Installing inverter w/charger and transfer switch

[letup27]

Im installing a AIMS 2500 Watt Low Frequency Pure Sine Inverter Charger 12 VDC to 120 VAC in my Rockwood 2506. Im hard wiring to the panel box. The positive wire on the battery terminal goes to the power jack and I think the electric brake before running to the panel box. I hook up the battery to the inverter posts, the shore power to the ac in and the ac out to the 30 amp breaker in the panel box. How will power get back to my jack?

[letup27]

I have about a 6' run from battery to inverter..

[letup27]

The inverter is back ordered. I just found the manual online.
Up to 10' of cable. Im using 1/0 awg with a 300w line fuse..

From the manual:
DC Input voltage Wire Gage
1.2KW 12V 4 AWG
2.5KW 12V 1/0 AWG
https://www.aimscorp.net/documents/PICOGLF12W-25W12V120V%20071218.pdf

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[BFL13]

My previous inverter, (a Vector brand) user's manual says its 2000w model (designed to also run motors-ie heavy duty) should have 1/0 wire to 6 ft and a 500w ANL fuse, but they spec for the inverter's surge (4000w) not just for rated.

What does your user's manual say?

[letup27]

Now Im being told that 1/0 AWG WELDING CABLE WIRE SAE J1127 COPPER BATTERY SOLAR is not enough .
Im about 6' from batteries to inverter.
Thoughts?

[time2roll]

3 tons wrote:
No need to go down a rabbit hole of removing-disconnecting-altering-modifying, etc, etc your existing converter, unless you’re wishing for unnecessary work and added grief...

Still need to be de-powered to avoid a charging loop.

[3_tons]

letup27 wrote:


I was removing the existing converter. Why would I need it if the Aims inverter is a charger and has a ATS. Seems like Im getting conflicting information. Take a look at my diagram and tell me what you see wrong . Line by line
thanks

No need to go down a rabbit hole of removing-disconnecting-altering-modifying, etc, etc your existing converter, unless you’re wishing for unnecessary work and added grief...Those ‘elsewhere‘ who told you such should be disregarded - the info provided here seems adequate....Low frequency versus high frequency is not in any way relevant to your *otherwise straight forward (no sub-panel) install...

* per your previously stated objective

1) Shore Power to inverter (Shore power disconnected from Main Panel)...
2) Inverter to Main Panel (where shore power previously was).
3) Battery to inverter - New properly sized cables to inverter, fused in NEW positive cable.

DONE

[BFL13]

It is not conflicting, but is a choice to have redundancy. Also the converter will supply 12v with no battery installed, but the inverter/ charger will not. It needs the 12v battery connected to power it up so its charger will work from 120v.

If you have your batteries out or disconnected for some reason, you can still run the 12v stuff from the converter.

[letup27]

I was removing the existing converter. Why would I need it if the Aims inverter is a charger and has a ATS. Seems like Im getting conflicting information. Take a look at my diagram and tell me what you see wrong . Line by line
thanks

[BFL13]

letup27 wrote:
Thats correct, but I'm talking about the 12v side. If your looking at my diagram where I wrote positive, that wire runs from battery Positive to Jack/disconnect/brake before running to the 12v board.

Im not sure what your referring too..
In that case you need to insert a switch on the converter's pos wire before it gets to the breaker, or else re-arrange the breakers.

Breakers for air conditioning/water heater and convert will be off when on battery power. In the future I could always add a sub panel with a switch.

The transfer switches are for 120v so you can't get 240v and fry your appliances. I have a manual switch (me) that plugs the shore power cable into the inverter. I pull that out and plug it into the portable gen or to a pedestal as required. Automatic transfer switches are mostly for when you have a built in generator, but also can be used as others here are recommending.

Check your AC breaker panel. If the breaker marked CONV has just one black wire going into the bottom, then it can be used the switch for the converter. If it has two black wires going into the bottom, you need to find what circuit that second black wire is on. It might be for outlets you want to stay live when on inverter.

BTW don't trust the OEM markings on the breaker panel. Check each one by turning it off to see if it is really for what it says. Same with the 12v fuses. ( "Hard to get good help these days")

[letup27]

If the 2500 WATT LOW FREQUENCY PURE SINE INVERTER CHARGER 12 VDC to 120 VAC has a switch to detect if voltage is low and then switches to dc why would I need another switch?

[wa8yxm]

With one very old exception there should be NO transfer switch in the 12 volt side of life.. everythign is in parallel. since it's DC you can do that.

On the AC side of life you need to transfer.

And before anyone talks about multiple battery banks and transferring from one to the other.. Best is to parallel them. You get longer battery life if you just parallel them.

[letup27]

Thats correct, but I'm talking about the 12v side. If your looking at my diagram where I wrote positive, that wire runs from battery Positive to Jack/disconnect/brake before running to the 12v board.

Im not sure what your referring too..
In that case you need to insert a switch on the converter's pos wire before it gets to the breaker, or else re-arrange the breakers.

Breakers for air conditioning/water heater and convert will be off when on battery power. In the future I could always add a sub panel with a switch.

[BFL13]

MrWizard wrote:

Blf wrote:
In that case you need to insert a switch on the converter's pos wire before it gets to the breaker, or else re-arrange the breakers.

For clarity
120vac does not have a positive, it does have a Hot and a Neutral
The neutral being the white wire
The hot being the one connected to the circuit breaker
Normally in RVs, it is a black wire
,

Thanks for correcting that Mr Wiz. I messed up there.

[MrWizard]

Blf wrote:
In that case you need to insert a switch on the converter's pos wire before it gets to the breaker, or else re-arrange the breakers.

For clarity
120vac does not have a positive, it does have a Hot and a Neutral
The neutral being the white wire
The hot being the one connected to the circuit breaker
Normally in RVs, it is a black wire
,