Freedom 25 inverter charger tripping breaker

[kkochner]

When I pulled in my doc today and hooked up the shore power as soon as I switched from my generator to the shore power I tripped the breaker on the main panel of the dock. It did not trip my breaker on the boat or the breaker on the power tower. After a bit of narrowing down I discovered that it was my inverter switc when I pulled in my dock today and hooked up the shore power as soon as I switched from my generator to the shore power I tripped the breaker on the main panel of the dock. It did not trip my breaker on the boat or the breaker on the power tower. After a bit of narrowing down I discovered that it was my inverter tripping it.

If I leave my inverter switch off on my panel everything works fine… As soon as I click the inverter switch it blows the breaker. How do you test the inverter to see if it’s bad or not? Can they be repaired or is it better to just buy a new one. As you can imagine I would prefer not to have to purchase one if it can be repaired etc.

I’m just not sure how to check it or test it to confirm that it’s really bad or not. It does not trip anything when my generator is running well underway. And it hasn’t had any problems at the marina where I keep it. I’m on a trip and pulled into a new marina for a week today and that’s when I noticed a problem.

Any feedback or thoughts would be greatly appreciate it thank you all so much!

[tomschauer]

Not sure what inverter you have or how you have it connected, but if you have a large one feeding 120 circuits in your panel, it shouldn't be on when shore or genny power is available. If this is the case the marina may have ground fault or arc fault breakers which will not allow current to flow "back" into the grid so to speak. If its a self contained inverter and you plug your 120v loads directly into it, it should have no effect on shore power.

[kkochner]

It’s the freedom 2500 inverter/charger. It s the original one that came in the boat. It charges my house batteries...so I believe when the gen or shore power is connected it’s keeping the house batteries charged.

[bud37]

From your description it sounds like you may have found the problem......possible ground fault in the inverter which the new marina is picking up.....there is some, much more sensitive upgraded dock wiring now.

Considering it is the original, maybe time for an upgrade anyway, there is some much better equipment now. Do you have other battery chargers on your boat ?

[kkochner]

Thanks for the info...the thought had crossed my mind to check the grounding. This marina was new wiring a year or so and my marina is probably older. That would explain why it does it hear and not there. If it works at my home marina is it a safety issue to keep using it there or is just that way because it’s older equipment? Thanks!!!

Yes I have my engine battery chargers and my bow thruster battery charger.

[bud37]

Source of the post Thanks for the info...the thought had crossed my mind to check the grounding. This marina was new wiring a year or so and my marina is probably older. That would explain why it does it hear and not there. If it works at my home marina is it a safety issue to keep using it there or is just that way because it’s older equipment? Thanks!!!

Yes I have my engine battery chargers and my bow thruster battery charger.

It could be a safety issue, I am not saying for sure it is a ground fault.....if it was it could create corrosion problems with your underwater gear etc, I say could because I don't know for sure.....the only real way to tell, is to remove the inverter and have it tested or get a real certified marine electrician to go over your boat as these things are very hard to pinpoint. It may turn out your inverter is fine and it is something else in that circuit.....Good luck man .