2000 watt pure sine wave inverter recommendation needed

[Hemi_Joel]

Hi, what is the right inverter for my truck camper? I will use it a couple time per day in short bursts to run the microwave, and the Kurig coffee maker. Plus sometimes for longer stretches to run the heating pad or charge the computer. That's about all. I will switch it off when not in use, so it needs a remote switch (preferably hard wired) and it does not need an automatic power saver mode. It doesn't need to have a charger.

My camper has 3 group 31 lead acid battery's, 400 watts of solar, and a converter/charger.

I want proven quality that will last for years, not some unreliable piece of junk that will fizzle when I'm on the road.

Your recommendations will be much appreciated! Thanks, Joel

[RLS7201]

Hemi Joel wrote:
OK, I bought the Xantrex and there is a problem.

The issue I am seeking help with is that I just installed the new inverter and it wont run my Keurig coffee pot, labeled 1450 watts.
This is the inverter, 1800 watt, 3000 surge. Xantrex 2000
Wired with 4 feet of 1 gauge copper to a trio of group 31 lead acid battery's that are tied together with 4 gauge cable less that 1 foot each, with the inverter connected to the center battery. There is a 250 amp fuse in the positive 1 gauge cable, 1 foot from the battery. Battery's are charged by 2 - 200 watt solar panels and an MPPT. Plus the converter when on shore power.
When the coffee maker tried to start, the inverter stopped it with an overload error code. How can that be? What is my diagnosis procedure? how can 200 A squeeze through the tiny little filament in that fuse?
Thanks for any help.

I am parked next to a gentleman with the same Keurig problem. Only he has a 3K inverter on line. Looks like the Keurig may produce some back EMF that confuses some interferers.

Richard

[pianotuna]

Hemi Joel,

It's great that the problem is solved.

I hope you wired the batteries in a balanced manner.

[Hemi_Joel]

Thanks OTR for the follow up . The 12.1 volts was reading the screen on the control panel of the camper. That is measured at the battery.
I haven't done any further testing. I'll do that and let you know what I find.

[otrfun]

Hemi Joel wrote:
Problem solved! Sometimes it's the simple things...
I could not get the coffee maker to run long enough to test voltage and voltage drop. So I plugged in an electric heater and the inverter would run it on low for a few minutes before faulting. I found that voltage drop from the battery to the inverter was just under.4 volts. But the voltage from the batteries was dropping under 11.
My battery's were pretty old, but had performed well on all the light duty tasks like the furnace and the CPAP. But, I bit the bullet and bought 3 new group 31 fla deep cycle from Menards for $109 each. I installed them and let them charge over night. Viola! It all works. Voltage drops to 12.1 for about 30 seconds during the Keurig's most intense heating phase. Now I can have my quick, easy, no mess coffee when I travel. Thanks everyone for all the help!

Glad you got it working!

Had a chance to check battery to inverter voltage drop with the coffee maker drawing max current, or the heater on high? I assume the 12.1v voltage reading (while powering the coffee maker) was at the battery terminals?

I ask because you mentioned a .4v battery to inverter voltage drop with the heater on low (~700w). That's high. That would translate to approx. .8v battery to inverter voltage drop with a higher (~1400w) load like the coffee maker. That's really high, and could force the Xantrex into low-voltage shut-down earlier than it should. It'll work fine with the batteries well-charged. However, as the batteries discharge you may not be able to access the full capacity of the batteries (while under high load) because of the excessive voltage drop.

In an earlier post you mentioned you had a 4 ft long, 1 gauge cable run from the battery to inverter. That should net you less than a .2v drop with a 1400-1500w load (assuming you have no bad connections or terminal crimps). That's less than a 2% drop which is ideal.

[Hemi_Joel]

Problem solved! Sometimes it's the simple things...
I could not get the coffee maker to run long enough to test voltage and voltage drop. So I plugged in an electric heater and the inverter would run it on low for a few minutes before faulting. I found that voltage drop from the battery to the inverter was just under.4 volts. But the voltage from the batteries was dropping under 11.
My battery's were pretty old, but had performed well on all the light duty tasks like the furnace and the CPAP. But, I bit the bullet and bought 3 new group 31 fla deep cycle from Menards for $109 each. I installed them and let them charge over night. Viola! It all works. Voltage drops to 12.1 for about 30 seconds during the Keurig's most intense heating phase. Now I can have my quick, easy, no mess coffee when I travel. Thanks everyone for all the help!

[pianotuna]

Hemi Joe,

Try using an incandescent light bulb to "wake up" the inverter before cycling the Kurig. I found that necessary when I had a cobra inverter rated for motors (MSW) at 2500 watts. I used a 60 watt bulb.

The Prowatt is just a smidgen small for the load, based on 125% of the rated load.

[otrfun]

Hemi Joel wrote:
I'll check that stuff tonight. Maybe I should have got a 3000W for a cushion?

