Wiring all 110v outlets to inverter?

[Alpine36]

Be careful what you wish for. Our coach was built with the inverter wired to a separate sub panel, feeding multiple circuits and nearly every outlet in the coach, including the microwave. While this may sound like a good idea, it was really not. One 12/2 romex fed that sub-panel from the inverter. The potential for overload was real, and it happened one weekend while on 50a shore power. One 800w space heater going, one 750w oil filled heater running, convection oven on, coffee pot on, and then my better half fired up her hair dryer. In the dark we went. Smoked the inverter internal transfer switch circuitry. Out she came for repairs. Needless to say the only circuit the inverter feeds now are the two TVs, kitchen overhead light and bedroom outlets for my cpap, all on one 15a breaker. We really don't need the inverter to do anything else really. Just be aware of this if you do try to run all outlets thru the inverter, and if you do be sure to match potential ampacity with the appropriate inverter, wiring and circuit breakers. While you may not overload the system, the next owner likely will.

[Iceclimber]

If I read you right, you want to energize all the outlets with the inverter. I'm with the earlier posters, the inverter has to have the ability to support the load or it's just going to shut down. Coaches are designed with smart-ish power transfer for a reason, plus for example in 2004 when my Xantrex freedom 2000 modified sine was installed sorry no way it handles any serious load so it was wired to a couple outlets and the microwave which by the way would shut down the inverter.

[Sinyyl]

Since you have an inverter, it's very likely you have 2 breaker panels. One for the main electrical, other for the inverter.
How it works is that one line in the main panel with 30A breaker goes to inverter and then comes back to the sub-panel. In case of hooked up, it will just pass electricity straight through.
When not hooked up, the inverter will "create" electrical and send to the sub-panel.

In my case, I replaced my inverter with 2x Victron 3kVA inverter. So it will shore power will go from ATS to Victron then to the main panel. Sub-panel will take electricity directly from the main panel.
If not changing interter, I can't think of any easy and safe way to have inverter power everything. Because the original inverter most likely is not designed for 50A pass through. Maine is 30A passthrough.

Maybe you could have a breaker that send power from sub-panel back to the main panel. And only activate it when needed. But it is not safe.

[jacwjames]

All Monaco's are snow flakes, none are the same even the same make/model/year. In the past I made a mistake to assume rigs were similar, I try to remember they are not.


I believe FFrank had a problem earlier this year and changed his inverter. But the original configuration was that he only had one breaker feeding his inverter from the service panel. I'm not sure his inverter is capable of hving two separate circuits.
Because of this it would be difficult to do what he wants to do without either replacing the inverter with a more robust unit and rewiring his whole coach, which would be difficult based on my experience with my coach. It will depend on how much money, time, and effort he wants to do to accomplish what he wants.

[Old Scout]

To me, the OP seems well-versed with regard to the pro's/con's and safety issues involved. Many rigs have the main and inverter sub-panel in close proximity so just "switching" wires/breakers is pretty easy, eg. supporting a new residential vs OEM RV fridge. The challenge here is the geography between the two circuits in question.

[paul65k]

Originally Posted by Alpine36

Be careful what you wish for. Our coach was built with the inverter wired to a separate sub panel, feeding multiple circuits and nearly every outlet in the coach, including the microwave. While this may sound like a good idea, it was really not. One 12/2 romex fed that sub-panel from the inverter. The potential for overload was real, and it happened one weekend while on 50a shore power. One 800w space heater going, one 750w oil filled heater running, convection oven on, coffee pot on, and then my better half fired up her hair dryer. In the dark we went. Smoked the inverter internal transfer switch circuitry. Out she came for repairs. Needless to say the only circuit the inverter feeds now are the two TVs, kitchen overhead light and bedroom outlets for my cpap, all on one 15a breaker. We really don't need the inverter to do anything else really. Just be aware of this if you do try to run all outlets thru the inverter, and if you do be sure to match potential ampacity with the appropriate inverter, wiring and circuit breakers. While you may not overload the system, the next owner likely will.

Interesting........ our 2001 had the requisite 10GA running between the Panel/subpanel and inverter prior to upgrading everything a few years ago.....maybe they made the change (really as required for a 30A wire run) by the 2001 MY??

In any case, there are also new inverter/chargers that will actually allow you to run your entire main panel from the inverter....but that would be a pretty big changeover and likely require a battery upgrade as well.

[allenfri]

if your inverters are connected to any continous running circuit such as a refrigerator or heavy fans its a good possibility theyll fail after a period of time especialy 120 volt ref replacment seen 2 of them where they were rewired by some one else.inverters dont like refrigerators.

[Fffrank]

Originally Posted by Iceclimber

If I read you right, you want to energize all the outlets with the inverter. I'm with the earlier posters, the inverter has to have the ability to support the load or it's just going to shut down.

It has the ability to power the loads that I need/want it to power. Without using the microwave I can't imagine a scenario we can possibly get close to 2000w even with all of our chargers plugged in (2 laptops, 2 phones, a bluetooth speaker and maybe a TV?) I've never seen over a 700w draw on my battery monitor as it sits now. The goal is not to squeeze more power out of my inverter -- it's to eliminate the need for extension cords so that the conveniently located outlets can be utilized while working.

Originally Posted by jacwjames

I believe FFrank had a problem earlier this year and changed his inverter. But the original configuration was that he only had one breaker feeding his inverter from the service panel. I'm not sure his inverter is capable of hving two separate circuits.

Correct. I have one circuit into the inverter. The original inverter had (2) output circuits but my new Xantrex only has one. So I added a small sub-panel that has (1) circuit coming in from the inverter and (2) circuits out.
#1 to the microwave and #2 to half the outlets in the coach.

Originally Posted by Old Scout

The challenge here is the geography between the two circuits in question.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by allenfri

if your inverters are connected to any continous running circuit such as a refrigerator or heavy fans its a good possibility theyll fail after a period of time especialy 120 volt ref replacment seen 2 of them where they were rewired by some one else.inverters dont like refrigerators.

The icemaker was originally on one of the circuits but has been unplugged as we don't use it and it was an oddly large power draw (maybe a short-circuit in the tray heater?) Otherwise we have no large loads on the inverter at all except for the microwave -- which we've never used on the inverter anyway.

[Alpine36]

Originally Posted by paul65k

Interesting........ our 2001 had the requisite 10GA running between the Panel/subpanel and inverter prior to upgrading everything a few years ago.....maybe they made the change (really as required for a 30A wire run) by the 2001 MY??

In any case, there are also new inverter/chargers that will actually allow you to run your entire main panel from the inverter....but that would be a pretty big changeover and likely require a battery upgrade as well.

Yes, our old Freedom fed the sub panel with 12/2 romex! It didn't seem appropriate. The sub panel is now fed with 10ga from the inverter and that sub panel no longer supplies the microwave or wall outlets with the exception of the front and rear tv's, bedroom outlets and I ran a new (unused) inverter circuit to the fridge in anticipation of someday upgrading to residential. I don't think any two Alpines were ever wired identical. Doing the math, the original configuration had potential to overload the inverter pass thru, which it eventually did.
>30A with 12/2, what were they thinking?