Mastervolt Inverter Problems

[boataholic]

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help. My partner has recently changed the batteries (4 domestic and a starter) on his 10 year old boat. He is fairly certain that he has wired everything up properly but now the Mastervolt Mass Combi 2000/100 won't work. It is showing 240V as being present, and the bulk light is on on the battery charger, and the charging light is on but it doesn't appear to be charging the batteries and is definitely not acting as an inverter.
We have been told that the inverter might need re-setting but have been unable to find any info on how to do this.

We have measured the power from the inverter and that was 11.6v, the batteries themselves are between 12.5 and 13.2v depending on how long we run the engine for. We have checked all the fuses we can find and they seem ok.
We have tried several engineers, including Mastervolt themselves and Aquafax but no-one seems to want to look at it. Can you recommend anyone - the boat is in the Uxbridge area (Packet Boat Marina) on the Grand Union.
Thanks in advance
Sandie

[ditchcrawler]

I suggested Sandie brings this problem here as its been kicking around on FaceBook and not getting very far.

[1st ade]

I know nothing about Mastervolt but 13.2 sounds awfully low for batteries that have been / are on charge?

[ditchcrawler]

I know nothing about Mastervolt but 13.2 sounds awfully low for batteries that have been / are on charge?

A lot better than the 11 volts at the inverter terminals if that is what it is.

[Guest]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help. My partner has recently changed the batteries (4 domestic and a starter) on his 10 year old boat. He is fairly certain that he has wired everything up properly but now the Mastervolt Mass Combi 2000/100 won't work. It is showing 240V as being present, and the bulk light is on on the battery charger, and the charging light is on but it doesn't appear to be charging the batteries and is definitely not acting as an inverter.We have been told that the inverter might need re-setting but have been unable to find any info on how to do this.

We have measured the power from the inverter and that was 11.6v, the batteries themselves are between 12.5 and 13.2v depending on how long we run the engine for. We have checked all the fuses we can find and they seem ok.We have tried several engineers, including Mastervolt themselves and Aquafax but no-one seems to want to look at it. Can you recommend anyone - the boat is in the Uxbridge area (Packet Boat Marina) on the Grand Union.Thanks in advanceSandie

Are you saying that it is only putting out 11.6 volts on the charge side to the batteries?

[nicknorman]

No resetting is required to get it to work following a battery change. It sounds a bit like a poor connection between the batteries and inverter, I would check the battery post area (since that's what's been disturbed), fuses, isolator switches etc. Dont forget the -ve side is as important as the +ve side.

[boataholic]

Are you saying that it is only putting out 11.6 volts on the charge side to the batteries?

Yes I think so - I'm not on the boat, my partner is - but he isn't very computer literate, so I'm doing the messages!

[Guest]

Yes I think so - I'm not on the boat, my partner is - but he isn't very computer literate, so I'm doing the messages!

 

If it is being checked at the batteries end then a starting point would indeed be as suggested by Nick above. Somewhere along the line you are losing volts as I think it's unlikely that the MV is pushing out the incorrect voltage. You could also however check at the output end of the MV. You can normally get access. If it's higher at the MV end but such a lot lower at the battery end then there is a a dodgy connection somewhere, most likely candidate would be the isolation switche(s) which are notorious for failing, often completely.

[smileypete]

Hi

I wonder if anyone can help. My partner has recently changed the batteries (4 domestic and a starter) on his 10 year old boat. He is fairly certain that he has wired everything up properly but now the Mastervolt Mass Combi 2000/100 won't work. It is showing 240V as being present, and the bulk light is on on the battery charger, and the charging light is on but it doesn't appear to be charging the batteries and is definitely not acting as an inverter.

We have been told that the inverter might need re-setting but have been unable to find any info on how to do this.

We have measured the power from the inverter and that was 11.6v, the batteries themselves are between 12.5 and 13.2v depending on how long we run the engine for. We have checked all the fuses we can find and they seem ok.

We have tried several engineers, including Mastervolt themselves and Aquafax but no-one seems to want to look at it. Can you recommend anyone - the boat is in the Uxbridge area (Packet Boat Marina) on the Grand Union.

Thanks in advance

Sandie

 

If you can lay hands on some jump leads with shrouded clips, and the battery/isolator/fuseholder/combi terminals are reasonably accessible, and IF all else fails, could be worth trying the following:

 

Jumping across the batt isolator, and see if the combi starts working OK.

Jumping the batt -ve to combi -ve, and see if the combi starts working OK.

Jumping the batt +ve to the batt side of the fuseholder, and see if the combi starts working OK.

Jumping the combi side of the fuseholder to the combi +ve connection, and see if the combi starts working OK.

 

That should eliminate pretty much any possible connection problems.

 

Beware of explosive gases that may be present near the batts. When connecting the jump leads to batts best connect the batt end first, and disconnect the batt end last, and wear eye protection.

 

As mentioned a failing batt isolator is a favourite, especially the (usually) cheapo red key ones. More safety info on working around batts can be found at:

 

http://www.batteryfaq.org/

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited July 8, 2015 by smileypete

[Judgejim64]

You could try this, Remove the lower panel on the front of the invertor( 2 cross head screws).

