Why is Inverter fan running?

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member
I have been wondering why the cooling fan on our inverter is running from time to time. I understand the purpose of the fan but why would the inverter be heating up when we aren't using it? We only turn the inverter on when we are traveling. Is the inverter doing something all the time to cause it to need cooling? Inquiring minds want to know.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I assume the inverter is the one used with the refrigerator. If it's turned off, maybe the fan you're hearing is on the Power Converter.
 

osims

bsims
Mine cycles off and on when the inverter is not in use also. It is the inverter for the refrigerator that the fan is working and not the power converter
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Looking at the Magnum Inverter documentation, it appears the fan is thermostatically controlled. DC power from the batteries is still flowing into the input side of the inverter, even if the output is turned off. There must be some portion of the device that is powered so it can be turned on by the remote switch. So I would guess that there's also 12V DC power to run the fan when the internal temperature reaches 122 (F). Maybe if it's 95 outside, additional heat from the circuits that are still on triggers the fan.
 

Brazos

Active Member
How about the auto switch over for the ac when plugged in to the pedestal. It warms up with the ac pass thru the inverter for the frig circuit. The fan cycles on to help cool the unit. My Bighorn came with the Xantrex Inverter from the factory. Yes Xantrex not Magnum. Haven't had any issues at all with it and the fan also cycles on from time to time when plugged in. The Converter is not even connected. It is the fan in the inverter. It normal for it to cycle on and off. I have never had it cycle on when not plugged in or the inverter not turned on.
 

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member
How about the auto switch over for the ac when plugged in to the pedestal. It warms up with the ac pass thru the inverter for the frig circuit. The fan cycles on to help cool the unit. My Bighorn came with the Xantrex Inverter from the factory. Yes Xantrex not Magnum. Haven't had any issues at all with it and the fan also cycles on from time to time when plugged in. The Converter is not even connected. It is the fan in the inverter. It normal for it to cycle on and off. I have never had it cycle on when not plugged in or the inverter not turned on.

I have the Xantrex also, and it is the fan on the inverter that comes on. Brazil's, I only hear mine when we are plugged in or the inverter is turned on because that is the only two conditions that exist in our full time world. Dan, your explanation sounds reasonable, thanks.
 

IronJ

Well-known member
My xantrex does that too...if I have the battery cut off via the switch it does not...

It works fine, so I just assumed it was getting hot in the front compartment or something?

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IronJ

Well-known member
A lot of my family is from and still lives there...I grew up there as a child as well...

I always blame alien mind control on my spending...haha

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Crossbow

Member
I would like to first make a distinction between and inverter and a converter. The main power distribution panel normally does not contain an inverter but instead a converter. It is converting AC power to DC to run the direct current circuits and to charge the battery(s). An inverter inverts the DC into Alternating current for use by 120VAC circuits. The only inverter in the trailer will be on the residential refrigerator so that if you are on battery power you can run a fridge that uses 120VAC. To be honest I haven't tracked down my residential fridge inverter location.
So is the fan you are talking about in the power supply breaker panel or separately running the refrigerator? If you talking about the converter, much of your trailer is running on 12VDC and the fan is there to cool down the rectifier diodes and power regulators. If you do not have any current draw or not really charging the battery, the converter fan will not run. You have to get over a certain load before the fan will kick in. You can test this by turning on lights and seeing how many it takes before the fan kicks in.
The inverter fan probably turns on any time the fridge is on DC power. The fridge draws enough power that the fan will always be on cooling the oscillation circuitry / power regulator.
 

IronJ

Well-known member
We were discussing the xantrex
....inverter...I don't think they even make a converter...?

The fan we are talking about DOES run with no load .even when the master switch is off and the residential fridge (a/c powered) is on shore power

Mine is located in the Fwd basement compartment next to the genny..

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Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member
Mine is located in the Fwd basement compartment next to the genny..

That is where my inverter, that runs our residential refer when we are moving, is located and my converter is located behind the basement wall near the UDC. I know this because I just replaced the converter due to stupidity. The converter DOES NOT like to be sprayed with water
 

Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member
I have not seen many electronic components that agree with water. I moved mine to the side of the rig and mounted it to a plywood board so it would bu up and away form any water source.

Steve

Good idea Steve, but in my stupid move I would have needed to have the converter on the outside of the trailer !!!!!
 

Crossbow

Member
Well I am always amazed how many people get an inverter (which few people have) confused with the converter (which everyone has). If the inverter fan is on it is inverting DC to AC so my question would be, if you are on shore power why is the inverter lined up to power at all? The AC should be coming from shore power and not the inverter. The inverter should only have a closed power circuit when on battery power only.
 

IronJ

Well-known member
Well I am always amazed how many people get an inverter (which few people have) confused with the converter (which everyone has). If the inverter fan is on it is inverting DC to AC so my question would be, if you are on shore power why is the inverter lined up to power at all? The AC should be coming from shore power and not the inverter. The inverter should only have a closed power circuit when on battery power only.
Ahh but see that's the thing....on the xantrex I can unplug the ac side (ie nothing can even GET power) and the fan will still run on occasion....the only way to make it NOT run is to turn the battery disconnect off...

So it's something internal...I'm guessing heat or ......well...who knows??...but the fan is thermally controlled not load controlled so heat makes more sense to me....

Like I said ...who knows...it's worked fine for a year and 5k miles of traveling so I'm not gonna mess with it...lol

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Lou_and_Bette

Well-known member
Well I am always amazed how many people get an inverter (which few people have) confused with the converter (which everyone has). If the inverter fan is on it is inverting DC to AC so my question would be, if you are on shore power why is the inverter lined up to power at all? The AC should be coming from shore power and not the inverter. The inverter should only have a closed power circuit when on battery power only.

EXACTLY why my question in the OP. So, like IronJ states above, not going to mess with anything "if it ain't broke..." was just wondering (often a very dangerous thing to do when I am idle)
 

danemayer

Well-known member
If you have a separate cutoff for the battery power to the inverter, you can turn it off. Of course you have to remember to turn it back on for travel. And if you have a power outage while the inverter is shut down, the refrigerator won't get any power.
 

IronJ

Well-known member
Well...now I'm wondering...!!!!!

Luckily!

my rig is in for service so i called my tech and asked him to check it out and see if it was normal and to pull some amp numbers to see if there is a drain.....

So we shall see...if he deems it needs replacing then so be it..

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