Inverter

pvanderstoep · 07-14-2013, 08:52 AM

2012 Winnebago View Profile. I think I should be able to make one cup of coffee with a Keurig coffee maker through the inverter without starting the generator. What am I doing wrong? Too much current demand, wrong AC outlet??

bdickson · 07-14-2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvanderstoep

2012 Winnebago View Profile. I think I should be able to make one cup of coffee with a Keurig coffee maker through the inverter without starting the generator. What am I doing wrong? Too much current demand, wrong AC outlet??

What size is the inverter, and what is the current draw of the coffee maker? Does it start off working and then shut off?

grtharris · 07-14-2013, 09:54 AM

Looks like you have a 300 watt inverter and a 1500 watt coffee maker. If the inverter is stock just not enough power.

pvanderstoep · 07-15-2013, 07:10 PM

Easy to check. Thanks.

Ken-55 · 07-15-2013, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvanderstoep

2012 Winnebago View Profile. I think I should be able to make one cup of coffee with a Keurig coffee maker through the inverter without starting the generator. What am I doing wrong? Too much current demand, wrong AC outlet??

Grant hit it right on the head, specs show you have a 300 watt inverter, looks like they only expect you to watch TV or charge your cell phones and/or laptop. I can't believe they put such a small inverter in at the factory??

If you get a larger inverter, make sure to keep it close to the batteries and use heavy gauge wires to connect the inverter to the batteries. I put in something like this:

1500 watt inverter

and I've had no problems!

wa8yxm · 07-16-2013, 06:51 AM

Not enough battery... In my Damon I have a 2,000 watt true sine wave inverter.. Now originally it was hooked to the two six volt Golf car house batteries and worked well. I added a pair of AGM's (Roughly the same capacity total, bit more actually) and it still worked well, set it up to charge the AGM's and seperated it from the house, still worked well, Added some maintenance free I had lying about and it still worked well, then the AGM's died of young age (They tend to do that) and suddenly 1 minute on the mickey wave and BEEP BEEP Shutdown.

Finally replaced the AGM's with maintenance free, paralleed them with the house GC2's and .....

Two days ago I was watching TV, Cooking diner in the small electric oven and steaming veggies (electric steamer) at teh same time, This has got to be pushing the 2,000 watt limit of the inverter.. When CLICK and the Air conditioners stopped blowing.. Went out, RESET the park's 50 amp breakers and came back in just in time to see it click off again, back out and re-set (This time after shutting off one A/C) and it held.

But the inverter never lost power. Never alarmed, Never shut down, it held.

The problem is one of two things.

1: not enough battery

2: Dirty terminals.

Flanagan · 07-17-2013, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken-55

Grant hit it right on the head, specs show you have a 300 watt inverter, looks like they only expect you to watch TV or charge your cell phones and/or laptop. I can't believe they put such a small inverter in at the factory??

If you get a larger inverter, make sure to keep it close to the batteries and use heavy gauge wires to connect the inverter to the batteries. I put in something like this:

1500 watt inverter

and I've had no problems!

KEN-55, I installed a 1500 watt Xantech MSW inverter in my 2008 Sightseer. It works fine but I would like more convenient plug access. Is yours connected to inside outlets? If so, how did you do it? My inverter has a GFI outlet, not setup for hardwire. I was considering running wire to the utilities bay and plugging in my landline with a 30A to 20A adapter.

Ken-55 · 07-20-2013, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flanagan

KEN-55, I installed a 1500 watt Xantech MSW inverter in my 2008 Sightseer. It works fine but I would like more convenient plug access. Is yours connected to inside outlets? If so, how did you do it? My inverter has a GFI outlet, not setup for hardwire. I was considering running wire to the utilities bay and plugging in my landline with a 30A to 20A adapter.

My house batteries are in a compartment under the driver's seat. Everything I've read said to keep the inverter close to the battery bank and to use short, heavy gauge cables to run the DC power. I drilled holes and brought the cables right up under the seat and mounted the inverter there. I didn't try to hardwire it into the electrical system for several reasons . . . didn't want to have to isolate the battery charger to avoid a loop of the battery powered inverter trying to re-charge the batteries, my battery bank (2-6 volt GC batteries) and the inverter are not large enough to run the microwave or AC and my utilities bay and electric panel are at the complete opposite end of the RV . . . just not worth going there.

My primary uses of the inverter power are to run the TV, Keurig coffemaker and keep the laptop and cell phones charged. My inverter has 2 outlets on it, I have one heavy extension cord running behind the sofa back to the kitchen area so that we can make coffee on the road or charge phones and the cord to the TV is tucked in an overhead compartment to be used when we stop, we rarely use the TV while driving.

