Note: The information provided here is intended as a guide. Always consult the owner manual supplied with your inverter model. Do not hesitate to contact the inverter manufacturer or a qualified inverter technician for assistance.
While for the most part, an off-grid inverter can work reliably, there’s the odd chance that you may have an issue that affects the inverter’s performance.
One possible and common issue you may encounter when using an inverter is the overload fault alarm or LED indicator.
What causes this and how can you fix it?
This post walks you through what causes an inverter overload fault and how you may fix it.
Why Causes an Inverter Overload Fault (+Tips to Fix It)
Should your inverter show an overload fault alarm when powered on and running, check:
1. Whether there’s an appliance plugged into the inverter with a high power draw that exceeds the inverter’s capacity,
or,
whose contribution to the total load (watts) drawn from the inverter has resulted in the combined load on the inverter exceeding that which it can handle.
Is there a particular appliance that’s been switched on and has probably triggered the inverter overload fault?
Or, is there a faulty appliance that’s connected to the inverter?
Be wary of heating appliances, such as an electric kettle, microwave, electric iron, air conditioner, and others whose power draw is likely to exceed say inverters up to 1,000 watts.
You may be able to fix the overload fault by:
- Disconnect all the connected appliances and then switch on the inverter. Check if the overload load fault clears. Proceed to reconnect/ switch on an appliance at a time and note when the overload fault alarm is triggered.
- Disconnect the appliance that’s contributing to the overload. You may have to run it at another time when the power consumption is lower or use it on a larger capacity inverter. If there’s an option to use a countertop burner instead, go for it!
2. An appliance with a higher surge current that exceeds the inverter’s handling capability has been plugged into the inverter. An appliance such as a fridge, dishwasher, or washing machine can have a momentary surge draw as much as 2 -3 times its continuous power draw and therefore trigger the overload fault.
Was the overload fault triggered at the moment a particular appliance was switched on or started its run cycle? If so then this may be the reason there’s the overload fault.
You may be able to fix the overload fault by:
Check the appliance’s surge power draw rating. If it exceeds the inverter’s, disconnect and consider running when the power draw is lower (provided the surge draw will be within the inverter limits) or running on a larger capacity inverter.
3. There’s a short in one of the connected appliances or the wiring from the inverter to the appliances. Such a short can lead to a high current draw from the inverter and trigger the inverter overload fault.
You may be able to fix the overload fault by:
- Disconnect the appliances and the cabling from the inverter and switch on the inverter. Is the overload fault triggered? If not then probably the short is in the wiring or connected appliances.
- Reconnect the wiring alone first and monitor to see if there’s a reoccurrence. If yes, inspect the wiring for any signs of damage and replace any damaged wiring.
- Next, to fix the overload fault, disconnect all the connected appliances and then switch on the inverter. Check if the overload load fault clears. Proceed to reconnect/ switch on an appliance at a time and note when the overload fault alarm is triggered.
Arrange to check the appliance for any faults. You may have to replace it with another known appliance to confirm if it is indeed the fault.
4. The inverter is faulty. If the inverter power rating is not exceeded by the connected appliances and there’s no short in the wiring or connected appliances then it is possible that there’s a fault in the inverter.
You may be able to fix the overload fault by: :
Disconnect the wiring and connected appliances from the inverter output.
Switch on the inverter and check if the inverter overload fault persists.
If it does, switch the inverter off and on to reset ( or follow the recommended inverter procedure for resetting it and check if the inverter overload fault clears.
If it doesn’t, then it is likely that the inverter is faulty. Contact the manufacturer or an authorized technician for support.
After fixing the underlying cause of the inverter overload load fault, you may need to reset the inverter. For tips to reset the inverter, read on.
How to Reset an Inverter
How to reset an inverter may vary from one manufacturer/ model to another. Therefore, always refer to the inverter owner manual for your specific model.
Make sure the fault condition that has triggered the overload or lockup of the inverter has been fixed.
In several inverters, to reset, you usually switch off power to the inverter, wait for 5-10 seconds then switch it back on to complete the reset.
Always consult the owner manual supplied with your inverter model and do not hesitate to contact the inverter manufacturer or a qualified inverter technician for assistance.
Signs of an Overloaded Inverter-What happens?
When an inverter is overloaded, the overload fault LED will light or if there’s an installed buzzer, you’ll hear the constant beep. Additionally:
- Inverter usually shuts down and has to be reset to resume working
If the power handling capacity of an inverter is exceeded, the inverter will usually shut down immediately, disconnecting power to the connected appliances to prevent damage to its circuitry from the excessive power draw.
You may need to reset it after fixing the underlying fault for it to resume powering the connected appliances.
- The inverter can fail
Good-quality inverters can recover from the inverter overload condition while not-so-good quality inverters may suffer damage and may need to be repaired or replaced.
Always follow the installation instructions of the inverter manufacturer.
Related Topics
1. Why an Inverter Shows Overload without Load (+ Tips to Fix It)
If an inverter shows an overload fault with nothing plugged in, it may need to be reset first. Refer to the manufacturer manual on how to reset the inverter or consider cycling power off and then on after a few seconds which works on selected inverters. This can work in some cases.
Another possible reason is that the inverter may have an internal fault such as shorting component -a mosfet, capacitor that needs to be fixed before the fault can clear.
Always consult the owner manual supplied with your inverter model and do not hesitate to contact the inverter manufacturer or a qualified inverter technician for assistance.
2. What to Do – Inverter Not Working after Overload Fault
If the inverter stops working after an overload, the fault condition may still exist. Check here for possible causes of the overload and how to fix them. you may need to reset it or it may be damaged.
Always consult the owner manual supplied with your inverter model and do not hesitate to contact the inverter manufacturer or a qualified inverter technician for assistance.
3. What Causes an Inverter Overload and Low Battery
Should you connect an appliance with a high current draw that momentary draws a large current from the battery resulting in a drop in battery voltage below the specified low battery voltage of about 11.5V,
or,
the battery voltage is low or the inverter battery cables are undersized resulting in a voltage drop then the low battery alarm will be triggered.
Confirm that the battery cables are adequately sized for the inverter load and length. Refer to the inverter owner manual for the right gauge of battery to use for the inverter depending on the length and nd the battery cable terminals make clean and firm contact
Check that the battery is sufficiently charged.
4. How to Protect an Inverter from Overload
Use separate wiring and outlets for inverter-only outlets and install them only in locations where there’s a low likelihood of an appliance with a high current draw such as a kettle, heater, or other being plugged into the outlet.
Closing Thoughts
If an inverter display shows an overload fault, it may be that the power draw of the connected appliance exceeds what an inverter can handle, the appliance is faulty or there is a short in the wiring. Do not rule out a faulty inverter too!
Related Topics
- Inverter not charging the batteries
- What can 300W, 1000W, 1500W, and 2000W inverters run?
- Inverter buying guide
