Forum Discussion

steved28's avatar
steved28
Explorer
Feb 21, 2019

Moving a circuit to the Inverter subpanel

Not so much asking how here, but wondering about any repercussions. In my 2019 Winnie I have a 2KW pure sine inverter, with it's own subpanel. The subpanel powers all my outlets, except one! And this 15A circuit appears to only have the one outlet on it, I cannot find anything else on this circuit except the outlet near the dinette. And that is the issue. I really would like to have this particular outlet on the inverter.
So, I moved this circuit from the main panel to the subpanel, I also had to move the neutral to a different bus. It appears to all work just fine, but I am wondering why Winnebago may have chosen to leave this circuit out of the subpanel in the first place. Or if there is any drawbacks in me moving it.
Class A
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Feb 21, 2019
    You now run the risk of tripping the breakers on the inverter, a common problem in the winter when electric heaters are used on a circuit from the inverter sub-panel. Your inverter has a transfer switch which is protected by two circuit breakers hidden on it.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Feb 21, 2019
    You checked the outdoor outlet and the fridge? Tank heaters? Any basement outlets? I assume it is an inverter/charger so no converter.

    No harm to make the switch except if something is connected and it drains your battery. Worst case isolate that item or swap it back.

    Yes all three (hot, neutral, ground) should be moved to the subpanel.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Feb 21, 2019
    That plug could be used for say a ceramic heater which on the inverter would rapidly discharge the battery. Or perhaps the other plugs are on a GFCI.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Feb 21, 2019
    No explaining the alleged "logic" of an RV maker when it comes to what outlets are on which panel.

    One thought is if you plug in electric cooking appliances you might set one on the Dinette table and overload the Inverter... but that is the ONLY danger I can imagine from what you did.

    I have one circuit (Bedroom) which I modified so I can transfer it from "Main" box to "Sub" (it parallels the GFCI so no danger of overload of inverter) by moving a plug from one outlet to another.
  • Sam_Spade's avatar
    Sam_Spade
    Explorer
    Feb 21, 2019
    steved28 wrote:
    Not so much asking how here, but wondering about any repercussions. Or if there is any drawbacks in me moving it.


    IF....your inverter fails, you might have ZERO working outlets.
    And you will have no place to plug in a HIGH CURRENT device if you should want to (when on shore power or gen.)

About Motorhome Group

38,707 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 20, 2025