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12-02-2019, 08:48 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 749
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Inverter - On or off?
We’ve always left our inverter on as we generally move every few weeks as full timers. Shortly we will be at a resort for over three months and hooked up to 50amp service. Wondering if I should then shut off my inverter for the duration of our stay.
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12-02-2019, 09:21 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 2,429
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If you have a household refrigerator I'd recommend you leave it turned on. If the RV park looses power, the inverter will keep it working.
__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]2016 Newmar Dutch Star 4369
Newmar Owners Club
USAF 1966-1969,- Law Enforcement 1969 - 2003, Retired since March 2003
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12-02-2019, 09:26 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Balls Creek NC
Posts: 304
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wbonsell
We’ve always left our inverter on as we generally move every few weeks as full timers. Shortly we will be at a resort for over three months and hooked up to 50amp service. Wondering if I should then shut off my inverter for the duration of our stay.
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I don't know how your system works. In my Wanderlodge all shore and generator power goes through the inverters. My slides will not work without the inverters on. I would expect that your RV is set up the same way but I don't know that for sure.
If you have a battery disconnect you can engage that to turn off all power to the coach. At that time when you turn the battery power back on see if the inverters are off. Will your slide work with out them? That is assuming you have a slide.
If your shore power does not run through your inverters then I see no reason to leave your inverters on unless they are tied to your coach batteries in order to charge.
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12-02-2019, 11:10 AM
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#4
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 23,922
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This question has been asked before and there should be some clarification to get an accurate answer. Many coaches have inverters to run things like their entertainment units and some outlets. Other coaches, like the newer all electric models, use inverter(s) to run everything in the coach.
I have an all electric coach and I leave my inverter on 24/7/365. When camping, if there is a power outage, my inverter seamlessly takes over until power is restored.
So.....before someone says that there is no need to run an inverter, the type of coach and what the inverter powers should be identified.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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12-02-2019, 11:24 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,944
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don
Other coaches, like the newer all electric models, use inverter(s) to run everything in the coach.
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I'm still figuring out the finer points of my new Galleria, but when the inverter/charger overloaded and tripped its breaker, I lost all power, including AC. The microwave clock is my tell-tale - no shore power, and the inverter off or the battery unit disconnected, and no clock.
Woke up one cold night recently to find the heat stopped working. Shore power was on, as witnessed by the little LED on the female (coach) end of the cord, but the battery was nearly dead (shuts down at some low percentage) and nothing was passing through. I tried a 50A to 30A adapter just in case, but no difference. 4:00 am with a cold, cranky DW, and I'll try anything.
I didn't figure out until after sunrise that there are three pop-out breakers on that Xantrex inverter, which were on the side that was only an inch from the wall, under the jack-knife couch. Reset the one that was out (by feel - I still don't know which one is for what), and all was right with the world again.
It probably overloaded when DW was using the induction cooktop, microwave oven, and I had electric boost on along with propane in the Truma Combi. Plus whatever other stuff was on, like lights. And the battery possibly getting some charge. I just didn't know the shore power let go and the battery was carrying the load all night until it shut down under self-preservation mode.
__________________
Tom & Jeri
2018 Coachmen Galleria 24T Li3
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12-02-2019, 11:33 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
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…..24/7/365--why would you turn it off?????--a primary function of inverter is to provide inverted power in the event of a shore power failure--how will it do that if you shut it off??????
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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12-02-2019, 11:34 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: fulltime
Posts: 680
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my inverter runs kitchen outlets and entertainment units so when in a resort i leave it off
__________________
2006 winnebago adventurer 38t 2018 carry-on hawkline enclosed 8.5x20 2007 mini cooper convertible 2012 hd xl1200c
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12-02-2019, 11:45 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 749
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Mine is an Onan inverter and it does power some 120 outlets but not all of them. And I do ha e a residential frig. If inverter is off and we loose shore power I would obviously turn back on to power frig. If hooked up to reliable 50amp service which would power up everything I am still wondering about shutting it down. Sort of like shutting down a computer if you won’t need it for months...
__________________
Bill and Debb---2010 CT Coachworks Siena 35V
1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport---Roadmaster Falcon 5250 -
1 Cavalon (Scooby) 1 Papipoo (Bella- DOB 5/06/18)
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12-02-2019, 12:09 PM
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#9
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Blairsville, GA & WPB, FL
Posts: 3,993
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When hooked to shore power or running the generator the inverter only passes the power through...it has a transfer switch inside and often overlooked circuit breakers. No reason to turn it off and several to leave it on.
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12-02-2019, 03:40 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 2,429
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Back to my first post which was the 1st after you asked your question.
I spend 3 months every summer at an RV park in Chula Vista working activities and security. 2020 I'm spending 4 months. During my stay, I leave the inverter in the on position. It keeps my batteries charged and if the shore power should fail, it automatically transfers power and keeps things running.
In reference to your computer statement. Actually most large businesses leave their computers turned on 24/7. When I'm home, my computer stays on continually.
__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]2016 Newmar Dutch Star 4369
Newmar Owners Club
USAF 1966-1969,- Law Enforcement 1969 - 2003, Retired since March 2003
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12-02-2019, 07:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,759
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I turn the inverter on only when it will be used. There is wear and tear on it, even if it is in the standby position. If in a CG we are never gone long enough for the loss of AC power to make a difference.
__________________
2014 American Eagle 45T
DD 13, 500 HP
Pulling a Honda CRV
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12-02-2019, 10:41 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Poulsbo, WA
Posts: 749
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[QUOTE=Cat320;5060985]I turn the inverter on only when it will be used. There is wear and tear on it, even if it is in the standby position. If in a CG we are never gone long enough for the loss of AC power to make a difference.[/QUOTE
Exactly! Seems no clear consensus on leaving on or turning off. So what’s the downside to turning it off if at a CG for an extended period of time. And is there really “wear and tear” if left on??
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12-03-2019, 07:46 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 761
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don
This question has been asked before and there should be some clarification to get an accurate answer. Many coaches have inverters to run things like their entertainment units and some outlets. Other coaches, like the newer all electric models, use inverter(s) to run everything in the coach.
I have an all electric coach and I leave my inverter on 24/7/365. When camping, if there is a power outage, my inverter seamlessly takes over until power is restored.
So.....before someone says that there is no need to run an inverter, the type of coach and what the inverter powers should be identified.
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I have an all electric coach as well, when we purchased it on the panel was a stick on sign to turn the inverter off. I am glad to see this post maybe I can figure out why the previous owner put the sigh up,
__________________
2014 Tiffin Allegro Bus
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12-03-2019, 08:19 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,944
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caninecop
I have an all electric coach as well, when we purchased it on the panel was a stick on sign to turn the inverter off. I am glad to see this post maybe I can figure out why the previous owner put the sigh up,
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Just a guess, but probably because the idle current of the inverter is not nothing and will draw the batteries down. That's when it's not on shore power, of course.
__________________
Tom & Jeri
2018 Coachmen Galleria 24T Li3
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