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RE: Battery cable size????
Cable is sized for the load that will be drawn, nuber or types of batteries connected together is irrelevant. The size cable recommended in the inverter installation instructions is what you need to use. Also, if there is a maximun distance specified for the cable length, that needs to be adhered to also. It's put there for a reason. If you don't have the instructions, then use the same size as you already have. Don't believe some of the stuff you read here about it only having to handle a portion of the current, etc. It needs to handle the max load. You also need the appropriate size fuse and a cut-off switch in the positive side feeding the inverter..
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Bob Landry
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07/14/08 07:10am |
Tech Issues
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RE: electrical box trouble
You need to look IN the box, not just behind the cover.Popping sounds indicate arcing, and yes it can get hot enough to cause a fire.. It will be obvious where the problem is, and it doesn't matter if it's AC or DC, it needs to be fixed..
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Bob Landry
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07/09/08 07:05am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Converter fan runs continuously
It's always best to call customer service for the specific piece of equipment you are experiencing a problem with. Unless someone here has had the same problem with the SAME piece of equipment, the best you're going to do here is a lot of "My brother-in-law had a similar problem one time", or the (fill in the blank) might be bad, well... You get the idea..
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Bob Landry
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07/07/08 11:54am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Noisy Air Conditioner
Since he mentioned temp settings, I think he was refering to temperature. The only issue with that is that compressors do notfreeze internally. I would recommend you go with the responses(or some of them) that you have gotten so far. The longer these A/C threads go, the more bizzare answers you are going to get from people who have no clue how an AC even works, but just want to post something..
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Bob Landry
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07/03/08 09:04pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Noisy Air Conditioner
Thanks Bob. Can anything be done if it is the compressor?. rebuild etc.
No, the compressor is hermetically sealed and the only cure is replacement. You'll probably find it's cheaper to replace the unit, rather than have a tech fix it, especially if you can swap it out yourself. Personally, for the cost of a new unit, I think I could get used to the vibration..
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Bob Landry
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07/03/08 07:40am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Noisy Air Conditioner
Washing an air conditioner is not going to have any effect on a noise or vibration other than a dauber nest on the fan blades, and if it's been running recently, you can cross that one off the list. Remove the cover and with the unit running try to move metal parts and tubing around to see if it will stop. An imbalance on a fan blade would have probably shown up at the start. If you don't find any mechanical vibration, you have a noisy compressor. It's common as they get older..
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Bob Landry
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07/03/08 06:45am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Mach AC Tripping Breaker
More than likely a run cap. With rare exception, if a compressor is going to trip a breaker, it's going to hapen right at start-up when it's drawing LRA. I've had AC's with this symptom and it's almosr always been a run cap..
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Bob Landry
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07/01/08 07:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: AC kills generator
If the AC starts on shore power without dimming lights, etc, it's functioning properly. The compressor draws LRA on startup, but it's less than a second, less than the time it would take to trip the breaker. If that's OK, a hard start kit isn't going to do much since there's not a hard starting problem to fix. If it only starts hard on the generator, think about getting it a tune-up(the generator)..
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Bob Landry
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06/17/08 07:40pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Wiring Stereo
Why would you assume he's trying to power stereo speakers with 12VDC. The Op said nothing of the sort. Sounds like he's installing a garden variety automotive type 12V stereo, but I'm just guessing and so are all of you because no one bothered to ask. He does state later that he ran a wire with a fuse from the battery to power it, which gives away the fact it is a 12V rig, and the suggestions still keep rolling in.. Amazing..
Also, VIKX.. White is never ground. 12VDC ground is either black, brown, or yellow, and in an AC circuit, white is always neutral, no exceptions, unless an armchair electrician used whatever was in th tool box. In that case he knew so little, he should have hired someone to do the job. To assume it is ground and wire it accordingly will at best fry a piece of equipment, at worst cause a fire or personal injury
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Bob Landry
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06/15/08 02:33pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Basement Air Conditioner Doesn't Cool Enough
Measure the temperature of the discharge air and also the return air at the return intake. If you see a diference of around 20 degrees, that's about as good as it's gonna get. More than 20 degrees possibly indicates an airflow restriction, and if you can't move air, you can't cool it..
