New Dimensions 2000w Inverter Problem

[THutch]

Can anybody comment on this?  Coach is a 2005 Meridian 34H with the stock Dimensions 12X20B3RT Inverter Charger.  last 2 times on shore power, I get the message: CHGR-OFF NO INPUT, INVERTER OFF.  From their troubleshooting section in the manual, it says "no external AC power connected.  I opened the unit and read out the wires and I have power coming into the box.  Inverter works fine when disconnected from shore power.  Any Ideas?

Short of replacing with a $2K unit, I was considering hard-wiring in an automatic battery charger in the bay and plugging it into the block heater outlet, so I could operate from inside the coach.  Not much use for a block heater in Florida! I would hook it to the house battery bank and I have a Trik-L-Start to maintain the coach batteries.  Tell me if I'm missing something...

Thanks!

 

[John Canfield]

Congratulations Tom for a Dimensions that worked for nine years, I think mine was boiling my batteries when the coach was new.  Replaced it with a Xantrex RS2000.

If you are thinking of an automatic battery charger as a long term solution for the Dimensions, I suppose that would work as an inexpensive hack but you would have a bit of wiring to do and you would be without an inverter.  Our inverter is always running and keeping power to the Advantium's clock, the satellite receiver, our residential fridge, etc.  Even when we had a Nocold, I always ran it on inverter to save propane.  If you try to sell the coach with your hacked battery charger, that would have to be a negative to a prospective buyer.

Personally I would not go your route, a better solution is to get the Dimensions repaired - last I heard it was a flat $400 charge but that's not current information.

 

[Becks]

Why not look at buying a new PSW Inverter. One example would be to get a Magnum 2812 from imarineusa.com for $1404.00. A big step up from the Dimensions.

 

[THutch]

Thanks for the responses.  I'm only hesitant to update because everything works except the charging.  Inverter portion is fine, and everything works both on shore power and when disconnected (Norcold, microwave clock, satellite, etc.)  Just not getting a charge to the batteries when parked and on shore power. 

UPDATE:  I just went out and wacked it (judiciously, of course!) with a rubber mallet, and it is working!  Could be a relay sticking???

 

[OLDRACER]

DON'T FORCE IT!!!!!!!!! Get a bigger hammer!!! 

 

[John Canfield]

Sounds like you have whacked a few more ___ days/hours/minutes into the Demented.

 

[THutch]

Well, it has been a couple of weeks...several disconnects and re-connects to power, and all is fine.  I'm keeping the mallet in the bay next to the inverter!  Not sure if it is "just in case" or a warning to the inverter!

 

[John Canfield]

Thanks for the update.  If your luck is like mine, it will decide to stop working at the most inopportune moment  .

 

[captsteve]

A real, Scared Straight story!!!

 

[weewun]

I would suspect the Transfer Relay in the Inverter.  Whacking it probably freed the contactor points of the Inverter's Transfer Relay.

You could remove the Inverter and clean the contactor points of its Transfer Relay, but I believe I would just keep the Rubber Mallet handy until the points weld together.

 

[John Canfield]

... I would just keep the Rubber Mallet handy until the points weld together.

Sage advice! 

 

[AA4WP]

I would not get a upgraded Dimensions Inverter.  Back in 2008, our Dementions Inverter fried our nice (to us at the time) Sony TV, and as John did, replaced it with the Xantrex 2000 inverter/charger.  It has not given us a moment's concern in the intervening 6 years of operation.  Only if you were going to sell the RV would I get a rebuilt Demonshuns inverter.

Only my humble opinion.

Wendell