Hi all.... I am wondering if anyone can help me with something I have been experimenting with ? I have been setting up at our camp trailer its a 29' Heartland trailrunner, with solar panels and 6 volt batteries. I plug in and run our generator, but at certain times it has to be shut off. So here is the prob I am trying to get past. When I shut off my generator I switch to my 1000w inverter this works great so that we can use the plugins for tv or whatever. The prob with this, is that when the inverter is on and being used from the batteries, the converter is running and trying to charge the batteries witch in turn drains the batteries twice as fast. So is there a way to bypass the converter while I am using the inverter ? Can I install a switch of some sort to shut it off, and what kind of switch would it be? or is there some other way to solve this ? I use the main plug in for the generator and inverter both .....thanks any help would be awesome

Just look in your trailers AC breaker box. There should be a breaker labeled for the converter. Turn it off. Problem solved.If it's not labeled you'll have to turn them off one at a time to find the right one. If there's something else on that same breaker that you don't want off then you'll have to move the circuits around or, if there's room, add a breaker just for the converter.In my camper it's on it's own breaker.

I run the inverter off the main trailer power plug same as the generator .If I shut the breaker off to the converter will the inverter still power the plugs through the main power cord tho ?

The on-board converter/charger will either have a separate circuit breaker or has its own 120VAC power plug that may be plugged into a 120VAC receptacle somewhere.Either turn it off at the circuit breaker or unplug it...In both my trailers it is the first 15AMP circuit breaker going down the panel. Just under the 30AMP Main breaker.Roy Ken

ntsgiggles wrote:I run the inverter off the main trailer power plug same as the generator .If I shut the breaker off to the converter will the inverter still power the plugs through the main power cord tho ?Sure.The converter has nothing to do with AC power. You could physically remove it and all the 120v AC stuff would work fine.

Awesome thanks so much for the reply's I will try this when I get the trailer out of the deep snow that never wants to leave ....

Bypassing the converter | Good Sam Community

ntsgiggles
Explorer
Jun 08, 2014
Voltage is good on my batteries no prob with them I disconnected the converter and its good now think I'll hook it back up with a switch at some point
westend
Explorer
Jun 08, 2014
ntsgiggles wrote:
Ok so the converter has a breaker but when its shut off nothing works that's my update just haven't gone farther yet maybe today
What is the voltage measured across the battery terminals without the converter charging?
ntsgiggles
Explorer
Jun 08, 2014
Ok so the converter has a breaker but when its shut off nothing works that's my update just haven't gone farther yet maybe today
dannytas
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Don and everyone else...thanks!!!! :D
pianotuna
Nomad III
Mar 30, 2014
Hi danny,

Yes, they are inside.

I used the maximum size that would fit the inverter connections.

Yes, the switches (I have two battery banks) are on the positive side.

dannytas wrote:
Hey Don, did you run the dc disconnect switches to the inside of your trailer, so that you wouldn't have to go outside? What size wire did you use and did you put the switch on the positive side?
dannytas
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

When the inverter is on there may be an "overhead" of up to 2.5 amps per hour. That doesn't sound like much--but in ten hours it amounts to 25 amp-hours.

If you don't need the inverter it is best to turn it right off. I went one step farther and have disconnect switches on the dc input to the inverter.

Hey Don, did you run the dc disconnect switches to the inside of your trailer, so that you wouldn't have to go outside? What size wire did you use and did you put the switch on the positive side?
Unyalli
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Caveman Charlie wrote:
Unyalli wrote:
dannytas wrote:
This is very interesting. All my lights are 12v. If I plug my trailer into the inverter and turn off the converter, will my lights just draw power from the batteries? Have I got it or am I lost?

Your 12 volt stuff draws from the batteries directly no matter what. If you provide your batteries with 12 volt power via your converter or a solar charger they won't draw down is all.

No, Unyalli I don't think you got that quite right. When plugged in to 120 volts and the "Converter" turned on it converts 120 volt power to 12 volt to run the 12 volt stuff. THen, It also has a battery charger built in that recharges the batteries.

So, your 12 volt stuff is not drawing from the 12 volt batteries no matter what like you said.

You are of course correct but you missed what I was trying to help Danny understand. I know the converter is filling the batteries simply because it raises the voltage higher than battery voltage.
Caveman_Charlie
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2014
Unyalli wrote:
dannytas wrote:
This is very interesting. All my lights are 12v. If I plug my trailer into the inverter and turn off the converter, will my lights just draw power from the batteries? Have I got it or am I lost?

Your 12 volt stuff draws from the batteries directly no matter what. If you provide your batteries with 12 volt power via your converter or a solar charger they won't draw down is all.

No, Unyalli I don't think you got that quite right. When plugged in to 120 volts and the "Converter" turned on it converts 120 volt power to 12 volt to run the 12 volt stuff. THen, It also has a battery charger built in that recharges the batteries.

So, your 12 volt stuff is not drawing from the 12 volt batteries no matter what like you said.
AH64ID
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
Both of my TT's had the converter on one of the general circuits. On my current TT I added a circuit breaker for the converter, so I can turn it off whenever I want to. You can add a circuit breaker, or a 15a rated switch inline to the inverter.

I have a 1500w inverter that powers all of my outlets, but not the circuits for the a/c, microwave, fridge, and converter. I did also have to move the fridge power to the microwave circuit from the general circuit so I don't have to take the fridge off of auto for when I use the generator.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Mar 29, 2014
Hi,

When the inverter is on there may be an "overhead" of up to 2.5 amps per hour. That doesn't sound like much--but in ten hours it amounts to 25 amp-hours.

If you don't need the inverter it is best to turn it right off. I went one step farther and have disconnect switches on the dc input to the inverter.

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