Inverter placement

Plenty of folks have mounted the inverter under the bed with the lfp batteries, some have cut a hole in the side board of the bed frame to allow it to cycle cool/ warm air in depending on the season and add a small muffin fan. The inverters I've seen are 3000w ones not a small 1000w and not yet have I seen anyone say it killed the inverter.

I wouldn't want my inverter in the house for the fan noise.

Itinerant1 wrote:
Plenty of folks have mounted the inverter under the bed with the lfp batteries, some have cut a hole in the side board of the bed frame to allow it to cycle cool/ warm air in depending on the season and add a small muffin fan. The inverters I've seen are 3000w ones not a small 1000w and not yet have I seen anyone say it killed the inverter.

Really, what do YOU do for a living? I WORK on RV's for a Living(41 years). My advice is based on what I have seen since Inverters have become common in the past 25 years. Also on the HEAT observed when Inverters are installed in a closed air space with lack of fresh air. Doug

pianotuna wrote:
dougrainer,

Using 120 volt fans may not be the best idea. My Magnum inverter caught on fire because of that design. Far better to have a 12 volt fan, thermostatically controlled, that will continue to operate when the inverter is turned off.

Explain how 120 volt 4 inch fans INSTALLED correctly could cause an Inverter to catch on fire. Doug

dougrainer wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
dougrainer,

Using 120 volt fans may not be the best idea. My Magnum inverter caught on fire because of that design. Far better to have a 12 volt fan, thermostatically controlled, that will continue to operate when the inverter is turned off.

Explain how 120 volt 4 inch fans INSTALLED correctly could cause an Inverter to catch on fire. Doug

Properly install the inverter as per Magnum specifications, following their recommendations for clearances.

Put the inverter under a heavy load such as an air conditioner.

After 1 hour, decide you wish to go shopping.

So turn off the air conditioner.

Now turn off the inverter, using the remote control for the Magnum (internal fans cooling fans stop, as the circuit providing power to them is on the 120 volt side of the inverter).

Go shopping and come back to scorch marks up the wall above the inverter.

And that is how my Magnum 3000 inverter/charger self destructed.

If Magnum had chosen 12 volt fans, powered from the DC input, the scenario would not have occurred.

Magnum did replace it under warranty.

So, I suggest, 12 volt cooling fans, thermostatically controlled, may be a better choice.

dougrainer wrote:

Itinerant1 wrote:
Plenty of folks have mounted the inverter under the bed with the lfp batteries, some have cut a hole in the side board of the bed frame to allow it to cycle cool/ warm air in depending on the season and add a small muffin fan. The inverters I've seen are 3000w ones not a small 1000w and not yet have I seen anyone say it killed the inverter.

Really, what do YOU do for a living? I WORK on RV's for a Living(41 years). My advice is based on what I have seen since Inverters have become common in the past 25 years. Also on the HEAT observed when Inverters are installed in a closed air space with lack of fresh air. Doug

And your point is?
Your way or no way?
With proper air flow it won't work?

Or you missed the part of...."some have cut a hole in the side board of the bed frame to allow it to cycle cool/ warm air in depending on the season and add a small muffin fan"

As for you working on rvs for 41 years good for you. These forums should give you job security, that's is what the stellar work from manufacturers roll out everyday don't supply. ;)

pianotuna wrote:
Put the inverter under a heavy load such as an air conditioner.

Woah. You ran the AC from your inverter? That's pretty gutsy. I feel like a crazy man when I run the toaster or the microwave. I never considered running the air for an hour though.

Depends on how much airspace is under the bed. I have maybe 6" so no space for batteries and marginal for an inverter. Especially if you will be running near 1000 watts for any significant time generating 150+ watts of heat. Possibly you could add some venting positioned to allow the fan to blow warm air into the cabin area.

pianotuna wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
dougrainer,

Using 120 volt fans may not be the best idea. My Magnum inverter caught on fire because of that design. Far better to have a 12 volt fan, thermostatically controlled, that will continue to operate when the inverter is turned off.

Explain how 120 volt 4 inch fans INSTALLED correctly could cause an Inverter to catch on fire. Doug

Properly install the inverter as per Magnum specifications, following their recommendations for clearances.

Put the inverter under a heavy load such as an air conditioner.

After 1 hour, decide you wish to go shopping.

So turn off the air conditioner.

Now turn off the inverter, using the remote control for the Magnum (internal fans cooling fans stop, as the circuit providing power to them is on the 120 volt side of the inverter).

Go shopping and come back to scorch marks up the wall above the inverter.

And that is how my Magnum 3000 inverter/charger self destructed.

If Magnum had chosen 12 volt fans, powered from the DC input, the scenario would not have occurred.

Magnum did replace it under warranty.

So, I suggest, 12 volt cooling fans, thermostatically controlled, may be a better choice.

So, the MAGNUM fans caused the problem? Since Magnum builds hundreds of thousands of Inverter's IF the magnum design was the problem, there would be lots of this type problem. FYI, Magnum was started by ex Heart/Xantrex Engineers and they designed and built a much better RV product. I have NEVER seen a Magnum have such a scorch fire problem and I have repaired/replaced probably in excess of 1 hundred Magnums in the past 15 years. Not all factory defects, usually outside 120 power source caused. Doug