Inverter output cables are live on shore-power?

[dirkdig]

I have just removed our xantrex 1800i for repairs again and found that the 2 cables coming out were live as the boat was plugged into shore power?
Is this normal as i thought after disconnecting the 12 v input there would be no power on the outlet side of the inverter?


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[CaptTom]

That's how mine works. The load is always live, as long as there's 12VDC or 120VAC available.

Mine has the option to turn off the inverter, leaving the load unpowered if there's no shore power, but it never occurred to me to try killing the output if shore power or generator power were available.

Of course, you can (and should) turn off the 120VAC breaker that feeds the inverter if you're going to work on it.

[Sailmonkey]

Yes, that's the whole point of hardwired with the transfer switch built it. When on shotepower it feeds through, when on batteries you'll never know the difference on the devices that are connected to the output.


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[dirkdig]

Great thanks for the advice, will be pulling the shore plug before i do the reinstall next week.


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[Ironman162]

My inverter becomes a charger when connected to shore power or a generator. It happens automatically.
This will mean that the high voltage is always present with this kind of inverter.
Hope it helps

[Derek Lumb]

Originally Posted by dirkdig

I have just removed our xantrex 1800i for repairs again and found that the 2 cables coming out were live as the boat was plugged into shore power?
Is this normal as i thought after disconnecting the 12 v input there would be no power on the outlet side of the inverter?


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It looks to me if it is incorrectly wired and dangerous. From your description it sounds as if the shore power cable would be live when the inverter is switched on - this is DANGEROUS. If there were a fault on the shoreside ac and an electrician isolated it from the supply to work on it but you had your inverter on, the electrician could be electrocuted. The ouput from the inverter should go through a selctor switch to your on board installation with the inverter on one input and the shore ac feed on the other. This can be automatic but the important thing is there should NEVER be a possibility of the inverter feeding through to the shoreside ac.

[hellosailor]

By the way? For about ten bucks you can get a "pen" in any hardware or electrical store. Click a power button on the top, and hold the tip near any AC cable, and the pen lights up and buzzes if the cable it hot. And since it is an all-plastic body, there's no risk to getting zapped.


After you've been bit once, you learn to mistrust ALL power wires until proven otherwise. Rubber boots and gloves and insulated mats are all fine for the professionals, but that "pen" tester is a lot less expensive.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by Derek Lumb

It looks to me if it is incorrectly wired and dangerous.

===

I disagree. Most inverter/chargers have a transfer relay which passes the input AC power through to the output when input power is present. The proper approach, as others have mentioned, is to remove AC power by opening up the circuit breaker to the inverter.

[barnakiel]

With the inverter OFF its output cables will be hot only if a double toss shore/gen/inverter switch is absent from the system and IF the shore power is ON.

The same applies to power share & and combos. When the unit is OFF cables going out are hot if the above switch is absent.

I can imagine on simple boats it may be the case, but I would consider this a risk to be avoided.

b.

[dirkdig]

Looks like i will buy a tester pen and follow where the leads are terminating and see just what switches are in line.
May need to install a switch if the shore power is live with the inverter on?

Thanks for the help on this one.


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[carlylelk]

You mentioned it needed repair again...what's the trouble? I am planning on buying the same inverter so I'm more than a little curious what your experience has been.

Duane

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by carlylelk

You mentioned it needed repair again...what's the trouble? I am planning on buying the same inverter so I'm more than a little curious what your experience has been.

Duane

I had a Xantrex ProSine 2000 for about 10 years. It was very glitch prone and finally failed completely. After doing a bit of research I replaced it with a Magnum. So far so good after 2 years of hard use. Here's a Google Search for Xantrex Inverter Issues. It's worth reading through a couple of pages.

https://www.google.com/search?q=xant...utf-8&oe=utf-8

[smac999]

pass through inverters pass the shore power though to the loads. so yes shore power goes in the in and then out the out.

and now that you have removed it. you likely have no shore power to your plugs etc. you'd have to temporary join the in and out AC wires together until it comes back from repairs.

[smac999]

Originally Posted by wayne.b

===

I disagree. Most inverter/chargers have a transfer relay which passes the input AC power through to the output when input power is present. The proper approach, as others have mentioned, is to remove AC power by opening up the circuit breaker to the inverter.

which then kills all power to the boat. (all inverter loads) ok for the removal. but then you are still stuck with no ac on the boat until you reinstall it.

bypasses switches can be made to bypass a broken inverter allowing removal. but they are rarely seen and expensive to make properly.

[dirkdig]

So far 3 xantrex 1800i inverters have failed and been rebuilt,

Looking for a new one to replace these can get chinese ones for $300 that are 2800w with boost power of 5600w.

12 month warranty as well?


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