Inverter capacity?
I try not to ask questions which have been repeatedly discussed but sometimes the right answer is hard to find with the search function..... I am thinking of installing an inverter but am not sure ...
Forum Discussion
Don't let the guys here scare you away. If you already have the generator all you really need to do for most of what you want to do is two batteries that give you around 220AHs capacity. We currently run three each GP24 batteries in parallel that gives us 255AHs of capacity for our off-road POPUP camper. We watch HDTV everynight between 8PM and 11PM using our OTA BatWing antenna. I have a 600WATT PSW Inverter connected to my battery bank to run all of these low wattage 120VAC type item. Then I run a bunch of other 12VDC low wattage items that are direct connected to the 12VDC battery bank. Using all the things we ant to have on in one/day/one night run off the batteries usually draws around 20AMPS DC current during the time we are watching HDTV and other similar thing before going to bed. This will run down our battery to around 12.0VDC (Approximately 50% state of charge) by 8AM the next morning.
This is when I connect the trailer 30AMP shore power cable directly to the 2KW Honda Generator using a RV30A-15A long adapter and this will allow the on-board smart-mode converter to re-charge my batteries back up to their 90% charge state in as little as three hours of generator run time. During the time my generator is running I will brew up my fresh ground bean coffee for the day and any other thing the wife might want to do when the generator is running.
When we get the batteries back up to their 90% charge state then we can do all of this all over again for the next day/night run off the batteries.
From what you have indicated about all you need to have now is a smart-mode converter charging system or a smart-mode 40AMP battery charger that will run off of 120VAC from your generator. Then you need at least 220AHs capacity of batteries which can be provided by two each GC2 6V golf cart batteries connected in series to give you 12VDC. Or if you like two or three 12VDC batteries connected in parallel to give you around the 250AHs capacity.
You will also need to change out all of your high current automotive incandescent lamps for LEDs and I would make sure sure i had a smart-mode converter/charger like the PD9245 or something similar. (NOT A WFCO Product).
Then you need to purchase a PURE SINE WAVE INVERTER rated from 300WATTS to 600WATTS depending on what all you want to run from 120VAC. A 300WATT PSW Inverter will run all of your home entertainment items just fine. NO NEED to get a 12VDC system. Just plug them into the 120VAC extension cord drop from the 300WATT PSW Inverter...
Since you have the generator already all you need to do is plug your trailer into the the 2KW Honda type generator 120VAC receptacle using a RV30A-15A long adapter (WALMART) and you should be all set.
The game plan is to decide what you want to run in a one day/one night run off the batteries, have a battery bank big enough to hndle this unit, then re-charge you batteries every morning when allowed to do so at the various camp grounds using your smart-mode converter/charge unit. We recharge our 255AH capacity batteries in the three hour generator run time.
Been doing it this way for several years now and works great for us camping off the power grid.
Watch HDTV everynight... Have a low wattage manual $35 microwave from WALMART to heat up my coffee if i need to, run all the 120VAC toys we want to run off the Inverter and 12VDC toys direct connected to the battery bank.
To be successful you have to watch your battery voltage and when it gets down to around 12.0VDC then its time to shut down everything and start re-charging batteries. the game plan is to do this at 8AM in the morning when you are allowed to run your generator...
Hope all of this gives you food for thought.
We had to give up on the idea of the INVERTER would run our whole trailer... Just run a few things that we want to have on when camping off the power grid.
You just need a good PSW low wattage Inverter, larger battery setup, and smart-mode charge capability if you don't already have that. Having the high dollar generator already is 90% of the cost involved.
food for thought only here...
Roy Ken
This is when I connect the trailer 30AMP shore power cable directly to the 2KW Honda Generator using a RV30A-15A long adapter and this will allow the on-board smart-mode converter to re-charge my batteries back up to their 90% charge state in as little as three hours of generator run time. During the time my generator is running I will brew up my fresh ground bean coffee for the day and any other thing the wife might want to do when the generator is running.
When we get the batteries back up to their 90% charge state then we can do all of this all over again for the next day/night run off the batteries.
From what you have indicated about all you need to have now is a smart-mode converter charging system or a smart-mode 40AMP battery charger that will run off of 120VAC from your generator. Then you need at least 220AHs capacity of batteries which can be provided by two each GC2 6V golf cart batteries connected in series to give you 12VDC. Or if you like two or three 12VDC batteries connected in parallel to give you around the 250AHs capacity.
You will also need to change out all of your high current automotive incandescent lamps for LEDs and I would make sure sure i had a smart-mode converter/charger like the PD9245 or something similar. (NOT A WFCO Product).
Then you need to purchase a PURE SINE WAVE INVERTER rated from 300WATTS to 600WATTS depending on what all you want to run from 120VAC. A 300WATT PSW Inverter will run all of your home entertainment items just fine. NO NEED to get a 12VDC system. Just plug them into the 120VAC extension cord drop from the 300WATT PSW Inverter...
Since you have the generator already all you need to do is plug your trailer into the the 2KW Honda type generator 120VAC receptacle using a RV30A-15A long adapter (WALMART) and you should be all set.
The game plan is to decide what you want to run in a one day/one night run off the batteries, have a battery bank big enough to hndle this unit, then re-charge you batteries every morning when allowed to do so at the various camp grounds using your smart-mode converter/charge unit. We recharge our 255AH capacity batteries in the three hour generator run time.
Been doing it this way for several years now and works great for us camping off the power grid.
Watch HDTV everynight... Have a low wattage manual $35 microwave from WALMART to heat up my coffee if i need to, run all the 120VAC toys we want to run off the Inverter and 12VDC toys direct connected to the battery bank.
To be successful you have to watch your battery voltage and when it gets down to around 12.0VDC then its time to shut down everything and start re-charging batteries. the game plan is to do this at 8AM in the morning when you are allowed to run your generator...
Hope all of this gives you food for thought.
We had to give up on the idea of the INVERTER would run our whole trailer... Just run a few things that we want to have on when camping off the power grid.
You just need a good PSW low wattage Inverter, larger battery setup, and smart-mode charge capability if you don't already have that. Having the high dollar generator already is 90% of the cost involved.
food for thought only here...
Roy Ken
