I am thinking of adding dual 6 volts and a solar charger with inverter system to my open range, I have a question about 12 volt charging.The inverter I was looking at has a built in switch and also a battery charger.The converter that's in my RV now has a 12 volt distribution fused block.I want to wire my inverter with switch to my converter so I can run my whole trailer on the batteries if I do not have shore power. The batteries of course need to be connected, therefore when I do have shore power the inverter will charge my batteries and transfer 120 VAC to my converter.My converter also has a charger and all the 12 volt is distributed through it, so when the converter is getting 120 VAC it is also charging the batteries.Therefore when I am connected to shore power my inverter will be charging the batteries and the converter will also be charging.Is there any issue with this sort of loop? Hope this makes sense I have attached a picture to better explain myself. Thanks.Edit: just a thought but when I am not plugged into shore power the inverter will be feeding power to my converter therefore would I have power to my 12 volt distribution and if so could I disconnect the cables from my battery to the converter?

I'm not sure how to answer this, but your first sentence also says you'll have solar charging as well. If so, you probably need to add that to your drawing.Jim

can it be done.. yes..but for the diagram you have drawn, you Need a whole house inverter, something that will carry 30amps (not supply..just pass thru) or more of 120vacand you will need a switch/Circuit breaker to turn off the converter (remembering to do so is the big problem)actually much better to parallel the converter and charger 120v input, so that the converter is automatically off when there is NO shore powerpeople usually use a "break out sub panel" to power the needed circuit from the invertereverything has power when connected to shorewith out shore power, only the inverter circuit has 120v power

Excuse me but why is it so importent to turn of the converter? I am thinking to do pretty much the same thing but I am totally new to this thought.Thanks

hgpezi wrote:Excuse me but why is it so importent to turn of the converter? I am thinking to do pretty much the same thing but I am totally new to this thought.ThanksBecause the converter will be attempting to charge the batteries with the power from the inverter which comes from the batteries. In summary, the batteries would be attempting to charge themselves.

Need more information to be able to give good advice.What converter do you have? Some are "smart". Most are "stupid".Suspect any inverter large enough to handle your RV (all but heavy loads such as roof A/C, water heater and any other heavy loads) it will have a smart built in charger that is likely vastly superior to your converter.If true, there are two good choices: Disconnect or remove the converter. Leave converter in place, but install a switch on the 120 VAC hot to it. This would give you the redundancy if the charger section of the inverter/charger failed, but allow you (AS YOU HAVE TO) to make sure it is disabled when not on shore power. If left connected, as posted above, you would quickly deplete the batteries-- inverter powering converter powering inverter...

Hardwiring inverter to converter and redundant charging

pianotuna
Nomad III
Jan 14, 2015
Hi smk,

I do heat my water via solar-->battery bank-->inverter in June and July.

If I upgrade the wattage I'll be able to run the fridge or the air conditioner.

Li batteries are exciting as apparently they don't taper charging.
time2roll
Nomad
Jan 14, 2015
Certainly all can be run if properly equipped.
I am more concerned with the OP and the pair of GC2.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jan 14, 2015
Hi,

While disconnecting the 12 volt output from the converter at the battery bank would work, it would be less efficient that disconnecting the converter from 120 volt power.

hyfyve wrote:
just a thought but when I am not plugged into shore power the inverter will be feeding power to my converter therefore would I have power to my 12 volt distribution and if so could I disconnect the cables from my battery to the converter?
hyfyve
Explorer
Jan 14, 2015
smkettner wrote:
Run the whole RV? Air conditioner? Electric water heater? Microwave? 120v fridge?

And you will need to turn the converter off. The battery will supply the 12v power direct.

No I should have been more clear, just the LED TV and lights and low wattage items.

I can probably go to a 1500 watt system actually, 3000 is overkill.

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jan 14, 2015
ewarnerusa wrote:
pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Don't muddy the waters.

Solar charge controller connects to the battery bank.

