Inverter/Charger confusion

[raycyn778]

Hello all, really need some help in understanding what my inverter/charger does and how it works. Are there any settings I should be aware of? I have a 2014 Adventurer 37 F and have no clue about how to use or operate this thing. There is a control panel in the coach but it is Greek (at least to me!). I have read and reread the manual and am still at a loss. I have the standard propane/AC fridge and a solar panel on the roof that came with the unit.
any help in understanding the purpose of this thing would be great.
Thanks
Ray

[racersedge]

Originally Posted by raycyn778

Hello all, really need some help in understanding what my inverter/charger does and how it works. Are there any settings I should be aware of? I have a 2014 Adventurer 37 F and have no clue about how to use or operate this thing. There is a control panel in the coach but it is Greek (at least to me!). I have read and reread the manual and am still at a loss. I have the standard propane/AC fridge and a solar panel on the roof that came with the unit.
any help in understanding the purpose of this thing would be great.
Thanks
Ray

in a nut shell the inverter is used to make 120V from your 12V system when traveling on the highway or when boon docking and the converter part of it is pretty much a multi stage battery charger to maintain the 12V battery system to keep the batterys charged that run your lites,
12V part of the fridge( lpg fridge still needs 12V to operate) to run LPg furnace systems etc

[Stevegd007]

Inverter: takes 12v battery power (you have to physical switch on a inverter with a switch) and then the inverter will change 12v to 110v, this can drain the house batteries very fast depending on what is being used, state of the batteries and the number of the batteries an how long you leave the inverter on to power appliances. Coffee pot, microwave, TV an the like (anything 110v you would like to run). I keep my inverter "off", unless I am dry camping an on 12v power "only", an wish to power something that needs 110v.

Charger\converter: takes 110v shore power and "converts" it to 12v for all appliances\lights that need or uses 12v power. Will also charge the 12v "house" batteries. Converter will work "automatically" when you on shore power. If you just sitting on house batteries without shore power, converter will not power on.

Winney's small roof top solar panel is wired directly to the 12v side and will charge the 12v House batteries. That's all it does. If your have heavy use on the 12v side this solar panel is not large enough to "keep" up the with a heavy 12v demand. You would need a really large roof top solar panel for heavy "dry" camping 12v usage.

Your "standard" refer will run on 110v\propane. You can manually switch between the two. Propane needs 12v power to "fire" off the propane burner and power the interior lights. Without 12v power the refer will not start on propane. On 110v the refer will still need 12v power to "light" the interior.

The control panel is a center of all things for the coach. Switches for water pump, hot water heater (propane\110v), & Generator. A power center for 50\30\generator power, informs of power use (on 50amp it will not show any amp load). A fluid monitor for fresh water, gray water & black water. An it should have switch for the inverter operation. I might have missed something...

Most Winny's have 2 house batteries & one engine starting battery. If you have a residential refer, like some new RV's have, they are setup with and "extra" 4 12v batteries and it's own dedicated inverter to power just the refer, when not on shore power.

Standard House batteries need lots of "TLC". Checking often for fluid levels being topped off, cleaning terminals...etc. Should do this every time you roll out on any trip. Most will go 3/5 years before needing to be replaced, depending on use and maintenance. Heavy charger use by keeping shore power "always" plugged into the RV with the master Aux switched "on" will or can "cook" off the fluid levels for the house batteries. As the charger is always putting a charge to the house batteries. Switch the Aux power switch off if your always staying plugged into shore power (this will help by not "over charging" the house batteries. The Charger\converter will still provide 12v power to all 12v things in the RV (provided your on shore power).

So hopefully this will help some. I am sure other with also add more.

Enjoy your new coach...an happy trails!

[wa8yxm]

Ok, Do you know what a UPS (Uninteruptable or interuptble power supply, often used to protect computers so if the lights go out in your house, you have time to SAVE, which brings us to an old joke Ill omit this pass).

Well an "Inverter/Converter" is 2/3 of such a device, the remaing third is the battery (or battery bank).

Here is the basic operation...
IN the presnece of either shore or generator power this device, Just like the UPS, will charge the batteries, it will also supply 12 volt power (Well 13.6) to the house for the lights, fans, control power for assorted devices, electrical power for the furnace and water pump.

It also passes power on through to down-line devices such as the Televisions and related electronics, Possibly the microwave and more.

SHOULD shore/generator power go away (Be lost) The unit switches to INVERTER mode.. Now it is powering those "Down line" devices off the batteries, so long as they hold, JUST LIKE THE UPS does for your comptuer.

Also just like the UPS.. It only powers those devices connected to it. (Things like Air Conditioners are usually... Not connected to it).

The settings: There are many settings depending on the unit,, Mine is one of the more flexible ones....

For example, it monitors incoming power and if the shore power is too "HOT" (or cold) Meing the voltage is too high or low,,, It take sover providing power to the electronics to protect them

Likewise it monitors frequency

Both of these I can adjust the cut off/on points

It also monitors waveform,, I have no control there.

IT has a load sensor, if I set the load sensor to say 100 watts, then if I'm not using it it will go into standby and not drain the batteries till it senses a load of AT LEAST 100 watts (I have that disabled so it works full time)

It has settings for battery capacity, and charge logarithm Setting maximum charge, voltage and current for each stage..

It also has a throttle so if I'm plugged into low current shore power (Say 20 amps) I can "Turn it down" on the charger.

I can also disable either the charger or the inverter.

IT monitors input and output voltage and output current. on the AC side, and on the DC side it monitors both voltage and current.

OH, adjustable low battery cut out as well.

HOW to set these... The owner's manual is the guide I use save for the load sensor which I disabled, a 30 watt TV just can't suck enough juice to insure proper operation.

[racersedge]

MISquote:Your "standard" refer will run on 110v\propane. You can manually switch between the two. Propane needs 12v power to "fire" off the propane burner and power the interior lights. Without 12v power the refer will not start on propane. On 110v the refer will still need 12v power to "light" the interior.
your fridge while on 120V or LPG needs 12V to run the whole fridge electronics
weather it be on gas or 120V NOT to simply run the lite. No 12V !no fridge operation! weather on lpg or 120V