Hi guys just joined the forum and looking for some help. RVing is completely new to me so i'm a little hesitant on DIY stuff.I have a 2013 Dutchmen Rubicon 2900- 2x6v batteries- 2x150watt solar panels- 20amp Charge controller.I have read through tons of posts on inverter installing but am still a little uncertain.I am looking to buy a Sunforce 2500watt Pure Sine inverter from Costco. I will be using 4/0 gauge wire.I will NOT be trying to run MW,WH,Fridge or ACAll I want it for is the TVs and to charge laptops and phones. Basically my GFI plug insI am struggling with where to mount it in regards to distance from batteries and the whole DTDP switch. In the unit is a WF-8900 Series Distribution Center.Any help would be much appreciated to get me going in the right direction.Thanks ahead of time

Hi devon,The Sunforce gets poor reviews and fails rather often. I'd avoid it. It is also a little large for your needs. I'd look at one of these instead: ProwattA 600 watt unit would easily handle the items you wish to run.I use simple a perko switch for my DC disconnect to the inverter, and a female outlet in the shore power cord box.Install as close to the battery bank as humanly possible without being in the same compartment. Use the biggest cable that will fit the terminals on the inverter on the DC side. Fuse to protect the wire.devoncbutcher wrote:Hi guys just joined the forum and looking for some help. RVing is completely new to me so i'm a little hesitant on DIY stuff.I have a 2013 Dutchmen Rubicon 2900- 2x6v batteries- 2x150watt solar panels- 20amp Charge controller.I have read through tons of posts on inverter installing but am still a little uncertain.I am looking to buy a Sunforce 2500watt Pure Sine inverter from Costco. I will be using 4/0 gauge wire.I will NOT be trying to run MW,WH,Fridge or ACAll I want it for is the TVs and to charge laptops and phones.I am struggling with where to mount it in regards to distance from batteries and the whole DTDP switch. In the unit is a WF-8900 Series Distribution Center.Any help would be much appreciated to get me going in the right direction.Thanks ahead of time

You don't need a big inverter like that do to what you want to so. A 300W will do all that. For example, I can run 26 and 23" LCDs, two sat boxes, a surround sound system, charge phones and a laptop all at the same time with mine with some power to spare. I use a Go Power 300W PSW. BTW, very nice setup.

Thanks for the input guys, I just wanted to go big first and once. I forgot to mention that I would like to possibly run a coffee pot and due to starting work early I avoid firing up the generator early. Is there a negative to running an overkill inverter like that one or is it just extra money spent?

Personally, for the exact application you describe I installed the small Prowatt, with transfer switch, wired into one circuit on the rig.BTW, we tried something this last trip that worked great. At the start of a major drive day, she made up a slow-cook dinner in the crockpot, put the pot in the sink and turned on the inverter (during it off for lunch). When we arrived that the days stop, just at dinner time, dinner was ready.

pianotuna wrote:Hi devon,The Sunforce gets poor reviews and fails rather often. I'd avoid it. It is also a little large for your needs. I'd look at one of these instead: ProwattA 600 watt unit would easily handle the items you wish to run.I use simple a perko switch for my DC disconnect to the inverter, and a female outlet in the shore power cord box.Install as close to the battery bank as humanly possible without being in the same compartment. Use the biggest cable that will fit the terminals on the inverter on the DC side. Fuse to protect the wire.devoncbutcher wrote:Hi guys just joined the forum and looking for some help. RVing is completely new to me so i'm a little hesitant on DIY stuff.I have a 2013 Dutchmen Rubicon 2900- 2x6v batteries- 2x150watt solar panels- 20amp Charge controller.I have read through tons of posts on inverter installing but am still a little uncertain.I am looking to buy a Sunforce 2500watt Pure Sine inverter from Costco. I will be using 4/0 gauge wire.I will NOT be trying to run MW,WH,Fridge or ACAll I want it for is the TVs and to charge laptops and phones.I am struggling with where to mount it in regards to distance from batteries and the whole DTDP switch. In the unit is a WF-8900 Series Distribution Center.Any help would be much appreciated to get me going in the right direction.Thanks ahead of timeOne of the reasons I was going with the Sunforce was because of the fact its a costco product and they are usually great with warranties and are cheaper than the Xantrex

Inverter Install | Good Sam Community

37 Replies

n7bsn
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
devoncbutcher wrote:

There was some extra shipping and would be duty charges associated with it but the rv place doesnt need to know that lol

UPS's fees are much higher then the Postal ones. I always use the Post for shipping up north
devoncbutcher
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
n7bsn wrote:
hmknightnc wrote:
$355 from Best Converter clicky

5' seems awful long. You should be able to mount it on back wall behind the battery box (assumming your battery box is sealed and vented to outside). Maybe 2'

That's where I bought mine. Of course he might have "handlers import fee" if they ship UPS

There was some extra shipping and would be duty charges associated with it but the rv place doesnt need to know that lol
devoncbutcher
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
n7bsn wrote:
devoncbutcher wrote:
Does anyone know why my pictures wont post and why i cannot see pictures others have posted?

