Electrical help needed

[hpdrver]

I have a 1000 watt Xantrex pro inverter installed in my coach by the factory. It is a modified sine wave inverter. I want to replace it with a Xantrex Freedom 1000 watt inverter charger that is pure sine wave. I looked at the installation manuals on both models and the wiring diagrams and required wire sizes are identical. Can I do this changeout and merely shut off my currently installed converter by flipping its breaker off. Thanks

[wa8yxm]

You may disable the existing converter by turning off the breaker that feeds is IF the breaker feeds ONLY it, Else there are other ways.

OR, as I did on my Xantrex.. You can disable the charger module (I think yours ships that way, see my earlier post) and continue to use the factory converter.

I did this because I really like the factory converter in my Rig (Progressive Dynamics Intella-power 9180 with optional wizard installed, No better converter have I ever found, though Xantrex inverters.... Well, I'd say the same about their charger modules but for different reasons and I PERSONALLY (not professionally) like the Wizard a bit better,, "Profesionally" (I am a trained and certified electronics technician even if I never worked in that field) I would have to say they are equal.. Both are 3-Stage plus.. it is the Plus that is different, also the Xantrex is programmable and the Wizard is not, but the Wiz is factory programmed for the batteries I have so programmability does not matter (the Xantrex is too).

[pianotuna]

What I can say is that the solar system, alternator, and PD 40 amp converter appear to "play well" together.

It does depend on the type of battery. I used to have identical house and starter batteries. Now that I have surplus acid AGM for house batteries, I get very little charging from the alternator. I'll be changing to an AGM starter battery this winter I suspect as the existing starter jar is now a full 7 years old.

[landyacht318]

tenbear wrote:
In addition to the questions above, the charging current depends on your battery bank. Batteries will only accept so much current depending on the size of the battery bank and the state of charge.

AND the voltage which the charging source is seeking.

It might take only 15 amps to be held at 13.6v but might require 45 amps to be brought upto at 14.4v, and perhaps 54 amps to be brought upto 14.8v.

I sometimes parallel my 25 amp schumacher sc2500a with my 40 amp meanwell rsp-500-15 adjustable voltage power supply, but to get both to maximum output when battery is 50%, I have to crank Meanwell to 15.3v or higher. When 14.8v is reached at battery terminals, usually the Meanwell can take over by itself@ 40 amps, and I can remove the Schumacher, as the schumacher done be Loco, and might seek 16.4v at 25 amps output.

[tenbear]

In addition to the questions above, the charging current depends on your battery bank. Batteries will only accept so much current depending on the size of the battery bank and the state of charge.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Haven't seen too many brands that can work in tandem. Best to say "perhaps".

[pianotuna]

Yes. It may not work but it is worth trying.

hpdrver wrote:
Does that mean when boon docking I could leave both on and charge at a 100 amp rate.

[BFL13]

Maybe.

First the generator has to be able to run 100 amps worth of chargers

Next, the two or more chargers need to be near the same charger voltage so the spread between their voltages and the battery voltage is nearly the same so their amps will add. If one charger has way higher voltage, it will do all the charging at its rate in amps, and the others with lower voltages will still be "on" but doing nothing towards the amps to the battery total.

Now the next trick is if the inverter/charger is somehow powering the converter by way of its inverter while the generator is doing pass through for the 120v and the inverter/charger is "enabled" so it should be charging the batts. it is all about transfer switches either outside or inside (or both can exist) the inverter/charger.

I haven't got that straight in my mind yet as to how that would work. 🙂

But never mind that, ??? 😞 ??? , if you can get power to the converter and set it to nearly the same voltage as the charger in the inverter /charger and get both on the battery bank, then yes, they will add their amps.

[hpdrver]

Does that mean when boon docking I could leave both on and charge at a 100 amp rate.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I added a male and female plug for my converter. If charging from a generator you may wish to use both the inverter/charger and the converter to put energy back as quickly as possible.

hpdrver wrote:
Thanks for all the info. However I am still unclear on one thing. After the change over, the original converter is still installed and I did not want it to interfere with the new inverter charger I installed.. So I thought I could disable it by turning its breaker off and leaving it in place as a backup should the new inverter charger fail. Does this make sense.

The old inverter will be taken out and replaced with the new HFS inverter charger. It is a 1000 watt inverter and a 55 amp charger. The converter currently installed is a 45 amp charger.

[hpdrver]

Thanks for all the info. However I am still unclear on one thing. After the change over, the original converter is still installed and I did not want it to interfere with the new inverter charger I installed.. So I thought I could disable it by turning its breaker off and leaving it in place as a backup should the new inverter charger fail. Does this make sense.

The old inverter will be taken out and replaced with the new HFS inverter charger. It is a 1000 watt inverter and a 55 amp charger. The converter currently installed is a 45 amp charger.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Yes you can merely leave the breaker to the converter off. I'd prefer to see you add a male and female plug so that someone doesn't get "helpful" and turn on the converter by accident.

Of course, before the swap all batteries and shore power need to be disconnected.

There are times when more than one charging device might be used. How many amps is the Freedom Charger?

[wa8yxm]

hpdrver wrote:
I have a 1000 watt Xantrex pro inverter installed in my coach by the factory. It is a modified sine wave inverter. I want to replace it with a Xantrex Freedom 1000 watt inverter charger that is pure sine wave. I looked at the installation manuals on both models and the wiring diagrams and required wire sizes are identical. Can I do this changeout and merely shut off my currently installed converter by flipping its breaker off. Thanks

Not quite but very very close: Plus a warning at the end.

Two answers
If not using REMOTE control panel
Turn off Breaker, LIFT NEGATIVE cables off battery..

Replace directly, MARK all wires BEFORE you disconnect to insure they re-connect properly.

If using Xantrex-bus Remote (Xantrex now has a standard remote that works with many inverters)

Above plus unplug remote cable after shut down.

Both cases.
Re-connect Battery Negatives, Turn breaker back on.

The Warning:
Recently I responded to a thread where someone did much the upgrade you are citing, He complained that after upgrade his Batteries were not re-charging...

I downloaded and read the Owner's manual for his specific Xantrex inverter (I do not know if it was the same one you are installing) and found that by DEFAULT, the charger is disabled. You have a key press or 3 you need to do to enable it.. So be aware you may have to "ENABLE" the charger.

[Bobbo]

If you mean shut off the breaker to do the change out:

No, you can't. It will still be connected to and powered by the house batteries.

Now, if you had said to turn off its breaker and disconnect the ground on the house battery, the answer would be yes.

If you mean install the new inverter and leave the old inverter installed with its breaker shut off:

No, you need to also put a shutoff switch on the hot wire coming to it from the battery.

[tenbear]

Unhooking the battery is best done by disconnecting the ground wire(s) from the battery(s).