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RWBrooks50 · 12-06-2018, 03:42 PM

I have this inverter: VertaMax Pure Sine Wave 1500W Inverter, purchased from amazon. I did not realize it didn't have a battery changer.

Can I plug in a charger like a Battery Tender into the inverter to maintain the battery charge? Or should I buy another inverter/charger?

2001 Peterson Excel 5th wheel, 30 feet.

Rick

okcnewbie · 12-06-2018, 03:54 PM

In the long run you need either a converter or an Inverter/charger.
Short term you can use some type of battery charger to keep the batteries charged.
Typically inverters are used to harness battery power. When plugged in some of the better inverters go into feed thru mode I believe.

bigchick · 12-06-2018, 03:55 PM

not real clear what you are asking. are you asking if you can use the inverter to produce 120vac power that you will use to power a battery tender to maintain the batteries? where is the inverter getting it's power from? the batteries? if so, no don't do it as all you will do is run down the batteries due to efficienncy losses in both the inverter and charger.

some inverters have a built in 120vac transfer switch that swithes between shore power and inverter power. don't know if your has this. even if it does still don't do it. if you can plug into shore (or generator) power simply plug your charger into it.

Soppy · 12-06-2018, 04:04 PM

If you have already got a built in converter with a 3 or 4 stage charger , you should be good to go.

nothermark · 12-06-2018, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWBrooks50

I have this inverter: VertaMax Pure Sine Wave 1500W Inverter, purchased from amazon. I did not realize it didn't have a battery changer.

Can I plug in a charger like a Battery Tender into the inverter to maintain the battery charge? Or should I buy another inverter/charger?

2001 Peterson Excel 5th wheel, 30 feet.

Rick

Why would you plug a battery maintainer into the Inverter output to charge your battery? You get a power loss up converting 12 VDC to 120 VAC then another loss converting the 120 VAC back to 12 VDC. It will just run your battery bank down over time.

You need to look at two things.

The Inverter you use needs to have the ability to pass the 120 VAC through when shore or generator power is available. That is done with an internal transfer relay. If you do not have that you have a problem. Most low cost Inverters do not have that built in.

You can either run a separate converter to feed 12 VDC to the batteries or you can buy a combination unit that supplies 12 VDC when it senses 120 VAC at the line input and supplies 120 VAC to the line output terminals when there is no line input. That should also have the pass through function.