switch for converter

rick danger · 08-10-2015, 07:54 AM

I want to put a switch to turn off my converter when using my inverter. Can I just switch the hot leg? Or should I get a double pole switch and switch the neutral also? Thanks

**norty1** · 08-10-2015, 07:56 AM

Why would you do that?

**Mustang65** · 08-10-2015, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick danger

I want to put a switch to turn off my converter when using my inverter. Can I just switch the hot leg? Or should I get a double pole switch and switch the neutral also? Thanks

If you wired your inverter so that it suppplies 110VAC to all your outlets then try this. I had a blank 110 VAC breaker position and purchased a new breaker from HomeDepot. I rewired the 110VAC source for the converter and wired it to the new breaker. You just turn the controller's breaker off when you want to use the inverter.

If you are just using an extention cord with the inverter for a TV or other small appliance, you do not need to disconnect the converter.

Very easy project.

Don

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang65

You just turn the controller's breaker off when you want to use the inverter.

Very easy project.

Don

Thanks, I do have a breaker for the converter ,but had always heard you shouldnt use a breaker as a switch. Its not made to be used as a switch and would weaken over time. Thats the only reason I was thinking of the switch. Certainly much easier to flip the existing breaker. I was going to run an outlet to the outside of the trailer next to the one I have for the generator. Its right next to the shore power cord and I could just plug into either gen, power or inverter power. I'm not to sharp with this stuff, so I was trying to stay away from transfer switches and such. The simpler the better so I can understand it and trouble shoot stuff easier.....Thanks for the answer, I know your like the electrical guru around here....I bought a Ramsund 1500 watt inverter because I saw it in your sig.

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

Why would you do that?

I had heard you would be trying to charge you batteries with your batteries if the converter wasnt disconnected.

Grumpy · 08-11-2015, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick danger

I had heard you would be trying to charge you batteries with your batteries if the converter wasnt disconnected.

The INVERTER does not supply power to the CONVERTER unless it was installed as an aftermarket product and wired in wrong.

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

The INVERTER does not supply power to the CONVERTER unless it was installed as an aftermarket product and wired in wrong.

It will be aftermarket. And I was going to install an outlet from it in the side of the trailer near the shore power cord like I did the gen. Then just plug the shore power cord into either gen. power or inv. power. Is that the wrong way to do it? Installed like that it will supply power to everything including the conv. Thats why I want to shut the conv. when plugged into the inv.

RVhiker · 08-11-2015, 07:54 AM

A down side to using an inverter to power everything through the power umbilical is that it will power everything. You'd probably want want to switch to propane only for the refrigerator and water heater. Your A/C could try to turn on if you forgot to switch it off. Could someone think that using a hair dryer was a good idea? What would happen if you forgot to switch the refrigerator and water heater to propane?

My own opinion, as we use our trailer in our particular situation, is that it's better to use a small inverter to power only those things we want to power with AC current when we are boondocking - TV, computer and other device chargers, etc. Our small inverter is output only to several specific outlets that receive power only from the inverter. Those specific outlets are orange in color to easily differentiate them from the regular AC outlets.

Others want and have the room for the large battery bank that will power a large inverter which would power a large variety of equipment.

It just depends on what you want to do.

About switching off the converter, I'd probably just install a switch - like a wall light switch - which just would switch the hot wire. But you gotta remember to turn it back on when needed - I know this from personal experience.

Grumpy · 08-11-2015, 08:02 AM

Most of the 1800 watt units are run through the breaker panel(out to the inverter and then back) since they have a built in transfer switch, that is why I said "wired wrong". What you are thinking should work, but you will need a big battery bank to support it unless you are very cautious with what you run.

As to switching off the converter a lot depends on the converter and how it is set up. With the one we have in the PINNACLE it would be very easy to add a switch on the converters positive leg to and from the breaker/fuse/converter panel.

**Mustang65** · 08-11-2015, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang65

If you are just using an extention cord with the inverter for a TV or other small appliance, you do not need to disconnect the converter.

That is what I was trying to say with this line, should have added an independent outlet also..
Don

mike837go · 08-11-2015, 08:32 AM

I went through the same dilemma!

Plugging the whole RV into an inverter powered by the RV's battery creates a convoluted mess.

On my old trailer, I installed the inverter inside as near as possible to the battery and used the inverter's own outlets to power the microwave or coffee grinder as needed.

The new trailer posed some real headaches! So I chose a completely different route:
- I build a 12VDC genset (plenty of plans for them on teh intarwebs). Topps up the battery because of the 2-5A needed for the gas appliances and safety systems.
- I installed a 15A power inlet on the side of the trailer near the battery box.
- The inlet connects to a quad outlet pack near the kitchen.
No 120VAC is supplied to the trailer's AC system. Any appliance has to be manually plugged in to the quad box.

KISS principle. Every time.

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 09:53 AM

Yeah, I understand about being careful what you turn on when the whole trailer is powered from a 1500 watt inverter. I just thought I would be able to do that without much problem. What would happen if say, the a-c, was turned on accidentally ? Is there something on the inverter that would trip? Problem for me is there are things all over the trailer I want to power with the inverter ac. I have a sat. clock in the bedroom thats 110, I want to plug in my sound machine in the bedroom. Coffee maker in the kitchen, cell phone/computers charging wherever. I dont use the fridge exept at campgrounds with electric ,and If I want hot water I'll fire up the gen.

