External Inverter Status Light Project

[jbeletti]

I'll be working on my coach electrical system tomorrow (12-Aug-2014). I'll be checking and PMing my batteries. I'll also be installing a small and simple mod to monitor the AC output status of my residential refrigerator's inverter and by extension, the assumed on/off state of the refrigerator itself.

Here's what I'll be doing...

ABSTRACT
With residential refrigerators being a fairly new thing at Heartland, with a few having inverter issues caused by a compressor change by Frigidaire and with an unknown issue I’m having presently with my system, I decided to create and install a simple system to monitor the status of my inverter.

SOLUTION
In short, I’m putting a small amber LED light on the outside of my generator compartment front wall near my front jacks switch. I’ll be able to see this light in my rear view mirrors. Whenever the inverter is on and providing AC power to its built-in receptacle, this LED light will be on. This project can be completed for under $15 if you need to buy all the parts.

MATERIALS AND INSTALLATION DETAILS
Materials:
1. Small (3/4") amber LED clearance light (my source: Heartland RVs)
LINK to LED manufacturer's site
LINK to LED light sold at retail (Amazon.com)

3-LEDS, 12 VDC, 50ma current draw, fully potted/sealed, 3/4" mounting hole

2. 110 VAC to 12 VDC power adapter (my source: personal inventory, repurposed from an unused device)
LINK to power adapter sold at retail (Amazon.com)

Installation:

1. Determine ideal location on front generator wall where light can be best seen from truck’s rearview mirrors. Mark spot and confirm space is safe to drill through (no metal structure, no wiring etc.)
2. Drill 3/4” diameter hole in marked spot
3. Pass wire from power supply through hole to the outside and splice LED wiring to it. Solder/Tape/Heatshrink or Butt Splice
4. Feed all wire back through hold and press LED into place. Consider using silicone rubber from the back side to further cement the LED into place and better weatherproof the hole
5. Carefully route power supply and wiring, secure wire and plug power supply into the second AC receptacle on the inverter
6. Use the inverter’s local power button, or if so equipped, the inverter’s remote switch and turn the inverter on
7. Test: LED light should be on when inverter is on. Turn the inverter off. LED light should go off

HOW TO USE

1. Prior to disconnecting from shore power, turn inverter on
2. Check LED to make sure it is on
3. Remove shore power
4. Check LED to make sure it is still on
5. When you think about it, while traveling, using your rearview mirrors, check to make sure LED is still on

TROUBLESHOOTING
Consult Heartland Owners Userguide (HUG) for Troubleshooting Residential Refrigerator electrical system (LINK)

Here's a picture of the equipment rigged up for a bench test:


COMPLETED PROJECT
I installed this project tonight. See images below.

 

[bobsue2]

Awesome write up!!

 

[Garypowell]

Jim,

always like hearing about your projects. This is like the light 18 wheelers can see to know their refrigeration is OK. Great idea!

 

[jbeletti]

Jim,

always like hearing about your projects. This is like the light 18 wheelers can see to know their refrigeration is OK. Great idea!

Right Gary. I was showing it to a neighbor yesterday and he told me the truck refers have a green light that the drivers look for. Guess that would have worked too. Looks like I could order a green one (LINK).


I'll use the amber for this RV, leave it in there for the next owner, then maybe try the green LED for the next coach at the end of this year.

 

[porthole]

Will it be to bright at night?
And you didn't use wire nuts for the final install, correct?

 

[jbeletti]

Will it be to bright at night?
And you didn't use wire nuts for the final install, correct?

Duane - I am concerned about the nighttime brightness. We shall see.

I see that Maxxima (LINK) makes a single amber LED 3/4" light. Could not find it on Amazon but found one on eBay for $9 delivered (LINK).

 

[jnbhobe]

But what about the wire nuts??

 

[jbeletti]

But what about the wire nuts??

Ah yes Jon. The wire nuts were used only in my "proof of concept" project stage. I will likely use butt splices so I can make the splices outside the RV, then push all the wire, splices and light into the mounting hole.

I'll likely stop by Lowes today to get a 3/4" Forstner bit to make a very precise and clean hole. At least I can use the bit again for the next RV, if I like this project and feel the need to have that peace of mind again

 

[2psnapod2]

Jim, for the money if you did not want to spend that for the bit, you could use a wood spade bit also.

