Adding a inverter

Sharko · 03-16-2014, 11:08 AM

Has anyone hard wired in a inverter? I have TT x23f. I bought the cotek 1500. Probably too much and should of went with the 1000. Either comes with a transfer switch built in. So my thought was splice it in to feed all outlet. This way outlets are active either on shore or battery power. Does anyone see a problem with installing this way??

Bassdogs · 03-16-2014, 11:41 AM

I know you can select what you want to power up via the inverter, but a feed to all outlets would require you to be very selective in what is live or your batteries will deplete quickly. Had an inverter set up in my previous TT and used it to power the tv/sat system via an extension plugged directly into the inverter. Fridge s/b switched over to gas and you can charge phones etc via a 12V outlet. Not much else I would anticipate that I would need when dry camping.

RoyBraddy · 03-16-2014, 12:17 PM

I too wanted to run my home entertainment items and started out with 150WATT MSW Inverter. Blew out a few items by not watching what I was plugging in. The Home entertainment had issues as well being a Modified Sine Wave model Inverter. It used to be a real difference in cost between MSW and PSW Inverters but not so anymore. Not worth having to worry about what might not work or go up in BLUE SMOKE.

Went to 300WATT PSW model after that and that was the way to go. Everything worked perfect and I didn't have to watch what the family was plugging into the inverter.

As things were working so well we got to the point we still wanted other items to be available to use when we were camping off the power grid. I ended up with a 600WATT PSW Inverter and thats where we are today.

I don't use much more than 300WATTS normally but have the extra power available when I need it...

My unit is hard wired to the battery terminals and properly fused. I plugged in two HD Extension cords that have multi head 120VAC receptacles on the ends. One is installed near the home entertainment area and the other cable is installed at the bedroom night table area. All the cables are hid from view using wire mode wire management cable covers (LOWES)

I leave most of the items always plugged into the 600WATT Inverter even when at camp grounds with Electric available.

It sure is nice to have some 120VAC available when camping off the power grid.

Roy Ken

Grumpy · 03-16-2014, 12:47 PM

Our mh came with an 1800 watt and it only feeds the front and rear TV along with the micro. I really don't think you want to feed all outlets. Also it really needs to be a true sine wave for the TV's .

msturtz · 03-16-2014, 01:28 PM

Our Greyhawk came with a 1k msw inverter. Only wired to the front tv. I use it to power the satellite receiver, TV, cell phone chargers, computer, and HDMI transmitter. I had to add a larger battery.

Jmooney · 03-16-2014, 03:21 PM

I just installed a 600 w inverter.

Mounted in FW up in the battery room with very short 2 ga wire.

Bought 30 ft. 20 amp outdoor extension cord, cut end off, and fished and pulled that through the basement and under belly.

Turned up through floor ( entertainment center next to kitchen cabinet, so through floor where pipes come through)

Installed single gang outlet behind entertainment center.

Plug other end of extension cord into inverter.

So I have the Choice of turning on the inverter ( pure sine wave) and re plugging the TV when I want too, or leaving it always on the inverter, even while on shore power, and enjoying clean A/C power to my equipment.

Jmooney · 03-16-2014, 03:27 PM

As I have mentioned before , just be careful of power consumption.

A typically LCD TV and DVC player will draw around 200 watts.

200/13.5=14.8

(200 watts divided by 13.5 volts DC equals 14.8 amps of draw every hour.)

If you have a single 100 amp hour battery, and really should only use 50% of that, you will deplete your typical battery supply in 3 hours

Big Sky · 03-16-2014, 05:28 PM

Be sure to mount the inverter as close to the batteries as possible, using heavy gauge wire, no less than AWG 4. We did not hard wire any circuits. Our inverter has a built in transfer so we plug into the TT AC outlet and then have the entertainment center power strip plugged directly into the inverter. Our TV's, Satellite DVR & dish, DVD, phone chargers are all plugged into the power strip. Pure sine wave is best for sensitive electronics. Ours is a 1000 watts and probably more than we need.

apscubaman · 03-16-2014, 08:16 PM

I just installed a 1500 psw inverter in my 264bhs. You can see in the mods section I have it posted with pics. I installed it with 1/0 wire in the front compartment and cut a 12ga extension chord wired to a weatherproof outlet box mounted tot he side of the frame. I can plug the shore power cable into that outlets. I also installed a switch in the counter next to the bed so I can turn on and off/on the inverter. When the inverter is turned on I installed a relay that will cut the power to the converter. This was so that the converter would not try to charge the batteries off the inverter power. I used oversized wire to be sure the wire got the power across and should not ever get hot. Ended up with 7.5' of wire from the battery. The 1500psw is probably more than I will ever need but got a good price so I went with it. I hope this helps. I just did this last weekend. Thanks and good luck.

Sharko · 03-16-2014, 08:29 PM

Big Sky-
I see you have "4 battery - 440 ah". What is your configuration? I would think can get more amperage with more 12 volts batteries in parallel. Is using 6 volt in series than parallel best? If each of my 6 volts says "226 amp hours @20 hours. (I only have 2 batteries) But in parallel I double volts not amps, can I double the hour rating?. So 226 AH @40 hours? If not what is the advantage? I purchased a remote with a monitor with inverter. But I'm trying to guess what my calculations for safe available power, in time, assuming my batteries are good?

SouthCo · 03-16-2014, 08:44 PM

More great info. Thanks. When we bring ours home gotta figure out what to do.

Jmooney · 03-16-2014, 09:00 PM

I think you still have 226 amp hours.

1 amp @ 12 volts for 226 hours

Or

226 amps @ 12 volts for 1 hour

Generally speaking, you want to keep your use to 50% of total capacity , or 113 amps

Sharko · 03-16-2014, 09:03 PM

Thanks. Then I'm guessing they just don't make 12 volts batteries with that many AH and this is why the preference is to use 2 6 volts.

Jmooney · 03-16-2014, 09:22 PM

Yes, the 6 volt batteries are preferred for that reason.

Big Sky · 03-19-2014, 04:50 PM

Sharko, the 6-volt vs. 12-volt controversy is a never ending one. The 6-volt batteries seem to be constructed to last longer than the 12-volt. check this thread.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...pging/1/page/1

Each of my 4 batteries are 220 amp hours (AH). When two 6-volts are in series you do NOT double the AH. All told I have a bank of 440AH in a series-parrallel set up.

See attached photo

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