Inverter for whole coach question

[jdwky]

Hi all-
Our new RV did not come with an inverter. After countless hours reading and researching on here as I usually do for every RV question/concern, I think I just about have it figured out. However I better lay it all out here just to be sure!

Problem-
Want to be able to watch sat tv inside and/or outside the coach without running the generator. We do a lot of tailgating and the coach has an outside tv built in. Would be nice not to have to run the genny just to watch tv. Want to be able to run furnace too. All inside lights are LED so not worried about much current draw there.

Proposed Solution-
Xentrex 1000W True Sine wave inverter mounted in battery compartment. Run a shore power cable through basement compartments up to battery compartment and adapt down to the regular 15-amp plug and plug into inverter.

Questions:
-Converter inside the coach has a breaker on breaker panel labeled just "converter". I assume I can just switch this breaker off when planning to plug shore power into inverter? I'm hoping this would be the charging function of the converter???
-Would the 1000W inverter be enough to power 1-2 LCD TVs, sat box and the furnace?
-Does the furnace run straight off the batteries or will it be powering itself through the inverter via shore power cable?
-Would starting up the engine/alternator mess anything up while running on inverter or would this actually help charge my coach batteries?

Thanks!!

[texnet]

All your lighting should be 12vdc.. no inverter needed, just batteries
Your furnace should be 12vdc and propane... no inverter needed
In the title you stated "whole coach", I would run at least a 2500watt inverter if you are truly going to run the whole coach and that will not be enough if you are also going to run the fridge on AC. You will not be able to run A/C and it would require a LARGE battery bank for that!

Our previous coach did not have an inverter. I installed a 1800 watt Xantrex Inverter and installed a seperate AC breaker panel and dash mounted control to turn the inverter on/off. I installed the seperate AC braker panel under the bed beside the original AC panel. I split out the AC circuits to the new panel that I wanted to run via the inverter. The inverter had a built in transfer switch so when it was on it supplied the new AC panel with inverter power, when off it switched back to shore/generator power. The converter was not on the new AC panel so it did not receive power when I was not running on shore power.

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by texnet

All your lighting should be 12vdc.. no inverter needed, just batteries
Your furnace should be 12vdc and propane... no inverter needed
In the title you stated "whole coach", I would run at least a 2500watt inverter if you are truly going to run the whole coach and that will not be enough if you are also going to run the fridge on AC. You will not be able to run A/C and it would require a LARGE battery bank for that!

Our previous coach did not have an inverter. I installed a 1800 watt Xantrex Inverter and installed a seperate AC breaker panel and dash mounted control to turn the inverter on/off. I installed the seperate AC braker panel under the bed beside the original AC panel. I split out the AC circuits to the new panel that I wanted to run via the inverter. The inverter had a built in transfer switch so when it was on it supplied the new AC panel with inverter power, when off it switched back to shore/generator power. The converter was not on the new AC panel so it did not receive power when I was not running on shore power.

I just want the inverter to power the 1-2 tv's, the sat box and the furnace. Will switch refer to propane and won't need a/c. Lights are LED so not much draw. All TV's and the sat box are plugged in in different locations throughout coach or I else I'd just run them straight to inverter, hence the reason for wanting to just plug in shore power cable to inverter.

Any idea if this Xantrex has the built in transfer switch that yours does?
Amazon.com: Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 1000W True Sinewave Inverter: Car Electronics

[vsheetz]

I have a 2300w MSW inverter configured for powering the whole coach as you describe. So as to not have a loop you need to disable the converter - turn it off, unplug it, put a switch in it's input - whatever works. Charging via the engine alternator while using the inverter is ok. Just need to size your battery bank and inverter to the desired load.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by jdwky

I just want the inverter to power the 1-2 tv's, the sat box and the furnace. Will switch refer to propane and won't need a/c. Lights are LED so not much draw. All TV's and the sat box are plugged in in different locations throughout coach or I else I'd just run them straight to inverter, hence the reason for wanting to just plug in shore power cable to inverter.

Any idea if this Xantrex has the built in transfer switch that yours does?
Amazon.com: Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 1000W True Sinewave Inverter: Car Electronics

Your furnace is 12 V and propane so no need to run it off the inverter.

[Scarab0088]

I have the exact set-up described by the OP, except my inverter is a 2000Watt (3000peak).

