power inverter install questions

That Tripplite is a charger/inverter. If you don't need the charging portion, you don't have to buy a combination unit.

I'd suggest to do some searching on the Forum to see what others are using. To me, there is little reason to buy a PWM inverter when a pure sine inverter outputs good power and won't burn up drill chargers, digitally controlled devices, and laptop batteries. A pure sine inverter is not much more in $$. It installs the same. I have a Xantrex Prowatt 1000W.

You really don't have enough batteries to use the full capability of a 2000W inverter. If you do wish to proceed with "whole house" hookup, you'll need another transfer switch and the ability to turn off converter and fridge. An alternative is plugging shore cord into the inverter. You will still need to interrupt converter and any other devices that you don't wish to power.

DrewE wrote:
There are single serve coffee makers for desktop use that require as little as 300W or so ...

We use this Cuisinart 4-cup Coffee Maker both at the house and in the camper. It takes just 6 minutes to brew coffee and while doing so draws a measured 505 watts running off my 1000 watt PSW inverter. Works like a charm, no need for anything that draws any more power than that.

What we have done on our previous TT's... Repeating some of the info already mentioned above...

Our trailers were all 30A service

With the power disconnected from the unit.......

-Transfer switch mounted beside the power center.
-disconnect the main power feed from the main breaker in the control center and feed it into the transfer switch.
-disconnect the 110v side of converter charger from its breaker in the power center and run a length of 14-2 wire from it to the transfer switch. (new single breaker in line between the transfer switch and control center would be recommended).
-connect the shore power and converter charger power into the transfer switch shore input.
-running a new length of 30a wire, connect the transfer switch main out to the control center main breaker.
-now run a 110v line (appropriately sized) from the inverter to the Generator side of the transfer switch.

Everything will now be operational and all outlets in the RV will be powered by either shore or inverter power.
Wired as above the converter charger will only operate on shore power.
The fridge will need to be turned to turned to propane only when using the inverter or it will default to 110v and kill your batteries very quickly. The fridge can be rewired to avoid running it on the inverter if it is wired in the same manor that the converter was (of course using another breaker in line).

A side note; insure you use an appropriately sized fuse and wiring on your inverter, and keep it as close as physically possible to the batteries.
I use 6ft of 0 guage welding cable from the batteries to the inverter with a 150A fuse on our 1500w inverter.

thanks for everyones info. ive read all your advice. also downloaded some product manuals of different inverters to read the install instructions. this will be an easy project, i just needed to understand what to do and what parts i needed. bought this:

http://www.theinverterstore.com/1200-watt-pure-sine-inverter.html

Also bought some 2awg cable and a 150 w 12v circuit breaker. ill post in here again if i run into trouble putting it in. thanks again.

Sounds like I am too late to the party but I bought the Xantrex Freedom 806-1840 HF 1800 Inverter/Charger, because it was easy. It replaces your charger adn has a built in transfer switch. Mainly use it to run tv/dvd player and cpap machine at night.

got the inverter mounted today and the 12v side of the house taken care of. ill do the 110 side in the morning and see how it works. so far, so good.

You might think of connecting that inverter to just the receptacle circuit in your RV. It is only rated for 10 A 120V AC output so it won't come close to running all the high power devices you have.

thanks for the input. this morning im going to try to isolate all the big stuff and hook it up like mikakaju suggested. i really only need the outlets to work. i put my killowatt meter on my coffee pot and it maxes out at 602w. im going to check out the crock pot next.

the stuff im going to try to isolate and not power is the A/C and charger. the fridge ill just turn to gas. my hpt water tank only runs on gas. what else am i missing?

pbmazda32 wrote:
thanks for the input. this morning im going to try to isolate all the big stuff and hook it up like mikakaju suggested. i really only need the outlets to work. i put my killowatt meter on my coffee pot and it maxes out at 602w. im going to check out the crock pot next.

the stuff im going to try to isolate and not power is the A/C and charger. the fridge ill just turn to gas. my hpt water tank only runs on gas. what else am i missing?

If you're going to the trouble of turning off your converter and forcing your fridge to gas mode anytime you're running on the inveter there's no need to "isolate" anything. Just don't turn on the A/C, or the microwave, or anything else that would place an excessive draw on the system. Certainly wiring in a transfer switch so you don't have to do this each time is an advantage but it's likewise certainly true that often the K.I.S.S. method works just as well. I myself first fed my trailer "whole house" but when I once forgot to turn off the converter I decided I had a choice to either install a transfer switch to avoid this OR wire in a few dedicated receptacles that are fed directly by the inverter. I chose the latter and it works just fine for my purpose, with no need to do anything but turn the inverter on as needed with the remote switch located inside the camper. Simple. :B

JMO, but you're not being realistic in what you're wanting to power with the inverter & battery :R ... a coffee maker that only takes a few minutes to complete it's task is one thing but powering a crock pot that needs to run continuously for hours makes no sense at all, regardless of it's power rating. Remember, it's not just the power any device is drawing but for how long ... that's why my wife's hair dryer is no problem as she's only running it for just a couple of minutes. The only long duration devices I run are fans but the reason that works is because they draw so little, ~ 30 watts.

The charger is the only item that will need to be re-wired.
The A/C already has it's own breaker and does not need to be isolated.
The fridge is the only other high draw item, and managing it by leaving it on gas works for us...
There really isn't anything else that's necessary to isolate.