|
07-15-2016, 02:09 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 23
New Mexico
|
Inverter in a 3895
We just picked up a 2016 3895 and I want to install an inverter. It looks ike the Xantrex Freedom 458 fits the bill. Has anyone put one of these in their TH? Do I have to uninstall the factory charging system?
Basically what I want to do have a full coach inverter with passthrough for gennie and shore power, and an off switch by the Voltage's existing panels? Easy right!!?
thanks for any advice. first post!
__________________
|
|
|
07-15-2016, 02:33 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Readfield
Posts: 137
Maine
|
I am sure you understand the pitfalls of going full coach. That being said I would recommend leaving the existing DC supply/charger in place, just isolated at the breakers. This way you can have a backup should something go wrong.
I am a bit biased, but have you looked at Magnum?
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
__________________
|
|
|
07-15-2016, 02:56 PM
|
#3
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 23
New Mexico
|
Honestly I dont know the pitfalls. My last toyhauler had a simple 600 watt unit behind the TV.
|
|
|
07-17-2016, 03:31 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Quarantine
Posts: 365
Ontario
|
Personally, if I were going to go whole RV, I'd cough up the bux for pure sine wave. I have a small MSW inverter to dedicated receptacles that run a couple of TVs and the sound system and charge phone and laptop.
Whole house needs lots of batteries - 4 x 6V at least.
I agree with other poster: leave converter in place. Remember to turn it off when running inverter.
I honestly don't know if a built in 25A transfer switch is rated to handle 30 or 50A when you're on shore power.
|
|
|
07-18-2016, 05:06 PM
|
#5
|
Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Riverton
Posts: 36
Utah
|
Whole coach isn't a good idea. I have a Xantrex 3000 watt running "most" of my coach. Exclude the Air Conditioners, Fridge, Microwave and any other high load items and then run the rest of the coach off the inverter.
I discarded my "converter" and its charging system and use the charging system from the "inverter" instead. Works GREAT!
|
|
|
07-18-2016, 06:27 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
I have a Magnum 3100W unit in my 3950 with 4-6V golf cart batteries and 370W of solar on the roof. We dry camp a few times a year at NASCAR tracks. I only start the generator if we want to run the AC. Mine powers both refrigerators, the ice maker, TV, coffee pot, microwave, DirecTV receiver, radios, fans, etc. all day on a sunny day and still manages to charge the batteries enough to make it thru the night and make coffee in the morning before the sun starts working for me again. Get a GOOD charge controller (Bogart Engineering). Solar is the way to go in my opinion.
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 03:05 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oxnard
Posts: 257
California
|
My experience is close to donzinger's. We have 4x100w panels, a xantrex 2000 pure sine inverter, 4x12 bats on board, and an aux 4x6v pack. We only start the Gen for A/C, and run the fridge off propane. Microwave, coffee, toaster oven no problem, just not at the same time!
After a few days, If it was a cloudy day sometimes we may need to run the gen at night for a half hour or so before bed just to be sure to make the night.
__________________
2015 Voltage 3800 w/ Epic IV, Int&Ext, Garage Pkgs; 8x100W Solar, 2x Xantrex C35 Charge Controllers, SW2000 Inverter & Monitor; 2005 Chevy Duramax Dually 3500 w/Banks; Kawi KFX700 & Polaris Scrambler 500 ATVs.
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 03:43 PM
|
#8
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 23
New Mexico
|
thanks for the input. For you guys that are only doing partial coach, how are you connecting to specific outlets? At the circuit panel?
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 07:14 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Quarantine
Posts: 365
Ontario
|
My inverter is in the basement and the receptacles are in the cabinet under the main TV and behind the bedroom TV. Different color so as not to get confused with shore power receptacle.
Not elegant, but works perfectly.
