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Old 12-02-2019, 08:48 AM   #1
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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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Old 12-02-2019, 09:21 AM   #2
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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.
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Old 12-02-2019, 09:26 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Wbonsell View Post
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.

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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Old 12-02-2019, 11:10 AM   #4
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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.
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Old 12-02-2019, 11:24 AM   #5
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Other coaches, like the newer all electric models, use inverter(s) to run everything in the coach.
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.
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Old 12-02-2019, 11:33 AM   #6
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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 12-02-2019, 11:34 AM   #7
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my inverter runs kitchen outlets and entertainment units so when in a resort i leave it off
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Old 12-02-2019, 11:45 AM   #8
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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...
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Old 12-02-2019, 12:09 PM   #9
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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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Old 12-02-2019, 03:40 PM   #10
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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.
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Old 12-02-2019, 07:25 PM   #11
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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.
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Old 12-02-2019, 10:41 PM   #12
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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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Old 12-03-2019, 07:46 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don View Post
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.
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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Old 12-03-2019, 08:19 AM   #14
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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,
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.
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