Bring Your Inverter into safety code compliance

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All Aktiv Microgreen inverters are unsafely installed as documented in the evidence document here: Information to File a Complaint

Hymer's most hazardous electrical safety code violation is the lack of a heavy enough ground conductor between the campground and Aktiv chassis. This wire is too small and can heat to over 312 degrees and fail when its most needed to keep you safe. The second most hazardous violation is the lack of reliable ground bonding of the inverter's chassis to the Aktiv chassis. This lack of ground creates an electrocution hazard when linked with the first violation. These two violations and others are schematically shown in figure one. This page gives DIY instructions for the Aktiv's owner to correct these two violations.

Do you have the expertise to safely complete this project?

This project involves 120 volts AC and high current 12 volt DC wiring. Both can be hazardous so the project is as dangerous as home 120 volt wiring projects or jumping a car's battery. The project is particularly hazardous on non-EcoTrek Aktivs since the DC lines are electrified at all times and care must be taken to not let them touch other cables or ground. This site's instructions are detailed but assume you have basic DIY skills and electrical operation and safety knowledge (e.g., confirming that the power is off). Proceed using your best judgement and at your own risk. Remember, you must read and accept this website's terms and conditions.

Will RV dealers perform this repair under the inverter/charger's warranty?

Not today, but save your receipt. The inverter/charger bears the ETL-US mark conforming it to UL-459 which should have assured Aktiv inverters were safe. ETL-US' parent company Intertek Group Plc bears responsibility for that safety listing mark. EHG-NA going into receivership has left Intertek as the only responsible company with assets. Intertek believes in their moto "Total Quality. Assured" and has been asked to cover the correction of the Aktiv's safety violations. We will update this page when the details are ironed out. http://www.intertek.com/ info@Intertek.com

Is the Completed Project Effective and Safe?

Yes. As a matter of fact, the inverter's manual recommends installing this wire if the inverter should be grounded (earth). The added wire changes nothing when the Aktiv is unplugged. The added wire grounds (earth) the Aktiv as soon as it is plugged into shore power. This ground (earth) is required to keep people and equipment safe from a long list of hazards: lightning, shorts, line surges, etc.

Goals

1) Add one 10-gauge copper ground wire between the inverter's two ground terminals shown in figure two.

2) Add a toothed washer and pierce chassis paint to create a reliable mechanical and electrical connection between the bonding ground lug and inverter chassis.

3) Email pictures of your Inverter's labels and VIN to hymer.whistle.blower@gmail.com so we can keep records of which Aktivs have been made safer.

Reference Video

Amber Baldwin published a video from a 30-Aktiv met up in Quartzsite, AZ. The video is NOT a substitute for these complete step by step instructions.

Amber's Story Chasing Videos

Tools

• Safety glasses
• 1/2" and 9/16" box/crescent wrench
• Smaller wrench for bolt whose head size varies
• #1 Philips head screwdriver
• #2 Philips head screwdriver
• 1/8" narrow flat blade screwdriver
• 6" #2 Robson screwdriver or a bit with a 6" extension (e.g., for deck screws)
• 60 grit sandpaper
• Wire stripper
• Wire cutter
• AC and DC Voltmeter
• Ladder and blanket to block sun from solar panels if working outside
• Vinyl electrical tape
• Empty cardboard toilet paper roll with one end sealed closed with electrical tape

Parts

• 8" of 12- or 10-gauge bare or green solid copper wire (do not substitute stranded wire.
• #10 Stainless Steel External Tooth Lock Washer (e.g., Home depot # 44828)
• Noalox 0.5 oz. Anti-Oxidant Joint Compound (e.g., home depot # 30-031)

