Inverter Question

[ricere]

We've had our coach for 2 years and have been living in it ever since. We've always kept the inverter on even when we are hooked up to shore power.

Lately I have been wondering if it would be better to turn the inverter off and only turn it on when we're ready to unplug from shore power.

Any of you electrical engineers out there have a recomendation as to where to keep the inverter on all the time, or not?

Thanks.

[ricere]

We've had our coach for 2 years and have been living in it ever since. We've always kept the inverter on even when we are hooked up to shore power.

Lately I have been wondering if it would be better to turn the inverter off and only turn it on when we're ready to unplug from shore power.

Any of you electrical engineers out there have a recomendation as to where to keep the inverter on all the time, or not?

Thanks.

[Route 66]

I'm not an electrical engineer, but I have stayed a night in a Holiday Inn Express.

Except when boondocking, my inverter has been on for as long as I have owned my coach, about 18 months.

If the shore power is interrupted, the inverter is ready to keep the TV, computer, clocks, etc running.

There is no harm in leaving it on.

[Ecker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ricere:
We've had our coach for 2 years and have been living in it ever since. We've always kept the inverter on even when we are hooked up to shore power.

Lately I have been wondering if it would be better to turn the inverter off and only turn it on when we're ready to unplug from shore power.

Any of you electrical engineers out there have a recomendation as to where to keep the inverter on all the time, or not?

Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
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Not sure of your model but in general the charger is integral to inverter therefore to keep your batteries charged would need to leave it on. (need to check coach batteries water frequently) Also, the inverter being ON would power some appliances like refrigerator should you be gone and a shore power power failure occur although refrig is probably poor example since you might have 12 v power there to run LPG .

[justlou]

My Magnum Inverter is also the battery charger for the coach. As long as I am connected to AC voltage it is maintaining the house batteries at the correct state of charge. It is designed to not overcharge the batteries and minimizes water usage. Leave it on.

[Route 66]

The Xantrex inverters Newmar uses, will charge the batteries even when turned off.

[Dav5942]

Actually the charger will still work when the inverter is turned off. We turn the inverter off when dry camping and no 110 is needed-found it doubles the amount of time between having to charge the batteries(with genny).

[RVDude]

Ditto Route66 and Dave...
Magnum has separate switches for inverter and charger. Boondock, turn it off to save juice. Otherwise, I always leave it on. Positively no harm...

[ricere]

Thanks for the info. I knew I could count on you guys.

[Spikester]

My inverter operators manual and the Newmar owners manual state that the inverter should be operated like any other appliance. When not in use it should be turned off. Also FMCA operating info recommends that it be off unless in use. Therefore I leave mine off unless I want inverted power, even when boondocking. Inverter draws power with the inverter switch in the on position.

Spike

[cwg]

I think the question of turning off the inverter for some of us revolves over whether the coach is all-electric. There are more and more non-LP units, and without the inverter being on, there is no boondocking... at least as far as refrigeration.

[Lug_Nut]

I agree with cwg. Mine has been on since the day I picked it up at the factory. Only reason I could see to turn it off is if you were going to work on something within the electric panel, and that would be for safety.
My last coach, however, I turned it off. The unit was not an all electric and had a part time 2000 watt inverter.

Peter

[cwg]

Peter, my inverter has never been off, either. Another point to consider is that those with residential style refrigerators have been told that the longest and most reliable service for them comes when they are never turned off, just like home.

Of course it makes a difference when there is no electric service at a storage facility to keep the coach powered up all the time.

[tm2go]

If you have electric main awnings powered by 110v and shore power is lost for any reason on a windy day the awning will not auto retract if the inverter is not on (Girard)....