Electrical Mod -- Feedback Requested

[gbkims]

It works! Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A couple of minor surprises--the relays (in the SmartATS and Inverter) close with authority. As in with a loud CLUNK. The first time I jumped when they engaged. At the same time a bird was outside of the trailer making a chirping noise that sounded like an alarm (which made my blood pressure rise for a second until I realized what it was).
...
-Howard

That's Great Howard.

Yeah large contactors are loud compared to relays. Bird chirping at same time, figures.

[offtohavasu]

Doh! I never even thought to look there. Sure enough, there's a diagram on the inside of the lid.

For the pictures below, I changed the wire colors on the diagram to match the wire colors as they actually exist coming out of the inverter. I then matched wire-for-wire to a picture I took of my installation. I'm 99% sure I've got it right, but don't want to apply AC power just yet until I get the final concurrence from AMSolar. (Still waiting for a return call. Only two guys there know anything about the Smart ATS.)

Thanks again for commenting, Damon!

Attachment 19399

Attachment 19400

The neutral and ground are going to the same block?

EDIT: OOOOPS! Sorry, forgot about the post of the color changes.

[howson]

I just have to share these screenshots. After all the research, tips and lessons-learned (from all of you) and the work of installation--this is TOO COOL!

Here's a picture of the CCGX's screen (one of three possible status pages). Note in the lower left corner I set the AC current limit (from my external shore power connection) to 10A. I then turned on the bedroom air conditioner--which along with anything else in the trailer pulled more than the maximum 10A of shore power I told the inverter was available. That's why 464W is discharging from the battery (note the screen message in the battery section). The inverter did this immediately and seamlessly! I didn't do anything other than set the 10A limitation. (What you're seeing is what is called an inverter's "hybrid" or "assist" mode.)



Here's another view of what's going on. If this was a video you'd see the "ants" marching from the GRID and BATTERY to the INVERTER and then to the AC LOADS. Note the Inverter has an "Assisting" message.




I then turned off the bedroom air conditioner. Note the inverter switched to Bulk mode. Remember, the inverter still thinks it is limited to 10A from Shore Power. The "ants" are now marching from the Grid to the Inverter. From the Inverter they are going to the Battery and the AC Loads.



Finally, I changed the AC CURRENT LIMIT from 10A to 49A (see lower left box of next picture) and note the charging watts shot up from 897W to 1264W as the inverter took full advantage of the available shore power.



It's only been a few hours, but I am absolutely thrilled with this setup, how it works, and how easy it is to use.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

To think all this started from you wanting to run your fridge on electric while driving.

Then I posted photos of us dry camping in a nice open field next to a crowded campground!

... and the insanity ensued!








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[howson]

...I posted photos of us dry camping in a nice open field next to a crowded campground! ... and the insanity ensued!

Yessir--that picture is largely responsible for the expanded requirements designed into my system. I wanted (and now have) some of that same capability, minus the solar.

[howson]

Just wondering if the EMS or ATS may be affected by residual heat from the furnace.

Brian
Your post got me thinking last night. Below is how I addressed your input.

Note that I researched the MSDS and technical/safety aspects of the Reflectix. To the best of my knowledge how I used it is appropriate for the material.

To someone seeing these pictures without context, the Smart ATS (silver box) is attached to the wall with 5 (maybe 6--I forget) screws. The EMS is attached to the SmartATS with dual-lock tape. The zip ties are an additional measure to ensure it stays in place. (The wire alone would hold it in place!)

I welcome comments & critiques.

[howson]

The wiring from the inverter connection to the Smart ATS match according to where they must connect, but the wire bundle used and color of the wires are wrong. I now realize that after-the-fact.

The trailer's original shore power wiring has what I will call 6/3. Meaning there is a red, white, and black insulated wire plus a paper-covered ground wire. What I call 6/2 wire has a black and white insulated wire with a paper-covered copper ground wire.

Looking at the inverter schematic I now realize what is needed is 6/2 between the inverter and SmartATS. I don't understand why I was advised to run 6/3 wire between the inverter and SmartATS (I have email to prove it).

You may wonder, "doesn't that company send everything you need in a kit? How could he have installed the wrong wire?" Why yes, they do send everything you need (almost), but the wire sent to me was way too short. So I sent it back and went to Lowes and purchased...6/3 wire. (Big label on the package. Impossible to miss. "6/3".)

When I got home and couldn't reconcile the drawing with the wires I was looking at in the cable I'd just bought I made a phone call. I was told specifically to connect red to line, black to neutral and white to ground at the inverter. When I asked what to do with the copper ground in the 6/3 bundle I was told, "I have no idea". I even wrote down what the "expert" said, and repeated it back to him no less than three times to ensure there was no miscommunication.

Bottom line--I can't leave it the way that it is. I have to fix it. This is why I get really good at doing things, because it's never just one-and-done. Why do that when I can do it two or three times? I wish we could cuss on this forum, because I have a string of obscenities I want to type out.

[Country Campers]

Howard

You can email me your frustrations , if that will help.
Keep a smile on it will be ok.

Brian

[Ditchdigger]

Doesn't all of the power to the trailer go through the inverter/smart ATS? If so that is why it is 6/3 wire required, you are putting 240 volts through it ( red and black load, white neutral, copper ground ). If it was just the voltage from the inverter like mine ( just a ATS) then it would be just 120 volts coming from the inverter.

[Cate&Rob]

I was told specifically to connect red to line, black to neutral and white to ground at the inverter. When I asked what to do with the copper ground in the 6/3 bundle I was told, "I have no idea". I even wrote down what the "expert" said, and repeated it back to him

This is the problem . . . assuming that the kid who answered the phone at the supplier, is the "expert". As soon as he said "connect the black to neutral" you are right that this should set off your alarm bells!

RVs are funny animals in that they take in 240V, but never use it without dividing it in half. Losing the neutral in an RV can be catastrophic since the next likely path for the current will supply 240V to some appliances. If you have not seen this already . . . have a read through this related thread https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...Failure!/page6

Rob