Inverter Powering an Inverter

[Riplin]

I have a 2010 Greyhawk with a factory installed inverter that only powers the bunk outlet for the tv. I have installed a 2500 watt inverter that I plug the shore power cord into. Will this cause an issue with the factory installed inverter?

[pianotuna]

Hi,

The Motomaster Eliminator PN 011-1866-8 is a modified sine wave inverter.

[Riplin]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi 2oldman,

Actually the Canadian Tire inverter is made by Xantrex.

But the OP has still not told us the make and model of the existing inverter or his "new" one.

2oldman wrote:
That inverter is an "auto parts store" model, and I don't think you'll like it.

And I wonder what kind of small inverter has pass thru ac. That's a new one on me.

The factory installed inverter is RS 400 Sine Wave Inverter Xantrex

The inverter that I installed is a Motomaster Eliminator PN 011-1866-8 1500 watt continuous 3000 peak

[wa8yxm]

Riplin wrote:
Will this cause an issue with the factory installed inverter?

Anything is possible, but it SHOULD NOT cause any problems.

Depending on the design of the factory inverter, It will either operate as designed or shut down and go into standby, also as designed. Depending on the design.

HOWEVER:... If the new inverter is an MSW (or in rare cases even if it is not) it may cause issues with television reception.. NOTE: MAY, not Will.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A lot of "bargain" inverters are like a counterfeit Big Bad Wolf

They huff

They Puff

And cannot blow over a feather

Outfitting a rig with lots of battery electrical power for teenagers is a lot like having to be wise when furnishing them with a bank card. Give them a Platinum Credit Card (big inverter)and they're gonna max it. You can bet your bippy on it.

When I outfitted a Yawl's cabins for a couple of rambunctious pre-teens I recommended a 200 watt inverter for their games (X-Box). Sure as shootin' twenty minutes after it went on line. "Hey the game quit!" x-box, TV and stereo switched on all at the same time for one solitary kid. The inverter said "No Way Jose" and protected itself. Danged kids came up with their own power strip and believe it, all six plugs had been stuffed.

[BFL13]

I ran our rig with a 2000w MSW inverter and three 27DCs like that for a year with no real trouble. (We have since gone up to four batteries so we have more there to play with)

That included running our MW that wants 1500w input if on shore power or a PSW inverter. The secret is that MSW inverters draw fewer watts from the MW because of wave forms etc etc, and so the amps draw on the batteries on ours was more like 110a instead of 150a as it would be with PSW. The MW runs a bit slower but still gets the job done. (Warning! Some brand /model MWs really hate MSW, so you must cross your fingers and try it out. At least MWs are cheap to replace, so it is not a great risk involved)

That 110a would go with the inverter drawing 1100w using the divide by 10 rule. So IMO that 1500w inverter will run the microwave and those three 27s will support that for a few minutes at a time, not many times. You can also use a proper toaster 🙂

Those Can Tire Xantrex inverters are ok and Can Tire has a good return policy too. No worries there.

[pianotuna]

Hi 2oldman,

Actually the Canadian Tire inverter is made by Xantrex.

But the OP has still not told us the make and model of the existing inverter or his "new" one.

2oldman wrote:
That inverter is an "auto parts store" model, and I don't think you'll like it.

And I wonder what kind of small inverter has pass thru ac. That's a new one on me.

[Riplin]

2oldman wrote:

Riplin wrote:
The inverter has... a 110 power cord.
If it isnt a pass thru what is it? :@

Ok.. I'll concede. It's pass thru to *that* outlet.

I wonder what happens if you turn the inverter on and shore is on.

Please dont concede. Im learning!!

Nothing happens. Well nothing in the short term anyways. I have found the inverter turned on while connected to shore power. I just turn it off and we have had no issues over the last 3 yrs.

Thankyou for all your comments and input.

[Chris_Bryant]

2oldman wrote:

Riplin wrote:
just at the outlet powered by the inverter. The rest of the outlets in the rv worked.

Then unless you've actually seen the wiring, I'm 99% sure that inverter does not have pass thru ac.

It is *very* common to have small PSW inverters with pass thru transfer relays- in fact, they never install inverters from the factory that do not have transfer switches.

[2oldman]

Riplin wrote:
The inverter has... a 110 power cord.
If it isnt a pass thru what is it? :@

Ok.. I'll concede. It's pass thru to *that* outlet.

I wonder what happens if you turn the inverter on and shore is on. (probably nothing as it has a xfer switch)

[Riplin]

2oldman wrote:

Riplin wrote:
just at the outlet powered by the inverter. The rest of the outlets in the rv worked.

Then unless you've actually seen the wiring, I'm 99% sure that inverter does not have pass thru ac.

Ok Im lost now. :h
When Im plugged into shore power with the factory inverter turned off the outlet works/.
When Im not on shore power I turn the factory inverter on and I have power at the outlet.
The inverter has 12v pos and neg termianls and a 110 power cord.
If it isnt a pass thru what is it? :@

[2oldman]

Riplin wrote:
just at the outlet powered by the inverter. The rest of the outlets in the rv worked.

Then unless you've actually seen the wiring, I'm 99% sure that inverter does not have pass thru ac.

[Riplin]

mena661 wrote:
I don't even think you need the 1000W. I can power two LCD TV's, two sat boxes, charge cell phones and tablets, and play music from the BIL's cell phone powering two speakers from one 300W PSW inverter. I would think a 600W would be plenty unless the PS3 is just a power hog.

I dont know if the 400 watt inverter would be enough or not. But the factory inverter is located under my fridge behind a grill that is screwed inplace. The job of wiring the entire rv to that inverter was a job I was not willing to attempt. The inverter that I installed is less than 3 ft from my batteries(seperate from my batteries) and the shore power cord easily plugs in. The hardest part was installing the remote swtich.

[Riplin]

2oldman wrote:

Riplin wrote:
I found out the hard way that it is pass thru. I plug a small heater into the outlet in the bunk and tripped the inverter CB. I was plugged into shore power and could figure out why I had no power at the outlet. .

Yes, that should happen, but, and excuse me for being picky but.. are you saying when that happened you lost shore power to the entire coach?

(you just said you had no power at 'the outlet')

No need to be sorry.
Just at the outlet powered by the inverter. The rest of the outlets in the rv worked.

[mena661]

I don't even think you need the 1000W. I can power two LCD TV's, two sat boxes, charge cell phones and tablets, and play music from the BIL's cell phone powering two speakers from one 300W PSW inverter. I would think a 600W would be plenty unless the PS3 is just a power hog.