RVhiker · 08-11-2015, 10:53 AM

Your reasoning for why to power all your outlets makes sense. Most inverters in the event of a overload will shut off; just one more specification to check.

What size battery bank are you planning on? 6 volt or 12 volt batteries? Also, what wire size do you plan to use to supply the 125 or so Amps your inverter will require?

**Mustang65** · 08-11-2015, 11:06 AM

A couple things could happen if you turn on the AC.. while being powered by the inverter, the AC's load capacitor could blow and or the inverters fuse you installed or cause damage to the wiring inside the inverter, along with other things, or just blow a fuse, but I am not willing to test that out.

I am looking at an upgrade to my "Not so Automatic Transfer switch". I manually plug the TT's 110VAC control panel into either the Shore Power outlet or the INVERTER outlet. Works for me, but there is ALWAYS room for improvement. The current method for preventing us from turning on the AC when on the inverter is a sign that we hang over the Thermostat that says "NO AC" in big letters. Has worked for the last 3 years.

Since all the CG's that we go to have 50 Amp service, I am thinking of converting the TT to 50Amp service... ahhh but not the normal 50 Amp hookup. One side will utilize the existing 30 amp TT wiring from the 50 Amp shore power receptical and the other side of the 50 Amp service will only supply 110VAC to the AC unit. This way the AC will only work when the TT is using Shore Power. Probably a winter project.

Don

sebring96hbg · 08-11-2015, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick danger

Yeah, I understand about being careful what you turn on when the whole trailer is powered from a 1500 watt inverter. I just thought I would be able to do that without much problem. What would happen if say, the a-c, was turned on accidentally ? Is there something on the inverter that would trip? Problem for me is there are things all over the trailer I want to power with the inverter ac. I have a sat. clock in the bedroom thats 110, I want to plug in my sound machine in the bedroom. Coffee maker in the kitchen, cell phone/computers charging wherever. I dont use the fridge exept at campgrounds with electric ,and If I want hot water I'll fire up the gen.

To guard against the A/C from being turned on accidentally while the inverter is on, turn off the circuit breaker for the A/C which is likely on its own circuit.

Like Don said above, adding a breaker to control only the converter is very easy. It took less than ten minutes for me.

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebring96hbg

To guard against the A/C from being turned on accidentally while the inverter is on, turn off the circuit breaker for the A/C which is likely on its own circuit.

Like Don said above, adding a breaker to control only the converter is very easy. It took less than ten minutes for me.

I'm pretty sure the converter is already on its own breaker. My concern was(and is) useing the breaker as a switch every night. Will it weaken the breaker over time? That was my only reason for putting it on a switch. I'm the only one who uses this trailer ,so I'm not that concerned with things being turned on that shouldnt be. That said.....I could always make a mistake

rick danger · 08-11-2015, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVhiker

Your reasoning for why to power all your outlets makes sense. Most inverters in the event of a overload will shut off; just one more specification to check.

What size battery bank are you planning on? 6 volt or 12 volt batteries? Also, what wire size do you plan to use to supply the 125 or so Amps your inverter will require?

Right now I have two 12v deep cycle marine batteries. Not true deep c
ycle since they have a cca rating right? I was just going to see how they worked first and if I have to I was going to get these http://www.batteriesinaflash.com/dee...ud0aApRD8P8HAQ What size wire should I use for the 12v inverter supply on about a 7 foot run. 6 awg? I have some 10-2 romex for the 110v side

**Mustang65** · 08-11-2015, 11:31 AM

The breaker will be ok. At the phone company (power department) I used to turn on/off a 15 amp breaker for a piece of Central office test equipment at least 1x a day for 4 years. It never went bad.
It is not like you have 30 amps continually going through the breaker.
Don

RoyBraddy · 08-11-2015, 11:45 AM

You can add a BLUE SEA manual operated 120VAC selector switch that has multiple pole add-on switch layers. This is what one guy did shown here on GOOGLE SEARCH

The wiring in the hard part. You will have to break into the 120V wiring and re-route them...

The multi-switch paths will only turn ON and OFF what you want it to do when on the INVERTER or SHORE POWER..

This is a 3PDT version of the BLUE SEA ROTARY SWITCH

Something like this schematic to give an idea...

I just installed a 600WATT PSW INVERTER and routed two HD extension cords that had multi-head outlets on the ends and ran to the home entertainment center area and the other back to the bedroom night table area. Then I just plug in the things we want to run when camping off the power grid...

Much simpler to do

Roy Ken

RVhiker · 08-11-2015, 01:21 PM

According to a wire gauge chart from Blue Sea at this link for a 15 foot total distance (7 1/2 feet away from the battery bank for the positive and negative) you'd need 2 AWG for 120 Amps and 1 AWG for 150 Amps. I don't know how many batteries you'd need to supply that much current for a reasonable time, but it'd be more than two.

You may also like: