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Topic: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge (Read 506 times) previous topic - next topic
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Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
On a new 27MB where are all of these mounted most often?

I'm new to inverters.
Specifically we have 2 bicycle batteries that draw too much for the 12VDC outlets in our current LD.
Would an inverter allow the standard 120V outlets to charge these? A greater draw capability?

Also, recommendations on brands and models of the above would be helpful.

We have Progressive Industries portable surge protector but I'm considering installing one on the new rig.

Oh, and I installed a Progressive Dynamics Converter in our current rig. What brand and model converter does the factory install?

Thanks
2021 Mid Bath
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #1 –
The battery meter and any other readouts are usually located in MBs above the microwave or in the end of the padded kitchen cabinet.
Both locations are shown in the photo below, zoom in on the microwave to see the location of the Victron battery gauge and the hardwired Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C surge protector's readout fob.


To charge our electric bikes lithium batteries,  an inexpensive 400-watt inverter is used.
The inverter has been hardwired to the Power Center with 10-gauge wire and an inline fuse.

An inverter can be wired into the rigs 120-VAC outlet, it's a very expensive job, especially if a 2000-watt inverter is installed.
Check how this 2000-watt inverter was installed in a 2015 MB,  it took almost two weeks to complete the project and cost the owner a bundle....it was done for his wife's hairdryer.
Prosine 2.0 Inverter | Flickr

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #2 –
Tedeboy, I have my whole house inverter under the front dinette seat, next to my 6 AGM batteries to minimize the length of wire run.  If I am hooked up to shore power, or if the generator is running, that inverter uses its converter side to charge the batteries, but if I am not hooked up to shore power, the inverter draws 12v DC power from the batteries and changes it to 120v AC power which goes to the 120v outlets.  I used to have an ebike.  I used my inverter to power my  120v outlets, and I plugged the bike battery charger into the exterior one to charge up the bike battery. 

Describing the wiring for the inverter, it has several connections.  A pair of very heavy cables connect the inverter to the battery bank.  A 3/c #10 cable connects between a 30 amp breaker in the primary power panel and the inverter, providing power to recharge the battery bank when there is a source of 120v AC power.  Another 3/c #10 cable connects from the inverter to a secondary power panel, in which are the breakers for the 120v outlets and the microwave.  Finally, a small signal cable runs from the inverter to the battery display/remote monitor.  To further complicate things, my solar panels feed to my solar controller, which in turn connects to the battery bank.  I did NOT do the installation myself.  I discussed my needs with AM Solar and they did the installation.

A few cautions - with an inverter, it is really easy to draw your battery bank way down, damaging the batteries.  Remember, a 1200 watt hair dryer draws 10 amps from the 120v AC outlet, so it will not trip the 15 amp breaker, but the poor inverter has to draw 100 amps (ignoring losses) from your batteries to provide the power to the outlet.

My Progressive Industries EMS/surge protecter is mounted to the underside of the cabinet shelf below the sink.  That puts it close to the ATS and the power panel.  (Make sure you use enough excess cabling so you can remove the EMS from under the shelf for periodic tightening of the connections.)  It is quite hard to remove mine for service.  It mounts with wood screws, the heads of which are all but impossible to see.  I installed a piece of 1/2" plywood under the shelf so the screws would have something to grab. If I were doing it again, I would do a much fancier installation, so there would be small bolts that projected down, with washers and nuts to hold the EMS in place.  That way, with the bolts locked in place, I could mount and unmount the EMS by feel.

Ken F in WY
'08 MB
 
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #3 –
Quote from: Larry W  - 

Check how this 2000-watt inverter was installed in a 2015 MB,  it took almost two weeks to complete the project and cost the owner a bundle....it was done for his wife's hairdryer.
Prosine 2.0 Inverter | Flickr

Larry


I would have opted for a different wife, but to each his own.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #4 –
Quote from: Don Malpas  - 
I would have opted for a different wife, but to each his own.


...or suggested a different coiffure requiring less intensive care... ;D 

1961 or so...I recall a discussion at the table when I was 6 or 7--my memory was that my mother's hair was short (up off her neck), but apparently she wore it in a French Roll for years & had gotten tired of the upkeep, so whacked it off after being referred to a new shop in town by my aunt married to Dad's older brother (who already had short hair).  Dad was apparently not enamored of the new 'do, to which Mother retorted, "Jerry, when you start taking care of it then you can tell me how to wear it!"  I don't remember any further discussions about hair, & they only ever plugged in with their Pace Arrow, so this wouldn't have come up (but I 'm sure Dad wouldn't have popped for an electrical upgrade for a hair dryer  ::) ).  She chose to be a pretty traditional Eisenhower-era bride (went to MU long enough to  get her MRS.), but flashes like that stick in my memory, & she wore her hair in that style for the next 50 years...

Lynne
Lynne
LDy Lulubelle, Green '05 31' TB
Lilly, the 4-Legged Alarm
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #5 –
I used to occasionally use an Andis travel hair dryer, which on its low (300W) setting actually did pretty well with my thinning hair (bald on top, longish ponytail in back). Even running on an inverter, it didn't use much power in the three minutes or so it took to dry my hair.

But when I moved into a tiny fiberglass trailer for the summer, the lack of a bathroom meant there was no easy way to shower--and I needed to wash my hair at least every other day, or it started to feel oily. I'd had long hair for half a century, but with considerable trepidation I took the radical step of cutting it down to about half an inch all over.

It turned out that I love it this way--it's cooler, it doesn't need brushing, it doesn't get windblown or tangled, and it doesn't need to be washed every couple of days... or dried. Maintaining it is easy: I just run a Wahl clipper (which draws about 15 watts) over it every six weeks or so.

