Inverter Charger Upgrade in TT?

[Cotay]

I am considering replacing my WFCO WF-8955-PEC with an inverter/charger in my Outback Terrain 250TRS. We are starting to dry camp more (30% of the time) and my TT doesn't have 12V outlets to run my 12V compatible CPAP so I need 120 at night to run it. I could just use a separate deep cycle battery for it, but with 5 kids, we also want to be able to run our two TV/DVD setups after quiet hours when we can't use our generators (EF200is x2 in parallel). Right now we have 2 Lifeline GPL-6CT batteries (300mah reserve) as our battery bank. I'm thinking about a 2000w inverter/100 amp charger and adding a 400w solar array.

Aside from the need to install the inverter/charger closer to the batteries and run thicker wiring between them, are there any inherent disadvantages to completely removing the converter/charger and going with an inverter/charger? I realize that rather than converting 120AC to 12V DC directly for all of our 12V appliances/lights, the inverter/charger will essentially just be replacing power into the battery bank in all circumstances (shore power and generator); no longer will my 12V appliances/lights be running directly off of converted power. Would using an inverter/charger potentially shorten the life of my batteries? Are the charger sections in inverter/chargers really any better than the 3-stage charger in my 8955?

[Veebyes]

Cotay wrote:

Veebyes wrote:
Did that a couple years ago. The 5er is now wired like a typical cruising boat. No more converter charger. Installed a pure sine wave 2000W inverter charger & a single 4D Lifeline AGM battery. The 4D battery has about the same AHs as a pair of 6Vs but without all of the addional linking cable.

With the inverter turned on ALL 110AC circuits are live so to prevent killing the battery in only a couple of hours the power hungry AC draws, water heater, fridge, microwave, air, are turned off at the circuit breaker panel. This leaves all outlets live.

How many amps is the charger in your inverter? I'm trying to decide on which inverter/charger and your experience would be helpful to know.

I have a Magnum 2000w pure sine wave inverter charger. The charge rate is a 3 stage & is adjustable to suit battery type & capacity.

For us the solar route does not work. Besides solar has nothing to do with 110AC & everything to do with charging. Great if your dry camping is out in the open under the sun. Not much good if you like your shade in the woods.

An inverter generator & an awful lot of gas can be had for the price of a good solar system. That genny will also charge a depleted battery bank using the onboard charger much faster than a solar system & 110AC devices can be used while charging.

[time2roll]

WFCO makes a 100 amp converter (with a boost button) $219
IOTA goes to 90 amps $356 can get parallel controller for 180 amps.
PD9280 is 80 amps $215
Powermax also goes to 100 amps for $219

My choice would be IOTA, your call

http://www.bestconverter.com/

[Cotay]

smkettner wrote:
You don't need 2000 watt inverter to run 200 watts of equipment.

400 watts of solar should make the 2x Honda 2000 about obsolete for battery charging.

If you need to run the air conditioner consider a Magnum or Victron hybrid inverter that will combine power with a single Honda and run the air just fine.

If you don't get the hybrid consider separate components to avoid replacing it all if one part fails.

The reason for the inverter/charger is that I can't locate a separate 100amp charger. If you know of a reasonably priced one I'm all ears. 🙂

[time2roll]

You don't need 2000 watt inverter to run 200 watts of equipment.

400 watts of solar should make the 2x Honda 2000 about obsolete for battery charging.

If you need to run the air conditioner consider a Magnum or Victron hybrid inverter that will combine power with a single Honda and run the air just fine.

If you don't get the hybrid consider separate components to avoid replacing it all if one part fails.

[Cotay]

Veebyes wrote:
Did that a couple years ago. The 5er is now wired like a typical cruising boat. No more converter charger. Installed a pure sine wave 2000W inverter charger & a single 4D Lifeline AGM battery. The 4D battery has about the same AHs as a pair of 6Vs but without all of the addional linking cable.

With the inverter turned on ALL 110AC circuits are live so to prevent killing the battery in only a couple of hours the power hungry AC draws, water heater, fridge, microwave, air, are turned off at the circuit breaker panel. This leaves all outlets live.

How many amps is the charger in your inverter? I'm trying to decide on which inverter/charger and your experience would be helpful to know.

[Veebyes]

Did that a couple years ago. The 5er is now wired like a typical cruising boat. No more converter charger. Installed a pure sine wave 2000W inverter charger & a single 4D Lifeline AGM battery. The 4D battery has about the same AHs as a pair of 6Vs but without all of the addional linking cable.

With the inverter turned on ALL 110AC circuits are live so to prevent killing the battery in only a couple of hours the power hungry AC draws, water heater, fridge, microwave, air, are turned off at the circuit breaker panel. This leaves all outlets live.

[Cotay]

DrewE wrote:
The inverter/charger will power stuff directly just as the converter does. In both cases, they're connected in parallel with the battery, and on average will power the house loads (and reduce the charge rate to the battery) up to their current limitations. Of course, it's not really possible to tell exactly where any given electron came from, whether the battery or the charger/converter, even if you could identify them individually.

It should be a reasonable upgrade, I think. I would consider installing a 12V outlet for the CPAP machine—it would be more efficient than going via an inverter of any sort, and the installation isn't all that difficult. The hardest part is physically running a wire.

By the way, your battery bank is 300 Ah, not 300 mAh—perhaps that's just a typo. That's about 3.6 kWh total energy storage (at a nominal 12V), if those are easier units to work with.

Thanks! Yes, I meant Ah...I've been working with some LiPo RC batteries this morning and had mAh on the brain. 🙂 I have a 12V outlet that I purchased to install, but the bed is on a rear slide and I just haven't taken the time to think out the cable run since there isn't an obvious path. I had a 120 plug in the ceiling near the bed so I figured it was easier to just use that with the inverter. I'll give it more thought...if I'm going to be in the electrical anyway, I might as well install the 12V outlet as well.

Since my Lifelines can handle more amps during charing, I'm considering this inverter/charger: http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-Abso-2000-p/ic1220100.htm

This one looks interesting as well, but it's 55A: http://www.donrowe.com/Xantrex-807-2055-Freedom-HFS-2000-p/807-2055.htm

[DrewE]

The inverter/charger will power stuff directly just as the converter does. In both cases, they're connected in parallel with the battery, and on average will power the house loads (and reduce the charge rate to the battery) up to their current limitations. Of course, it's not really possible to tell exactly where any given electron came from, whether the battery or the charger/converter, even if you could identify them individually.

It should be a reasonable upgrade, I think. I would consider installing a 12V outlet for the CPAP machine—it would be more efficient than going via an inverter of any sort, and the installation isn't all that difficult. The hardest part is physically running a wire.

By the way, your battery bank is 300 Ah, not 300 mAh—perhaps that's just a typo. That's about 3.6 kWh total energy storage (at a nominal 12V), if those are easier units to work with.

[2oldman]

no, no, yes