Yamaha 1000w inverter for maintaining batteries

[Winnipeg]

Hi,

Sorry if this is a repeat question (I searched and didn't find).

I have a MH with 4 @ 6v batteries, 2000w inverter, and residential fridge.

I would like to maintain the batteries (while remote camping) with my 1000w Yamaha gas powered inverter/generator.

If I connect the Yamaha to 110v, it tries to power the fridge, charge the batteries, and do many other things. Poor Yamaha quickly overloads and trips out.

If I connect the Yamaha directly to the batteries with 12v cables, it doesn't appear to do anything. Engine shows no sign of doing work. The Yamaha should work as a 12v charger, but that does not appear to be true.

I considered getting a "good" external battery charger and using the Yamaha to power it to charge the batteries, but it seems silly to make 12v dc, change it to 110v, then change it back to 12v.

Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers?

Paul

[MrWizard]

i guess its a moot point at the moment, BUT maintaining a battery is NOT the same as recharging

for maintaining you want solar or shore power and a low amp charge rate

recharging is high amps higher voltage, to be done in as short as time as possible

use the built in Generator for charging, switch to the yammy for maintaining After the batteries are charged

[theoldwizard1]

wnjj wrote:
The 12V power on those generators is nearly useless at only a few amps.
.
.
.
Maybe the electronics have a 12V rail so they just added a jack.

Correct on both statements !

[Larryect]

If using the 1000 watt generator to maintain batteries that are supporting a 2000 watt inverter running all your AC stuff, it sounds like you might be losing ground on your battery power. Obviously it would help you get more time not running the big generator but it may not be enough to stay ahead of the game.

[time2roll]

Winnipeg wrote:
Thanks for several great suggestions. The Yamaha puts out 900w max, and I don't plan to buy a new one, so I will get the biggest external battery charger that it will handle.

Follow-on question: when I run the main RV generator (5.5 kw), the built-in inverter/converter charges the batteries. What would happen if I ALSO use my new external battery charger? Both of these are smart chargers.

The Yamaha will put about 35 amps max into the battery. If you can set the inverter/charger at 30 amps, set the fridge and water heater to propane only you should be good to go. Not really going to work with residential fridge.

A 30 to 35 amp portable will work fine too. 20 amp is fine also... just takes more time.

The Yamaha 12v direct charge is maybe 8 amps if you do not use eco-mode. So very slow and extra noise.

I recommend this converter over the battery charger:
PowerMax 35 amp Boondocker

Multiple charging sources will not create any issues.

[BFL13]

"My Progressive Dynamics 9180 draws 1,000 watts"

It is rated at 1300w. It has a PF of 0.7. So it pulls 1857 VA from the 120v supply.

That Yamaha can supply 900VA continuous. A 55 amp converter will pull about 1380 VA, so that generator is limited to maybe a 40 amp converter briefly, but more like a 35 amper for a longer run time..

OP, you can run the two chargers at the same time from the big gen, and the two will add their amps as long as their voltages are about the same. If your converter will only do 13.6, but the charger will do 14.6, then the batteries will only see the amps from the charger, once battery voltage reaches 13.6 and goes up past that.

You want both chargers to be at 14.x

[MEXICOWANDERER]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Ask BFL13 about a "Power Max 30 amp charger"

You're trying to quench a forest fire with a garden hose.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Ask BFL13 about a "Power Max 80 amp charger"

[Winnipeg]

Thanks for several great suggestions. The Yamaha puts out 900w max, and I don't plan to buy a new one, so I will get the biggest external battery charger that it will handle.

Follow-on question: when I run the main RV generator (5.5 kw), the built-in inverter/converter charges the batteries. What would happen if I ALSO use my new external battery charger? Both of these are smart chargers.

[SoundGuy]

wa8yxm wrote:
Kill the fridge (lock it on GAS) may help if the batteries are not down TOO far.

OK, once again - the OP has a residential fridge with no gas option. :S

wa8yxm wrote:
Get a Yahama 2000i

Maybe, maybe not a good idea if the OP is running a Progressive EMS, as he should be if he ever camps with shore power ... Progressive / Yamaha EF2000iS Disclaimer. This may or may not apply to the new EF2000iSv2.

[wa8yxm]

Ok the 12 volt connections on the Yahama are more or less useless,
Your problem is too much converter.
You have 1,000 watts PEAK. running wattage is not that high. (do not know the precise specs on that unit) the old Yahama 1200's could produce 1000 watts long term (1200 peak) I think you 1000 s 870 running but may be less.
My Progressive Dynamics 9180 draws 1,000 watts. More than your Yahama can produce long term. IF THE BATTERIES ARE LOW
Your Fridge draws 300-400 Watts You are now officially in overload.

So there is your problem

Options
If you can "Throttle" teh converter and slow it down it will draw less. my 9180 for example is in the 100 watt range once the batteries fill up.

Kill the fridge (lock it on GAS) may help if the batteries are not down TOO far.

Get a Yahama 2000i

[SoundGuy]

Atlee wrote:
I would start by simply changing the refrigerator over to gas only.

Read the OP's post again - he has a MH with a residential fridge i.e. no gas function. :R

[Atlee]

I would start by simply changing the refrigerator over to gas only. Then the fridge will not try to run off of the detected AC current.

[SoundGuy]

Winnipeg wrote:
Am I missing something, or do these little inverters not work as 12v chargers?

What you're "missing" is that the so-called 12 vdc charging port on your genset is unregulated, meaning there is no control over how much or how little it's charging the batteries and given enough time can easily damage the batteries. Instead plug your rig into the genset's 120 vac output and let it's converter do the charging ... if this trips the genset then turn the fridge off, if it still trips and you have no other significant loads on then the genset is simply too small for the task. You might try charging just two of your 6 volts at a time - one bank, then the other - otherwise the solution is a larger 2000 watt genset.

[MrWizard]

1000w is tool small
you are trying to charge and power the fridge
the start up surge of the fridge is most likely the cause of the overload

get a portable charger, plug into the yammy, do not plug in the RV

for a test, turn off the fridge, plug in shore cord to generator
make sure wh is LP only

see if the batteries will charge

after the charge load drops down, you might be able to turn on the fridge

the fridge will stay cold for (2) hours no problem
if you don't open it

[westend]

The inverter generator will work if your onboard converter doesn't exceed the rated load from the generator. The combination of the 120V fridge at start up and the draw of the onboard converter may exceed the rating of your generator. I'd assume you could turn off the inverter, disconnect the fridge from 120V power and, having isolated the converter, power only that for a couple of hours to charge your batteries.