Inverter powers the shore connection.

If you want it automated then a transfer switch and a sub panel work well.

If not, just provide an outlet that is supplied by the inverter and plug in the shore power cord. The converter needs disconnection. The fridge, and water heater should be set to propane.

This^^^ We just plug our shore power cable directly into the 120V outlet on the inverter and it powers the whole house. It it's a manual fool proof transfer switch! The converter must be switched off so it isn't trying to use the batteries to charge the batteries.
You can use any size inverter you want to power the whole camper, you're just limited on what you can run by the capacity of the inverter. We power our TT this way all the time with a 300 watt one. We usually just use the AC power to run the television.

X2 and that's what I do. I turn off all breakers except the main and GFI breaker. All my outlets are powered with this method. Fridge and HWH are set to propane. Fool proof and easy to do.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jan 14, 2015
Depending on your RV (What converter you have now) I would most likely disable the existing converter by cutting the 120 volt lead to it (or disconnecting it) and use the charger built into the Inverter.. GENERALLY the converter built into the inverter is, at the worst, equal to the one you have now and often better.

But to be sure I"d need make, models and time to research

I would keep the existing converter in place, won't hurt it or anything else for it to be there and heaven forbid the inverter fail.. BACKUPs are good.

(Been there, done that,,, actually I have a progressive Dynamics Intella power with charge wizard (9180 in my case) which .. Well, recall I said at the worst the inverter's would be as good,, In this case, I would rank the prosine equal but I like the Wizard better for reasons I can not defend. So I choose it.

I will say I have yet to find a better one,, Or a better one than what is in my Prosine,, ((Though I suspect the Prosine may have a slight malfunction,,Works great as a back up unit though)).
time2roll
Nomad
Jan 14, 2015
hyfyve wrote:
smkettner wrote:
Run the whole RV? Air conditioner? Electric water heater? Microwave? 120v fridge?

And you will need to turn the converter off. The battery will supply the 12v power direct.

No I should have been more clear, just the LED TV and lights and low wattage items.

I can probably go to a 1500 watt system actually, 3000 is overkill.

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone.

Now we are getting somewhere.

You really need closer to 150 to 300 watts. This can be installed by the breaker/fuse panel. Use the main battery connection for 12v power and a small transfer switch or two to connect to the convenience outlet circuits only. This cuts out all issues with the converter etc.

1500 watts is WAY overkill to charge an iphone. The idle draw alone will be more than goes into the device.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jan 14, 2015
smkettner wrote:
hyfyve wrote:
smkettner wrote:
Run the whole RV? Air conditioner? Electric water heater? Microwave? 120v fridge?

And you will need to turn the converter off. The battery will supply the 12v power direct.

No I should have been more clear, just the LED TV and lights and low wattage items.

I can probably go to a 1500 watt system actually, 3000 is overkill.

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone.

Now we are getting somewhere.

You really need closer to 150 to 300 watts. This can be installed by the breaker/fuse panel. Use the main battery connection for 12v power and a small transfer switch or two to connect to the convenience outlet circuits only. This cuts out all issues with the converter etc.

1500 watts is WAY overkill to charge an iphone. The idle draw alone will be more than goes into the device.

X2, I use a 300w PSW inverter to power my two TVs, DVD, Stereo, and all electronics. The transfer switch is a nice way to go also as noted above.
ewarnerusa
Nomad
Jan 14, 2015
I completely agree with the posts about only needing a small inverter for the current usage. But from another angle, the OP is contemplating an upgrade including adding 2x6V batteries and solar. So who knows what they will decide they would like to do with that power once it is available to them. You can afford to be a little less stingy with your 12V power when you are harvesting free power from the sky to recharge. I say go ahead and plan and build around a 1500 watt inverter which is about the max power that 2x6V could run.
hyfyve
Explorer
Jan 17, 2015
Any recommendations on 1500 watt unit with built in switch that can be 120 hardwired?

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