Forum Discussion

RockBottomRacin's avatar
May 11, 2017

Need to replace converter, thinking about going inverter

I have a 2001 Fleetwood Wilderness 335G TH, converter removed by previous owner. Need to replace it, and I'm thinking about going inverter. I plan to go with 2 or 4 Costco 6 V batteries and I want to be able to run my TV/DVD without my generator running, and I want to run my fridge on 12 volt while traveling. I do have an onboard Onan 2800 Microlite and I want an inverter with an automatic switch between shore power and generator and inverter power. I would love to hear some recommendations and advice!

Thanks guys!
  • RockBottomRacing wrote:
    I meant that I would be running the fridge off of the inverter from the battery bank. Should I search up ATS switch for a diagram to get an idea where to wire it?
    IC's come with a transfer switch on board...as you said in post 1. Look up some IC's and read about them.

    Fridges use very little propane.
  • CA Traveler wrote:
    If the refer is a common absorption one that uses 300W then it will take about 30A DC, a good sized draw. Most of us use propane. A modern res refer uses less watts.

    The ATS has inputs from the gen and shore power and the output goes to the CB panel.


    I was just going to run it while driving. It's wired to receive charge from my tow rig and I was just trying to save on propane useage if I can
  • beemerphile1 wrote:
    RockBottomRacing wrote:
    I have a 2001 Fleetwood Wilderness 335G TH, converter removed by previous owner. Need to replace it, and I'm thinking about going inverter. I plan to go with 2 or 4 Costco 6 V batteries and I want to be able to run my TV/DVD without my generator running, and I want to run my fridge on 12 volt while traveling. I do have an onboard Onan 2800 Microlite and I want an inverter with an automatic switch between shore power and generator and inverter power. I would love to hear some recommendations and advice!

    Thanks guys!


    Unless you left something out, you could buy a regular smart converter like the IOTA, a 400 watt inverter and save many hundreds of dollars over purchasing an inverter/charger.


    I also have a Parralex Model 80 power distribution box separate from my converter (if I had one). I plan to replace this box as well due to some water damage. Will the inverter you refer to plug into the wall socket or will it make the wall sockets work like I want them to?
  • If the refer is a common absorption one that uses 300W then it will take about 30A DC, a good sized draw. Most of us use propane. A modern res refer uses less watts.

    The ATS has inputs from the gen and shore power and the output goes to the CB panel.
  • CA Traveler wrote:
    To be automatic you need a ATS to switch between shore and gen.

    Then a charger/inverter with pass through to automatically charge and switch to inverter when you don't have gen or shore.

    None of this has anything to do with running the refer on 12V while traveling.


    I meant that I would be running the fridge off of the inverter from the battery bank. Should I search up ATS switch for a diagram to get an idea where to wire it?
  • To be automatic you need a ATS to switch between shore and gen.

    Then a charger/inverter with pass through to automatically charge and switch to inverter when you don't have gen or shore.

    None of this has anything to do with running the refer on 12V while traveling.
  • RockBottomRacing wrote:
    I have a 2001 Fleetwood Wilderness 335G TH, converter removed by previous owner. Need to replace it, and I'm thinking about going inverter. I plan to go with 2 or 4 Costco 6 V batteries and I want to be able to run my TV/DVD without my generator running, and I want to run my fridge on 12 volt while traveling. I do have an onboard Onan 2800 Microlite and I want an inverter with an automatic switch between shore power and generator and inverter power. I would love to hear some recommendations and advice!

    Thanks guys!


    Unless you left something out, you could buy a regular smart converter like the IOTA, a 400 watt inverter and save many hundreds of dollars over purchasing an inverter/charger.
  • Just for the record...

    I have a little Hibrid with 100w solar panel on the roof and just adding a portable 100w for shady areas.

    I purchased a 12v plug for my tv as it was already dc voltage. (Note: any appiance that has a little black box the you plug into a wall socket is likely a 12v appliance. The little black box should have written on it the ac in and dc out values.)

    I have dc cords for everything accept my dvd player as I could not find one (at the time) that was already dc. I have a small inverter to handle that.

    The only things that I cannot use while boon docking are my microwave and air conditioner. Those items would be a little much for a two 6v battery bank.

    I did just yesterday, however, install a new PowerMax PM4 100 amp Smart converter/charger.

    I did this because I found that the regular RV converter charger would likely only charge my batteries to 70% and did so in a way that it would eventually boil them dry in the process.
  • I put in a XANTREX FREEDOM HF 1800 INVERTER CHARGER 40AMP CHARGER, has a built in transfer switch