donn0128 wrote:
rbts wrote:
donn0128 wrote:
Why do you want an inverter charger? Are you planning to run everything on 120VAC instead of 12VDC? In a RV 12VDC is much more convienent. You already have the battery, so use a converter charger of your choice, make everything 12VDC except the one or two things you think you want as 120VAC.
In a small RV like your RPod you will not have enough space to put enough batteries to run much on 120VAC.
The inverter is for the ability to run some AC appliances for short amounts of time while not plugged in to shore power (laptop charger/toaster/etc.) I know DC is far more efficient, but my goal is to make everything as versatile and painless a system as possible.
OK, lets assume you want to make toast. My toaster is rated at 1100 watts@120VAC. That translates to 11,000 watts @12VDC. Your fooling yourself if you think you could actually do that and still have battery power enough to run lights, water pump, and control power for the refer. RPods are pretty small and you simply do not have enough space for that many batteries nor roof space for solar panels. Make toast in the oven, make coffee on a stove top coffee maker. There is nohing 120VAC that you need when boondocking. If you want to watch TV a simple 25 dollar plug in inverter will do.
I think since you still at the planning stage that you need to sit down, make an honest assessment of your needs. Take each 120VAC appliance you think you want to power and calculate how many 12VDC amps that it will use. Remember you should never dischaege a battery below about 50% meaning a battery with 200AH capacity you should only use around 100AH before recharge. Second you need to calculate how you are going to draw XXX amps out of a battery per minute and how big everything is going to need to be. Heck, a 2000 watt inverter needs 2ga wire at minimum. Your going to want a lot of 0ga wire. And that stuff is expensive. Just price it out to see the falicy of your idea in such a small RV.
Definitely not trying to be mean, but trying to get you to open your eyes and not make a huge mistake.
Thanks for a good critical assessment. I haven't purchased anything yet which is why I'm doing all my research now. I have read up on amp hour capacities of batteries and not letting them go below 50%, and know what my power needs are mathematically for the appliances I have.
But don't worry about trying to save me from mistakes. If I add everything up in the end and find one choice far outweighs the other I'll make whichever one is better for me.
