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egarant's avatar
egarant
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2013

Charger/Inverter Question

Hi All,

My stock Charger/Converter is a Progressive Dynamics PD4045.

What I would like to do is use a 2000 watt inverter to run all my outlets (microwave/tv mostly).

My rig is too small to wire in a nice charger/inverter/converter and I don't even have the space to install a 2000 watt inverter inside the camper, close to the batteries, where I would have to run an extension cord to the TV or microwave when I want to use it.

What I would like to do, is install the inverter in the space originally allocated for the propane generator...the heavy duty cables are already run from that generator area to the battery compartment. I would then plug my shore power cable into the inverter when I wanted to power the camper outlets.

I would have to make sure the propane fridge stayed on propane and did not switch over to AC and, here is the hard part, turn off the charging part of the PD4045 charger/converter. The manual is not forthcoming on how one would do that.

I know the cable run from the generator compartment is much farther then most any inverter instructions will accept, but I am hoping that my light electrical demand would allow that...please correct me if I am wrong. I would be such a great place for it!

Thanks,
Mr. E

7 Replies

  • pezvela wrote:
    Why do you want to turn off the charging part of the PD charger? What does that have to do with the fridge running on propane or AC?
    I need to turn off the charging part of the PD as it will draw too much from the inverter.

    Or do you want to disable the charging circuit because it will interfere with the charge controller of the solar system?
    It won't interfere it will just be too much of a draw when I am trying run something like the microwave.

    Doesnt your fridge have the option of choosing which power source you run on; AC or propane. Most do.
    Yes it does, that won't be a problem.


    I think I am just going to have to find the room for a smaller inverter inside the camper the appropriate distance from the batteries so I can do a proper install.
  • Why do you want to turn off the charging part of the PD charger? What does that have to do with the fridge running on propane or AC?

    Or do you want to disable the charging circuit because it will interfere with the charge controller of the solar system?

    Doesnt your fridge have the option of choosing which power source you run on; AC or propane. Most do.
  • I looked at the wiring schematic of your 4045 and the charger is wired directly to the bus bar , AC hot in the breaker section , if have room, you can add a breaker , if your full up you can put in a split breaker in the place of an existing one , pull the hot to converter wire and extend it to the new breaker

    The wiring ,DC in your gen area is likly at max #6 , and runs how far to the batterys? It should be #4 /0, way larger and at that only 3, 4 ft run . If you do that at least make sure you put in a 250amp fuse on the hot .It wont work right and is probably a waste of 2000 watts of inverter

    I would look at moving the batterys to the gen box , useing the DC wires that are there and tyeing the wires at the old battery area together to link them back to the 4045
    If you put the batterys in a vented battery box (google battery strongbox)
    you can then maybe put the inverter in the gen area also , maybe divide the area , maybe even add batterys in the gen box

    You might want to look at inverters without chargers , mine is a zantrex pro watt 1800 mod sine wave

    Or more realisicly maybe if your only running the tv and lap top , get smaller inverter and use it portably in the camper and wire in a DC plug next to your 4045 for it
  • smkettner wrote:
    I put my converter on a separate breaker.
    2000w running a MW really should have four batteries.


    I have two group 31 AGM batteries totaling 200 amp hours. I have 260 watts of solar power generating almost 16 amps per hour in sunlight.

    That is enough power to run the 900 watt microwave every once in awhile.

    I am mostly looking for the convenience of plugging my laptop or tv into any outlet in the camper.
  • I put my converter on a separate breaker.
    2000w running a MW really should have four batteries.
  • Helimech wrote:
    When I installed my system, I just pulled the CB for the charger.


    Looking at how they marked the distribution panel their is no indication that there is a circuit breaker for just the charger. There is a main, but that would probably kill everything.

    So I am assuming you did something similar?
  • When I installed my system, I just pulled the CB for the charger.