new to dp

It is important that you get the information on your specific coach and how it is wired. On my Monaco coach, when you start the generator, it supplies power to the inverter/charger, which actually charges the batteries. If the inverter/charger is turned off, your batteries will not be charged by the generator. The same goes for when you are hooked to shore power for the night. With the inverter/charger turned off, your batteries will not get charged.
Other coaches may be wired differently which is why you need to get the specific information on your rig.

thanks to all for the info. many things to learn about this coach. but we love it !

I leave the inverter on most of the time. I have a 2000 watt inverter and it come in pretty handy when dry camping. While camping at Death Valley I started the generator only in the mornings for about an hour. It would recharge the six batteries on my coach.

Tom/Barb wrote:
Your automatic transfer switch determine where the power comes from. External 240/ 50 amp has priority. Gen/set has the next priority, then the battery pack.

On our coach, the genset has priority, then shore power. I believe the inverter is always on and always drawing from the batteries. The converter keeps the batteries from draining while the inverter is always on. Half our circuits are connected to the inverter, the other half are hooked up to the 120 volt system only.

In the 15 years we had our 95 CC Affinity, we never turned the inverter off. Since you have a Dynasty, I suspect you have at least a 1500W inverter, and probably a 2000W inverter.

There are so many variations on how late 90's DP's were wired.

Regarding the inverter....think of it a simply a way to provide 120 Volt A/C to your unit when the genset is not running and you are not hooked up to shore power.

There many be units like one described above, where shore power has priority over genset, or they may be like mine where genset trumps shore power.

There may be units that have designated 120V A/C receptacles that are powered only by the inverter, or units like mine where ALL 120 Volt Receptacles are powered by either the genset or shore power, except when dry camping when ALL receptacles are powered by the inverter providing it is turned ON.

Just get to know YOUR coach and all will be fine!

I'd call Monaco at 877-466-6226 with the last six of your Vin #. They can probably Email you a wiring diagram of your inverter/charger system that a 97 Dynasty should have as standard equipment. You probably have a large black box on the ceiling of one of your bays with battery cables going to it. You need to learn where it is as it has two 120V breakers on it that will solve many of your 120V power out problems... microwave and TVs. You also need to find the GFI outlets (kitchen or bath) and reset them first when having 120V problems.

I would leave the inverter off when hooked to shore power, otherwise you may not know when you loose shore power as the inverter may power up so fast you do not even loose the TV's picture... resulting in dead batteries the next day unless you notice some of the 120V outlets no longer work.

While the inverter will run the microwave and make coffee, they draw so many amps that I crank the generator when they are used. When boondocking the batteries need charging for 1-2 hours/day so you need to crank the generator anyway.

Should be a lot of MH for less than $40K.

To directly answer your question with specificity would require knowing the type of setup you have. Newer coaches and some older ones have combination "inverter" and "converter" units. The inverter provides 120 VAC to certain circuits on the coach from the 12VDC batteries if no other source of AC is available. A converter charges the coach house batteries when connected to external or generator AC power. Some coaches were equipped with standalone inverter units. Most of these were low powered and only powered one circuit such as a TV. Usually they have internal transfer switches that automatically switch to generator or external power if present. Finally there are very small inverters that don't switch between power sources but those are very uncommon as OEM equipment.

Since there is such a lot of variation in how the electrics are set up, I think you'd have to find a manual for your specific model -- it should be available on line, as companies produced these for some years without major changes.

In my DP, for instance, I had to actually select the inverter to be on and providing 110 power. Something I seldom needed, as we were almost always plugged in or on generator.

san elijo kb wrote:
After banging down the road in our class a gasser for years and plenty of research we have finally purchased a 97 Monaco Dynasty in xlnt condition. I have many things to learn about in a diesel motor home .That's what you guys are for ! Specifically my past rvs did not have inverters. I am somewhat familiar with what their purpose is. If I am hooked up to shore power does the inverter sense this and know what mode it should be in or do I have to turn something off/on .I want to make sure batteries don't get discharged because I didn't do something I should. Any other general suggestions to a diesel newby would be appreciated. thanks KB

Your automatic transfer switch determine where the power comes from. External 240/ 50 amp has priority. Gen/set has the next priority, then the battery pack.

When you are on shore power the inverter / converter will direct power to the battery charger plus the coach 110 power. When on the Gen/set, same same, on the hook up.
When your on not on shore power or the gen/set, the battery pack supplies power to the 110 circuits by the inverter.