Zapped inverter

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Jerrygroah

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Posts
286
Location
Mims,Fl, USA (central east coast)
Hello, I have a Porta Wattz 600, now obslete. The instructions say the connecting to reverse polarity will damage the unit. Guess what, I inadvertly touhed the positive lead to negative mometarly. Now it doesn't work. The cooling fan does not work either. I read one time that there was an internal fuse that would blow if that happened.
I have looked inside and see three 30 amp fused which are all good. I think they are for 110 out put recptacles.Is there another fuse someplace on the circuit board?

Thanks in advance, Jerry
 
First off.. Is this a Inverter/Converter?  Or a "Stand Alone" (Inverter only)

Second, If option A was it plugged into shore power at the time.

And finally you said: I accidently touched positive to negative.

Did you, at the same time,  touch negative to positive?

You said 3 30 amp fuses for 120 volt. I think not, if that is a 600 watt inverter as the model suggests......  You would not have more than a 10 amp fuse on the 120 volt side, On the DC cide you'd ned 60-90 amps, 3 30 amp in parallel.

However please answer the questions, Then we might be able to suggest.

But if you hooked it up backwards, positive to negative, and negetive to positive at the same time,, You may have fried it.  Hard to tell without information I can not possible obtain.
 
Thanks for straighing me out John.
It is a stand alone inverter made by Xantrex.
The only negitive that was active at the time was the case ground. I was trying to attach the main feed wires with alligator clips to my batteries. The positive lead to the inverter came into contact with the negative side of the battery. There was a slight arc and that was it.
No shore power was involved.
Apparently the 3 30's were on the dc side they are mounted side by side on the circuit board.I did not take the circuit board completely out so could not inspect for wiring damage. What would I look for on the board?
 
Sounds like you fried at least one component on the circuit board. When they said it had no reverse polarity protection, I guess they meant it!

Fortunately you can buy a new standalone inverter at Walmart for around $40. Or Sears. You might try ebay too.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/13398247?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=21486607510&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem
http://www.sears.com/tjl-industrial-inc-td-industrial-power-inverter-600/p-SPM250281241?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2
 
Thanks Gary. The need for the inverter has now passed. I just thought it was a fuse or something I could fix, but guess not. I like to tinker and do some things out of curiosity just to see if I can.
The purpose of the inverter was so the wife could watch her soaps while dry camping. I have purchased a small Honda generator. That works better and charges the batteries also during soap time.
Seems bad not to design the beast with out another fuse for dummy's like me.

Thanks again to all who responded,Jerry
 
Many newer inverters and even converter/chargers have reverse polarity built in. The Portawattz did not. Agree is it pretty poor design not to have some protection from a common problem in hooking up a portable 12v-powered device. Oddly, it does include protection against high and low voltage and other source issues, but not the most common problem.
 
It does sound like you fried something... If the fuses are good, As I said, I'd need information I can not possibly get.

If it is MSW.. I have spares I'd not mind parting with.. If it's TSW,, Well I only have one of those and it's in use.
 
John the inverter is the modified sine wave. I am getting ready to take a ten day vacation right now. I will not have time to look at it further until we return.
May I keep you in mind for the parts, if I can isolate the problem?

Thanks, Jerry
 
I have both a 750 and a 1,000 watt MSW in the basement I'm not using just now.  But I'm also in Upstate SC, to be honest shipping would cost more than I paid for either one of 'em.
 
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