Swiching for a dedicated Refrigerator inverter

[pcm1959]

I need some help form those experienced electricians out there with a wiring question.
I am in the process of installing a residential refrigerator in my fifth wheel RV. I'm wrapping it up and ready to install the new refrigerator.
I have run a dedicated 110 line to the refrigerator from the inverter. There is a single 110 outlet behind the refrigerator that is part of the RV wiring that is on a branch circuit and breaker. I would like to be able to use the outlet that is currently in place to plug the refrigerator into. My desire is to be able to install a switch on the wall beside the refrigerator to manually switch between the shore power and the inverter power. I am not sure if this can be done. I was told to buy a double throw double pole switch to achieve this but I'm very confused as how to wire it.
I do not have an a/c powered inverter nor does it have an auto switch over. I would just like to switch between the two power sources using the existing single plug. I do not know if I have the correct switch but Have been told I do. I just don't know who to wire it. Please advise. Thanks, Phillip

[hawkeye-08]

I like the auto transfer switch plan. Keep us posted on how this turns out..

[pcm1959]

I have been advised to wire this switch multiple ways including the instruction above. None has worked. Either the inverter does not like the switch or the switch is bad. I have sent the switch back and have, on the way, the Xantrex 30amp auto transfer relay. Simple plug and play. Yeah. Thanks to all who contributed. Phillip

[jhilley]

To wire the switch connect the refrigerator power to L1 and L2, the inverter power to A1 and A2 and the shore power to B1 and B2.

Leviton 1288 DPDT Switch Instructions

[pcm1959]

smkettner wrote:
With the above transfer switch only the fridge will see inverter power. The rest of the RV is isolated from the inverter. There will be no effect on the Progressive Dynamics power management system. All systems remain protected and isolated if you have the inverter on at the same time you are plugged in.

Thanks! Ordered.
I want to thank everyone for their input and help here. We have a lot of GREAT people here willing to offer their expertise and advise to fellow RVers. Thanks again. I will update the post next week when the new fridge is installed. Phillip

[time2roll]

With the above transfer switch only the fridge will see inverter power. The rest of the RV is isolated from the inverter. There will be no effect on the Progressive Dynamics power management system. All systems remain protected and isolated if you have the inverter on at the same time you are plugged in.

[CT_WANDERER]

No this will not affect your power management system. Go with transfer switch that smkettner posted about will be better than using the manual switch.

[pcm1959]

I REALLY appreciate the input from everyone. I guess I was not familiar with the transfer switch option which sure looks like a quick and easy solution. It is even cheaper than the switch that I purchased that I cannot figure out how to wire. I am starting to thing the switch is faulty!
In regard to this type of auto transfer switch, I have hard-wired Progressive Dynamics Power management system hard wired into the rig where the shore power comes into the rig. Would this trip or send an error message to the Progressive when the transfer switch makes the change. Thanks, Phillip

[time2roll]

If you have two outlets the listed transfer switch is plug and play.



1) Look at the picture, it has three cables. The one with a plug you just push into the inverter outlet right there in the fridge compartment.

2) Put a plug from Home Depot on the other input. The wire next to the plug. Plug this into the existing outlet that supplies utility power.

3) Put a female end on the output cord(the wire on the right). (Home depot has this connector also) plug your fridge into the female connector and your beer will be cold in just a few hours from either source.

This does not power the whole RV, just the fridge. The switch will never connect the two sources at the same time so all is good. Plug and play, no worries.

[pcm1959]

westend wrote:
This 15 amp Xantrex transfer switch would be perfect for your application.

My inverter does not have an a/c input - only output. I only want the inverter for the refrig and not the rest of the coach. Wring this transfer switch looks to be a bigger nightmare than what I'm trying to do. I already have an inverter installed, a dedicated line from the inverter and existing 110 power. All I want to do is manually switch between the two. If I can't figure it out I'm just going to have 2 outlets - one for the inverter and the existing 110 and simply move the plug from one to the other. Phillip

[pcm1959]

BFL13 wrote:
"I don't have a genset, don't dry camp, and I'm only interested in using the inverter to power the refrigerator."

Lost me there. If you are always on shore power, why have an inverter at all? (except for that television re-boot thing some have)

Because I have to be able to pre-cool the refrigerator at the storage lot and be able to keep it cool during travel. Thanks! Phillip

[BFL13]

"I don't have a genset, don't dry camp, and I'm only interested in using the inverter to power the refrigerator."

Lost me there. If you are always on shore power, why have an inverter at all? (except for that television re-boot thing some have)

[westend]

This 15 amp Xantrex transfer switch would be perfect for your application.

[pcm1959]

I appreciate everyone's contributions to this thread. Prior research told me that the Leviton DPDT center off switch would work and be safe to use. Hind site is always 20/20. That being said, I guess there are other ways to achieve my goal such as buying a different inverter and other types of switches and wiring.
I don't have a genset, don't dry camp, and I'm only interested in using the inverter to power the refrigerator. I felt that wring the way in which I've described would be a simple solution. The I didn't want to "power" the entire coach with the 1000 watt inverter and did not want to get into the main shore power supply, etc., etc.
My inverter is installed and connected and power to the dedicated inverter line test good. So now I have to complete the wiring between the two hot lines (dedicated inverter line and factory 110 line that previous powered the fridge on a/c), the DPDT switch, and the 110 outlet.
Thanks again for all the help from everyone and if anyone has anything to offer in regard to this wiring/switching application, please post. Thanks! Phillip

[OnaQuest]

DiskDoctr wrote:
Why not use a dbl sw/dbl throw 120v relay? The poles would be on the inverter side normally, and the 120v from any shore powered circuit would switch the poles to the shore power side.

Fridge would then run on inverter power and automatically switch to shore power when it was available, then back to inverter when shore power was removed.

This is called an 'automatic transfer switch'. It's been mentioned above, and is the best idea so far, IMHO.