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dedmiston's avatar
dedmiston
Moderator
May 02, 2016

What to look for in an inverter/charger?

We recently bought a new fifth wheel (see sig) and now I need to research inverters. About twelve years ago we had a Xantrex Freedom 458 installed in our Toy Hauler. It was fantastic and it never gave us a bit of trouble.

It's 12 years later though. What should we consider when shopping for a new inverter/charger? How much should we be prepared to spend?

Requirements:

* I would like to have all the outlets powered from the inverter.

* It should have a good multi-stage converter charger.

* I would like to be able to run one or both TVs, DVD players, phone chargers, and a coffee maker in the morning.

* Overnight it only needs to run a CPAP and everyone's phone chargers.

* I don't care about running the microwave. We can run the generator for that.

What brands should I look at?

What are people paying nowadays to have them installed?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

37 Replies

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  • byronlj's avatar
    byronlj
    Explorer
    May 02, 2016
    If you have a 50a rig the Freedom SW is a good choice. The SW has dual input/output which makes wiring much easier. It is similar to the freedom 458 but it has pure sine wave output.
    Dave
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    May 02, 2016
    I prefer separate components. Dedicated sine wave inverter, transfer switch, and a three stage smart converter. Something fails and that is all you replace.
  • KD4UPL's avatar
    KD4UPL
    Explorer II
    May 02, 2016
    The Outback VFX2812M would be an excellent unit. Also the Magnum MMS1012 (1000 watt) MS2012 (2000 watt) would be good choices. Any of these units can be set up with remote displays, battery capacity meters, and auto generator start if you want to get fancy.
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    May 02, 2016
    Look for user serviceable relays, if you get one with a transfer switch.

    Compare idle current draw, operating efficiency at various loads, operating temperature range, overload capacity (ex 200 pct for n seconds)

    Compare weight, light weight is a digital inverter, heavy is old school analog. Pros and cons to each technology.
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    May 02, 2016
    As said, get a PSW. Newer technology is going to present problems with MSW. Outback is top of the line, GoPower and Samlex are pretty good too.

    To power the entire coach with my Prosine I intercepted the shore power's connection to the panel feed line at a jct box just inside the basement where the shore power arrived, and spliced the inverter 120v input to the shore cord, then the inverter's 120vac output splices into the panel feed line. That worked wonderfully for 10 years.

    If you have enough battery (4 at least) to run a coffee maker you should be able to handle the MW.

    I did my own install.
  • KRumm's avatar
    KRumm
    Explorer
    May 02, 2016
    The 458 is a modified sine-wave... Many of the newer electronic items (incuding coffee machines and such that may have a computer chip inside contrrolling it) do not play well with the modified sine-wave inverters...

    Check out this pure sine model... (It includes a nice popout remote)
    http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/inverter-chargers/freedom-hfs.aspx
  • Triker33's avatar
    Triker33
    Explorer
    May 02, 2016
    They still sale the 458.
    The 2000 should work with the coffee maker. With 4 6V batteries.

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