Simple Inverter Option

[Grodyman]

I want to run television/dvd player off inverter and charge electronics.

There is no 12V outlet in rv and the geniuses at Passport put the outlets, including the one the television plugs into, on the same breaker as the converter, so the simple plug shore cord into inverter won't help.

Any suggestions? Battery inside rv with dedicated outlet? Drill a bunch of holes in my trailer to run an extension chord? Read a book??

Gman

[burningman]

This is a much cleaner and nicer way to do it.
This will automatically switch a certain circuit or outlet to shorepower when it’s available, and default to inverter when it isn’t.
I’m using two, one for my microwave circuit and one for a kitchen counter outlet

Xantrex inverter transfer switch

[pianotuna]

This is my favorite small inverter. 350 watts 3.1 watts idle current and Victron! All for $88 It weighs 7 pounds, so it may have a nice big transformer.

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Power-Inverter-Phoenix-350VA/dp/B01EW5ZA94/ref=asc_df_B01EW5ZA94/?tag...

[Grodyman]

I like the idea of isolating the converter........should be pretty easy.
Gman

[MrWizard]

I drilled holes and ran heavy extension cord from the inverter to shore cord bay, and plugged the shore cord into the inverter, i also installed a remote switched outlet between the inverter and the extension cord, so i have double safety and isolation
my converter had its own breaker not associated with the outlets

[2oldman]

That would be sine wave.

[RoyB]

This is what I installed in my Off-Road TRAILER to provide me with 120VAC PUR SIGN WAVE to operate my home entertainment and other useful items when camping off grid...

600WATT PURE SIGN WAVE AIMS POWER INVERTER

AMAZON IMAGE

120AC Extension Cord with multihead ends 25-foot

AMAZON IMAGE

The Power inverter is direct connected to the 12VDC main Switch using provide 12VDC DC power connection and is fuse protected with one of these FUSE units...

AMAZON Image... I think I am using a 60AMP Fuse unit

I plug the two extension cords into the two 120VAC sockets on the AIMS Power Inverter and run one to the Home Entertainment area and run the other one back to a cabinet top close to the bed we sleep in. This is usually always 'ON' when we are using the trailer whether we are off-grid or at a camp ground pedestal area...

Been doing this form the 2009 time frame and works great for us in our off-road POPUP camper.

Even at camp grounds you sometimes loose commercial power...

I run the two extension cord out of sight around the wall and have the multihead power head secured to the cabinet tops on the back side... Easy place to just plug-in small items I need to have running... I never have to worry about burning up anything since I am using a PURE SINE WAVE Power Inverter... This was less than $200 back in 2009 and they are still being sold at AMAZON for $130 I think I saw...


I have been running three 12VDC batteries in my setup giving me around 250AH capacity... Very seldom needed more power to run the small wattage things we wanted to operate...

I normally have around 1-2AMPS DC drain all the time from parasitic drains and then from 6PM to 11PM running lights and other 12VDC items I would draw around 25AMPS DC Current... 25AMPS DC Current relates to around using around 300WATTS from the 600WATT Power Inverter... Lots of power left to use if needed...

This would drop us down to around the 50% Charge in our batteries at 8AM each morning when we would fire up our 2KW generator and run it connected to our POWER CONVERTER for three hours when allowed to charge the batteries back up to their 90% charge state... Then we are good to go again for the next day-night run off the batteries


Did an many of these 50% to 90% charge states over the years camping off-grid... Batteries lasted until just two season ago from 2009...

Working on a bigger and better battery now as we speak now and want to add solar to the picture... This will then keep my generator run time down to around one hour and then I can get my batterie bank up to its 90% charge state before loosing the high sun (Hopefull) using solar panels...


This is what I did at any rate supporting my camping off grid. Easy to adapt to any trailer...

Roy Ken

[bpounds]

I wanted to do exactly what you want to do. Watch TV and videos off-grid.

I ordered this inverter:
Inverter Link on Amazon

I ordered this USB outlet for charging:
USB 4 Port Outlet

That inverter has provision for a remote on/off switch. No need to interrupt power to the inverter, just turn it off with a remote switch. This inverter is a pure sine wave. I tried a MSW plugged into the 12VDC outlet, which I do have one, but no go for our TV. A PSW is not expensive, so why not treat your electronics to good tasting power.

That USB outlet is a 12VDC, which worked for me because I had a 12VDC source in that wall. If you don't, you can get the same outlet in a 120VAC version.

The inverter is in the storage compartment. Had to run a few wires, but it wasn't any big deal to do that.

Ended up looking like this:


The Ivory outlet is the original and is still on the house power. The TV is currently plugged in to that in this photo. When we move off of shore power, I move the TV plug to the White outlets and hit the White switch to power up the inverter. The USB ports are live all the time, on or off the grid.

[wa8yxm]

If you can run a dedicated line to ther TV compartment from the inverter and simply transfer. .There are easy ways to do this a photo of the Entainerment area I can make suggestions.

[BFL13]

Some converters are hard wired to the 120v breaker, while others are plugged into a receptacle, which in turn is on a 120v breaker.

So if the one breaker is doing both converter and TV receptacle, that might mean all you have to do is unplug the converter and leave the receptacles' breaker on.

If hard wired, as others said, just move the black wire from the converter over to a different breaker not needed and share with that, or even add a breaker if there is room on the bus.

If hard wired , you can also as said, insert a switch on the black wire from the converter before it gets to the breaker.

[2oldman]

Ductape wrote:
Just install a 12v plug, get a 400w or so plug in inverter and you’re good to go. No need to get complicated just to watch tv.

That's usually a pretty long run from the battery, so make sure your 12v wire is big enough. Easier to push 120v than 12v.

[time2roll]

I would move the converter power connection to a different breaker. Actually I added a breaker to isolate it.

Add a small 150 to 350 watt sine inverter near the distribution panel. Connect 12v to the main battery feed. Use a small transfer switch to send power down the single branch.

I used a GoPower inverter as it has a very low idle draw and a provision for a remote power switch.

[Ductape]

Just install a 12v plug, get a 400w or so plug in inverter and you’re good to go. No need to get complicated just to watch tv.

[camperdave]

I was able to easily rewire the converter to a different breaker inside of the distribution panel.

I am not plugging the shore cord into the inverter, but I did wire in a simple 15a transfer switch that controls only the circuits that outlets are on (once I moved the converter to a different circuit).

[naturist]

It's what I've done to add a backup camera, and will do to go solar. Ain't nothing sacred anymore, certainly not with regard to adding wires to your camper.