Community Forums

Pa Uon · 03-01-2014, 01:32 PM

I have a 40 ft, 2007 Phaeton. We are full-timers and when we are on the road, I put the inverter on. When we stop and hook up to shore power I turn it off. We have been to several parks where the power goes out and like a house, so does everything in the coach. If I left the inverter on when we were hooked to shore power it should eliminate that. Is there any problems associated with leaving the inverter on all the time? I also have two big solar panels on the roof-not sure if that matters. Thanks for any help.

RickO · 03-01-2014, 01:49 PM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I never turn my inverter off. I never saw a reason to.

Best of luck.

Rick

simonsrf · 03-01-2014, 01:57 PM

I've never turned my inverter off either. With the AGS set, solar coming in, and a residential refrigerator and freezer to keep cold....works great, just don't worry about electricity.

bbott · 03-01-2014, 03:47 PM

Been traveling since 2008 and have never turned off our inverter. Don't really see a reason to.

Route 66 · 03-01-2014, 03:53 PM

Always left mine on too.

wa8yxm · 03-01-2014, 05:29 PM

I only turn mine off when I'm off the grid and worried about the batteries going dead... Else it's on full time.. And yes, makes one very nice UPS it does.

Inverters come in two by two flavors. Only one two is important here.

Mine has power pass through, and a charger as well as the inverter, and an automatic transfer system so if shore power is present it has the ability to CHARGE those batteries.. Then when shore power goes south, it sucks them down and powers stuff.. Very handy.

As I said, Just like a UPS.

Pa Uon · 03-01-2014, 06:35 PM

I feel like an idiot, I must be the only one doing this.

Dr4Film · 03-01-2014, 06:48 PM

It's a convenience device that if your coach has an AGS system then you could turn it on and forget it. If you don't have an AGS system then you could destroy your House Battery Bank quickly by drawing the bank down past 50% SOC.

Mine has been on since the day I brought the coach home. The ONLY time it gets turned off is to change out the battery bank.

The only time you may get into trouble is if the power were to go off when you have a couple of ceramic heaters going and maybe some other stuff. Devices that draw a lot of power will drain a battery bank within minutes. Not so good for the battery bank.

I only use high drawing items when I am at home and they get turned off when I leave just in case the power goes off for some reason.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

Pa Uon · 03-01-2014, 07:06 PM

How do you tell if you have an AGS system? It is a Xantrax and it says RC/GS Remote control/Gen start. No manual.

Dr4Film · 03-01-2014, 07:23 PM

Your in luck. The RC-GS has the temp sensing whereas my RC7-GS does not. I had to purchase the Onan EC-30W to get the Temperature sensing for AGS.

You manual is attached.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

JGrosman · 03-01-2014, 07:50 PM

Lets say it is very cold outside and dark. You have been watching TV for three hours and running a small heater and a little cooking. You have no idea that the electric has been off for two hours. You get ready for bed and notice you lights are getting dim. Only to discover you power is off and your batteries are dieing. You are going to have a very cold night because you do not have enough power to run the heater or start the generator. You can not take a shower because the pump will not run on dead batteries. Leave the inverter off and turn it on when you need it.

targaboat · 03-01-2014, 08:06 PM

It sounds like the higher end coach have idiot proof systems and it makes no difference. For the lower end units you can definitely get into trouble by leaving it on. I used to just turn it on when needed, like to make coffee in a Walmart lot or to watch TV while not on the grid. Yes, sure did like it.

gemini5362 · 03-01-2014, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGrosman

Lets say it is very cold outside and dark. You have been watching TV for three hours and running a small heater and a little cooking. You have no idea that the electric has been off for two hours. You get ready for bed and notice you lights are getting dim. Only to discover you power is off and your batteries are dieing. You are going to have a very cold night because you do not have enough power to run the heater or start the generator. You can not take a shower because the pump will not run on dead batteries. Leave the inverter off and turn it on when you need it.

Or if that happens you can turn off everything including the inverter. Start the diesel engine and charge enough to start the generator. I would tell you to Push the Aux switch and use the chassis batteries to aid in starting your generator. If your coach batteries are too dead and you run down the chassis batteries trying to start the batteries then you have problems. So you start the coach engine. then either charge the coach batteries off of the alternator or you hit the aux switch and use the chassis batteries to start the generator. Then you sleep nice and warm all night or until you run out of diesel.

luvlabs · 03-02-2014, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGrosman

Lets say it is very cold outside and dark. You have been watching TV for three hours and running a small heater and a little cooking. You have no idea that the electric has been off for two hours. You get ready for bed and notice you lights are getting dim. Only to discover you power is off and your batteries are dieing. You are going to have a very cold night because you do not have enough power to run the heater or start the generator. You can not take a shower because the pump will not run on dead batteries. Leave the inverter off and turn it on when you need it.

Here's the real world - very cold night, gas furnace running often. Got up, turned on the lights, turned on the coffee pot and the lights dimmed. Checked the inverter control panel - inverting, 12.3 V. Checked my PI EMS system - no display. Checked the pedestal, breaker wasn't tripped. Turned off the breaker, cranked the generator and turned on the fireplace. Warm, toasty, and 10 hours later the power was restored.

We ran two furnaces and a residential frig from midnight to 7 am on 12V and inverting. Had the voltage dropped to 12V, we would have had an automatic generator start.

And that is why you don't turn the inverter off unless you are putting the coach into storage.