Phoenix Inverter 12/1200 120V VE Direct: red alarm light blinks 1 time and stays off

Q&A and troubleshooting
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1

My 12/1200 inverter was performing properly until recently. It was powering a residential refrigerator in an RV. Now the red alarm light blinks once when switched on and then it turns off and does not come back on. It is not producing 120V power.

Any ideas of the problem? Any troubleshooting that can be performed?

2

Is the fuse between the battery and the inverter OK?
What is the battery voltage? The battery voltage may be too low, or the battery may be defective.
Please briefly describe your system. How do you charge the battery, and what type of battery is it?

3

I was unaware of a fuse. I will check it. I pulled the system out of the RV and have it connected to a lead acid battery with 13.6V.

Within the RV, I have 2 Lithium batteries connected in parallel with a direct connect to the inverter. When on shore power, the batteries are charged by a converter. The fridge is the only device plugged into the inverter. When I monitored its power draw, it would sometimes pull over 1000W for up to 2 seconds (presumably for a defrost cycle).

4

That almost sounds like an overload shutdown of the inverter… although 1000W is still below the inverter’s 1200W, refrigerators draw several times the rated current… does the inverter work normally otherwise? Or is it simply OFF even without the refrigerator?

5

The inverter does not work with the fridge unplugged (nor does it work with the fridge plugged in).

6

Have you measured the voltage at the DC input of the inverter?
Otherwise, we won’t really get anywhere… We need to clarify these things.

Battery voltage OK?
Fuses OK?
Has a BMS possibly shut down?

7

The voltage at the DC input of the inverter is 13.48V (same as the poles on the battery). Should be okay. Correct?

Is the fuse inside the inverter? I have not opened the case.

Regarding BMS, as mentioned, I have removed the inverter from the RV and connected it directly to a (dumb) lead acid battery. I don’t see how BMS is a factor.

8

There should be a fuse on the “plus” connection in the housing… this is not normally replaceable by the customer… but it can still be blown…
There have also been situations where a backup fuse has blown “incorrectly”… but still prevented a large current from “passing through.”
At 13.5V, the inverter should definitely switch on. How do you switch the inverter ON and OFF…