Inverter wiring setup

[lafester]

Hello all. I am new but have read many posts on this subject already and wanted to post my setup idea here to see if it sounds right.

My rig is a small Fleetwood Prowler 717B hybrid travel trailer.

99% of my camping is boondocking.

Battery is a new Duracell Ultra Marine size 31 (115 amp hour). Planning to upgrade to 2 golf carts in a couple years but that will require a whole new battery storage solution.

Converter is Itelipower 9100 40 amp (with smart charger) about to be wired to it's own circuit. (15 amp breaker)

I am pulling the microwave on to it's own circuit. (15 amp breaker)

A/C has it's own circuit but am not sure of the fridge yet. Hoping they are on the same. (20 amp breaker)

There are only 4 outlets left on on the last circuit which I want to power from shore (30 amp) or generator (20 amp 2600 watt) and inverter (10 amp auto switch/1200 watt). (15 amp breaker).

I am purchasing:

AIMS Power PWRIX120012S 1200W Pure Sine Inverter with Transfer Switch

High Quality 1/0/4/8 Gauge ANL Fuse Holder + 2 Pack Nickel 150 Amp 150A Fuse

Space Age Electronics SSU-PAM-1 Ssupam1 Relay Encapsulated

Already have:

2 gauge wire for battery hookup
4 wire romex from a house project

Plan is to run 2 gauge to the power side of the battery shunt, then from the battery side to the negative battery pole removing the old higher gauge wire (approx 2 feet total). Then run 2 gauge to the 150 amp fuse and then to the positive battery pole. I believe I also need to run a ground wire from the inverter to the frame.

Then pull the romex from the breaker to the outlet chain and replace with a romex line running to the power in on the inverter. Then remove that unused romex line from the outlet (first in chain).

Next wire the power output line from the inverter to that outlet.

I want the converter to auto switch so I got the space age relay (120 volt 10 amp). Hook up the black and white wire to the outlet breaker that is now wired to the inverter and then pull the black wire on the converter breaker and run it through the relay (always off wiring). Not 100% sure on this setup.

Hopefully all of that makes sense. Price is the main factor here and for pure sine wave this is the cheapest per watt for a name brand inverter and as a bonus has the transfer switch.

Just looking for feedback on the setup, also would like to make a bypass for the inverter for when/if it fails but not sure how to do that. I realize I can just pull the in/out romex and nut it together if things go bad but would like avoid that if possible.

I know for my battery power this is overkill but am planning ahead, and smaller does not really mean lower cost in this case. I have a remote start generator and battery monitor so I can fire it up easily when the amps/volts get low.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

You need a 30 amp switch or better. It is far cheaper to get male and female plugs and idiot proof.

lafester wrote:
Just read a post on another forum describing a 20 amp dpdt switch install to bypass the inverter.

[pianotuna]

Hi lafester,

My male and female plugs for "patching" live in the shore power cord box. The inverter lives beside the battery bank just behind the drivers seat.

Here is a simple flow chart:

external power source-->male plug-->inverter-->female plug-->shore power cord

If I need to "patch" around the inverter the flow chart becomes:

external power source-->male plug-->female plug-->shore power cord

The way mine is set up I can also do:

external power source-->shore power cord.

I hope this helps.

lafester wrote:
Not quite understanding all the plug and outlet solutions. I'm not going to have any plugs or outlets near the inverter. I could make some I suppose but I don't see how that is easier then one switch.

[MrWizard]

Remember
The OP, bought a inverter with built in transfer switch and power pass thru
Shore power 120v goes in and thru when he has it
And the inverter uses battery only when there is no shore power
Big discussion, because he is concerned about power to that circuit if the inverter fails, and he needs to use generator or shore power
He wants to be able to bypass the inverter

[Naio]

Just wanted to say thank you, guys. I am following this and making notes for my own install.

[MrWizard]

your current plan
120v from breaker panel into the inverter,
inverter output goes to circuit

you want to be able to bypass the inverter

new plan NO switch to mess with

120v from breaker to NEW outlet box
inverter input gets a MALE plug, to use with NEW outlet for input

output from inverter gets NEW addon outlet box
circuit wire gets NEW male plug

evrything gets plugged together with inverter in the middle

if inverter dies
unplug from on both ends, plug circuit feed into outlet box from breaker panel

i can't make it any more simple explanation than that

you make the new inverter with transfer switch power pass thru
connect like it was a standalone inverter with outlets

if dies, you just unplug it , and plug things back together again

if this sounds confusing substitue female cord ends for outlet boxes
same thing
you need (2) females and (2) males a couple of short cords for the input and output of the inverter

the inverter (with cords) is the box in the middle of the circuit you are changing

you are sticking the 'box' in the circuit with out hard wiring it
you can unplug it and remove it at any time

remember if you hard wire it even with a DPDT switch
you will have wiring you have to disconnect IF you ever have to remove

this way it unplugs at a moments notice, for repair or replacement
it doesn't matter, no messing with disconnecting switch wires

its simple and its basically fool proof

This is the 120v in/ out pass thru, you still have 12v Battery wires
To disconnect at removal time, but if it dies just pull the fuses, when you move the plugs for the bypass option

