After upgrading my FR3 to all LED Lights, I thought I would move onto Step 2, Installing a 2000W Inverter before tackling Solar next summer. Inverter will be great for NASCAR Races and Rolling Road Trips.
I installed in the compartment next to the battery one. The closer your inverter is to the battery connection, the higher the efficiency.
You will need to reinforce the back-wall of the compartment to hold the weight of the inverter. I used 3/4" plywood, screwed and braced with l brackets, and wrapped with weather tarp to help prevent rot and water damage.
I decided to select underneath the TV for my Inverter Outlet. This way I can watch TV, Xbox, make coffee and have easy access to power.
I purchased a Extension Plug with USB Chargers from Radio Shack (the Source) and pluged it into a heavy duty extension cord. Here you can see it to your left. I will fix it to the wall later. Just dangling in position for now. (btw, in the background you will see the WiFi Go which I did at the same time and will post next)
I then ran the extension cord behind the In-house Radio and down behind the wire run in the closet. You have to remove the wood panel that is in the corner to see where the wires run. You then will need to run the extension cord through the floor of the closet to where you can access from behind the Battery and Step switches and create a hole down to the battery compartment. Camping World sells the black hole fill for clean up afterwards (ahh cant remember the name of that stuff) This was the hardest part because there is not a lot of room to work there.
Once you have routed the wire down, simply route to inside the compartment and plug into the Inverter.
Now, many will go the extra step and put in an Automatic Transfer Switch but I couldn't really see the need. Since the FR3 plugs into itself when not on Shore Power, I went for a Remote Inverter Switch. (this can only be turned on when you are disconnected from Shore Power and are not running the Generator. When either Shore Power or Generator is going to be used, Inverter must be switched off)
I elected to follow the same path for the remote switch and installed near the outlet by creating a small hole inside the In-house radio compartment.
Finally, time to connect the Battery Cables to the Inverter. The gauge of the cables depends on the distance between the Inverter and the Batteries.
I used this chart but this close, standard cables is fine....
So far, so good. Enough power to make coffee , watch TV and stream from Xbox. Haven't tried to see how long the 2 batteries will give me yet but should figure out in my travels.
By the way, here"s the diagram I found on the Internet that gave me the idea....