Inverter Installation on my Cyclone 3010

[Yianni]

Since we dry camp most of the time I decided to add an inverter to power the plugs in case we wanted to use them without the gen running after hours. I also added 4 6 volt batteries and also wired in my original 12 volt as backup. They are switched on separate battery banks.
For the inverter, we installed a sub panel and hard wired the inverter.
Thanks to my friend Rod (Rataryn) for much consultation help with the inverter.
Here are some pictures.
I also forgot to mention this inverter has a built in 30 amp transfer switch so it switches back and forth seamlessly from gen to battery.

 

[newbie]

Nice set up. I especially like the selector switches.

I went with two 6 volt golf cart batteries and a 2500 watt inverter with a dedicated quad outlet in the kitchen. Last fall we dry camped a couple of times and it worked great. I still use the generator for an hour or two a day which is enough to bring the batteries back to full charge. We mainly use the inverter early in the morning and late evening. When you only want to make a cup of coffee, it is nice not having to start the generator.
Plus, my wife is always worried we are making too much noise. The inverter is sweet.

John

 

[wdk450]

Yianni:
As I just commented on another inverter thread, be sure to turn off the power convertor breaker when using the inverter. To paraphrase the Borg "To try to have a battery charge itself is FUTILE!)

 

[Yianni]

Yianni:
As I just commented on another inverter thread, be sure to turn off the power convertor breaker when using the inverter. To paraphrase the Borg "To try to have a battery charge itself is FUTILE!)

I hard wired my inverter to a sub panel so all the plugs and microwave circuit are live when the inverter is on, but not the converter, wh, a/c etc.
Thanks for the tip though.

 

[rtataryn]

Great job Yianni. Thanks for posting. Love the pics.

And I assume you added a 30A breaker to your main panel to go to the inverter???

Rod

 

[dougw]

I'd be interested in more details myself as well as more pictures. I'd like to see where you were able to stuff 4 batteries and how you wired all this up. For me I think I'd like to go a bit more simple and just run a dvd / TV in the bedroom. I was thinking of re wiring up the plug on the side of the dresser, all though trying to run the entertainment system might be nice as well.

Doug

 

[watchthebox]

Yianni, thanks so much for posting your pictures and information. Your installation looks nice.

This is indeed timely information for me, as I'm in the process of trying to do this myself, with the addition of solar. The 12 volt battery that the dealer installed in our 3010 was pitiful. It wouldn't even start the generator in the morning after limited furnace use overnight. I have bought 4 Trojan T-105's and plan to install them in a box I built in the front compartment, but it's a tight fit. What kind of battery box do you have and where'd you get it? I couldn't find one that would fit the space and hold the batteries.

I'm trying to decide where to put the inverter. Could it be installed in the space right above the sheet metal enclosure of the generator? There's quite a bit of room there. I may just put them (the inverter and solar charge controller) in the basement storage like you did.

What rating inverter did you get? I'm thinking of getting a 2000W inverter.

Thanks!

 

[Yianni]

Yianni, thanks so much for posting your pictures and information. Your installation looks nice.

This is indeed timely information for me, as I'm in the process of trying to do this myself, with the addition of solar. The 12 volt battery that the dealer installed in our 3010 was pitiful. It wouldn't even start the generator in the morning after limited furnace use overnight. I have bought 4 Trojan T-105's and plan to install them in a box I built in the front compartment, but it's a tight fit. What kind of battery box do you have and where'd you get it? I couldn't find one that would fit the space and hold the batteries.

