replacing inverter, need some help.

[scottginfla]

My old heart interface inverter/charger does not work, I want to replace it, I have removed it from the coach and have a + a -, from batteries, a bare ground wire and the three wires (black, green, white) that supply110v power from the inverter/charger to the coach, and the remote wire. I have been reading about the newer inverters and they all say that I should also have wires from shore power/ gen. I do not. Also, how would you run a new remote wire for the new inverter/charger, any help would be great.

I think I will use the freedom 458 inverter/ charger as my replacement, either 1500w or 2000w, my old one is a 1800w, thanks, Scott

[Gary RVRoamer]

What model is the old Heart inverter/charger? I don't see how it can be both an inverter and a charger and not have two separate 120vac lines, one for input to the charger and one for output from the inverter. They should never be one and the same wire.

In any case, your new Freedom 458 WILL definitely require separate AC input and output circuits,

[scottginfla]

It's 80-1800-12.

I guess it never charged as it did not have 110v to the inverter, only leaving it.

I think I can run a new 110v wire from my transfer switch over to the new inverter, that will solve that.

What to do about running a new remote wire?

Will there be any trouble using the "charge" on the new inverter, as my old one did not charge, even though it had led's for charge?

Gary, I just noticed you are near Ocala, I am here in Sorrento, near Mt. Dora

Will I overcharge the batts, cause the batts are being charged now through other systems in the coach ? .I. E. engine alt, shore power/gen power.

[scottginfla]

I also found a Magnatech 12 volt inverter/charger located under the rear bed, it supplys 12v power to about 5 fused curcuits, lights, water pump, 12v tv, and also charges the batts.

So the faulty heart interface must only be an inverter.

Now, how should I hook up the new inverter/charger?

And also, the coach is 50 amp, but there is another 30amp transfer switch under the bed by the magnatech, whats it for?

[scottginfla]

Just to clarify, the magnatech is a "converter", 110v- 12vdc.

[Gary RVRoamer]

While it may work ok to have two chargers working on the same battery, I would not do that myself. If you get a Freedom 458, it has a far superior charger than the old Magnetek (assumng the Magnetek is the original) and will charge quickly while causing less battery "boil" from excessive charge rates.

On the other hand, you could save a lot of bucks by buying an inverter-only rather than the Freedom 458, which has a charger and built-in transfer switch.

Yeap, our home base is in the Ocala National Forest, 13 miles east of Ocala and just off SR 40.

I'm guessing the extra 30A xfer switch is related to the inverter. You must not ever allow the inverter and shore power (or generator) to attempt to power the same circuit at the same time, so an auto-transfer switch is often used to prevent that. 30A is the typical size used, since that will handle an inverter up to 3600 watts.

[scottginfla]

Gary, thanks. Yes the magnatech is the original. What would you reccomend for a new" inverter only" to replace the heart?

What would I do in the future if the old magnatech quits? Is there a suitable replacement for it also?

[scottginfla]

I did a quick search and cannot find a "hardwired" inverter only, all have outlets built in to the unit itself.

[stubeje]

Try here...PURE SINE INVERTER: COTEK ST1000-112 1000 WATT 12 VOLT MICROPROCESSOR CONTROLLED PURE SINE INVERTER WIITH 16 AMP TRANSFER SWITCH

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottginfla Gary, thanks. Yes the magnatech is the original. What would you reccomend for a new" inverter only" to replace the heart? What would I do in the future if the old magnatech quits? Is there a suitable replacement for it also?

Progressive Dynamics PD-9260. Superb converter/3-stage charger.

[scottginfla]

Thanks everyone, whatever one I end up using, if it has the charge feature on it, I just won't hook that part up for now.

[wa8yxm]

Gee... I too agree the Hart was an inverter, and the Magnetek.. Well...I don't think highly of that name, but it's a converter.. Calling it a battery charger is doing a dis-service to your batteries usually.

I'd go with something like a Prosine 2.0 to replace 'em both

Here is what you do.. Remove the black wire from the breaker that feeds the Magnetek's electronics and tape off the wire. Lable it "Magnetek converter xx amps" (xx is the size of the breaker you disconnect it from) remove the breaker and store it.

Replace the breaker with a 30 amp. Hook wire (At least 10ga) to this (and the neutral and ground busses) and run that down to teh Prosine... The prosine is a top of the line battery charger (One of the ones I classify as "BEST") as well as a very good true sine wave inverter

NOTE: I really like ture sine wave inverters.. Many reasons.

You may be able to get a Heart that is as good as the Prosine, after all Xantrex makes 'em both.

[nbounder]

X2 with Hamguy and the 9260 !!

[Gary RVRoamer]

You can "hardwire" an inverter that has outlet receptacles on it - just use suitable plug(s) on the end of the wires that distribute the power to the RV and connect them to the outlet. The other end of those wires (e.g. Romex) can feed new or existing outlets. The method of hooking the wiring to the inverter does not matter.

You will probably have only one inverter outlet in use anyway. They are usually 15A outlets and 15A x 120v - 1800 watts, which is nearly everything a 2000W inverter can deliver anyway. So put a 15A plug on the end of some 12 gauge Romex and plug it into the inverter and run that Romex to whatever it is you plan "hardwire" in the RV.

I used a Cobra 2500 inverter-only on a 2002 Dolphin motorhome we had. Wired the output as I described here and connected the other end to a transfer switch which in turn served the breakers that fed nearly all the convenience outlets in the coach. They were all on two breakers anyway and the inverter had 2 15A outlets. The coach already had a good 50A, two-stage converter/charger, so why replace it?