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Bob Landry
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06/11/08 08:00pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: "Hot" power cord
Last time breaking camp in my hybrid camper, I went to unplug the power cord from the park's AC 30-amp post. The plug-end was so hot, it almost burned my fingers. I let it cool down before returning the cord inside the storage area.
I had been running my air conditioner continuously for several days however I have not noticed this problem before.
It looked like the rubber area around one of the prongs had melted a little.
Thanks for advise or suggestions!
You need to replace the 30 amp end or replace the whole cord. The integrity of the cord end is ruined. Once it gets discolored or has the melting, it is bad. Doug
Doug's right. Also check the plastic isulation part of the inlet on the trailer and if there is any discoloration at all, replace that also. The contacts are starting to burn but you probably can't see them because they are internal. Burned power cords are common in the boating environment because owners consistantly plug and unplug their shore power cords with their main breakers turn on. An appliance with a low current draw such as a small battery charger will draw enough current to create an arc.
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Bob Landry
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06/11/08 07:56pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: How Hot Will 4/0 Cables Get?
Check the manual carefully for cable requirements. Some have a maximum distance and specify a certain size cable..
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Bob Landry
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06/09/08 04:52pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Whose A/C is best
Didnt they say it should be 20 degrees cooler inside with the ac on than outside?????
No, you are looking for a 20 degree split between the discharge air coming from the unit and the return air going back into it
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Bob Landry
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06/04/08 05:55am |
Tech Issues
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RE: GFI Causing problems with Battery during dry camping
I guess all of the electrical experts here don't bother to read any of Doug's responses. GFCIs do not affect, nor or they affected by 12V operation. The GFCI is a protection device for the load side of the outlet, not the source, so for it to trip, it has to see a curent leak on the output side. Input current doesn't matter. You can run a compressor on a GFCI outlet. We do it all the time with icemakers that are installed on weather decks.
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Bob Landry
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05/27/08 07:16am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dometic Heat Pump Failure
I'm going to look into that just out of curiosity. If warranty work is performed by an authorized service center, it's hard to imagine that it would be cheaper for a technician to replace every component in the systen rather that repair a pinhole leak, or even replace a component such as an evaporator. Besides, I can't remember ever finding a leak in one of those major components on a rooftop system. All of mine have been where copper lines were touching something else metal and had abraded through the tubing wall. Norcols dual voltage refrigerators are the only product I've ever seen where the entire cooling system was replace as a repair. Interesting.. Actually, Doug would be the one to confirm this..
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Bob Landry
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05/26/08 09:54am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dometic Heat Pump Failure
They will likely just replace the whole thing. Dometic has a "kit" for Brisk Air A/C's consisting of the sealed system, but I don't think they have one for heat pumps.
What would a "kit" consist of?
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Bob Landry
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05/26/08 08:33am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dometic Heat Pump Failure
I don't think that most dealers have anyone that can handle the task.
Denny
Why not? It's a common repair for anone who services air conditioning equipment..
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Bob Landry
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05/26/08 08:30am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Replacing rooftop AC
The Duotherms are very prone to air flow issues/icing. Especially if it's installed as a ducted system. The manufactuers don't seem to be able to get enough air flow. Each brand has it's own set of problems, but control/thermostat issues are a lot easier to deal with than a unit that can't be installed in a manner that will function properly regardless of what you do to it. If you have a unit that was installed incorrectly, it doesn't matter what you replace it with, you won't be happy with it. I have to agree with Chris about the installation issues. I have yet to see a marine installation from a builder that doesn't leave the factory without issues. I see more old Coleman units running than Duotherms.
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Bob Landry
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05/24/08 09:09am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Xantrex 1800 and DirecTV Receiver Box
We just had a thread relative to this particular inverter. Make sure the neutral wire on the inverter output goes directly to the neutral wire of the plug or device that it's feeding and that it's not connected to the common neutral buss.
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Bob Landry
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05/21/08 08:11pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Xantrex XM1800 - Wierd Problem
The output(hot) wasn't connected to the neutral bar, the neutral wire was. The GFCI wouldn't blow anyway, unless it sensed a current leak between hot and neutral or ground. The problem has to do with feedback on the neutral line. I didn't ask the tech for a detailed explanation, which wouldn't have done any good since I didn't have a schematic of the inverter.
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Bob Landry
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05/20/08 06:49pm |
Tech Issues
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