It works perfectly. I picked the larger inverter so I can run the microwave without the gennie too. 1000Watt is more than enough for 2 TV's and SAT receiver.

Using the breaker to kill the converter/charger is required on my RV too, since it is hardwired into the 110v and 12v systems. It works perfectly too.

I was also sure to use the correct gauge extension cord...Amps = Watts/Volts. So a 1000Watt inverter (probably 1500 peak Watt) at 110V requires a 14-15Amp cord.

The genius here is that there is no possible way to accidentally run the inverter while on shore power, since the shore power cord must be removed from the inverter cord to plug-in to the shore ties.

Pretty sure the furnace in your Miramar is a propane and 12v unit.

Running the engine/alternator while using the inverter is safe...like running the microwave while driving is what we can do with this set-up.

I only use the extension cord, but running the power cord from the inverter to a mounted plug box in the service bin would be more tidy...it's all in how much work you want to do.

Best luck

[az bound]

I believe that Xantrex warns against mounting an inverter in the same compartment with batteries.

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by az bound

I believe that Xantrex warns against mounting an inverter in the same compartment with batteries.

What would be the reasoning behind this?

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

I have the exact set-up described by the OP, except my inverter is a 2000Watt (3000peak).

It works perfectly. I picked the larger inverter so I can run the microwave without the gennie too. 1000Watt is more than enough for 2 TV's and SAT receiver.

Using the breaker to kill the converter/charger is required on my RV too, since it is hardwired into the 110v and 12v systems. It works perfectly too.

I was also sure to use the correct gauge extension cord...Amps = Watts/Volts. So a 1000Watt inverter (probably 1500 peak Watt) at 110V requires a 14-15Amp cord.

The genius here is that there is no possible way to accidentally run the inverter while on shore power, since the shore power cord must be removed from the inverter cord to plug-in to the shore ties.

Pretty sure the furnace in your Miramar is a propane and 12v unit.

Running the engine/alternator while using the inverter is safe...like running the microwave while driving is what we can do with this set-up.

I only use the extension cord, but running the power cord from the inverter to a mounted plug box in the service bin would be more tidy...it's all in how much work you want to do.

Best luck

Thanks Vsheetz, MrD and Scarab! I understand the furnace runs off propane and 12v, but I didn't know if when on shore power the furnace actually got it's 12 volts from the converter via shore power. ie: With the inverter hooked to shore power cord, is the electricity flowing from the batteries --> inverter --> shore power cord --> converter --> furnace or is it no matter what just batteries --> furnace?

[az bound]

Originally Posted by jdwky

What would be the reasoning behind this?

Batteries can gas off. Hydrogen gas is explosive and corrosive. The warning is in the mounting instruction manual. Every manufacturers manual I have seen has the same warning.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by jdwky

What would be the reasoning behind this?

It's two-fold .... 1) battery fumes are corrosive and 2) electrical devices which can potentially spark should be kept away from batteries which can emit hydrogen. Typically, an inverter is installed in the compartment adjacent to the batteries to keep the cables short.

[jdwky]

Originally Posted by bruceisla

It's two-fold .... 1) battery fumes are corrosive and 2) electrical devices which can potentially spark should be kept away from batteries which can emit hydrogen. Typically, an inverter is installed in the compartment adjacent to the batteries to keep the cables short.

Got it... Then it probably wasnt a good idea by Thor to mount the Lippert electric motor/hydraulic pump right next to the batteries?!

[homeless]

My two cents! As others have stated I believe all your needs are taken care of with batteries and inverter/convert that is standard in your rig! You just need to power the two TV's and the Sate antenna. I would buy a large invert/converter, install it properly. Not in the battery compartment and only hook the two TV's and the antenna to it and see how long your batteries hold them up? If your converter/inverter is large enough to run them for some amount of time but not as long enough as desired, then you would need to set to work to add batteries for desired time....

[Davdeb1]

I installed a 1500 watt Samlex pure sine wave inverter. I run it by doing what you are proposing, and I have added a power strip at the AC power source for the converter. When I turn on the inverter I simply shut off the power strip which cuts power to the converter. That way you won't be charging you batteries with your batteries, in a loop.

If this is all you want to do, you can save a lot of time, and expense by just using a small inverter 300W where you need them by plugging in you DC power points. I have 2 bestek 300 w inverters, they each cost less than $25. I use them to watch TV when I spend the night a Walmart.