SOLVED: Residential Fridge problem

[Miketnsa1]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

Nothing to shut off on mine either. As an update fridge still worked as it should on multiple trips with the 2000w Magnum inverter. One trip after returning home, I forgot to turn the fridge off, so it ran on the inverter all night til about noon the next day. Batteries still showed about half charge and fridge was still maintaining 5° freezer and 37 ° refer.

Thanks for sharing, so glad you have solved your problem with the 2000w Magnum...Hopefully Heartland will see this post and help all of us who have no working residential frig's while traveling.

 

[porthole]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

Has anyone checked the voltage coming from your truck while driving?

Been on my list for over a year since installing my inverter. Never gave it a lot of thought though since I have the dual alternator, 350 amp option.
Figured I would never run out of juice with that.

So, last night I finally checked. Running at fast idle I had 14 volts at the trucks 7 way connector (no trailer).
Hooking up the trailer and using a digital meter I had 13.1 volts in the pin box junction box.

At the busbar inside I also had 13.1 volts. That is quite the drop, and I don't know why. It was getting dark so I didn't try cutting or jumping wires. But, I did hook up my heavy duty jumpers to the back of the truck, which is supplied by 2/0 cables coming right off the battery.

Once hooked up with the jumpers I had 14 volts at the pin box and the battery busbar.

So, this has me wondering, insufficient wire size for the trucks accessory circuit through the trailer connector or insufficient wire size form the pin box to the battery compartment. Or, the trucks trailer accessory circuit just can't handle a higher then light load.

Also has me curious with some of the folks here that are having issues while on the road, thinking the truck was outputting enough voltage to the trailer.
I'll be testing more since I leave my inverter running 24/7, powering a Dometic cooler/freezer, ice maker (when traveling) and the TVs SAT equipment are all on the inverter circuit.

 

[travlingman]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

If you have to turn the ice maker off and if we had a door dehumidifier turn it off just to make the fridge work on the inverter that tells me the inverter is running to close to max. Are any of you owners of 2014 models with the residential fridge and inverter having to shut those things down to make yours work?

Have never tried running the ice maker while going down the road, didn't see the need. But have went up to 8 hour pulls while on inverter, no problems. After reading the posts on the inverter problems, even went out and started up the fridge with it being hot, temps in 70's, fridge ran for an hour before I shut it down because I could see it worked with no problem. Something must have changed since our build in Oct. 2013.

 

[Miketnsa1]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

I just called customer service and asked if they would share with me what they are going to pay CW to put in the "Improved" 1000W Magnum...I told them I would then like to pay the difference to have a 2000w Magnum Pure Sine Wave installed. The gentleman took my number and promised to get back to me today after checking and I will post his reply here...I just can't go down the road in 100+ degree heat wondering if the 1000w Magnum operating at it's absolute limit is going to give out?

 

[porthole]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

So - no one has checked to see if their tow vehicle is supplying sufficient voltage to the trailer battery while running down the road?

 

[BLHFUN]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

My dealer was told on Friday that the Inverter issues was "ON HOLD" and they had no ETA on the fix - My 4200 has officially been in the shop for the same amount of time it's been used. They told me I could go buy a larger Inverter and I would be reimbursed for the part, but they also stated the replacement inverter would no longer use the interior switch. I’m not interested in the "Quick Fix" and want it operating as they indicated it should.

I hope the Information starts to sync soon.

 

[danemayer]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

So - no one has checked to see if their tow vehicle is supplying sufficient voltage to the trailer battery while running down the road?

Duane,

I've noticed that the wiring from the buss bar to the break-away switch is pretty light-weight wire - not sure what gauge. But I'm pretty sure it can't handle 40 amps, which is the size of the fuse for that circuit on my GMC. I think that same wire carries the power coming from the tow vehicle to the battery. If the refrigerator is drawing 8-9 amps when the compressor runs, and the inverter has some conversion loss, I'd guess that to keep the refrigerator running, you'd need more power from the TV than those little wires can carry.

Just guessing of course. But I think the best you could expect from the TV power is to extend the refrigerator run-time a bit, or said another way, to keep the trailer batteries from becoming totally depleted during a day of travel.

 

[Hunter11]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

but they also stated the replacement inverter would no longer use the interior switch.

Not sure where they got this information. All the replacement inverters I have looked at have the RJ45 plug on them to connect the existing remote switch mounted in the trailer. I think the guys on here that have replaced their stock unit with a larger one are using the remote switch.

