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Sbrownstein · 10-10-2019, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJ_Clemson

Yes, i've thought long and hard about that transfer switch you showed earlier. The one that you plug into and then tap into your outlets. I have two breakers that control 2 seperate circuits of outlets. When i found that out, I just figured, what the heck... Ill go through with the process of hooking it up to the panel.

But I'll look hard at it again here in a min. If i can get lucky and have the tv, bedroom outlets and outside outlets on one circuit, i may just do that one. Oh, i guess i could plug in two of those transfer switch boxes if all outlets were that important to me.?

Can't tell what you have but on my coach I found that all of the driver's side outlets, both TVs and the bedroom outlets were wired to only one of my "outlets" breakers. I installed a transfer switch there. The other breaker powers the galley and GFCI outlets. I didn't add a second transfer switch for that.

EJ_Clemson · 10-10-2019, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

Can't tell what you have but on my coach I found that all of the driver's side outlets, both TVs and the bedroom outlets were wired to only one of my "outlets" breakers. I installed a transfer switch there. The other breaker powers the galley and GFCI outlets. I didn't add a second transfer switch for that.

I wish mine was set up that way. I have some outdoor outlets that i would like to power also. twinboats has guide me on a way to hook up both circuits using that kisae transfer switch. I'll take both circuit wires out of their breakers, and run them to the in portion of the switch. Then take some 12/2 wire and run it from the out side of the switch, to a 15 amp breaker. Of course being careful not to overload the circuit.

Seems like an easy way to accomplish my goal and not have to worry about the charger charging my batteries when using the inverter.

Now to understand if charging my new renogy lithium batteries off the alternator, when traveling, will damage them??

Sbrownstein · 10-10-2019, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJ_Clemson

I wish mine was set up that way. I have some outdoor outlets that i would like to power also. twinboats has guide me on a way to hook up both circuits using that kisae transfer switch. I'll take both circuit wires out of their breakers, and run them to the in portion of the switch. Then take some 12/2 wire and run it from the out side of the switch, to a 15 amp breaker. Of course being careful not to overload the circuit.

Seems like an easy way to accomplish my goal and not have to worry about the charger charging my batteries when using the inverter.

Now to understand if charging my new renogy lithium batteries off the alternator, when traveling, will damage them??

You can do that but then the total amperage of all outlets will then be 15 amps, even when on shore power. You can also use two Kisae switches and keep the current breakers for all outlets.

EJ_Clemson · 10-10-2019, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sbrownstein

You can do that but then the total amperage of all outlets will then be 15 amps, even when on shore power. You can also use two Kisae switches and keep the current breakers for all outlets.

Thanks for the info! Yeah, I'm prepared for all outlets to be 15 amp. I'll see how it goes. Im not prepared to throw $150 bucks into transfer switches, but I will if I find the breaker blowing more often than not.

THenne1713 · 10-10-2019, 11:16 PM

14.3 is NOT a battery voltage, it is a CHARGER/ CHARGING VOLTAGE (as is 13.2-14.6); (12.6-12.7 is battery w/ 100% charge.) (Most) RV INVERTER/ CHARGERS auto transfer the 120-vac receptacles feed to the shoreline when plugged in, and then the CONVERTER/ CHARGER starts supplying the 12vdc.

sibe · 10-11-2019, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THenne1713

14.3 is NOT a battery voltage, it is a CHARGER/ CHARGING VOLTAGE (as is 13.2-14.6); (12.6-12.7 is battery w/ 100% charge.) (Most) RV INVERTER/ CHARGERS auto transfer the 120-vac receptacles feed to the shoreline when plugged in, and then the CONVERTER/ CHARGER starts supplying the 12vdc.

You need to know the system your RV has in place.. otherwise this gets confusing .....

I designed and modded my system as it is an older set up... but some new RV are also simple, while some have inverters with auto switching as such....and smart converters...

Ron Dittmer · 10-11-2019, 07:40 AM

Hi EJ,

I am chiming in on this discussion for the first time without reading through 3 pages of discussion.

I only wanted to say that when measuring your battery voltage, measure it directly on the batteries. Measuring it elsewhere could be provide a false reading. If you have a built-in volt meter mounted inside the house like I do, just ignore it.

THenne1713 · 10-11-2019, 09:08 AM

If you are reading battery voltage immediately after turning breaker OFF, you maybe reading the false High SURFACE CHARGE on the battery. You have to allow at least 30-min for that surface charge voltage to fall off, in order to read a true charge status voltage. If you put your meter on a battery immediately after charging, you can watch this voltage slowly fall off every few minutes, until it finally stabilizes at the charge status.30+ min usually required.

vhcambrian · 10-17-2019, 05:21 PM

But my inverter unplugs from an outlet and then it is off. Isn't everyone's like that?

Or could be I just don't understand what he is trying to accomplish.

twinboat · 10-17-2019, 05:38 PM

First, you have a converter/charger, not an inverter.
Inverters create 120 volts from batteries. They have cables to the battery, not plugs to an outlet.

I have had 1 travel trailer and 2 motor homes thru the years.

None of them had plugs on the Converter/chargers.

I know that some do have plugs, but not all of them. Many, like the OPs, are a part of the breaker/fuse panel and are hard wired to a circuit breaker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vhcambrian

But my inverter unplugs from an outlet and then it is off. Isn't everyone's like that?

Or could be I just don't understand what he is trying to accomplish.

sibe · 10-17-2019, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vhcambrian

But my inverter unplugs from an outlet and then it is off. Isn't everyone's like that?

Or could be I just don't understand what he is trying to accomplish.

no many inverters are hardwired

SailorDan · 10-17-2019, 06:14 PM

Hi, I ended up with sort of what you mentioned. I looked at my power wants when I was boondocking and then made a couple simple adjustments to my wants to make it work affordably. I primarily boondock so as much as I love my coffee maker I switched to boiling water and using a drip system to an insulated carrafe. That was my big power use. Whats left is running the 12v, the TV sometimes, and charging my laptop and digital cameras. None of that has much draw. So I rely heavily on Solar. I have (3) 100a AGM batteries, (3) 100 watt solar panels, and a 1200 watt inverter. I have an remote switch for the inverter and it is run 2 places, one to power strip in my entertainment center and the other to a small automatic transfer switch that is tied to just one outlet where the TV is plugged in. The ATS allows me to automatically switch from shore power to Inverter without moving the plug on the TV. Pretty slick for $55. I could have tied the ATS into a breaker but my trailer was the most illogically wired trailer so I just did the one outlet. It works mainly cause the location in the trailer works. Oh I also put in an Internal EMS.

Here is the transfer switch.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The solar has worked perfectly. I just did about 3 weeks and 2500 miles and was never plugged in. I watch movies, charged cameras/computers, etc. Also I never used my generator. Almost used the generator gas in the truck when I ran low.