Inverter question

[Mlewin51]

I have a 2006 Damon class A. Recently purchased. We love it and will be fulltime shortly. I noticed though that the inverter is 750watt that only goes to one outlet in the bedroom. The inverter is under the bed along with the breakers for 110 service. Can't I junction box the inverter nomex 14-2 and tap it into the 14-2 AC line for the TV? I'd like to run the inverter while driving for tv usage without running the generator.

Cheers!

[time2roll]

Mlewin51 wrote:
I noticed though that the inverter is 750watt that only goes to one outlet in the bedroom. The inverter is under the bed along with the breakers for 110 service. Can't I junction box the inverter nomex 14-2 and tap it into the 14-2 AC line for the TV? I'd like to run the inverter while driving for tv usage without running the generator.

Cheers!

Yes! Just get a small transfer switch and connect to the branch circuit that feeds the entertainment center.

http://www.donrowe.com/KISAE-TS15A-Automatic-Transfer-Switch $50

No need to pull wire or mount extra outlets. Just make connections.

[Mlewin51]

The other option is to plug a whole separate inverter into the Dc outlet and run a short extension up to the front tv. Not ideal but very doable. "It's basic hydraulics!"

[MrWizard]

Mlewin51 wrote:
Hmmmm I can run nomex through a house wall ok but is it typical to have removal panels in these rv's to run new wire. Forgive my ignorance. I do like the triple throw idea!

run on the inside wall along edges, enclose in wire molding

its "triple POLE" double throw (throw one way or the other)

[Dale_Traveling]

I have a small inverter near the 120VAC panel that I use for the entertainment outlet. What I did was I cut power cable for that circuit and installed a female plug on the side coming from the breaker panel and a male plug on the side going to the circuit. When I want to use the inverter I unplug from the panel and plug into the inverter.

If you want to really get fancy order one of THESE. Just power up the inverter and head on down the road.

[Mlewin51]

Hmmmm I can run nomex through a house wall ok but is it typical to have removal panels in these rv's to run new wire. Forgive my ignorance. I do like the triple throw idea!

[John_Wayne]

Couldn't he just run a wire from the inverter to one of the plugs in the double plug socket. And the other plug in the socket would be ground power 120v. So in the double plug set he would have one powered by the inverter and the other powered by post power or generator power.

[MrWizard]

Use separate circuit, mount a new outlet

If you insist on using the original outlet
You will need a 'triple pole double throw' switch
Switch all three wires of each circuit
The outlet will be on the OEM circuit or the inverter
No way to accidentally connect then together, or make something electrically hot that should not be
You will need to mount this switch at/near the outlet, your looking at two Romex lines into the switch and one out to the outlet

IMO... The best way is a new circuit, Romex or extension cord to a new outlet, plug everything into the new outlet run from inverter full time

If when shore power or generator is in use, your converter will easily keep up and keep the batteries charged, no reason to swap back and forth

All my electronics are on inverter full time

[crasster]

Mlewin51 wrote:
I have a 2006 Damon class A. Recently purchased. We love it and will be fulltime shortly. I noticed though that the inverter is 750watt that only goes to one outlet in the bedroom. The inverter is under the bed along with the breakers for 110 service. Can't I junction box the inverter nomex 14-2 and tap it into the 14-2 AC line for the TV? I'd like to run the inverter while driving for tv usage without running the generator.

Cheers!

I'd just use a simple 3 plug style extension cord. Get a long one and tuck it in the baseboards to keep it off the floor. TV's & DVD players use minimal power these days. I think you can buy a 15 footer from Walmart for $7

[DrewE]

Don't rely on any sort of a switch that could accidentally be set to have both the inverter and the shore power connected to the circuit simultaneously. A pair of breakers (one for shore power and one for the inverter) in itself would not be acceptable. You need to have some sort of a transfer switch, be it manual or automatic, that cannot permit the circuit to be energized by both sources of power simultaneously under any circumstances. (This is not only for the safety of the inverter, but for the safety of people in general. For instance, if both get connected together, everything in the RV would be live when you're disconnected, including the prongs of the shore power cord.)

I have seen some approved transfer switches available that consist of a pair of circuit breakers with a mechanical lever doohicky to make it impossible for both to be switched on simultaneously. Properly applied, something like that could work, but there are likely less expensive approaches.

[Mlewin51]

corvettekent wrote:
I would just run an extension cord from the inverter to the TV. How are you going to get reception on your TV?

By going to the tv I mean the outlet to the entertainment box, so we'd be able to run dvd off of the same outlet. I may also hook up the gfci outlets to the inverter as well.

[corvettekent]

I would just run an extension cord from the inverter to the TV. How are you going to get reception on your TV?

[Mlewin51]

Yep good point, I can always incorporate the breaker into the junction box. Just switch it off prior to plugging in shore power

[gemert]

Mlewin51 wrote:
I have a 2006 Damon class A. Recently purchased. We love it and will be fulltime shortly. I noticed though that the inverter is 750watt that only goes to one outlet in the bedroom. The inverter is under the bed along with the breakers for 110 service. Can't I junction box the inverter nomex 14-2 and tap it into the 14-2 AC line for the TV? I'd like to run the inverter while driving for tv usage without running the generator.

Cheers!

I would run it through a breaker. The breaker would be a manual transfer switch so you don't accidentally put shore in the "wrong" end of the inverter. Not sure how that would affect your inverter but I expect it would be bad!