I commented on the Xantrex Prowatt 2000 in a previous post in this thread. Good unit as long as you're not trying to push-it too hard. We used it to power our small (1050w input power) microwave just fine. However, when we tried to power our 11k BTU a/c (1320w) with a Micro Air Easy Start installed, it was a no-go. Based on the Xantrex's 1800w continuous and 3000w surge ratings, it should have been a go. Max inrush current (LRA) on our 11k a/c unit with the MAES installed was less than 20a (2400w)---well within the Xantrex's 3000w surge rating. In any case, we swapped the Xantrex for a 2000w Aims high-frequency PSW inverter. All is well now.

If you go with a larger inverter check the parasitic (no-load) current ratings. If you dry camp a lot, it may be something to consider. Some 2000-3000w inverters can have a parasitic as high as 2-3a. Both the Xantrex Prowatt 2000 and Aims 2000w PSW inverters have a low parasitic of .6-.7a (realworld current readings; specs are higher).

Again, good luck with everything!

[Hemi_Joel]

I'll check that stuff tonight. Maybe I should have got a 3000W for a cushion?

[otrfun]

Didn't the Xantrex return a specific error code on the front display? Low input voltage (12vdc)? Output overload (120vac)?

Are you sure your batteries are fully charged? 12.6v - 12.7v is a good voltage, assuming you don't have the converter turned on and there's no remaining dynamic charge voltage.

Have you checked current draw of the Keurig using commercial power just to verify it really is drawing its rated ~1450w load? Could be drawing more.

4 ft. long 1 gauge runs should provide less than 2% voltage drop with a 145a DC (1450w AC) load---which should be fine. You may have a bad connection or terminal crimp somewhere causing a large voltage drop. If you have a space heater (or equivalent load), place it on high heat (1200-1400w) and see if the Xantrex will power it. If not, try low heat (600-700w). Either way, check voltage at the battery terminals, then check voltage at the inverter input terminals. Record both voltages. Ideally, you shouldn't have much more than a ~.15v drop with the heater on low, and no more than ~.30v on high. Anything significantly higher indicates a bad connection or terminal crimp somewhere.

Lastly, in reality, the Xantrex is closer to being a 1500w inverter than a 2000w. We owned/used a Xantrex Prowatt 2000 for several years. With loads higher than 1400-1500w it tends to struggle.

Good luck!

[Hemi_Joel]

Timer, yes the Kurig was plugged directly into the inverter to test. I did plan to wire it to an outlet in a convenient location, but tested it first. I have a digital clamp on ammeter, but it only measures when placed around a single conductor. I suppose I could rig up a short extension cord with some of the outer cover stripped away to measure the current when the kurig s plugged into shore power. That would tell me if the 1450 watts is accurate.

[time2roll]

Is the Keurig plugged direct into the Xantrex? No other loads?

Could measure voltage direct on the Xantrex DC input terminals to verify voltage as the appliance starts. But that would be low voltage shut down not overload.

I have seen Keurigs at about 1750 watts. Would you have a way to measure the power?

[Hemi_Joel]

OK, I bought the Xantrex and there is a problem.

The issue I am seeking help with is that I just installed the new inverter and it wont run my Keurig coffee pot, labeled 1450 watts.
This is the inverter, 1800 watt, 3000 surge. Xantrex 2000
Wired with 4 feet of 1 gauge copper to a trio of group 31 lead acid battery's that are tied together with 4 gauge cable less that 1 foot each, with the inverter connected to the center battery. There is a 250 amp fuse in the positive 1 gauge cable, 1 foot from the battery. Battery's are charged by 2 - 200 watt solar panels and an MPPT. Plus the converter when on shore power.
When the coffee maker tried to start, the inverter stopped it with an overload error code. How can that be? What is my diagnosis procedure? how can 200 A squeeze through the tiny little filament in that fuse?
Thanks for any help.

[doughere]

I have an AIMS 2000 watt inverter with remote. Have had it about 2 years, am very satisfied with it's performnce. Price was resonable.

https://smile.amazon.com/PWRI200012120S-Inverter-Continuous-Connect-Terminal/dp/B01E3V66QS/ref=sr_1_12?crid=251DQJBHVGFZD&keywords=2000+watt+pure+sine+inverter&qid=1642893536&sprefix=2000+watt+pure+sine+inverter%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-12

If you want to run a microwave, remember a 1500 watt microwave(input probably is about 2300-2400 watt) may/probably will overload your 2K inverter. I had to change out mine to a 900 watt microwave.

I love having it, but coffee makers and microwaves suck up the amps !!

Doug

[deltabravo]

BFL13 wrote:
A truck camper does not have many suitable locations to get an inverter near the battery bank so you might have to do a little "arranging". 🙂

I had to do a LOT of "rearranging" of "stuff and things" when I added an inverter to my AF992. It was a much more complex project getting an inverter in my 992 than my 811.

I installed a Victron Multiplus 2000 in my AF992.

I added Battleborns to power it, here's that project

I made my own battery cables shown in this project

Another project I did was to add a Victron DC to DC Charger

This video shows my cable upgrade in the truck.

The only thing I hear from the Multiplus is the cooling fan, which mostly only runs the the unit is in battery charge mode.
That sound is mostly drowned out by my new Onan genny