Inverter / electrical safety

[WDW]

We picked up our new Greyhawk 31 FK last weekend And found that the converter does not appear to be working. So I went on a hunt to find it to determine if there was a switch or circuit breaker that needed to be reset I discovered that it was hiding under the bed along with considerable amount of other electrical connectors, the transfer switch and power distribution panel.

I have a concern with the location of the power inverter in the space underneath the bed in that a close compartment is not well ventilated to protect it from overheating. additionally I found some scrap backer paper miscellaneous electrical connections, a screw and one loose wire! Our desler is being good about it and will be sending someone out to take care of these items. However I'm not sure that having the inverter in this closed compartment area is a safe situation for my family and myself.

Where does your inverter hide in your rigs?

[Ela1948]

I installed the inverter between the top of my battery box and the bottom of our water heater. There is plenty of room side to side but tight between top and bottom. I like you was concerned about ventilation. After using it for a good amount of time, i feel a lot better about the cooling. The only time that the fan runs much at all is when in heavy use such as running the microwave or making coffee. Those periods of time are relatively brief. Even then the fan cycle is about 50/50 as far as running time. When running something like the TV there is little draw so there is little heat created. My suggestion to you is pay attention to how much the cooling fan has to run. My guess is that you are probably just fine installed under the bed. Use it a while before jumping to a conclusion like I did.

[Ela1948]

After rereading your thread, which are you talking about?? Your Converter or an inverter?? Either one does not require a lot of air movement. My converter fan rarely runs at all and its in a confined area under the kitchen counter.

[WDW]

Both. The inverter, converter and transfer switch are all under the bed platform with no vents other than the converter fan.

[BobK]

In our Greyhawk 31 FK the Xantrex inverter and the converter in addition to the transfer switch and the breakers are all located under the foot of the bed. To access this you have to lift the mattress and then remove screws from a piece of plywood. The only ventilation is through two small openings that are at the same height, a little over half way from the floor to the mattress. There is no fan in these openings. A much better arrangement of the openings would be for one to be near the floor and the other up near the plywood, below the mattress. Cooler air would come in the lower opening and hot air would exit through the upper opening.
I did not use the inverter as it only powered the TV. Then the inverter quit working and so the TV quit working. The Xantrex inverter has been replaced by a more powerful Magnum 2012 inverter that now powers all 120 volt outlets. I am going to install a vent fan to blow hot air out to beneath the RV.

[TX_Arvee]

Mine is in that same place under the bed, behind a panel you have to unscrew for access. Sealed on all sides, and carpet lined to boot. I called Jayco about it and they send me some vents to cut into the side. However, they will increase the noise in the bedroom a lot. I have yet to install them.

The compartment is a mess.wires from all systems converge in this area, sealed in with goop and foam, tangled and poorly laid out.

Being that we use our rig in the heat more than the cold, those componants are seeing a lot of heat that has no place to go. I think this is bad.