Community Forums

jimbo2013 · 01-25-2014, 06:08 AM

Planning to add an inverter and more 6V batteries.

What size and brand inverter do you have?

How is is working out?

How many 6v batteries?

al2ride · 01-25-2014, 06:52 AM

Look into the Xantrex ProWatt series. We have the 1000 with remote switch and panel.

**pasdad1** · 01-25-2014, 08:15 AM

Do you have an inverter already? I would suggest that you only pick an inverter that is pure sine wave. Avoids any issues that are common with the cheaper modified sine wave designs.

dons2346 · 01-25-2014, 08:31 AM

I have a Trace 2000W MSW but I am going to upgrade to a Magnun Energy.

My planned system:
Inverter MSH3012M
Controller MEARC 50
Auto Gen Start MEAGS-N
Bat Monitor MEBMK

Cost will be $2207.60

I suggest you check iMarine for good prices. Forget the RV stores

PyrateSilly · 01-25-2014, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al2ride

Look into the Xantrex ProWatt series. We have the 1000 with remote switch and panel.

We also have a Xantrex ProWatt inverter, ours is the 3000 thou. The prowatt series are pure sine in case you were curious. We've had it now for about a year or so and no problems with it.
We went with 3000 watts cause just about everything goes thru the inverter or it doesn't run and the microwave/convection oven, which is the biggest hog

, is 1650 watts to run and we needed something big enough to run it so 3000 watts it is.

tropical36 · 01-25-2014, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

Planning to add an inverter and more 6V batteries.

What size and brand inverter do you have?

How is is working out?

How many 6v batteries?

Our standard two 6v batteries with a cheap 1000w inverter works fine for our use, but then we don't dry camp for weeks on end in the desert, either. It does run the fridge while going down the road and saves on propane. Will operate the TV and DVD for a whole evening and even make a pot of coffee in a pinch, but after that, you're done. Great for rest areas and walmart stop overs, but for extended stays, we have to run the genset periodically.
For sophisticated electronics, some residential fridge ice makers and the like, a pure sine wave model would be your best bet, but for a lot more cost.

al2ride · 01-25-2014, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyrateSilly

We also have a Xantrex ProWatt inverter, ours is the 3000 thou. The prowatt series are pure sine in case you were curious. We've had it now for about a year or so and no problems with it.
We went with 3000 watts cause just about everything goes thru the inverter or it doesn't run and the microwave/convection oven, which is the biggest hog

, is 1650 watts to run and we needed something big enough to run it so 3000 watts it is.

Ours just powers the residential refrigerator. We fire up the gen for everything else while on the road.

Old Bounder · 01-25-2014, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

Planning to add an inverter and more 6V batteries.
What size and brand inverter do you have?
How is is working out?
How many 6v batteries?

I have a 2000 watt Samlex Invercharge PSW I/C (80 amp charger). It works great, but would benefit from a more functional or sophisticated Remote Control. (The major options are selected by dip-switches on the main unit).

I installed two additional 6V-GC2s (4 total). We don't boondock for long periods, but do make frequent, no hookup, travel stops. The main purpose of the installation was made to accommodate our extended Alaska trip in '06.
My Inverter can power everything except the two air conditioners and the OEM converter.

vsheetz · 01-25-2014, 12:06 PM

I have 2300w msw inverter configured whole coach (shore cord plugs into inverter) plus multiple point of use inverters. Attached is my system write up with inverter details and block wiring diagram.

Bumps · 01-25-2014, 12:26 PM

We are using the GoPower GPSW3000 pure sine wave inverter. Batteries are eight of Costco's GC2 6volt golf cart batteries. We kept our legacy msw converter/inverter on-board and use it to charge the GC2's when solar doesn't keep up. The residential fridge and microwave drove us to the larger inverter and the decision to go PSW over MSW. \ken

Davdeb1 · 01-25-2014, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

Planning to add an inverter and more 6V batteries.

What size and brand inverter do you have?

How is is working out?

How many 6v batteries?

There are many different answers depending upon your needs.

Are you adding a residential fridge?
Do you just want the inverter for power while driving?
Are you going to do boon docking?
Is this just for overnight parking?

The majority of rv people go from campground to campground, and plug into shore power. If this is your plan or habit, 2 good 6v deep cells should be all you need.

If you want power while traveling for Tv or other light use, a 300 watt inverter for 25 dollars is all you need. Just plug into the power points.

If you are going to do some boon docking, then an inverter and 4 good 6v batteries should be the minimum. Many folks on here have spent 4-5 thousand dollars on solar, inverter, batteries, transfer switches, sub panels.

I have a 2000 holiday rambler similar to yours. My inverter a 1500 watt psw samlex, 4 Trojan batteries, and a trimetric meter all cost about 1300 dollars.

We dry camp about 4-8 days a month, and plug the inverter directly into the shore power for whole house power. We have a perfectly good 7.5kw diesel generator so I so no need to spend thousands on solar. When we dry camp overnight, we can just use a small 300 watt plug in at power point inverter to run tv, charge phones, and iPads.

It all depends on what you want to do.

nforus · 01-25-2014, 01:22 PM

We have 2 Magnum 2800 watt PSW Inverters and 16 Coach batteries. One of us is going to have to sell a Kidney when it's time to replace batteries.

jimbo2013 · 01-25-2014, 01:47 PM

Well I see many new coaches use 2000 watt, because of the resident fridge, which I have and that takes about 1000W to run.

So I was thinking about getting a PSW 2000W unit, there are too many to select, that's why I was asking what you have.

gemini5362 · 01-25-2014, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyrateSilly

We also have a Xantrex ProWatt inverter, ours is the 3000 thou. The prowatt series are pure sine in case you were curious. We've had it now for about a year or so and no problems with it.
We went with 3000 watts cause just about everything goes thru the inverter or it doesn't run and the microwave/convection oven, which is the biggest hog

, is 1650 watts to run and we needed something big enough to run it so 3000 watts it is.

I agree totally with him. I only have three outlets that are not run through the inverter and they are not easy to get to. One of them is outside. My 2000 watt inverter only has 2 15amp circuit breakers I have to be very careful not to trip one. I cannot plug a space heater in my living room area without tripping one of the inverters. When this inverter goes out I will go to a 3000

Does your coach charge the coach batteries while you are going down the road. If not you might need more batteries if you have a residential refrigerator. My 4 golf cart 6 volt batteries will run my residential refrigerator for 8 hours when I am sitting parked. When I am running down the road the alternator charges them.