Community Forums

Startech · 02-24-2017, 01:31 PM

My 04 Country Coach 40ft came with the Xantrex 458 2500 watt unit. The inverter side has failed. But the charging side is working just fine. I only use the inverter for TV or coffee Pot while boon docking. And I don't boon dock that often. I was leaning towards just replacing it with a Magnum. But while researching that, I am seeing inverters for $400. Why are these combo units so pricey? Is there a reason why I just can't purchase a stand alone inverter and mount it beside the ole Xantrex? What am I not considering?

Ron Postma · 02-24-2017, 01:48 PM

The combo units made for RV's are heavy duty products made to endure harsh conditions. The $400 units are made in China and are disposal if the break. I know it is hard to justify $2000 versus $400 but you will probably replace the cheaper unit 4 times over. Your existing unit is not a pure sine wave inverter and the newer ones are. The cheap units also do not have the ability to transfer power between shore and generator. If all you are looking for is to power simple devices like a coffee pot the cheap unit should work. I would not chance powering anything like a TV or computer.

twinboat · 02-24-2017, 03:58 PM

TV's and computers run on low voltage and have regulated power supplies in them.
My Flat screen will take 100 to 240 volts and sends 12 to the TV.
For that, you could pick up a 200 watt, cigar lighter plug, inverter to try on your TV.

Check the watts on the coffee maker to see what that needs. If it worked before, on your inverter, you won't need a pure sine wave model now. You can't run that on a cigar lighter plug but a $200 to $400 one with cables to the batteries will keep you going.

I installed a $450, Xantrex PS2000 in my boat in 2009 and we are still running it today. Coffee maker, TV and Sat, refrigerator, microwave, computers and phone chargers. 6 months use a year.

Keep in mind that resale value will be lower, with a bad inverter, when it's time to move up.

D Lindy · 02-24-2017, 04:10 PM

If you really want a way around buying a $$$ inverter/charger is 1) buy a metal/glass coffee pot that goes on the stove top and perk coffee that way. Then by a small 300 watt stand alone inverter, plug it into the cigarette lighter and plug the TV into that.

S Bradley · 02-24-2017, 04:42 PM

How long will it take using the glass coffee pot to save up for a pure sine wave inverter/charger? It is worth it to buy quality equipment if you skimp on quality you will pay for it down the road.

If you use expensive electronics stay with pure sine wave inverter. I spent 35 years working in the electronic/computer business, clean power is critical to the longevity of the equipment.

nothermark · 02-24-2017, 07:11 PM

It seems to most of us that using the electric pot when the propane stove is sitting there is the problem. There are a lot of options to Mr Coffee and Keurig. Most cost less too.

Check your TV. If it is stepping down the 120 VAC to 12 VDC just make up a cord to feed it 12 VDC off your house supply. That skips the conversion loss up and again back down. You can also check and see if there is a 12 VDC supply available if the voltage is different.

Ceratto's Grotto · 02-24-2017, 08:16 PM

An additional thought on inverters... I have seen that when they do fail, the symptoms can be very difficult to ascertain... One friend only saw that the refrigerator would not work, replaced the refrigerator, only to find out the cause was actually the inverter (not putting the correct power quailties out)... I suspect that low / over voltage and/or amperage can cause odd failure symptoms in various equipment and can be hard to identify as the power quality itself... Speaks to the idea to getting a quality unit if one is going to rely on it for anything other than basic gear like you are doing...

twinboat · 02-24-2017, 08:18 PM

I run a residental refrigerator, so the inverter is on full time, anyway.

My TV, Sat box and sound bar are on a power strip. One switch and no vampire draw. We don't have to look for electronics that can be altered. We use all standard AC appliances, mixer, toaster and small microwave.

We use solar to charge our batteries so an electric coffee maker and toaster are cheaper then lighting the stove and more convientent then filling propane tanks.

There is no correct way to do it, it's what ever works for you.

wa8yxm · 02-25-2017, 06:42 AM

Well, there are a few reasons for the price difference.
A stand alone inverter has 12 volt in, and 120 out, NO switching, no other function, so you'd need to add some kind of switch to select normal or inverter power. That adds to the cost (About 100 or more).

The "Charger side" of a combo unit is usually a very good 3-stage plus at least one feature charger, making it a "Best" selection. This is the kind of charger I highly recommend.

The Auto transfer switch is a very high speed device, capable of switching over so fast the TV does not even flicker... True UPS quality, this too adds to the cost.

Many are designed for use with a remote panel.. More cost

And of course TRUE SINE WAVE (The best kind) More cost.

NOW if you can get a stand alone WITH POWER PASS THROUGH... (Basically what you have less the charger) I'd go for it. IN fact I'd recommend it. (From time to time I kind of do that since my inverter is after market and I still have the original 80 amp converter... I can, if in a park with "Strange" power (a bit higher/lower than I like) .. Well the converter has a wide operating range... But the microwave not so much.

I flip a switch (30 amp breaker marked XANTREX) and the inverter takes over powering the Microwave and TV's and such.. The converter keeps the batteries full up. and... Well, You don't want to know what the local electroincs supply charges for a POWER LINE CONDITIOER which is nothing more than a 3-stage converter + Battery + True sine inverter.

But suffice to say mine is cheaper .

Startech · 02-25-2017, 08:45 AM

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it. I am thinking that true sine wave is a must. I am leaning towards the inverter stand alone unit for my needs. The fridge can run on gas while boondocking, so that is not a concern. Now I just need to think about the best wiring solution. I dont have a problem with turning it on of off from the bay it will be installed in.

twinboat · 02-25-2017, 02:13 PM

The Xantrex PS1000, along with some other brands, offer a wired remote panel.

I actually have a 2500 watt sinewave inverter, as a spare, with a key fob wireless remote.

Stuff is out there.

Here is one,

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Sunforce-10...1240/100660092

Startech · 02-26-2017, 11:51 AM

Thanks TB, I looked at the link. It is a 1000 watt, but max is 500 watts per outlet. What is the 2500 you have? I may want to run the microwave which is 1500 max watts. Thank you

twinboat · 02-26-2017, 08:44 PM

It's a Power Express PE-2500SW.
I bought it in 08, but I don't see it selling on any sites today. I used it for a few months, until I installed a battery monitor.

That's when I discovered it used 4 amps at idle. I was running a residental fridge, so it needed to be left on 24 hours a day. That's almost 100 AH a day of wasted battery capacity.

It was expensive lesson, but I leaned to check the idle amp specs on my next inverter. The Xantrex Prowatt 2000 uses less then 1/2 an amp ideling.

So it's a $450.00 backup inverter.

Dutch Star Don · 02-28-2017, 03:32 PM

A very important item was glossed over. Your current inerter/charger has a bypass built in. This means that when you connect to shore power, the power goes THOUGH the inverter and onto the outlets that the inverter is powering. A cheap inverter does not have a bypass. This means that you'll have to do some serious rewiring or run new wiring from the new inverter to outlets you want to use. Simply connecting the new inverter to the output side of the old inverter, will eliminate using shore power on those outlets when connected to shore power.