Inverter/Charger

[Lawfam]

We have a 2006 Winnebago Journey 34H. We think our inverter/charger has gone out. We have not pulled it out and bench tested it yet, but it has power going in and no power coming out. There is a circuit breaker in the panel as well as on the outside of the unit. Neither are tripped. Winnebago says the part is obsolete and can offer no assistance on what inverter/charger it can be replaced with. I’ve called a few local RV service shops and none have the answer. They say they are researching but no responses so far. I thought I’d check here. Anyone have any idea what inverter/charger I can get that will be compatible with my current set up? I currently have a Dimensions Unlimited standby power system. WIN-12x20B3RT. Any suggestions/recommendations?

 

[creativepart]

Your inverter is a 2000w modified sine wave inverter and it can charge at up to 70 amps.

Replacing it is easy if you want similar, but pure sine wave. Go for a Magnum MS2012 and you'll be all to the better. You will want to update the "Remote" inside the RV, too. That's what Magnum calls the display/controller in your RV's info stack. The best is the ME-ARC50 as it lets you control more functions of the inverter and the charger.

You could move up to a 2800w inverter if you need a bit more power, but that really depends on how you used your current inverter. And, if you want to power more things at once. Of course, it really depends on your House battery bank to dictate how much you can power with your inverter. A 2000w inverter should have about 400 amp hours of house battery to do much of anything (like run the microwave). A 2800w inverter should have 600 amp hours of house battery available to use all 2800w.

Magnum bought out Dimensions a number of years ago and provides no support for the older units. And, inverters have come down in price so I'd think replacing it is the way to go.

Of course there are other manufacturers to consider. Victron's MultiPlus inverters are top notch and can do many more things that than the Magnum. For instance, the Victron has bluetooth capability and you can control and set it up and monitor it via their smartphone/tablet app. Plus, it can work to augment your shore power. So, when on 30-amp shore power you can have the inverter step in to power two A/Cs just like being on 50-amp shore power.

Don't go to a repair shop - buy your inverter online and then have a tech (remote or independent shop) install it for you. It's a straight replacement and if you are DIY handy could even do it your self.

Here's a link to the appropriate Magnum MS2012 - notice the ME-ARC50 remote is a $270 option there, too:

https://www.invertersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=201287

Here are the specs for your current inverter:

 

[thataway4-WO]

We have had the Magnum MS 2012 with remote on a Class A RV which had 400 amp hours of golf cart batteries. (Usable 200 amps) It was good, and in 12 years of ownership, we did have to have one circuit board replaced. The turnover was about a week.

On our boat we used the Victron Multiplus. I felt it was a bit more modern unit, and preformed very well. We had a dedicated bank of 200 amps of usable LiFePO4 batteries (equivalent to 400 amp hours of flooded Lead Acid batteries). One feature of the Multiples was the "Boost" feature where it would supplement mains power if the voltage in the campground dropped down. We have seen this in older campgrounds where the "end of the line" has voltage as low as 90 volts, instead of the 120 standard Mains power. (The boat was used as a camper on the road towing to destinations). Also the blue tooth function allowed monitoring of the battery state of charge, as well as amps in and out. If you don't already have that function, then something like the Victron 712 or the Smart Shunt 500 will allow you to monitor many functions of the batteries and charging/discharging cycles.

The Li batteries allow both faster charging and less weight in the RV. Of course the longevity is a even greater plus. The cost is approaching that of AGM's and their replacements in a life cycle.

 

[Marine359]

We are quite pleased with our Xantrex XC2000. The Victron is the best, but we got the Xantrex because it has the same features, it costs less, and is more compact than Victron. It’s been trouble free almost 2 years now. OP could go with a 3000w inverter/charger in the same amount of space. However, a 3000w will require heavier gauge wire than a 2000w.