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 10:51 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helena, MT
Posts: 606
Montana
|
I power the whole trailer via inverter by plugging my shore power cord into the inverter outlet. I make sure the breaker for the converter is switched off in the AC panel before doing this and also switch off the air con, water heater, and microwave breakers so that they can't accidentally be switched on and overload the inverter. All outlets are then hot just like when plugged into shore power. I can run the fridge on inverter electricity if I want, but I manually switch it to gas. Not slick as a transfer switch, but I don't have an onboard genny and this works for our off grid camping style.
__________________
2012 Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar on the roof | 2x6V GC batteries | 1500 watt PSW inverter | Micro Air on A/C | so far strictly boondocking
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 11:05 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
My inverter is always on unless the AC is on. Love it
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 11:22 PM
|
#12
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 23
New Mexico
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ewarnerusa
I power the whole trailer via inverter by plugging my shore power cord into the inverter outlet. I make sure the breaker for the converter is switched off in the AC panel before doing this and also switch off the air con, water heater, and microwave breakers so that they can't accidentally be switched on and overload the inverter. All outlets are then hot just like when plugged into shore power. I can run the fridge on inverter electricity if I want, but I manually switch it to gas. Not slick as a transfer switch, but I don't have an onboard genny and this works for our off grid camping style.
|
this is kind of what I was wanting to do. I would run the AC on inverter though. Does anyone have pictures of their quad 6V battery setup? I found some trays, but they seem expensive
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 11:40 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_owl
this is kind of what I was wanting to do. I would run the AC on inverter though. Does anyone have pictures of their quad 6V battery setup? I found some trays, but they seem expensive
|
Here you go
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-19-2016, 11:42 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_owl
this is kind of what I was wanting to do. I would run the AC on inverter though. Does anyone have pictures of their quad 6V battery setup? I found some trays, but they seem expensive
|
More
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 02:01 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: kamloops
Posts: 2,152
British Columbia
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by donzinger
Here you go
|
Donz,
I like it!
__________________
Jim
When I was a kid I was going nowhere fast, now I'm an old man I'm going everywhere slow.
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 03:46 PM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helena, MT
Posts: 606
Montana
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_owl
this is kind of what I was wanting to do. I would run the AC on inverter though. Does anyone have pictures of their quad 6V battery setup? I found some trays, but they seem expensive
|
Running AC off of an inverter is not a practical project. Certainly not with only 4 batteries. This link is focused on solar, but addresses the challenges of trying to provide the electricity needed when you don't have access to shore power/generator.
The (Almost) Fantasy of Solar-Powered RV Air Conditioning | Technomadia
__________________
2012 Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar on the roof | 2x6V GC batteries | 1500 watt PSW inverter | Micro Air on A/C | so far strictly boondocking
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 03:52 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
Even while camping on full hook up, my inverter stays on. If there is a chance of a power outage due to a pending storm and we are running AC, I turn the inverter off. That would kill my four batteries
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 09:35 PM
|
#18
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 23
New Mexico
|
thanks for the info. Learning as I go. What do you guys like for 6V batteries?
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 09:41 PM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Memphis
Posts: 1,616
Michigan
|
I went with the Duracell's from Sam's Club. They're made by Deka
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
__________________
2019 Ram 3500 Limited w/ Max Tow pkg
2005 Cardinal 33LX
2014-3950, Full Paint, 17.5" tires, 370W solar, 3100W Magnum inverter w/ AGS, 7500w diesel generator, Micro-Air Easy Start 364 (x3) SOLD!
|
|
|
07-20-2016, 10:09 PM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helena, MT
Posts: 606
Montana
|
Costco 6V, I think made by Interstate?
Inverters are really cool, but have to be matched to battery capacity and expected loads. If you eliminate the practically infeasible like the air con, and the feasible but requires a lot items like microwave, then they become very handy without a big investment and install. 4 batteries will pair well with a 1000 watt or even 1500 watt inverter, but any bigger of inverter gets a little scary when you consider how many amps @ 12V DC you are pulling.
__________________
__________________
2012 Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar on the roof | 2x6V GC batteries | 1500 watt PSW inverter | Micro Air on A/C | so far strictly boondocking
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|