Transfer Switch

[1L243]

I've decided to add a simple auto transfer switch to my solar system.

I was looking at Go Power which from a video I watched said made by Progressive Dynamics for Go Power $76. Progressive Dynamics makes a similar unit but is their brand for $100.

Any recommendations or thoughts

[Gdetrailer]

goducks10 wrote:
Right now I run the Dish from the inverter. I also run a separate cord to the 30A shore inlet so the whole TT is on 120V.
When I go to run the gen for a quick batt charge I just swap the gen cord for the inverter cord at the exterior shore power inlet and flip the charger breaker on. Kind of a PITA but it works.
I don't know any other way around it because the Dish sat needs constant power.

Run a separate 120V outlet from the inverter to where your sat receiver is. Wire that new outlet directly to the inverter. Sat receiver gets it's power only from the inverter. No more sat resets.

Inverter now acts like a "constant on" UPS for your Sat receiver.

Downside is you will need to always keep your inverter turned on whether you have shore power or gen power in order for the sat receiver to work..

Or as I mentioned, pony up to a better inverter which has a built in automatic transfer switch and will switch from shore input to inverter and back automatically. The limitation to that setup is you generally will have to choose what circuits you want to have on the inverter depending on how you wire things..

[goducks10]

Right now I run the Dish from the inverter. I also run a separate cord to the 30A shore inlet so the whole TT is on 120V.
When I go to run the gen for a quick batt charge I just swap the gen cord for the inverter cord at the exterior shore power inlet and flip the charger breaker on. Kind of a PITA but it works.
I don't know any other way around it because the Dish sat needs constant power.

[Gdetrailer]

time2roll wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
Anyone know if those transfer switches switch fast enough to keep the signal on a portable Dish sat? It only takes a sec and my Dish sat loses enough power and I have to reboot it.

Good chance the satellite box will reset. Although the power swap should not happen unexpectedly unless you have an autostart generator. If satellite is critical, may need to run full time on a small inverter.

Most ATS units have a transfer delay which may be greater than 15 seconds.

It is done that way intentionally.

For Sat system receiver, ATS most likely will be too long of a delay.

I would recommend either directly wiring the sat receiver outlet to the inverter (without ATS function) or insert a small computer UPS unit.

Computer UPS units are a self contained inverter/battery/charger/ATS which feature very quick coordinated power switching between the built in inverter and the shore power source. Your sat receiver will never, ever know that the power switched from shore to inverter and back to shore.

I use a computer UPS unit to power my 50" TV, sat receiver and other TV related stuff at home. Prevents damage to those items during power blips/outages/brownouts.. Just had a 5 second power outage last night while watching TV from my sat system. TV and sat never blinked even though my homes lights did..

Just note, some computer UPS units may not like your inverter output..

Another way around all that mess is to buy a new inverter which already has ATS switching built in, these units act like a large UPS but without the limitation of small internal batteries. Much more expensive route and you will be limited on the circuits you want to power but going this route gets rid of the slow transfer times of typical add on ATS switches.

[2oldman]

goducks10 wrote:
Anyone know if those transfer switches switch fast enough to keep the signal on a portable Dish sat?

I never found one that was, which is why I hard-wired my DTV box to the inverter.

[time2roll]

goducks10 wrote:
Anyone know if those transfer switches switch fast enough to keep the signal on a portable Dish sat? It only takes a sec and my Dish sat loses enough power and I have to reboot it.

Good chance the satellite box will reset. Although the power swap should not happen unexpectedly unless you have an autostart generator. If satellite is critical, may need to run full time on a small inverter.

[goducks10]

Anyone know if those transfer switches switch fast enough to keep the signal on a portable Dish sat? It only takes a sec and my Dish sat loses enough power and I have to reboot it.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I added an auxiliary shore power cord intended to run just the converter.

I powered the RV from the inverter. I kept the batteries up by using a combination of solar and shore power.

The term used for doing this is "double conversion". I did it when mouchdocking with 15 amp shore power. It allowed me to run the RV as if it were on a 30 amp shore power.

If you do follow this path, be sure to have some spare fuses for the converter.

I can't see that a transfer switch would be particularly useful. It would need to be a "smart" programmable unit. Do you have a link to the video?

I've not done this since I got a hybrid inverter/charger with load support.

[Bobbo]

1L243 wrote:
My transfer switch I want to install will switch automatically between the inverter and shore power.

I refer to it as part of my solar system since I installed it all together as a system.

That explains my confusion. You are not adding the ATS to the solar system, which charges the battery. You are adding it to the electrical system, which powers the RV. Even though you "installed it all together as a system," it is not "a system." It is a solar system, and a power system, which just happened to be installed at the same time.

time2roll wrote:
Both function the same. Consider breaking out power to the converter from only the utility feed.

VERY good advice.

[time2roll]

Both function the same. Consider breaking out power to the converter from only the utility feed.

[1L243]

My transfer switch I want to install will switch automatically between the inverter and shore power.

I refer to it as part of my solar system since I installed it all together as a system.

[Bobbo]

I'm not sure that I understand. Solar is supplying power to the battery. I am assuming that your transfer switch will supply power to the battery from another source. It is not necessary to disconnect the solar from the battery when you add another source to power the battery. My solar is ALWAYS connected whether I am using the 12v umbilical from the tow vehicle, the power pedestal, a generator, or no other power source besides the solar.

(I do have a disconnect switch between the solar panels and the solar controller. It doesn't "transfer" to anything else, just kills power to the controller.)