 

[For20hunter]

That is a great idea Jim! Do you know if the new inverter that Heartland is shipping me has cured the problem? They say that it is still only a 1000 Watt Inverter but has upgrades and changes to it to compensate for the draw of the fridge.

Rod Ditrich

 

[jbeletti]

Jim, for the money if you did not want to spend that for the bit, you could use a wood spade bit also.

Michael - agreed, but my spade bits are old and dull. I have no sturdy bench to mount a nice vice to clamp up and sharpen my spade bits.

 

[jbeletti]

... Do you know if the new inverter that Heartland is shipping me has cured the problem? They say that it is still only a 1000 Watt Inverter but has upgrades and changes to it to compensate for the draw of the fridge.

Rod - I don't know anything about what you are being shipped. I do understand that the reflashed Magnum inverters are doing the job. My info on that is feedback on this forum from owners who've received the reflashed units and reported good result.

 

[For20hunter]

Rod - I don't know anything about what you are being shipped. I do understand that the reflashed Magnum inverters are doing the job. My info on that is feedback on this forum from owners who've received the reflashed units and reported good result.

Jim,

That is what I'm being shipped. They are sending me a reflashed Magnum inverter.

Rod

 

[adam]

Jim,

Humour us;

What is the "other" unknown issue that you are having with your fridge that you mentioned in your 1st post. If the other members know maybe we can watch for it in our units and work together to troublshoot it?


Adam

 

[jbeletti]

This project is complete. See images at bottom of post #1.

 

[jbeletti]

Jim, Humour us; What is the "other" unknown issue that you are having with your fridge that you mentioned in your 1st post. If the other members know maybe we can watch for it in our units and work together to troublshoot it?

Hi Adam,

Thanks for asking. At first, I thought I maybe needed to maintenance my batteries. Or maybe it was a simple as my converter came unplugged. Well, it was even simpler. The 50 amp mini-breaker on the DC breaker buss had popped and required a manual reset. Why it popped, I do not know. This has happened maybe 3 times in 2 months. If I had to guess, I'd say that on my second to last day of travel last week, our refer significantly depleted the batteries. Then when I ran the front jacks and maybe put the slides out, that the breaker popped due to high current and low voltage. My wife puts out the slides while I'm connecting the coach to shore utilities. It may have popped on her, seconds before I plugged the coach up to 50 amp power. Just guessing.

Anyway, to determine what was wrong, I put a volt meter on the combined battery posts on top of the battery box. I got 11.1 volts. Bad. I removed the cover, unwired the batteries and checked the voltage of each battery. Same 11.1 volts. Hmm. Pulled the batteries, checked the electrolyte level (all cells good) and put both batteries on separate external battery chargers. Came back to the coach and checked the breaker and sure enough, the reset button was in the OUT position. Once I got the batteries recharged, I reinstalled them and now the converter in the coach will keep them topped off as needed.

Lesson learned: Check that 50 amp mini-breaker first. And I knew that! Just didn't think of it. Good news is, that I really needed to pull the batteries to check the electrolyte levels as I'd not done so in the year I've had them.
View attachment 31236View attachment 31234 View attachment 31235 View attachment 31237View attachment 31238 View attachment 31239

 

[adam]

Thanks Jim,

I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly regarding your power problems. Its sounds like you have diagnosed it correctly. I will also add that your "cat" eye light installation looks great and I welcome you letting us know how you find it travelling on the road.

I wonder if we (Fifth Wheel) owners can take a lesson from motorhome manufacturers/or owners who are now making residential fridges standard? It would appear that 4 batteries may be the ideal soloution to supply these fridges for extended periods of time, the all electric DC to AC hungry units have 8+ batteries. Now I'm not trying to suggest we all need to carry 1000 lbs of batteries around with us but maybe the supply isn't meeting the demand.

While our Landmark travels are still in their infancy we are running with both the Fridgidaire unit and a large Dometic basement fridge operating while on the road - trouble free on 4 batteries. (fingers crossed). But I should add that these trips are short in nature and so far we have had the 4 Trojan batteries back on shore power within 6-7 hours.


Thanks again and great mod!
Adam