[lafester]

Not quite understanding all the plug and outlet solutions. I'm not going to have any plugs or outlets near the inverter. I could make some I suppose but I don't see how that is easier then one switch.

[pianotuna]

X2,

And I've had occasion to use bypass for catastrophic failure, as well as just for simple convenience.

For example when I was "training" the Microair Easy Start for the roof air conditioner I plugged shore power right into the RV bypassing the Magnum inverter/charger.

MrWizard wrote:

Plug and socket manual bypass,
Much simpler, can not be cross wired
Takes like what 15 seconds to move two plugs
Pull two out, put one back in, where the first one was

[MrWizard]

How are your wiring skills
That's six wires on that switch, just for hot and neutral
And if you get wrong, you will fry the inverter
Plug and socket manual bypass,
Much simpler, can not be cross wired
Takes like what 15 seconds to move two plugs
Pull two out, put one back in, where the first one was

[lafester]

Just read a post on another forum describing a 20 amp dpdt switch install to bypass the inverter.

Here is one on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Toggle-Switch-Center/dp/B001FRE1E8
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004WLKA/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687602&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001FRE1E8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0BWH1W9D9B0QJ5XMWAE2

Wire the output of the switch (the "center" terminals) to the load, one input terminal set to the 120v line source, and the other input to the inverter output line. When you put the switch to the Line side, you have a direct path from 120v line to the load (wall outlet or whatever you are powering), thus bypassing the inverter altogether. When you flip it to the inverter input side, the line power is removed from the load and the load receives power from the inverter line instead. It doesn't matter if the 120v line is hardwired to the inverter and hot, or if the inverter remains on, cause the inverter output line is terminated at the DPDT switch unless it is in the inverter-feed position.

[lafester]

Well I dug into the wiring some more today.
Got the microwave on its own circuit.
Got the converter on its own circuit.
Folded my romex in half and ran/wired both ends to their respective homes.
--Labeled each side for cutting and wiring to inverter later.

Tested all outlets and circuits and everything is working as it should.
Inverter will be here on Tuesday but the rest of the odds and ends could be a couple days later.

[pianotuna]

Hi lafester,

I use male and female plugs before and after the inverter. It means I can eliminate the inverter in the time it takes to undo one plug and move it to the other outlet.

lafester wrote:
Do you have any ideas on how to bypass the inverter if it fails and I still need shore power?

[time2roll]

lafester wrote:
Yes, already removed from the plan. Now looking for a possible way to bypass the inverter in case it fails and I still need shore power. Thanks for the input!

Carry 3 wire nuts. Remove in/out romex from inverter and wire nut them together. Don't over think this.

[lafester]

MrWizard wrote:
You only have to flip off the 110v circuit feeding the converter
When you do a while house inverter , via shore cord into the inverter output

If you pick a single circuit string
And interrupt with the inverter inline
No need to worry about the converter unless it is on that circuit

You do not want to discover converter battery connections, if the 110v is still on to the converter, it would still be using port but not doing any useful work

Correct, and thanks for the input! Do you have any ideas on how to bypass the inverter if it fails and I still need shore power?

[lafester]

time2roll wrote:

lafester wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Is the inverter feeding the main panel or just a branch circuit after the panel?

I am pulling the outlets off the circuit to be powered directly by the inverter/transfer switch.

OK so just remove the branch romex from the panel and connect to the inverter output. Get a new piece of romex and connect that spot in the panel to the inverter input.

Done. No converter relay, no bypass, nothing else to worry unless there is something actually on that circuit. Power will not go backward to the main panel. The bypass is the internal transfer switch.

Yes, already removed from the plan. Now looking for a possible way to bypass the inverter in case it fails and I still need shore power. Thanks for the input!

[MrWizard]

You only have to flip off the 110v circuit feeding the converter
When you do a whole house inverter , via shore cord into the inverter output

If you pick a single circuit string
And interrupt with the inverter inline
No need to worry about the converter unless it is on that circuit

You do not want to disconnect converter battery connections, if the 110v is still on to the converter, it would still be using power, but not doing any useful work