Inverter

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Has anyone installed an inverter in their BH yet? Would like to put in a 1000-1500 watt pure sine wave with auto transfer switch. How much trouble is involved or should I let the experts do it? Don't know the first thing about installing one but that has never stopped me from doing something yet! :eek:
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
Bill
Just got my 3055RL yesterday and did some looking at the power panel. It shouldn't be that hard to do, just have to find a good place to mount the inverter and what circuits to pu on it. The inverter I got is just a 400 watt pure sine wave (Xantrex TS400), but all I wnat it for is the TV and entertainment center.

It will be a couple of weeks before I get to that project, but I'll post pictures when I get done.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
If I got my 12v outlet in the bedroom, like I should have, it wouldn't be such a big deal for now. We were going to use that TV for overnight stops with the antenna and a small plug in inverter. Having to feed a wire down to the battery is no easy task as I didn't want to connect to an existing wire. Just figured if I have to do that I would install a large one for the rig and power some outlets.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
DennisZ said:
Bill
Just got my 3055RL yesterday and did some looking at the power panel. It shouldn't be that hard to do, just have to find a good place to mount the inverter and what circuits to pu on it. The inverter I got is just a 400 watt pure sine wave (Xantrex TS400), but all I wnat it for is the TV and entertainment center.

It will be a couple of weeks before I get to that project, but I'll post pictures when I get done.

Dennis: Just going back through some posts and saw this again. I tried to run the Toshiba 27 inch TV and RCA reciever with my 400 watt Vector and it would not run it. Your Xantrex is a much better inverter but I thought I would give you my report.
om edit: I also tried just the TV and it was also a no go.
 
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DennisZ

Well-known member
Bill
What were you trying to power the inverter from, and what size wire did you use, that can make a big difference.
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
DennisZ said:
Bill
What were you trying to power the inverter from, and what size wire did you use, that can make a big difference.
Used the plug-in at the entertainment center. Thats all I have ever use in my truck camper with the 13 inch LCD and receiver.
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
That won't run a 400 watt inverter, the wiring is WAY to small. To run an inverter like that at 400 watts, you would need to have 4 gage wire to supply the inverter. The instructions for my unit requires the 4 gage wire if the run from the battery to the inverter is between 10 and 15 feet and between 15 and 30 feet you use 2 gage.

These inverter draw lots of current and are sensitive to voltage drops.

Good luck with the small wires
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
My inverter came with the plug in and has been working great in my truck camper. They put larger wires to the plug socket but are no where near the 4 gauge. I pretty much have given up on running the TV's with that inverter and probably will order a Prosine 1000 or 1800 inverter in a couple of days. The dealer wants a couple of hundred more than I can buy the things my self but I figure if they do the install and supply the inverter it will be their deal when the Bighorn burns to the ground. :eek:
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Camper is at dealer for some "touch up" and am having a Xantrex XPower 3000 Plus installed. More inverter than I need but lots bigger and half the price than the Prosine I originally considered. They are installing the remote switch in the cabinet with all the other switches. Could have saved $100 buying on line but will have piece of mind knowing it was purchased and installed by my BH dealer. The wife is going to be a real "happy camper" when she can fire up her hair drier with that monster. :)
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
3000 watt boat anchor!

Don't install a Xantrex 3000 watt inverter with out a auto transfer switch! One, never used 3000 watt is now a boat anchor! (I DID NOT DO IT!) None
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Your choice to not self-install was a good one! Looking forward to hearing how your inverter works out for you. What size battery bank do you have?

Jim
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
Bill
Just finished the install of my Xantrex RS400 inverter WITH an auto transfer switch. Tis unit works great, it will power both TV's and the entertainment center with no problem.

I installed the unit just behind the vacuum cleaner next to the power inverter. I ran 4ga wires from the battery compartment up to the inverter. I'll get some pictures and post them.
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
Here's a couple of pictures of my inverter install, and the battery cutoff switch and circuit breaker for the inverter.
 

DennisZ

Well-known member
Here's a couple of pictures of my inverter install, and the battery cutoff switch and circuit breaker for the inverter.:)
 

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ChopperBill

Well-known member
Jim Beletti said:
Your choice to not self-install was a good one! Looking forward to hearing how your inverter works out for you. What size battery bank do you have?

Jim
It kind of hurt my pride having it outsourced as I pretty well do everything myself. This time I made the right decision! Turned out to be pretty cheap insurance. They had new one shipped next day air with the ATS and made a great install along with a battery shut off switch. I have 2 Interstate 2000 series 6 volts. Spec out the same as the Trojan T105. Plenty of room for a couple of more if needed. The inverter will run about everything in the coach. The service rep even tried to run the A/C but it was a no go!
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
Dennis, just got to looking at your pictures again. There sure is a heck of a lot of difference in that bay than in mine. We are only 100 numbers apart. My converter is mounted to the right, next to where the furnace duct comes through center of the coach. My area is a lot busier than yours. Or so it seems with the extra wire bundled up.
 

jimtoo

Moderator
You should see the same area on mine... I am ashamed to say that I actually own something that looks like mine. I might post a picture a little later.
 
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