plugging your shore power cable into 2000 watt inverter

zorro1421 wrote:
Thank You all for your answers to my confusing question. I failed to say this will be a new install, and I do not have a inverter/charger installed in this motorhome. Just a 75 amp factory installed converter, I just retired and would like to travel, and stop where there is no shore power. So this is why I would like to install at least a 2000 watt inverter without a charger. to operate my coffe pot micro and and tv/sat, not all at the same time. and be able to just plug my shore power into the inverter, without hard wiring it to the breaker box. From the answers I thank you all for, It sound like this will work, with as long as I turn off converter electric w/h switch frig and w/h to L.P. I am looking at several 2000 watt pure sine inverters for this. Can anyone help me with a good inverter that will not break the bank that I can use with this application of plug in and unplug. Thank you for your patience in my question

Good bang for the $...

Prowatt

Thank You all for your answers to my confusing question. I failed to say this will be a new install, and I do not have a inverter/charger installed in this motorhome. Just a 75 amp factory installed converter, I just retired and would like to travel, and stop where there is no shore power. So this is why I would like to install at least a 2000 watt inverter without a charger. to operate my coffe pot micro and and tv/sat, not all at the same time. and be able to just plug my shore power into the inverter, without hard wiring it to the breaker box. From the answers I thank you all for, It sound like this will work, with as long as I turn off converter electric w/h switch frig and w/h to L.P. I am looking at several 2000 watt pure sine inverters for this. Can anyone help me with a good inverter that will not break the bank that I can use with this application of plug in and unplug. Thank you for your patience in my question

Hi,

My default for the converter is off.

Golden_HVAC wrote:

Yes you can install a 15 to 50 amp adapter to the output of the inverter, and HOPE that every time you have the inverter running that the converter will be off. However there is probably a better way.

I don't need to hope my converter is off, I just turn it off. Make it part of your checklist. If can you remember to bring gas cans, you can remember to turn off the converter. Again, put it on the list of important stuff to do. I even make it easy for myself by turning off ALL my CB's except the converter when I'm at home. I only need that one on anyways. So if I do get to a boondock CG and nothing works, I know why.

Have the same inverter and 50a rig and plug directly into inverter. Running the micro I see a 170a draw from the batteries. Anything more than a minute or two to warm something up, I turn on the genny.

zorro1421 wrote:
I am sorry how I asked my question. What I meant was can I plug my shore power directly into my 2000 watt inverter, The inverter does not have a charger. I have a 75 amp converter, but I would have to turn it off along with electric water heater and put frig on L.p. So my question is with all that said can I just plug shore power cord into my inverter

Yes you can install a 15 to 50 amp adapter to the output of the inverter, and HOPE that every time you have the inverter running that the converter will be off. However there is probably a better way.

One way is to install a transfer switch. You would have the inverter output go to some receptacles in the RV, such as the microwave, TV and other desired circuits. I installed something like this with a new sub-panel in a fifth wheel. The owner needed to power a CPAP in the bedroom, microwave, and other items. I installed a 4 circuit sub-panel, 30 amp transfer switch, 30 amp breaker in the old main panel to power the transfer switch and sub-panel from shore power.

The other way is to have a 50 amp receptacle in the same compartment as the shore power cord, and plug in the shore power to the 50 amp receptacle powered by the inverter By having your 75 amp converter plug in right next to the inverter plug, hopefully you will remember to unplug it each time you plug into the inverter. You still be at risk of dead batteries if you turn on the inverter while the converter charger is still plugged in to the inverter output.

The way I would recommend if you are the do it yourself type, is to put the 120 volt output of the inverter into a couple of extension cords. Run these up to the microwave area, near the TV set, and other places you might need power. Then use a power strip, or buy a cord with 3 outputs, and then plug in what you might need to run from that location. Change back to the shore power receptacle when the inverter is off. Or run it from the inverter even while on shore power, the converter will keep up with the inverter's needs.

Fred.

Say you do, lets move the GFCI and microwave, now the coffee pot and microwave together trip the new 20 amp breaker when on shore power. Self control when running on batteries is easy, limiting yourself to a single 20 amp breaker full time is not. FWIW I run the fridge off my inverter when traveling, with the pigtail off the truck helping, I am at 99% or more SOC when I arrive with 0 propane used on the trip.

Actually, I would put the new sub-panel AFTER the main 120 VAC breaker box.

20 amp breaker on main box to new ATS.
Inverter to new ATS.

ATS out to all those circuits you want to be able to power from the inverter (and as importantly, none of those you don't-- Converter, A/C, refrigerator 120 VAC, water heater, etc).

It will work fine.

The only thing I would think about doing is putting a subpanel between the shore power inlet and the main breaker panel, and an automatic transfer switch between the subpanel and the main breaker panel. Set the transfer switch to default to shore power. On the subpanel move the circuits for the AC, converter, and electric water heater element.

As soon as you unplug, the inverter carries the loads, you just have to remember to switch the fridge to gas. Everything works BUT the AC, converter, and electric water heater off the inverter. If you want one of them start a generator, or plug in to ac power.

enblethen wrote:
jolooote:
I asked the same question. OP needs to see what the inverter feeds now. He may not have to do a thing!

Let's see
1... its a go power pure sine wave attached 3ft from the batteries
2... its NOT a combo-charger unit, he has a separate OEM converter
3... so very likely its not hardwired to anything or only to an added on circuit