Hi, Sorry if this is a repeat question (I searched and didn't find).I have a MH with 4 @ 6v batteries, 2000w inverter, and residential fridge.I would like to maintain the batteries (while remote camping) with my 1000w Yamaha gas powered inverter/generator. If I connect the Yamaha to 110v, it tries to power the fridge, charge the batteries, and do many other things. Poor Yamaha quickly overloads and trips out. If I connect the Yamaha directly to the batteries with 12v cables, it doesn't appear to do anything. Engine shows no sign of doing work. The Yamaha should work as a 12v charger, but that does not appear to be true. I considered getting a "good" external battery charger and using the Yamaha to power it to charge the batteries, but it seems silly to make 12v dc, change it to 110v, then change it back to 12v. Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers? Paul

The 12V power on those generators is nearly useless at only a few amps. Using 120V is where you’ll get the maximum output. If your onboard charger is too large to be powered by the generator, a separate (120V to 12V) charger can work fine.I’m not sure I follow the 12V to 120V to 12V. The generator makes much more than 12V DC internally before being converted into a 120V sine wave. I’m not sure why they bother with a 12V output. Maybe the electronics have a 12V rail so they just added a jack.

The inverter generator will work if your onboard converter doesn't exceed the rated load from the generator. The combination of the 120V fridge at start up and the draw of the onboard converter may exceed the rating of your generator. I'd assume you could turn off the inverter, disconnect the fridge from 120V power and, having isolated the converter, power only that for a couple of hours to charge your batteries.

1000w is tool smallyou are trying to charge and power the fridgethe start up surge of the fridge is most likely the cause of the overloadget a portable charger, plug into the yammy, do not plug in the RVfor a test, turn off the fridge, plug in shore cord to generatormake sure wh is LP onlysee if the batteries will chargeafter the charge load drops down, you might be able to turn on the fridgethe fridge will stay cold for (2) hours no problemif you don't open it

Winnipeg wrote:Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers?What you're "missing" is that the so-called 12 vdc charging port on your genset is unregulated, meaning there is no control over how much or how little it's charging the batteries and given enough time can easily damage the batteries. Instead plug your rig into the genset's 120 vac output and let it's converter do the charging ... if this trips the genset then turn the fridge off, if it still trips and you have no other significant loads on then the genset is simply too small for the task. You might try charging just two of your 6 volts at a time - one bank, then the other - otherwise the solution is a larger 2000 watt genset.

I would start by simply changing the refrigerator over to gas only. Then the fridge will not try to run off of the detected AC current.

Yamaha 1000w inverter for maintaining batteries

45 Replies

Atlee
Explorer II
Jun 02, 2018
I would start by simply changing the refrigerator over to gas only. Then the fridge will not try to run off of the detected AC current.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Jun 02, 2018
Winnipeg wrote:
Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers?

What you're "missing" is that the so-called 12 vdc charging port on your genset is unregulated, meaning there is no control over how much or how little it's charging the batteries and given enough time can easily damage the batteries. Instead plug your rig into the genset's 120 vac output and let it's converter do the charging ... if this trips the genset then turn the fridge off, if it still trips and you have no other significant loads on then the genset is simply too small for the task. You might try charging just two of your 6 volts at a time - one bank, then the other - otherwise the solution is a larger 2000 watt genset.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 02, 2018
1000w is tool small
you are trying to charge and power the fridge
the start up surge of the fridge is most likely the cause of the overload

get a portable charger, plug into the yammy, do not plug in the RV

for a test, turn off the fridge, plug in shore cord to generator
make sure wh is LP only

see if the batteries will charge

after the charge load drops down, you might be able to turn on the fridge

the fridge will stay cold for (2) hours no problem
if you don't open it
westend
Explorer
Jun 02, 2018
The inverter generator will work if your onboard converter doesn't exceed the rated load from the generator. The combination of the 120V fridge at start up and the draw of the onboard converter may exceed the rating of your generator. I'd assume you could turn off the inverter, disconnect the fridge from 120V power and, having isolated the converter, power only that for a couple of hours to charge your batteries.
wnjj
Explorer II
Jun 02, 2018
The 12V power on those generators is nearly useless at only a few amps. Using 120V is where you’ll get the maximum output. If your onboard charger is too large to be powered by the generator, a separate (120V to 12V) charger can work fine.

I’m not sure I follow the 12V to 120V to 12V. The generator makes much more than 12V DC internally before being converted into a 120V sine wave. I’m not sure why they bother with a 12V output. Maybe the electronics have a 12V rail so they just added a jack.

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Yamaha 1000w inverter for maintaining batteries

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