I didn't get rid of the hair dryer, though. I still use it occasionally as a heat gun. :-)
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #6 –
Oh man, not the hair, Andy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1M3-m9VDqc
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #8 –
Yep, no more "freak flag." :-)
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #9 –
Okay everybody, I have a similar question and really need advice! 

First off my rig is a 2015, 24ft mid bath, with 2 solar panels and 2 6volt house batteries (standard).  Started the project with an RV guy who has disappeared (hopefully Covid didn't get him).  Purchased a Samlex 1500 pure sine wave inverter to recharge ebike batteries and laptop when boondocking.  Install will be on installed on the underside of the countertop by the entry door in the cabinet.   Inverter fits with room to spare and is directly behind the battery compartment accessible from the outside.  No RV repair place will touch it because I didn't buy the inverter from them.......grrrrr.

I am at a loss how to wire this up.  The inverter has 2 120 plugs that I will use as needed.  Otherwise it will be switched off so as not to drain power from the batteries.  I believe no other gauges ect... are needed.  I have 2 very helpful friends to help with this project, one a mechanical engineer and one an electrical engineer. 

Would really appreciate some guidance!

Thanks, jody
2015 Twin King Bed
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #10 –
Quote from: jodyltc  - 
Okay everybody, I have a similar question and really need advice! 

First off my rig is a 2015, 24ft mid bath, with 2 solar panels and 2 6volt house batteries (standard).  Started the project with an RV guy who has disappeared (hopefully Covid didn't get him).  Purchased a Samlex 1500 pure sine wave inverter to recharge ebike batteries and laptop when boondocking.  Install will be on installed on the underside of the countertop by the entry door in the cabinet.  Inverter fits with room to spare and is directly behind the battery compartment accessible from the outside.  No RV repair place will touch it because I didn't buy the inverter from them.......grrrrr.

I am at a loss how to wire this up.  The inverter has 2 120 plugs that I will use as needed.  Otherwise it will be switched off so as not to drain power from the batteries.  I believe no other gauges ect... are needed.  I have 2 very helpful friends to help with this project, one a mechanical engineer and one an electrical engineer. 

Would really appreciate some guidance!

Thanks, jody
Jody, someone knowledgeable will answer your question, however, may I ask if you have a 27' Mid Bath or a 24' Front Dinette? Your model description is mixing apples and oranges.  ;)  Welcome to Lazy Daze Owners' Group!

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #11 –
Quote from: Chris Horst  - 
Jody, someone knowledgeable will answer your question, however, may I ask if you have a 27' Mid Bath or a 24' Front Dinette? Your model description is mixing apples and oranges.  ;)  Welcome to Lazy Daze Owners' Group!

Chris
I have a 24ft with sofas in the back, bathroom behind the driver seat.
2015 Twin King Bed
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #13 –
Hi Jody;  Welcome to the FOLD  (Fellowship of Lazy Dazers).  I see that you live in San Diego county. I'm in Rancho Penasquitos, and I have an older '99 TK.     Tedeboy, who started this thread, lives in Encinitas and also has a TK.   That is a good location for the inverter. I'm going to assume you have the Samlex 1500 Watt 12V Pure Sine Inverter PST-1500-12.  To provide a real 1500 Watts from a 12V. source, would draw about 130 Amps from your batteries. With only a 200 AmpHour capacity of the standard LD AGM batteries you could run for about 40 minutes to draw down to 50%. Really tough on the batteries, and doesn't leave much power for anything else. To run that much power would require at least #2 wire, but not much of it. Wiring in to the 115 V.AC complicates things further. Read up on Larry's 2kw inverter install. I'll point out that Ken Fears has 6 AGM batteries. Your TK has the weight capacity, but it might be a squeeze to find room for six batteries on a TK.
      What current is required by your Ebike charger? If very high, you'd be better off just running the generator to charge these batteries. That Samlex inverter could provide power to charge a laptop battery. A bit of overkill there. Usually there are better smaller inverters for laptops. Say about 100 Watt range.   RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #14 –
Quote from: RonB  - 
Hi Jody;  Welcome to the FOLD  (Fellowship of Lazy Dazers).  I see that you live in San Diego county. I'm in Rancho Penasquitos, and I have an older '99 TK.  Tedeboy, who started this thread, lives in Encinitas and also has a TK. RonB

Hey Ron. I'm in Oceanside. Good to know another TK owner is near-by. Saw an IG video from a friend on the 4th that showed a older red TK at an orchard up in Julian. Wonder if they are here too?

Charles
Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome #23975
Escapees SKP #138195
2007 23.5' Twin King
Re: Inverter, surge protection, and battery gauge
Reply #15 –
Quote from: jodyltc  - 
First off my rig is a 2015, 24ft mid bath, with 2 solar panels and 2 6volt house batteries (standard).  Started the project with an RV guy who has disappeared (hopefully Covid didn't get him).  Purchased a Samlex 1500 pure sine wave inverter to recharge ebike batteries and laptop when boondocking. 

1500-watts is serious overkill for e-bikes and laptops, for years we have used a small, cheap, 400-watt modified sine-wave inverter to charge the electronics that need 120-VAC power. It also work fine for the Bosch e-bike chargers.
Very few devices need pure-sine wave 120-VAC power.

The Samlex needs very large wires (AWG-2 or AWG-1/0 cable and a 200-amp- fuse), it will be an expensive installation, the inverter should be located as close to the battery as possible.
https://www.samlexamerica.com/documents/manuals/11002-SSW-350-600-1000-1500-2000-12A-0117-Lrez.pdf

I usually installed inverters in T/Ks inside the cabinet just rearward of the coach door, on the passenger side, locating it just above the battery. Drill down to access the battery box.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze