Forum Discussion

fpoole's avatar
fpoole
Explorer
Aug 30, 2015

Inverter? set up 4 - 32"TV, BluRay, DISH, Winegard

There's an excellent thread on inverters in general here for reference

I'm looking to set up the above in an AF 990 and thought I might not be alone. Tried to search, but spotty at best so titled it for easy reference.

Getting the AF in a few weeks, going to try to have dealer set it all up and wanted some ideas.

I'll be setting up the above referenced 32" TV which would have different power? draws than a 9" TV?.

I was looking at a 300 watt inverter but they only seem to come in 1-2 plugs and I'm not sure what is directly connected and what can be done. I'm guessing I'll have it in the TV/Media compartment.

As I see it:
TV = 1 120v plug access
Blue Ray = 1 120v plug access
DISH box = 1 120v plug access

and the Winegard Dish-dish?
Will that require an additional plug access, now total of 4 plug outlets, or are they normally "Hard Wired" in.

AF will have 2 29s battery with 2-160 watt solar panels = 320 watts, on a sunny day?

TV will be on for apx 4hrs day off/on, along with the BluRay for movies at night.

I am wondering for those that have a similar set up, does it work ok? or do you have to be careful on usage or it's just not going to happen unless I Gen it.

I am considering "Hanging" two additional batteries using the Torklift truck hanging batteries with 2 31s... but thinking the wiring, hopefully they are able to do this, would be a mess.

So, with this in mind, open to suggestions and thoughts and hopefully it will help others looking for like setups. Go Simple, Electrical Tech I'm not, have trouble plugging in USB cords, so be forewarned.

Please, if you have suggestion, give the brand names so I can search for it.
Posting the "I have 400 watt and it works great...." leaves me to try to figure out which is the best or better and that can be a scary thought, heheh, so if you have the brand name it's helpful to post it and I can take it from there.

Thanking you ahead, looking forward to getting out there....
and, I know, I know.. what am I doing getting a camper just to watch TV.. heheh, for the noise, and???? cause I can, LOL sigh, I need to hit the road soon...

fun....
Truck Campers
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Aug 30, 2015
    fpoole wrote:
    Will that require an additional plug access, now total of 4 plug outlets, or are they normally "Hard Wired" in.
    Use an outlet strip.

    Truck campers seem to have their own take on things. The Tech issues forum has a ton of inverter posts. Most folks looking for inverter information won't be looking here.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Aug 30, 2015
    300 watt GoPower sine wave works great for me.
    I added a transfer switch to the convenience circuit to power all the existing outlets.
    Use small power strip if you need more outlets right there.
  • deltabravo's avatar
    deltabravo
    Nomad
    Aug 30, 2015
    I opted for a whole house inverter/charger. It powers the entire camper, but obviously I won't run the A/C due to battery limitations.

    I have a ProSine 2.0. (2000 Watt)

    Truck campers present some challenges for installing big inverters due to space limitations, access to the AC wiring and location to battery bank - so it may not be feasible to install one in an AF990.

    With your plan of full-timing in your 990, I'd recommend a Pure Sine Wave inverter. Some devices won't run properly on modified sine wave inverters.
  • fpoole's avatar
    fpoole
    Explorer
    Aug 30, 2015
    Ok, thanks much...

    I wasn't sure if the "Strips" would overload it or not?
    With that in mind, it should be ok.

    Posting, I typically try "Searching" for the items and end up with pages of random posts, from other subject posts, so figured the "Subject titles" help in pinning down something useful, thus the post.

    I'm guessing truck campers are limited on power sources and room, so figured I'd post in the TC area as it'll still pop up on the subject Searches.

    Go Power! GP-SW300-12 300-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter


    Thanks...
  • fpoole's avatar
    fpoole
    Explorer
    Aug 30, 2015
    Thanks DB, we were posting at the same time.

    I have seen someone here posted a big one in the lower battery box, closer is better, but wasn't quite ready for that yet.. heheh, doesn't mean I won't, but one step at a time eh?

    Xantrex Prosine 2.0 Inverter/Charger with Remote Interface - 2000 Watts Looking a little pricey to start with, but will look into it for future use... I need to let the "Dust Settle" for a bit..



    thanks...
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Aug 31, 2015
    I recommend this $50 transfer switch if you choose to wire it in:



    I chose the GP inverter for lowest idle draw and a provision to add a remote power switch.
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Aug 31, 2015
    I installed the Xantrex PROwatt SW 600 which is about the same price as the Go Power GP-SW300. I also added their inline transfer relay and wired it in so I just use the existing AC outlets in the camper. Idle current draw is a little higher than the Go Power (<0.6a vs 0.26a for the GP-SW300) but I shut down the inverter before going to sleep and during the day the solar (275W) will more than compensate. Powering the Dish Tailgater and receiver is the primary reason I installed the inverter and since I discovered the Tailgater will occasionally do a satellite search and drain the batteries even with the receiver turned off I got the remote panel which will let me shut it down and save the batteries from bed.

    One tip, you are going to want to mount this as close to the batteries as possible due to the size wire you need and to minimize voltage dropped across the wire at operating current.
  • fpoole's avatar
    fpoole
    Explorer
    Aug 31, 2015
    Great info, keep it coming, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it all.. so hang in there.

    smkettner:
    So as I'm seeing it, there could be two components, the inverter (IN) and the Switch (SW).

    Dan:
    Same sort of set up, IN and SW.
    I'll be looking at the Tailgator too for the same reasons.

    While the Switch isn't required, it's nice to have.

    I'm not clear on the positioning of it all. While I won't be doing it myself, Electrically Challenged, I'd like to know the "Pecking order" from the 2-29 Batteries (BAT).

    So as I'm seeing it here, it would go like this.

    BAT >SW >IN >device, TV etc.

    Dan, the Tailgater plug (haven't seen exactly how they work close up) would go where??


    Previously, I had big red knob to manually do that on my Tear Drop with a separate outside AUX power battery. The Tear Drop though apparently had an automatic sensing switch internally by itself? as I could plug in to shore power or just go with battery. It would also keep charging the battery of course.
    Are the above switches the same thing, In other words if I got an Auto switch, I wouldn't have to worry about it either shore or battery?

    The switches that you both referred to, is the automatic way of "Switching" (go figure on the name) from Shore power to BAT power automatically, so I wouldn't have to turn the "Big Red Knob".

    Is that making sense?

    I'm thinking, that I'll just start off small, with a 300w or maybe the 600w, DB, I'll have to wait on the 2000w one, heheh, until later that is...

    so, how does that lookg...

    BAT >SW (next to battery compartment >IN at the tv source cabinet.?

    or am I missing something..

    thanks all..
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Aug 31, 2015
    fpoole wrote:
    I wasn't sure if the "Strips" would overload it or not?
    Only the amperage draw of the appliances connected to it can overload it.
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Aug 31, 2015
    The tailgater is powered over the coax plugged into a VIP 211k (or 211z/411) receiver. I have the 211k and that's the only thing plugged into AC power. There's just the single coax cable going to the tailgater. The only reason I'm adding the remote switch is I like to watch TV as I drift off to sleep, but I've found that even though the Dish receiver is turned off the Tailgater will continue to seek the 3 satellites occasionally which really drains the batteries. This way as I'm ready to fall asleep I can just push the button. I don't have to get back up out of bed and turn the inverter off or unplug the receiver. I've since been informed that simply unplugging the coax going to the Tailgater works and avoids the need for the receiver to locate satellites on power up, but again, when you're about to drift off to sleep...

    By SW, if you mean the transfer switch, that actually goes after the inverter.

    Batt > Inv \
    ........... >Switch > AC outlets
    Shore power/

    If SW is the remote switch to shut down the inverter, it's more like

    ....SW
    .... |
    bat>inv>AC outlets

    You want the inverter as close as possible to the batteries since that's where you're going to need the high current wiring.

    I got the battery to inverter cables here- ebay custom battery cables. Nice flexible cable with pre-crimped ends.

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