Community Forums

BobJones · 11-28-2020, 03:44 PM

Hi folks!

I may be looking for an inverter sooner than later so I was thinking about changing my Trace to a Magnum.

It looks like they are now Sensata and not Magnum?
I'm also seeing only ONE inverter listed for an RV and don't seem to find any of their hybrid inverters anymore.

Does anyone know what is going on with Magnum? Have things changed? Were they acquired by someone?

creativepart · 11-28-2020, 03:56 PM

Magnum and Dimensions were merged and are part of Sensata. Dimensions Inverters joined Sensata Technologies in 2007 and Magnum Energy did so as well in 2014.

They list whole families of inverters and inverter chargers for RV use.

https://invertersrus.com/product-cat...wer-inverters/

dons2346 · 11-28-2020, 04:11 PM

Magnum inverters can be found at iMarineUSA They have the best prices plus free shipping. https://www.imarineusa.com/inverterchargers.aspx

153stars · 11-28-2020, 08:17 PM

Someone just shared newly developed Magnum 3012RV hybrid has dual 50amp passthrough . Just wire mains right through it run or boost to anything in RV to an extent.

Biljol · 11-29-2020, 08:21 PM

That’s what we did on the replacement we put in on a buddy’s coach.

My understanding is it is working fine. He was going to do some testing with low amp shore power and running ac units and such.

I plan on placing the same u it in my coach soon hopefully before quartzite.

Mr_D · 11-29-2020, 08:26 PM

I have a Magnum hybred that will pull from battery if your shore power isn't enough, however mine is set so it doesn't do it.

BobJones · 11-29-2020, 09:05 PM

I'm not sure that hybrid inverters are that new as I've seen them for the last couple of years. Having said that, if I need to get a new inverter it will be hybrid because, in theory, it could mean I can use 30amp power and not blow the breaker.... if it really works, that open up a *lot* of flexibility with respect to different parks.

Perhaps someone that has one and frequents different parks could chime in?

wamcneil · 11-30-2020, 07:33 AM

Yeah, it would be interesting to hear from someone who has an inverter installed with that in mind. So far, the hybrid inverter posts I've read have the hybrid inverter installed in place of a conventional inverter and just powering the house outlets branch of the 120v system.
I suspect that the logistics of re-architecting and rewiring to take advantage of that functionality are daunting...
Cheers,
Walter

creativepart · 11-30-2020, 09:41 AM

I don't have a hybrid inverter just a plain MS2012 Magnum but the Powerline PCS system has a port that connects to the inverter's network port - it's basically an RJ11 phone cable between the two units - to work like a hybrid.

This data connection does two things. First it lets the PCS control the rate of charge that the inverter/charger puts out and when the inverter is on it can pull amps from the batteries to augment AC loads when you are on 15amp or 30amp service.

So, when these two are connected and working together it throttles back battery charging to keep the charger from using too many amps making it possible to run more AC loads on limited shore power. And, also it's designed to use the inverter to add more amps to your power system by inverting battery power into AC current.

On my RV I notice it most on 30-amp service that I can run both A/Cs a greater amount of time. Without this feature I can run one A/C on 30-amp. But with it I can see my two A/C units alternating between Fan and Compressor and front unit and back unit. Or if one A/C is running I can use the Microwave without the PCS shutting down the A/C.

It's not perfect and it's probably not as good as a Hybrid Inverter but it came included and connected in my RV from the factory so, in essence it was "free" to me.

When I added a BMK to my inverter it too uses the Network Port on the inverter and I was truly puzzled to find a data cable already connected. I had to do a lot of digging to find out that that existing data cable was connected to the PCS. To connect both the PCS and the BMK to the one Network port I used a kind phone line splitter.

From the PCS manual:

geordi · 11-30-2020, 03:25 PM

Curious here - what are you looking to power through the inverter, that you believe you would need the batteries to kick in some extra when you are connected to shore power?

The AC units are not (usually) on an inverter-powered circuit, so they would be a "hidden" load that the inverter would not know about. Anything that is NOT already on a circuit that is wired through the existing inverter or load manager (if you have one) is a "hidden" load, and will invalidate the abilities of a hybrid inverter.

For example: My coach, I have the inverter powering most outlets inside. NOT on the inverter though: Clothes washer, 2 AC units, water heater, 2nd refrig circuit (which was for the original NotCold fridge) and my dishwasher.

I do NOT have a load manager, and that is a LOT of traffic that isn't being managed by the inverter.

Do you have solar or any non-inverter way of charging your batteries? That's also a consideration, b/c the Magnum needs a way to communicate with anything like that too.

BobJones · 12-01-2020, 01:02 AM

Hi Geordi;

Not sure who specifically you were replying to but I ran into an issue where I was using the motorhome on 30 amp power and it would routinely blow the breaker on the pedestal. My thinking was that a hybrid inverter would help alleviate that. Is that assumption correct, or am I off base?

twinboat · 12-01-2020, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobJones

Hi Geordi;

Not sure who specifically you were replying to but I ran into an issue where I was using the motorhome on 30 amp power and it would routinely blow the breaker on the pedestal. My thinking was that a hybrid inverter would help alleviate that. Is that assumption correct, or am I off base?

A Hybrid inverter can help, but not if wired in like the standard inverter. As mentioned in the last post, it can not assist hidden loads.

If you had a 30 amp RV, the install would be simple. ALL power would run thru the inverter before getting to the main breaker panel.

With a 50 amp RV, you can't do that with the inverter your suggesting.

Biljol · 12-01-2020, 06:29 AM

With the new magnum rv 3012 it will pass two 50 amp legs so you can rewire your 50 amp rv to have all loads run though the inverter. This is what we recently did on a a buddy coach. I am told it is working fine also.

153stars · 12-03-2020, 10:03 PM

Here is how to run 50amp MH through 3000watt single 50a passthrough Hybrid like the $1200 Victron or single 50 Magnum using main feed wires and inexpensive switch or expensive ATS . If I was buying 3000watt pure sinewave Magnum just buy new hybrid 3012RV. I have 50a but might take my Hybrid with me if I had 30a MH TT or 5th to a new 50A RV Just a little more for 3012RV than other 3000w hybrid
Check 3 drawings under vid.
https://allaboutrvsinfo.com/rv-inver...30-and-50-amp/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H5GZ53G...SIN=B07H5GZ53G
hard to locate AM Solar archives
https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...C1YbLzdNrrT32E