3000 watt modified sine wave inverter

[Nineforever]

I recently purchased a 3000 watt inverter to run house hold items such as tv and dvd etc while cruising down the highway the manual says install directly to the battery source , and keep away from moisture .
If i install inside the inverter inside the coach where would i run the power and negative cables 

[eagle19952]

most (as are mine) land them in a baggage bay....battery cables as short as is needed. mine are near 5-6 feet.
I would not want an inverter inside they hum sometimes...atleast I can hear it.

[bevans6]

I like the baggage bay as close to the batteries as possible, if in the same space make sure the batteries are in containers or top vented to atmosphere.

Brian

[Nineforever]

okay in the front baggage bay , then run the power wire with recaptacle up threw ........  to the interior of coach

[Lin]

As I was reminded when I asked an inverter installation question several years ago, don't forget to put a properly sized circuit breaker on the positive supply cable to the inverter.  I forget who told me to do that, but there have been times when it was needed, so thanks to whoever it was.

[eagle19952]

okay in the front baggage bay , then run the power wire with recaptacle up threw ........  to the interior of coach

OK here is how my system is wired:( basically) 
shore power cord and generator to transfer switch.
Transfer switch output to main A/C 220v breaker panel
Main breaker panel feeds all 220v loads (coach heat and Air Conditioner and 110v hot water heater)( keep in mind I am an all electric coach. AND I have one battery bank which combines house and chassis/start)
one 30amp 110v breaker powers my inverter. one 50 amp feeds heat AC one 30 amp feeds hot water.
ALL 110v loads are powered by my inverter through a sub panel.
IF RV park or shore power fails...I still have referidge, tv etc.
My inverter (as do most 1kw plus sized inverters) has a pass through function that allows the inverter to "rest" when not needed, I have mine set at 50 amp source, this tells the inverter that all of the needs are met by shore power.
I have about 70% 12v fluorescent lighting that each have mini inverters which convert 12v DC to AC 110v, this allows the inverter to "see" my battery bank at all times and automatically maintain them in a 100% state of charge when I am hooked to pole power.

Of course my inverter "picks up those loads when "off pole/off generator.
My primary reason for having an inverter is for my refridgerator.

What inverter do you have ?
Is your coach already wired or are you building it ?

[Lostranger]

Don't forget to put a properly sized circuit breaker on the positive supply cable to the inverter.

Not necessarily. Might be a good time to read the active thread: "Ground Plan For Multiple Voltages."  An excellent argument can be made for putting the catastrophic fuse on the negative side of the battery bank.

Jim

[bevans6]

The inverter fuse isn't the catastrophe fuse.  I think of it as the inverter fuse protects the inverter circuit while the catastrophe fuse protects the battery bank.  That's a little simplistic but it's how I look at it.  I don't have a catastrophe fuse.  The reason is I don't believe in fusing the starter bank and starter, and I normally have the house batteries bridged to the start bank.  There are different schools of thought.

Brian

[Nineforever]

What i have is a 1981 MC9 w/871n rebuilt and automatic transmission  it is one of my coaches i used several years for our small charter operation here in NWT few years back i started using 1992 mci 102c .
My MC9 is a basic conversion  when bus is running down the highway it runs as it always has Aircon and heat still in basement .
Bus wired as you would wire a small cabin ice box fridge  when parked run off 6000 watt Honda Generator / no hot water tank / no shower
added grey water tank for bathroom and kitchen sink .
Not Fancy but a great hunting fishing cabin on wheels
I want to install a inverter to run a few things  while driving down the road   TV etc   want to wire to bus batteries to keep it simple

[bevans6]

Nineforever (actual name is?) there are two basic schools of thought on inverters.  First is to keep it a single unit big enough to do everything, including control the source with an automatic transfer switch and charge the batteries when there is external power.  Look at around $2K for that, and you wire it in to your AC distribution system just like the external cord or the generator.  The second is to keep it small, sometimes one small unit close to where it's used with battery cables down to the bus batteries or even tiny units scattered about to run a radio or something.  These units can be very cheap, you plug your TV or computer directly into a socket on the unit itself.  Downside can be the battery cables need to be big enough to support your load and shorter is always better when it comes to battery cables.  You need to think about what your plan of attack is going to be, what your true usage and load count will be, and start from there.  Once you know what you need you can then start to figure out a solution.  Keep in mind that if you want to use your bus battery on the road it is a 24 volt system, so if you go with a 12 volt inverter you need to also consider an equalizer to keep the charge equal in those batteries.  Your MCI may already have one, the Vanner was a common option, but it is limited to 60 amps at 12 volts so that is only 4 or 5 amps of 120 VAC after you run that through an inverter.  You should look for a 24 volt inverter from the start for your application, and ignore the small, cheap 12 volt inverters.  Cheaper and better in the long run.

In my bus I have/had three different plans.  Now I have a big Magnum 4024, runs off the bus 24 volt system when on the road, and I can run almost everything in the bus that I want to.  I also have a tiny inverter in the bedroom (which isn't finished yet so isn't wired for anything but 12v DC).  I use it to run a little radio.  I also have a small 1,000 watt pure sine inverter that I can connect to a 12V battery and have AC anywhere.  Currently it is going into my trailer but it could go on my tractor, in my truck, I could take it about anywhere I wanted to have a small temporary source of high quality AC without a generator. 

[Nineforever]

 ... I guess i should have done my home work before i purchased it ... was on sale at Canadian Tire 160.00 not a lot of money . So not a good idea to run this 12 volt directly to one of the batteries or to the converter that takes 24 volt down to 12 volt witch is located in the battery compartment . I would like to run led 40 inch flat screen tv and DVD and run / charge laptop cell phone ...... stick with ice box fridge for this year if i don't have enough power.
Thanks
Dave

[eagle19952]

Now i get it...in this case, were I you I would put this as close to the battery as possible and run short extension cords (12ga) into the  area as needed.

[Seangie]

Not necessarily. Might be a good time to read the active thread: "Ground Plan For Multiple Voltages."  An excellent argument can be made for putting the catastrophic fuse on the negative side of the battery bank.

Jim

Jim -  keep in mind that the catastrophic fuse is for the battery bank only.  The inverter would be best fused on the + side.  Any device running on the DC side should be fused on the + side with the batteries fused on the negative side.

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

[Nineforever]

Eagle do i run cable positive + and cable negative - from the inverter to the vanner or directly to one of the batteries .... both batteries and vanner 24 to 12 volt are located in the battery box .  Then run extension up into coach interior   

[eagle19952]

Need to know more...
What model Vanner, what is the dc amps required by the inverter, if  you have a VAnner 24v DC to 12v DC down converter....