I bought a Dyno battery box http://www.dynobattery.com/BoxGC2.pdf that is made to fit 4 6 volt batteries. You can get one at http://www.marinenutz.com/products/Dyno-Battery-Boxes.html about $90.00
Rod(Rataryn) found this box and interestingly, he has an early 2010 and can fit this box sideways but on my later 2010 it will only fit front to back. The height is no problem and the box does fit, it's just a little tight. I installed the selector switch because I wired the dealer 12 volt in for back up. 2 trips ago I neglected to run the gen and woke up to dead batteries. Had to back the truck around and plug in at 6 in the morning to get the gen running so the kids could have heat. Got some unfriendly looks later from other campers for that one. So i just put the 12 in the mix as an emergency gen start battery.
I installed a Xantrex 1800 watt inverter with built in transfer switch. I decided to hard wire it so I wouldn't have to run an extension cord to an adapter to the outside of the trailer and have to turn off the converter breaker every time I wanted to use it. It was too much hassle so I made it simple.
Check the install manual of the inverter your thinking of buying. Xantrex does not want theirs installed in a battery compartment due to possibility of explosion from battery gas. It works well in the basement rafters and is nice having a remote/battery monitor.

 

[watchthebox]

Your box is just what I was looking for a couple weeks ago, but never found. That would have saved me a lot of time and work!

Did you use the existing vent and tubing to vent your box. I plan on routing the existing tubing off the top of my box. Does your box have a hole on the bottom?

I'm going to hardwire my inverter, too, and I do want a remote monitor. Yours looks like it was factory installed in the control cabinet.

 

[Yianni]

Your box is just what I was looking for a couple weeks ago, but never found. That would have saved me a lot of time and work!

Did you use the existing vent and tubing to vent your box. I plan on routing the existing tubing off the top of my box. Does your box have a hole on the bottom?

I'm going to hardwire my inverter, too, and I do want a remote monitor. Yours looks like it was factory installed in the control cabinet.

That's the way it always goes. You find exactly what you needed 2 weeks ago, LOL.
Yes, I used the factory/dealer vent hose and tied the 12 volt battery vent into that. There are no holes in the bottom of the battery box. When my dealer installed the original 2 6 volts for me, they put holes in the bottom of that box but it really did no good as the batteries were on top of the holes. These boxes are tight so the batteries are going to cover them and block them.
Hard wiring the inverter is a bit of work but it's really nice for my wife to be able to just push a button and voila everything works. The kids think I'm a hero also since they can fall asleep to a movie after a long day of playing since it's usually after generator hours.

 

[porthole]

There should be no holes in the bottom of the battery box. The whole purpose of the box is to contain any electrolyte that may leak due to overcharging or battery case failure.

Louis - is your box in the front compartment? Have any better pictures?

 

[watchthebox]

Isn't there a hole in the original battery box? I haven't yet removed the original battery or box from mine, but there is a hole in the floor of my 3010 below the battery box. I thought the idea was to allow an inlet for ventilation so gases could escape via the top mounted hose?

 

[Bob_in_Houston]

What can you run with an inverter set up like yours. Is it just TV and pot of coffee; maybe some popcorn in the microwave or can you run the AC for awhile?

Bob in Houston.

 

[porthole]

Isn't there a hole in the original battery box? I haven't yet removed the original battery or box from mine, but there is a hole in the floor of my 3010 below the battery box. I thought the idea was to allow an inlet for ventilation so gases could escape via the top mounted hose?

My guess is to allow any acid that spills or leaks from the battery to drain.

On my trailer there is acid on the underside of the trailer around the hole and in a "V" pattern towards the rear, causing corrosion on the chassis and my hydraulic brake lines. Picked up a "hole-less" box today to replace the factory leaker.

 

[newbie]

What can you run with an inverter set up like yours. Is it just TV and pot of coffee; maybe some popcorn in the microwave or can you run the AC for awhile?

Bob in Houston.

With my 2500 watt modified sinewave inverter, I can run the TV, coffee pot and microwave (not at the same time though). You cannot run the air conditioner.

John.

 

[sledder800]

Since we dry camp most of the time I decided to add an inverter to power the plugs in case we wanted to use them without the gen running after hours. I also added 4 6 volt batteries and also wired in my original 12 volt as backup. They are switched on separate battery banks.
For the inverter, we installed a sub panel and hard wired the inverter.
Thanks to my friend Rod (Rataryn) for much consultation help with the inverter.
Here are some pictures.
I also forgot to mention this inverter has a built in 30 amp transfer switch so it switches back and forth seamlessly from gen to battery.

With your setup do you have a individual wall plug from inverter or are you hooked up to all wall plugs !

Thanks