Heart Interface - Freedom 20 Inverter

[Wiltshire Moonraker]

Hi Folks

 

We've eventually managed to sell the house & buy a boat so for the last 3 weeks we been liveaboards, so bear with me if this is a dumb question.

 

We have a Heart Interface with a Freedom 20 Inverter which seems to work mostly as it should except that when I connect to a shoreline or generator there is no 230v power arriving at the boat's 230v circuit although there's a nice red light showing that the shorepower is connected. What I suspect is that there is a changeover relay inside the Freedom 20 which has failed. I seem to remember that one of the resident Gurus (Gibbo?) has had a lot of experience with Heart Interface equipment so perhaps there is someone who could kindly advise me if there's something I can replace or do I have to buy an new inverter/charger.

 

Thanks in anticipation of the usual help

 

Chris

[jelunga]

Hi Folks We've eventually managed to sell the house & buy a boat so for the last 3 weeks we been liveaboards, so bear with me if this is a dumb question. We have a Heart Interface with a Freedom 20 Inverter which seems to work mostly as it should except that when I connect to a shoreline or generator there is no 230v power arriving at the boat's 230v circuit although there's a nice red light showing that the shorepower is connected. What I suspect is that there is a changeover relay inside the Freedom 20 which has failed. I seem to remember that one of the resident Gurus (Gibbo?) has had a lot of experience with Heart Interface equipment so perhaps there is someone who could kindly advise me if there's something I can replace or do I have to buy an new inverter/charger. Thanks in anticipation of the usual help Chris

I have a similar One. Do you have a manual?   if not, I couLD eMAIL YOU A COPY.

[GUMPY]

Hi Folks

 

We've eventually managed to sell the house & buy a boat so for the last 3 weeks we been liveaboards, so bear with me if this is a dumb question.

 

We have a Heart Interface with a Freedom 20 Inverter which seems to work mostly as it should except that when I connect to a shoreline or generator there is no 230v power arriving at the boat's 230v circuit although there's a nice red light showing that the shorepower is connected. What I suspect is that there is a changeover relay inside the Freedom 20 which has failed. I seem to remember that one of the resident Gurus (Gibbo?) has had a lot of experience with Heart Interface equipment so perhaps there is someone who could kindly advise me if there's something I can replace or do I have to buy an new inverter/charger.

 

Ok its very simple if its the same as mine was:

 

There is an internal fuse that is from memory 80mA this will have blown.

Its a pain in the ass to change as its up behind the trips at the top of the unit

The PCBs inside are only just held together and can come apart as you virtually have to dismantle the unit to get to the fuse. Replace it with a 250mA then it wont blow again ( Gibbos instruction)

 

ONLY TRY AND REPLACE THE FUSE WITH ALL CABLES DISCONNECTED FROM THE BATTERIES AND THE MAINS if you leave anything connected there is a good chance that you will blow the unit up especially if your isolation switch is on the -ve.

[Wiltshire Moonraker]

I have a similar One. Do you have a manual?   if not, I couLD eMAIL YOU A COPY.

 

I have a users manual but it doesn't have any wiring diagrams or the like, if yours has I'd be grateful for a copy

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

Ok its very simple if its the same as mine was:

 

There is an internal fuse that is from memory 80mA this will have blown.

Its a pain in the ass to change as its up behind the trips at the top of the unit

The PCBs inside are only just held together and can come apart as you virtually have to dismantle the unit to get to the fuse. Replace it with a 250mA then it wont blow again ( Gibbos instruction)

 

ONLY TRY AND REPLACE THE FUSE WITH ALL CABLES DISCONNECTED FROM THE BATTERIES AND THE MAINS if you leave anything connected there is a good chance that you will blow the unit up especially if your isolation switch is on the -ve.

 

Thanks Julian

 

That's really helpful, will investigate that tomorrow and report back

 

All the best

 

Chris

[matty40s]

one thing I learnt is that you need a genny about 4.5KW or over if you are trying to charge your batteries, anything less won't achieve it.

[GUMPY]

one thing I learnt is that you need a genny about 4.5KW or over if you are trying to charge your batteries, anything less won't achieve it.

In which case you are doing something wrong!

The Heart can be set to current limit the drain on the mains supply so will run off just about any genset.

Ran mine for 2 years on a 3.2kVA set with no problems at all, the trick is not to let the batteries discharge to far.

[matty40s]

I just went on Gibbo's advice, and he was pretty involved with Heart

 

see post 29 on clicky

 

 

how would I change the current limit set??

Edited June 16, 2010 by matty40s

[GUMPY]

I just went on Gibbo's advice, and he was pretty involved with Heart

 

see post 29 on clicky

 

 

how would I change the current limit set??

Its in the user manual:

 

using dip switch 7&8 on the remote

 

SWITCH #7 & #8 - Power Sharing These

switches should be set to match the value of

the circuit breaker which protects the incoming

AC power. They may also limit the

output current from the battery charger.

 

Settings are in the manual.

I did need to limit mine...........................as it was the big 24v one.

I assume that Gibbo was referring to the heart without the interface.

 

I have a 24v interface in my lockup that I am not using AFAIK its the same as the 12v one but different numbers so will work on 12v.

Also allows you to do a real equalisation charge!!!!!!!!!

Edited June 16, 2010 by idleness

[Wiltshire Moonraker]

Ok its very simple if its the same as mine was:

 

There is an internal fuse that is from memory 80mA this will have blown.

Its a pain in the ass to change as its up behind the trips at the top of the unit

The PCBs inside are only just held together and can come apart as you virtually have to dismantle the unit to get to the fuse. Replace it with a 250mA then it wont blow again ( Gibbos instruction)

 

ONLY TRY AND REPLACE THE FUSE WITH ALL CABLES DISCONNECTED FROM THE BATTERIES AND THE MAINS if you leave anything connected there is a good chance that you will blow the unit up especially if your isolation switch is on the -ve.

 

Absolutely spot on! 80mA blown, one visit to Maplins later, replaced with 250mA reassembled & hey presto it works!

 

Many many thanks and yes it was a pain to get my big hands in there.

 

Next question... The washing machine clearly won't work through the inverter but when the generator is connected is it OK to run the washing machine off of the ring main connected through the Freedom 20?

 

Again, many thanks

 

Chris

[GUMPY]

Next question... The washing machine clearly won't work through the inverter but when the generator is connected is it OK to run the washing machine off of the ring main connected through the Freedom 20?

 

I run mine on a separate circuit direct from the mains so if the power goes off it doesn't confuse the WM or flatten the batteries.