Fried Travel Power

[nb Innisfree]

But what about when 240v is being supplied but not enough for the demand so that power assist mode is activated and the inverter is working as well?

 

Victron power assists with E/N link disconnected, if Victron assisted shore power with E/N link connected it would trip shorepower RCD.

[by'eck]

Another quick update on this ongoing saga...

 

Travel Power fixed again and received end of last week but my mechanic not available until end of this week to refit.

 

In the meantime I purchased the USB interface for my Victron and took a look at the settings. Power Assist mode is set on and the Ground Relay switch is set on so that neutral/earth is connected when the inverter is running and disconnected otherwise.

 

Now the scenario for the last blow up of the Travel Power was that the ampage limiter on the Victron was set too low initially when the washing machine was running and the washing cycle began turning off and on. I then turned up the limiter to 16 amps and the Travel Power went bang!

 

I’m wondering if when I was running the washing machine the Travel Power wasn’t providing enough power as the Victron input ampage limiter was set too low and the Victron was “topping up” the required amps, meaning the inverter was on with neutral/earth connected. I then turned up the ampage limit on the input to the Victron allowing the Travel Power to provide all of the power for the washing machine. The inverter then wasn’t required and neutral/earth was disconnected causing the Travel Power to blow up.

 

If this is the issue, then I’m not sure how to get around it as the only available setting is to stop neutral/earth connection altogether on the Victron. Unless the issue with the Travel Power is switching from one to the other during operation. Maybe it would be happy with neutral/earth disconnected if it was always that way?

 

It does say in the documentation about the Relay Flag - “Connection between N and PE during inverter operation. To permit use of a Residual Current Device (RCD). During operation as and inverter, a connection between PE and N is required.”

 

Anyway, first thing to try when the TP gets reinstalled is connecting directly to the washing machine without any link to the Victron. It will be "interesting" to see if this works.

 

The input current limiter on the Victron seems to be the unpredictable part of the scenario you describe. This especially as the current available from the TP will vary with engine revs. Can you not therefore turn this feature off so there is no possibility of the Victron's inverter kicking in when using the washing machine with TP, and the ensuing auto N/E bond if it makes such. Just ensure you have more than enough engine revs to match the load, a washing machine being well within its limits.

 

If you wanted to limit AC load maybe turning off the charger part whilst washing machine is running may help as well.

[Hawkmoth]

The input current limiter on the Victron seems to be the unpredictable part of the scenario you describe. This especially as the current available from the TP will vary with engine revs. Can you not therefore turn this feature off so there is no possibility of the Victron's inverter kicking in when using the washing machine with TP, and the ensuing auto N/E bond if it makes such. Just ensure you have more than enough engine revs to match the load, a washing machine being well within its limits.

 

If you wanted to limit AC load maybe turning off the charger part whilst washing machine is running may help as well.

I don't have access to the computer programming on my Victron and only use the dip switches. We have a washer/drying on board, and use it while cruising with a TP. Normally the TP will supply sufficient power to run the washer/dryer and charge the batteries. When locking the engine revs must inevitably die and the TP is then not capable of providing the required power. We then turn down the supplement on the Victron and it provides the shortfall without any troubles. we don't seem to have any issues with the change over at all.

I hope knowing this helps you.

Bob

[by'eck]

I don't have access to the computer programming on my Victron and only use the dip switches. We have a washer/drying on board, and use it while cruising with a TP. Normally the TP will supply sufficient power to run the washer/dryer and charge the batteries. When locking the engine revs must inevitably die and the TP is then not capable of providing the required power. We then turn down the supplement on the Victron and it provides the shortfall without any troubles. we don't seem to have any issues with the change over at all.

I hope knowing this helps you.

Bob

 

Pulling the engine out of gear and increasing revs whilst locking should solve your problem.

[Philippe]

Victron power assists with E/N link disconnected, if Victron assisted shore power with E/N link connected it would trip shorepower RCD.

 

That makes sense but I couldn't find any explicit reference in the documentation. It therefore doesn't seem to be an issue with E/N bonding as they should have been disconnected throughout.