Step by Step Instructions

1. Follow these instructions since the video does not show every step and Sam performed steps off screen in the video
2. View Amber's video to understand the general outline of the project
3. Cover the solar panels and verify the solar controller LEDs are not lit.
4. ! Caution! UNPLUG SHORE POWER! Tape a note on the shore plug so your ex-spouse doesn't surprise you by plugging it back in. NOTE: Aktiv circuit breakers do not turn turn off 120VAC at the inverter.
5. Turn off the inverter at the remote switch.
6. Turn off the inverter at its cover's on/off switch.
7. Toggle the battery On/Off switch so the voltmeter goes blank.
8. Turn off both Ecotreks, if equipped.
9. Remove the one to five screws which hold the inverter to the floor. They are all between the cabinet kick plate and the inverter
10. Slide the inverter forward (it won't move far).
11. Put on the safety glasses and leave them on for the rest of this procedure. Sparks are expected and can damage your eyes.
12. ! CAUTION ! High current 12-volts DC may still be electrifying the red cables in the inverter's cabinet, depending on the Aktivs' wiring. Treat these wires as if they are live throughout this project. Don't let them touch other wires. Don't let your wrench touch the inverter's metal case or other wires when working with the red wires.
13. Using a 9/16" wrench, remove the red plastic nut holding the red "cube" cover.
14. Take a picture to remember the number and position of the wires.
15. There could be enough current here to weld so carefully remove the 1/2" nut, lock washer and flat washer on the terminal without touching the wrench to other wires or metal.
16. Remove the each smaller wire one at a time and separately wrap their ends with electrical tape so no metal is exposed.
17. Pull the thumb-sized wire off the terminal and slide the cardboard roll over it so all of its metal end is fully covered
18. Remove the black plastic cube and take a picture
19. Remove the 1/2" nut, lock washer, flat washer and all wires.
20. Look at the end of the inverter with a flashlight and locate the gray "phone" wire plugged into the top of two rectangular holes.
21. Squeeze and unplug the wire. Tuck the wire out of the way so it doesn't get broken
22. Look at the end of the inverter with a flashlight and locate the heavy bare 6-gauge wire and the small grey/black wire attached with a bolt to the far bottom corner.
23. Pull the rear-most end of the inverter up and half-way over the cabinet ledge (yes, it's heavy)
24. Stop removing to inverter when the bolt holding the heavy 6-gauge wire can be reached with a small wrench. Pulling too far will break the smaller wire.
25. Take a picture of the bolt, washers and two ground wires.
26. With a wrench remove the 6-gauge wire's bolt and hardware.
27. One end of the inverter is now free.
28. Remove the inverter from the cabinet far enough to assess the terminal cover on the forward end of the inverter.
29. Sand the paint around the 6-gauge wire's bolt hold under metal is exposed (figure 4)
30. Remove the small back terminal cover held on by two small Phillips head screws
31. Take an AC voltmeter and verify that no voltage is present on the heads of the six external screws securing the 120 VAC wires (see figure 2)
32. Loosen the two outbound set screws holding the two safety ground wires (figure 2)
33. Cut, strip and bend your 10-gauge wire and slide it fully into the terminal and on top of the existing bare wires (figure 3).
34. Tighten the two set screws while holding the two wires into the terminal.
35. Check that the remaining 4 set screws are tight.
36. Check that the 6 interior set screws are tight if they can be reached.
37. Put the terminal cover back on with two screws
38. Slide the inverter halfway into the cabinet
39. Smear a little nolox on the sanded area
40. Put the hardware on to the bolt in this order: split lock-washer, flat washer, small wire lug, heavy 6-gauge wire lug and finally the toothed washer from the parts list.
41. Firmly tighten the bolt to the inverter with the wires pointing toward the passenger's side.
42. Complete putting inverter into the cabinet
43. Slip the heavy black, light black, flat washer, lock-washer and nut but don't tighten
44. Being careful not to touch the wire ends to metal, slip the red wires and hardware on the red terminal. It is common for there to be a few sparks when first touching the red wires back to the inverter
45. Reference the previously taken pictures and confirm all wires are back and pointing the same way.
46. Temporally cover the red terminal with the cube and nut
47. Fully tighten the nut on the black terminal
48. Cover the black terminal with the black cube and tighten its nut
49. Carefully fully tighten the red terminal nut.
50. Cover the red terminal with the red cube and tighten its nut.
51. Plug the grey "phone" cable back into the top rectangular hole.
52. Screw the inverter back to the floor. Add more screws if there were less than three.
53. Inspect the cabinet and remove any tools.
54. Turn on the cabin and inverter to confirm there is cabin 120VAC again.
55. Plug in shore power and confirm the inverter display shows battery charging.
56. Congratulations.