We were at CW Saturday and I looked at inverters while we were there. If Heartland cannot come up with a fix for this in the next 30 days I am going to purchase a 1500 watt with a 3000 watt surge and be done with it. We need ours working for a trip in August and frankly I think they should have this resolved by now.

 

[BLHFUN]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

That's exactly what I mean by... " I Hope the Information starts to Sync soon"

 

[aRAYwego]

The inverter that was approved and installed in mine, Magnum MS2012 inverter/charger does not use the switch inside the coach. The switch is always lit up but the inverter is totally automatic. As soon as shore power is removed it switches from charging the house batteries to inverting power for the fridge.

I dont know how much charging power you get from the TV but I always check the batteries after unhooking the TV and before shore power. After a 10 hour drive to Colorado, the house batteries were fully charged.

 

[Nabo]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

Just took our new Key Largo back to the dealership for a couple of add-ons that we wanted and the inverter problem. I have been documenting all the times that we have had a failure and the outdoors temps. The first thing they said is that they have had to replace 4 inverters already and our will be the 5th. They are putting in a 1500 watts system which will not be compatible with the existing inside switch so they are installing a new switch for the unit. I don't care about which switch is there as long as the unit works.

 

[Miketnsa1]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

The inverter that was approved and installed in mine, Magnum MS2012 inverter/charger does not use the switch inside the coach. The switch is always lit up but the inverter is totally automatic. As soon as shore power is removed it switches from charging the house batteries to inverting power for the fridge.

I dont know how much charging power you get from the TV but I always check the batteries after unhooking the TV and before shore power. After a 10 hour drive to Colorado, the house batteries were fully charged.

Thanks for sharing information on how the MS 2012 corrected your Inverter problems, I too was just approved for the MS2012 repairs...I can't wait to vacation once it's repaired as we've loved everything else about our CY 4200!

 

[Hunter11]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

I will be calling my POC at Heartland in the morning because they have sent the wrong bedroom seal yet again (three times so far) so I will be asking if I can get ours approved for the MS2012.

 

[Miketnsa1]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

I will be calling my POC at Heartland in the morning because they have sent the wrong bedroom seal yet again (three times so far) so I will be asking if I can get ours approved for the MS2012.

Somehow, I don't think an MS2012 Approval is going to help with your Bedroom Seal Problem--Or answer the age old question as to what a Seal is doing in your Bedroom anyway??? But if you've gone through 3 Seals already, I guess anything is worth a try!

 

[Hunter11]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

Mike, we had the top bedroom slide seal fail on our trip home from Ind. and have been trying to get it replaced but Heartlands parts department just can't figure it out. It was kind of funny at first but now it has become irritating.

 

[MrRvGypsy]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

our 2014 Savannah built Jan21st 2014 had damaged bedroom slide seals. The seals appears to have been damaged by solvent during the painting process as they were fatigued and dissolved.
Thankfully the factory shipped the correct seals the first time, which cannot be said for the awning they shipped. The door side slide awning was dealer installed as the results of a outside entertainment option ordering snafu.
The factory had our complete VIN number but still shipped a BROWN awning. Has anyone every seen a Landmark with BROWN awnings? The dealer was forced to pull a black awning off a stock unit as I was not prepared to make another trip to the dealer assuming the factory would ship the correct awning.

 

[Hunter11]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

I just got off the phone with my guy at Heartland and HOPEFULLY with the pictures I sent of the right and wrong slide seals and the head of parts on the phone with us we will get the correct part this time.

Now to the inverter, I was told they hope to have a fix for this by tomorrow but no guarantees. I was told if I wanted to go buy the 1500 watt inverter at CW they would reimburse us for it. I told him I would wait another week to 10 days to see if they come up with a fix and if not I would look at dealing with it myself. So has anyone purchased the inverter below from CW and had it fix your issue? Thanks

http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...ified-sine-wave-inverters-1500-watt-msw/67196

 

[scottyb]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

Is this a temporary fix?

 

[Hunter11]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

If I go with the 1500 watt inverter from CW or order from Amazon it would be a permanent fix I hope. As of this morning they still do not have a permanent fix from Magnum.

 

[scottyb]

Re: Inverter for fridge problem

The inverter that was approved and installed in mine, Magnum MS2012 inverter/charger does not use the switch inside the coach. The switch is always lit up but the inverter is totally automatic. As soon as shore power is removed it switches from charging the house batteries to inverting power for the fridge.

If they are replacing it with the MS2012, I would purchase the $200 inverter to get me by for now, and let them replace it with the MS2012. That is a top of the line high-end PSW inverter/charger worth about $1500.