 

Several people here using TP and Victron with power assist without any issues. If I ever connect the TP and Victron again, I will remember to turn up the ampage limiter to 16 amps before turning on the washing machine.

 

I guess that connecting the TP directly to the washing machine and trying that out will either point the finger at or rule out the washing machine as the culprit here. If innocent, not sure what I'll do. Probably leave as is, not wanting to blow the TP up yet again (if I haven't already!)

[Hawkmoth]

Pulling the engine out of gear and increasing revs whilst locking should solve your problem.

I do this manage this, but unfortunately my wife isn't as nimble as me with the controls and it drops out if left to idle for more that a second or so.

Bob

[nicknorman]

I do this manage this, but unfortunately my wife isn't as nimble as me with the controls and it drops out if left to idle for more that a second or so.

Bob

The best solution is surely to put the washing on at a time when you are not approaching a flight of locks! Of course once the first part of the cycle is complete- the wash where it heats the water - the rest (rinses and spins) don't use much power.

[kevinl]

Have you ever considered just banging your clothes on a rock at the side of the canal, old technology but more reliable and cheaper than all this. It's quite put me off having a washing machine on a boat.

[nicknorman]

Have you ever considered just banging your clothes on a rock at the side of the canal, old technology but more reliable and cheaper than all this. It's quite put me off having a washing machine on a boat.

Mmmh, not such a good idea if you are cruising the BCN at the time (well, some bits of it anyway). Our washing machine / TP / Inverter all work seamlessly together (FLW) so it doesn't have to be like the OP's experience!

[nb Innisfree]

That makes sense but I couldn't find any explicit reference in the documentation. It therefore doesn't seem to be an issue with E/N bonding as they should have been disconnected throughout.

 

Several people here using TP and Victron with power assist without any issues. If I ever connect the TP and Victron again, I will remember to turn up the ampage limiter to 16 amps before turning on the washing machine.

 

I guess that connecting the TP directly to the washing machine and trying that out will either point the finger at or rule out the washing machine as the culprit here. If innocent, not sure what I'll do. Probably leave as is, not wanting to blow the TP up yet again (if I haven't already!)

As I mentioned earlier the Victron default is E/N bond and it could be down to a faulty E/N relay dropping out when w/m load increases. You could test this by running w/m just on the Victron with a RCD tester plugged in, (make sure TP is isolated and 230v present on Victron input -perhaps a genny with no E/N bond) when w/m load increases RCD will trip when tested if relay is faulty and defaulting to E/N bond. (RCD won't trip if no E/N bond present) Don't use the RCD test button for this but a proper tester.

 

Hope I've made it clear enough.

 

Edited 3 times for dodgy info!

Edited March 12, 2013 by nb Innisfree

[kevinl]

Mmmh, not such a good idea if you are cruising the BCN at the time (well, some bits of it anyway). Our washing machine / TP / Inverter all work seamlessly together (FLW) so it doesn't have to be like the OP's experience!

Fair comment, I didn't think it through. If I did that on the orange canal at Worsley I'd end up looking like I'd escaped from Guantánamo Bay or been Tango'ed.

[Philippe]

As I mentioned earlier the Victron default is E/N bond and it could be down to a faulty E/N relay dropping out when w/m load increases. You could test this by running w/m just on the Victron with a RCD tester plugged in, (make sure TP is isolated and 230v present on Victron input -perhaps a genny with no E/N bond) when w/m load increases RCD will trip when tested if relay is faulty and defaulting to E/N bond. (RCD won't trip if no E/N bond present) Don't use the RCD test button for this but a proper tester.

 

Hope I've made it clear enough.

 

Edited 3 times for dodgy info!

 

I'll see if my mechanic has an RCD tester. I'm in a marina at the moment so theoretically have shore power for the input to the Victron. I say theoretically as everything disconnected at the moment until the TP goes back in. Then I'll try out the washing machine directly from the TP. If all okay I could then try the washing machine off the Victron with shore power input.