Press the reset button,back left

Flick the charge,off & on switch several times and see what happens.

The result won't be instant it will take a few moments.

 

This invertor is a good one so keep trying

[smileypete]

I suggested Sandie brings this problem here as its been kicking around on FaceBook and not getting very far.

 

Any feedback on whether it's sorted and how?

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[boataholic]

A quick update - I have passed all your comments onto my partner, and he is going to try all your suggestions. Unfortunately, because we live 100 miles apart during the week and he doesn't really 'do' the computer / internet it has been difficult to communicate your suggestions. However, I've been able to print them off now as it is easier to follow written instructions than spoken ones, especially when I have no idea what I am talking about!
We have also continued to try and get an engineer to come to the boat to look at it, without much success even though we went direct to Mastervolt, and then Aquafax. Apparently marine electrical engineers are like the proverbial rocking horse s**t, and the ones we have contacted have not been willing / able to come to us.
However, once we have checked all the connections one more time, my partner has instructions as to how to remove the unit so that it can be sent back to Holland - hopefully if it is faulty it can be fixed! I expect that will take a week or two so it is going to be an interesting time!

[ditchcrawler]

A quick update - I have passed all your comments onto my partner, and he is going to try all your suggestions. Unfortunately, because we live 100 miles apart during the week and he doesn't really 'do' the computer / internet it has been difficult to communicate your suggestions. However, I've been able to print them off now as it is easier to follow written instructions than spoken ones, especially when I have no idea what I am talking about!

We have also continued to try and get an engineer to come to the boat to look at it, without much success even though we went direct to Mastervolt, and then Aquafax. Apparently marine electrical engineers are like the proverbial rocking horse s**t, and the ones we have contacted have not been willing / able to come to us.

However, once we have checked all the connections one more time, my partner has instructions as to how to remove the unit so that it can be sent back to Holland - hopefully if it is faulty it can be fixed! I expect that will take a week or two so it is going to be an interesting time!

I still dont think the inverter is at fault from the voltage readings you have givine. There may be someone moored near you could give you a quick look if you say what area you are moored in.

[blackrose]

Check the incoming mains voltage at your mooring. Mastervolt are intolerant of excessively high or low voltages as a neighbour of mine has recently discovered.

[boataholic]

I still dont think the inverter is at fault from the voltage readings you have givine. There may be someone moored near you could give you a quick look if you say what area you are moored in.

We are moored at Packet Boat Marine near Uxbridge - we will keep trying to find someone just to check that my partner has wired it correctly. Alternatively if anyone has a very simple! wiring diagram of how the battteries (4 x 120ah domestics and 1 x 110ah starter) should be wired from the engine alternators, through the batteries to the inverter that would be really helpful. Just had a thought - previously we had 4 x 135ah and 1 x 110ah - would this make a difference?

Check the incoming mains voltage at your mooring. Mastervolt are intolerant of excessively high or low voltages as a neighbour of mine has recently discovered.

We will do - hadn't thought of that, however we haven't been informed of a voltage change during the time we were changing the batteries.

You could try this, Remove the lower panel on the front of the invertor( 2 cross head screws).

Press the reset button,back left

Flick the charge,off & on switch several times and see what happens.

The result won't be instant it will take a few moments.

 

This invertor is a good one so keep trying

We will keep trying to get it sorted - thank you for your advice

We are moored at Packet Boat Marine near Uxbridge - we will keep trying to find someone just to check that my partner has wired it correctly. Alternatively if anyone has a very simple! wiring diagram of how the battteries (4 x 120ah domestics and 1 x 110ah starter) should be wired from the engine alternators, through the batteries to the inverter that would be really helpful. Just had a thought - previously we had 4 x 135ah and 1 x 110ah - would this make a difference?

We will do - hadn't thought of that, however we haven't been informed of a voltage change during the time we were changing the batteries.

We will keep trying to get it sorted - thank you for your advice

Also - the new batteries are maintenance free sealed lead acid batteries, the previous ones were just normal lead acid batteries.

[George94]

It's a shame your partner isn't computer-literate because sites like this one are an absolute mine of information, and can save people loads of money by making them better-informed. Buy him a dummies' guide to the Internet for his next birthday.

[boataholic]

It's a shame your partner isn't computer-literate because sites like this one are an absolute mine of information, and can save people loads of money by making them better-informed. Buy him a dummies' guide to the Internet for his next birthday.

This is quite an easy site to use so it might well be time well spent showing him how to get to grips with it

[Boredrider]

However, once we have checked all the connections one more time, my partner has instructions as to how to remove the unit so that it can be sent back to Holland

Mastervolt UK Ltd (area headquarters)

Ocean Village Innovation Centre, Ocean Village, 4 Ocean Way

Southampton SO14 3JZ

United Kingdom

T:+44 23 8038 1660

E: info@mastervolt.co.uk

W: www.mastervolt.co.uk

[Keith M]

Mastervolt service centre for Europe is in Holland

 

 

Keith