Victron Inverter / Charger

Hi folks,
Been away a long time I know! I would like to query folks who may have exposure to Victron Inverter Chargers. I have a 3kw unit that I purchased about 9 months ago. This replaced a 2.5kw Zantrex.In the last four years I have gone through 2 Zantrex inverters and as you know the support non existent. We have been cruising almost full time for the last 4 years and the boat is now moored in the Dominican Republic.
So during a trip back to the states, I purchased a brand new Victron and hauled it down to the DR and did the install. I have 6 new Trojans (T-105s) and fired it up and this thing worked great, charging and inverting. Since the boat is on a mooring, every two or three weeks I made my way to the boat, start the genny and top off the batts for an hour or two. After about three months of this lite use the charger failed. I spent a lot of time with the support folks at Victron and they agreed, I got a bad one! They shipped me another new inverter / charger to the DR (long story here) and I installed the second one about three months ago. Sosame routine every two or three weeks of toping off the batts, very lite use. Everything worked fine until 5 days ago. Same exact thing. It will not charge and exhibits the same symptoms.
Before I contact Victron again, I thought I would toss this out and ask if anyone has had a similar experience or thoughts. Here is a little more detail.
I am an electrician and an EE. I have a 12kw Northern Lights genny 120vac / 60 hz, right on the money. Its wired correctly and grounded correctly. Batt bank (6 T-105s) is a bit far away from the inverter at about 10 ft. The unit is not located in the engine room. It is in the lazerette cause its cooler there but a bit damp. (Whats not damp on a boat in the tropics?). I have a Pulsetech battery de-sulfater wired across the bank. (Maybe problem-o?). I hate the thought of going through this process again! It literally takes months to accomplish the boat being out of the country. I have never heard a bad word about Victron, in fact just the opposite. This is a great argument for separate inverter / charger options.
Thanks!
Ken

I don't know that I can offer anything here.

Have you tried measuring the Pulsetech output. I know other people use these things or similar and haven't heard of chargers dieing because of them but who knows. Maybe your pulsetech is haywire and flashed the charger. I didn't think they put out much current in their blips but maybe the voltage is high.

I assume you measured the gen. output while running the charger. Could the gen. have an intermittent fault causing a high voltage. Have you a recording meter or one like the Flukes with a min/max available that you could leave on while running the machine. I've chased down a few things over the years that way. Even when I didn't see it the meter confirmed something was amiss and eliminated some alternate sources of trouble.

If the wiring is sized correctly for the inverter supply then, since the charger output is so much smaller, that wiring will be more than adequate so that shouldn't affect the charger.

Ken,
The Pulsetech stands out as probably the fly in the ointment.
I run a 1500 watt/30 amp 24V Victron Inverter charger and it has run for the last 5 years with no problems and I run a bank of T105s . 8 off 24 V
I cruise for approx 5/6 months of the year and the system gets a good workout as I anchor out most of the time.

I am just in the process of changing out this inverter / charger for a 2000w/50 amp charger 24 V unit with a 30 amp switching relay. (other unit had a 16 amp switching real).
I have actually not heard of anyone down our way having any trouble with the Victron units and that is why they are so popular down in Aus.

Victron themselves are usually pretty good so maybe they will be able to help.
I had a few problems with my generator last cruise due to a failed thyristor but it caused no problems with the Inverter/charger.

Benn

Hi buddy,

If you want purchase the cheap inverter/charger, you can directly buy from china factory.

My friend have experience purchase one pcs from china factory, amaze is they can sell one pieces or several by bulk price.

I remember the name brand is "vanon power"

may be you can google get them web.

I hate the thought of going through this process again!

A charger on a small noisemaker is a slow way to charge .

Perhaps simply adding a truck 135Alt ($150) and any ones 3 stage regulator on the front of the noisemaker?

Best would probably be a single solar panel and small charge controller.

On the hook in the DR you would be able to handle the internal discharge and generous bilge pumping time.

Note: Trojan does not approve any style of pulse unit on their batt sets.

I have never been a big fan of charger inverter combos Better they be separate