Inverter- should I?

I wired our 300W PSW through a DPDT switch which cuts out power to the converter. This powers all of the 120C AC plugs.

2oldman wrote:

...
Two [6V] batteries will not handle a coffee maker, you'll need 4. And you'll need a way to recharge those batteries. Without solar or a generator, that'll be a bit tough.

Yes, 4 6V GCs. Yikes, 260lbs of batteries to make some coffee!

Last week[as I posted on 2014-02-07], while in Quartzsite, I finally upgraded my van's system with a Magnum MMS-1012 inverter/charger. One more test of the Deka 8a24m 79AH AGM was to see how long it could be used in the morning. Keep in mind that this single 53lb battery is running two 12V compressor fridges 24/7 and had been running overnight. I ran a pot of coffee(~625W) for 6min, then ran the inverter MW at ~425W for a total of 20min to reheat coffee and heat food. These runs were spaced over 1:20. I did finally cause an inverter LVD at the at ~30min mark as I was making a second pot of coffee.

Here's a link to the full post.

HTH;
John

AZ350x, all you need to connect every outlet in your trailer to the inverter is a simple 110v outlet that you can plug the trailer power cord into. That will power every outlet for low wattage uses such as TV's, chargers and DVD players. Just don't let your wife use her hair drier! You will also need a way to isolate your on-board battery charger. You can do this by either determining if it has it's own breaker in your power panel or, as I did, simply install a switch on the 110v side of the charger. Just make sure that you turn this switch off prior to plugging the trailer into the inverter and you are good to go. Position your inverter as close to the batteries as possible, connect with heavy gauge wire and then run a cord to a convenient place for your outlet. Simple and effective

az350x,

Everyone's needs and wants are different. That said, my suggestion is to skip the electric coffee maker if that is your only big load. Maybe later you will want to run other things (like T.V. and/or microwave), and you can design and build the appropriate system then.
If you have some small devices to power, just get a low cost inverter that plugs into a 12 Volt convenience (i.e.; cigarette lighter) outlet. I would choose a pure sine inverter, but it isn't necessary.
If you don't have hookups, generator, or other means of recharging your batteries, and you want to extend your camping time, look for ways to reduce the draw from your batteries. Simply by installing LED lights can reduce this draw by ~30% (more in the summer).

Hope this helps,
Steve

We never dry camp but we were at a CG two seasons ago and a thunder storm rolled in and knocked the power out for hours. Sure wish we had one then. If you're mostly using CGs, if you think you might run into the occasional similar storm (or more often), that'd be one reason for justification I think.

We sure didn't like being without power... No microwave, no appliances, no internet, and worst of all, no TV. NO TV! :E

Hi,

Three days of parasitic loads is about 75 amp-hours. Move to led lighting--or if you have fluorescent stay with what you have.

I could go 13 days with my existing system if the weather was 3 c (35 f) outside. Now that I full time I plan on getting to over 1000 watts of solar.

Here is a simple flow chart.

Budget-->Energy Audit-->Battery bank size-->number of watts-->PWM or MPPT. What ever type of controller is chosen, make sure it has adjustable set points and a temperature probe that is on the battery.

One rule of thumb is between 60 and 150 watts of panels per 100 amp-hours of storage. The smaller the battery bank the higher the wattage needed (per 100 amp-hours). Here is a link to the rather special spreadsheet which includes an energy audit, that N8GS has created to help size solar battery charging systems!

Solar Spread Sheet N8GS

For a nice explanation of solar, try this link:

Golden rules of solar

az350x wrote:
what would a capable solar setup cost? Just enough wattage to keep the batteries decent for a 2-3 day boondocking event?

Excellent- thanks for the feedback all. I think I may keep the install simple and limited to the inverter and two batteries for now. My bedroom is at front of trailer- might just make one outlet in bedroom dedicated to inverter and tied to batteries for nighttime phone charging, etc. That doesn't sound too complicated, lol.

You could just put some jump cables on the inverter. Clamp on the battery and plug the trailer in direct only when needed. Still need adequate 12v wire and HD clamps.

A $30 inverter stuck into the 12v connector will charge cell phones and a laptop.

100w to 250w of solar should be sufficient. Materials are $2 to $4 per watt self install.
Forum Members Solar Installations With Pics

Okay- looks like the solar question is open-ended, as I could spend anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars, lol. Wow.