Anyone ever opened/repaired a Prosine inverter?

belfert · October 17, 2008, 11:22:00 AM

Anyone here ever opened or repaired a Prosine 3.0 inverter? How difficult is it? I can solder in a relay or find someone to do it if I can find a replacement relay and get the unit open.

Mine apparently has a stuck transfer relay. Xantrex wants $450 plus shipping to swap for a repaired unit.

JohnEd · October 17, 2008, 02:30:06 PM

Belfert,

GO FOR IT! You are already there if you already know what part has failed. That relay will have a mfr. and P/N on it so just shop for the best price. Use your digital camera and take pics of the unit as you disassemble the various components to get to the culprit. Get some "Solder Wicking" from the electronics store and desolder the relay terminals or the circuit board (cb)land. If the relay is directly mounted to the cb you need to get a temp controlled soldering iron or the heat will be to high and you will burn the land and it will lift off of the cb. ROSEN CORE SOLDER ONLY...please dear G! Never "acid core". Don't ever forget that cause you will destroy the electronic item you solder. Solder wicking performs better if you just slightly touch the solder to the wick at the contact point between the wick and iron. Trim back the saturated end often.

HTH,

John

belfert · October 17, 2008, 03:40:40 PM

I'm pretty sure it is the relay because the error code on the display is listed in the manual as stuck relay contacts.

I'm a little pissed that the relay is bad because I bought this as a refurbished item. I was told by multiple sources that a whole batch was repaired to replace a bad batch of relays and that is why it was listed as refurbished.

I'll probably have my dad help me with the soldering.

belfert · October 17, 2008, 04:44:11 PM

I managed to fix it, at least for now. Xantrex customer service told me to disconnect power and hit the inverter with a rubber mallet. I powered it back on and no more error code and the transfer relay seems to work.

I'm not sure it will continue to work, but all is good for now. I am hesitant to replace the relay due to the amount of work involved, but with my luck it will die again in the middle of nowhere.

Jerry Liebler · October 17, 2008, 06:35:25 PM

Belfert,
To help avoid the recurrence of the problem. Turn off all loads on the inverter before starting the generator or plugging in to shore power. And turn off all loads on the inverter before turning off the generator or unplugging from shore. The reason this will help is contacts not carrying current can't weld. when switched.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120

Sojourner · October 17, 2008, 07:04:05 PM

What Jerry Liebler said make good sense.

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

Busted Knuckle · October 17, 2008, 11:31:54 PM

Quote from: belfert on October 17, 2008, 04:44:11 PM
I managed to fix it, at least for now. Xantrex customer service told me to disconnect power and hit the inverter with a rubber mallet. I powered it back on and no more error code and the transfer relay seems to work.

I'm not sure it will continue to work, but all is good for now. I am hesitant to replace the relay due to the amount of work involved, but with my luck it will die again in the middle of nowhere.

If that don't work next time use a 10 pound sledge! It'll either fix it, or make it where ya know it needed replaced anyway! LOL!

BK

niles500 · October 18, 2008, 02:24:18 AM

***** Xantrex customer service told me to disconnect power and hit the inverter with a rubber mallet.

Heck you didn't need tech support for that - that's SOP for any repair

Gary '79 5C · October 18, 2008, 02:28:57 AM

If I can append BK's advice to a 10 lb. RUBBER mallet.....

Good Luck.
I now have to remember to shed load before transfering.

pvcces · October 18, 2008, 10:13:05 PM

Brian, I've done that to a Prosine 2000; no sweat. Just pay close attention when you do it. Also, I think you might be able to locate the relay number on the web and get a brand new replacement. As I recall, that's what I did.

I've never been shy about prying a cover off of a relay and dressing the contacts. I usually use fine sandpaper, tan only. The black kind will cause hot spots in the contact material and hasten the next failure. Make thin strips of sandpaper and carefully pull through the contacts with just a light pressure on them, then reverse the paper to smooth the other contact.

When done, an ohmmeter should be able to confirm that the contacts are clean enough when under .1 ohm.

If you could fit a higher rated relay in the same hole in the board, it might be worth a try. It would probably take some serious searching, however.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey

JohnEd · October 19, 2008, 11:37:06 AM

Brian,

Few of us have tom's innate skill or even luck, for that matter. His encouragement is well placed. I would add one thing to what he said: burnish the contacts with "sand paper only." Emery paper has conductive grit and will mess the relay up completely. Don't ask how I know that. Sand paper is "usually tan" and emery paper is "usually" dark grey/black.

John