Mini Split trips house gfci

[Coloradojeep]

I'm running a 3000 watt renogy inverter charger. Everything works great, I plug it into my garage to keep a full charge when the suns not shinning. Never a problem. I just installed a 9000 btu mini split and it runs and opperates fine on the batteries and inverter but when I have the bus plugged into the house it trips the gfci in the garage and then I just pull from the batteries again. Any ideas? I'm at a loss.

[Albatross]

Check your grounds through each and every leg of the "signal". Most likely, because automotive, you've got something "grounded" to the negative, and somewhere in the signal-chain, that tie is acting like a short (because it is), and then your bus which should properly have a "floating ground", is being tied into a properly grounded system, and this will trigger a GFCI to trip... It's actually kind of part of the reason for GFCI in the first place.

[fo4imtippin]

my inverter wall unit in my daughters playhouse trips gfci as does a mini split. The way that they invert the power causes gfci's to trip. You have to change to a non protected outlet. My bus isnt a problem as shore power just charges batteries and the bus inverter always runs the mini split.

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by Coloradojeep

I'm running a 3000 watt renogy inverter charger. Everything works great, I plug it into my garage to keep a full charge when the suns not shinning. Never a problem. I just installed a 9000 btu mini split and it runs and opperates fine on the batteries and inverter but when I have the bus plugged into the house it trips the gfci in the garage and then I just pull from the batteries again. Any ideas? I'm at a loss.

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Is the garage GFCI a 15Amp or 20Amp rated device?
(embossed into the GFCI's plastic)

Is the amperage of AC's start up demand greater than 80% if the device's rating?
(view AC nameplate rating or use an amp clamp)

Also verify that the Earth Ground is not bonded to the Neutral at any point beyond the gfci.
(to verify, use an ohm meter. compare the gnd to the neut.)

You will be testing the whip, that is, the male side of the cord that is attached to your rig. On the plug, touch one of the ohm meter's leads to the neutral (the wide prong), the other lead is attached to the ground (the round prong). If you receive an audible tone, the neutral & ground are bonded inside your rig.


👍Pro Tip:
All outdoor receptacals (especially campgrounds) ought to be GFCI protected. If the electrical system does not function properly at your home GFCI, it will likely experience the same difficulties at any GFCI.

[Coloradojeep]

I have no continuity between neutral and ground.

Mini split is pulling a max of 8 amps ac based off my clamp. And though it shouldn't have any bearing about 80 amps dc from the battery bank.

Max ac from the sticker on the unit is 10.5 with a minimum of a 15 amp breaker. I have the mini split wired into a 15 amp breaker in the bus and the garage is is on a 20 amp circuit.

The only thing I couldn't verify were the GFCI outlets. Not sure if they are 15 or 20-amp rated. I have two in the garage and they both trip. I may pickup a 20 amp gfci and see if that makes a difference.

[fo4imtippin]

Doesnt matter, wont work with GFCI. Curious if anyone out there does have one working with GFCI? I have two 120v inverter air conditioners and neither of them have run on any of my gfci plugs i have tried.
https://www.pioneerminisplit.com/blo...ircuit-breaker

[Coloradojeep]

Well, that would explain it. Thanks for the link. I ended up using the plug for the garage door opener that is not on the GFCI circuit.

[Rucker]

GFCIs don't take kindly to induction loads. It could just be the breaker needs replacement.

[More2See]

Originally Posted by Coloradojeep

I'm running a 3000 watt renogy inverter charger. Everything works great, I plug it into my garage to keep a full charge when the suns not shinning. Never a problem. I just installed a 9000 btu mini split and it runs and opperates fine on the batteries and inverter but when I have the bus plugged into the house it trips the gfci in the garage and then I just pull from the batteries again. Any ideas? I'm at a loss.

Simple answer is that you should not plug into shore power using a ground fault protected circuit. The problem is usually caused by not isolating the pre and post inverter neutrals. Your inverter may be internally bonding the ground and neutral on the output side at all times, except when it's passing through shore power. If the shore power GFCI sees this bond, it will trip immediately.

[s2mikon]

I have 3 of these in one of my houses and I had to go try plugging one of them to a GFCI plug and it does trip it now and then. Not consistent but enough to be not worth it. YMMV

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by fo4imtippin

Doesnt matter, wont work with GFCI. Curious if anyone out there does have one working with GFCI? I have two 120v inverter air conditioners and neither of them have run on any of my gfci plugs i have tried.
https://www.pioneerminisplit.com/blo...ircuit-breaker

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The best short answer is to install a dedicated 30A or 50A feeder circuit.

Per the 2020 NEC code, RV pedestals are explicitly excluded from the need for 30 amp and 50 amp GFCI protection for the following reasons:
The 30 and 50 amp power on the RV pedestal are considered feeder circuits (those circuits that feed a panel in the RV) and not branch circuits.

Modern campground pedestals have 20, 30 & 50 amp receptacals. Only the 20A must be gfci protected, as it is not excluded yet located in a damp or wet location.



You might simply add a dedicated 30A or 50A receptacal right below your home's main distribution panel and upgrade the feed to your RV's distribution panel.


We ought meet or beat the minimum requirements of a sticks & staples RV.

[Albatross]

It should also be remembered that a 50A circuit is also 220-240 VAC, whereas the 30A & 20A circuits are 110-120 VAC.