It's in your personal preference settings

Thanks I did finally figure it out last night.
n7bsn
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
CT_WANDERER wrote:
devoncbutcher wrote:
So now that i've decided on the Xantrex 2000 and mounting within a couple feet w/ 4/0 cable. Back to stopping my built in charger from trying to kick in and loop the power. Best Converter has an inline Amp transfer switch, is that what i need?

I think you should have an AC breaker so that you can shut off your converter when on your inverter. That is what most of the inverter people do. Gary

Gary, correct

You should (and I did) hard wire the transfer switch "line" to the output of the RVs main panel breaker. Then you hard wire the "load" line back into the panel to the line that used to connect to the breaker. Finally you plug the transfer switch into the output of the inverter.

That being said, as I recall, the Xantrex transfer switch, designed for the Prowatt has a lower power limit then the Xantrex 2000 will put out. I would go to the Zantrex web-site and download the manuals and review them -before- you buy.
n7bsn
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
devoncbutcher wrote:
Does anyone know why my pictures wont post and why i cannot see pictures others have posted?

It's in your personal preference settings
n7bsn
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
hmknightnc wrote:
$355 from Best Converter clicky

5' seems awful long. You should be able to mount it on back wall behind the battery box (assumming your battery box is sealed and vented to outside). Maybe 2'

That's where I bought mine. Of course he might have "handlers import fee" if they ship UPS
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 10, 2013
Hi,

You can get fancy and use a transfer switch, and a sub panel which is the way smkettner has implemented his system. His works well.

I do NOT prefer transfer switches. Sooner or later someone will "switch over" under load, and the contacts may burn. So if you do go this route I'd suggest a 30 amp transfer switch rather than the 15 amp Xantrex, which would be undersized for 2000 watts.

I just use manual plugs. This allowed me to run an auxiliary shore power cord for just the converter, which can be quite useful in low voltage shore power situations. I use double conversion and run the rv off the inverter--while plugging in only the converter to shore power.

I did the same thing with the water heater. It's great for parking where there are no 30 amp circuits available.

This leaves me with only the fridge to "switch over".

In the winter time the two auxiliary shore power cords may be used for running electric heaters. I burn just $17 dollars worth of propane in 13 months.

When the battery bank is full, I'll often run the water heater, or the fridge on 120 volts. That way the solar watts coming in for free are not lost.
CT_WANDERER
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
devoncbutcher wrote:
So now that i've decided on the Xantrex 2000 and mounting within a couple feet w/ 4/0 cable. Back to stopping my built in charger from trying to kick in and loop the power. Best Converter has an inline Amp transfer switch, is that what i need?

I think you should have an AC breaker so that you can shut off your converter when on your inverter. That is what most of the inverter people do. Gary
mena661
Explorer
Jul 10, 2013
devoncbutcher wrote:
I really like the way you've got that mounted. I would like to do something similiar if not the exact same lol
Feel free to copy! My royalty fees are exactly $0. :B

pianotuna wrote:
Hi mena,

Beautiful work as always.
Thanks much Don.

hershey wrote:
I think its quite a bit of overkill going with the inverter you chose. But I'd suggest any inverter other than Xantrex. I'm on my third 2000 watt Xantrex. Why don't I change???? Extended warranty insists on exact replacement.
Which Xantrex are you using? I ask because there are many happy off-grid folks using the Prowatt SW2000. Their praise is the ONLY reason I reconsidered this particular model of inverter.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 10, 2013
Hi hershey,

What are you running? Anything that pushes the inverter to its limits?

The only reason I like the prowatt is price. I'd much prefer Magnum, but at 8X the price.......

hershey wrote:
But I'd suggest any inverter other than Xantrex. I'm on my third 2000 watt Xantrex. Why don't I change???? Extended warranty insists on exact replacement.