can bypass their inverter I have posted this

Dave, there is another similar diagram that shows an RCD (and not an RVD) in circuit with a switched earth-neutral.

[supersparky]

Bruce I would be very wary of doing that because if both switches happened to be in the closed position and the dodgy inverter fired up it will let the smoke out. Would it not be a bit simpler to add an aux battery charger when the first switch is closed. And leave the inverter off.