It's a simple set-up but it works for us!

mikf · 07-20-2013, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flanagan

KEN-55, I installed a 1500 watt Xantech MSW inverter in my 2008 Sightseer. It works fine but I would like more convenient plug access. Is yours connected to inside outlets? If so, how did you do it? My inverter has a GFI outlet, not setup for hardwire. I was considering running wire to the utilities bay and plugging in my landline with a 30A to 20A adapter.

I mounted mine in the compartment right behind the fuse panel and the batteries are under the step, so every thing is close for short wire runs. then I put a two way light switch by the inverter and run a wire to the fuse panel, took the feed off the botom of the breaker I wanted to make hot and wirenuted it back to the two way light switch. pluged into the 110 outlet of the inverter hot side to the twoway switch and common to to common in the fuse panel. it is not automatic, but all I have to do is turn on the inverter and flip the twoway light switch to the opposite direction. if I wanted another circuit hot I woulld just have to install another light switch. I have two outlets on my inverter. the light switch is only rated for 15 amps and I have looked for a 20 amp, but for what I use it for it should never be overloaded.

John Hilley · 07-20-2013, 01:50 PM

You are right about not overloading the switch. A 20 amp version of the switch is about $60.

The output of my 2,000 watt inverter is not setup for hardwire, so I found a 20 amp adapter pigtail at harbor Freight with 12 gauge conductors. I cut the receptacle end off and used the plug to hardwire directly into the transfer switch.

mikf · 07-20-2013, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hilley

You are right about not overloading the switch. A 20 amp version of the switch is about $60.

I think I remeber now why I went the 15 amp switch. was wanting to make sure it would work the way I wanted it to, and then never changed it.

Flanagan · 07-21-2013, 12:16 AM

I installed my inverter in the cargo bay beside the door. The batteries are under the steps. The remote switch for the inverter is in the side of the cabinet next to the stairs. My intentions are to add solar charging capability to allow dry camping w/o running the generator. I don't plan on running the whole coach this way, just the essentials, coffee, laptop and TV. I have 2 deep cycle wet 12 volt batteries for storage. Mine is a low budget setup that I am planning to full-time in in a year. I am looking for a convenient & safe way to bring power from from the inverter into the coach. I like the two way switch idea, is this common practice or your unique creativity? Is a two way switch a SPDT?

mikf · 07-21-2013, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flanagan

I installed my inverter in the cargo bay beside the door. The batteries are under the steps. The remote switch for the inverter is in the side of the cabinet next to the stairs. My intentions are to add solar charging capability to allow dry camping w/o running the generator. I don't plan on running the whole coach this way, just the essentials, coffee, laptop and TV. I have 2 deep cycle wet 12 volt batteries for storage. Mine is a low budget setup that I am planning to full-time in in a year. I am looking for a convenient & safe way to bring power from from the inverter into the coach. I like the two way switch idea, is this common practice or your unique creativity? Is a two way switch a SPDT?

my unique creativity. I am not sure what SPDT stands for, but I just used a light switch that can control a light from 2 different locations. just wired it a little different. I just went out and looked the circuit breaker in the panel is 15 amp so I should be ok. my inverter is 750 watt and runs my flat screens and computer fine. no coffee pot.

John Hilley · 07-21-2013, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flanagan

I installed my inverter in the cargo bay beside the door. The batteries are under the steps. The remote switch for the inverter is in the side of the cabinet next to the stairs. My intentions are to add solar charging capability to allow dry camping w/o running the generator. I don't plan on running the whole coach this way, just the essentials, coffee, laptop and TV. I have 2 deep cycle wet 12 volt batteries for storage. Mine is a low budget setup that I am planning to full-time in in a year. I am looking for a convenient & safe way to bring power from from the inverter into the coach. I like the two way switch idea, is this common practice or your unique creativity? Is a two way switch a SPDT?

You would need a DPDT switch. I don't know why the conventional DPDT wall switches are so expensive. Small 20 amp toggle switches are available, but are not as robust. Actually automatic transfer switches are in the same price range. Xantrex makes a small easy to use one for $49. Xantrex Prowatt SW 15 Amp Inline Transfer Switch.

mikf · 07-21-2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hilley

You would need a DPDT switch. I don't know why the conventional DPDT wall switches are so expensive. Small 20 amp toggle switches are available, but are not as robust. Actually automatic transfer switches are in the same price range. Xantrex makes a small easy to use one for $49. Xantrex Prowatt SW 15 Amp Inline Transfer Switch.

I am using that switch to transfer the AC side. I have to turn the inverter off and on with its own power switch. that is why I wanted in the cabinet behind the circuit breaker panel. it does not hurt to plug in or start the gen switch with the inverter on.