installing inverter

[Danny]

I have had 120VAC in the bus for several months now.  I am ready to hoop up the inverter - Tripp-lite model RV3012OEM (3000 watt).  I have the batteries (4 golf cart) they are wired for 12V.  I have the shore line 50 amp into a conventional distribution panel (everything running to this panel).  I understand I will have to have a separate DC panel with disconnect for those items.  I have read several articles on the subject but still don't get the general idea as to how the shore, inverter, and gen set is to be configured. 

My questions are?  Do I have to have a separate panel for the shore power items (such as air conditioner, water heater, etc.) and another panel supplied by the inverter (lights, etc.)?  I can't get the big picture? 

Are there some folks out there that would not mind a phone call or two or personal e-mails to help answer my questions? 

Thanks a bunch!
Danny

[TomC]

I used 3 standard breaker boxes from Home Depot.  Here's how I wired mine.  Both the generator and land line come into the first box with 4-50amp breakers.  2 for the land line and 2 for the generator.  I also made a sliding plate that will only allow you to use one or the other at a time.  The power from either the generator or land line goes to the main breaker box that has up to 16 breakers in it.  This box is what I have wired that is direct feed only (not inverter)-like the 3 roof top A/C's, freezer, reefer, washer/dryer, 1st water heater,  and a 30 amp that feeds through the inverter to the third breaker box.  This is for inverter powered items, like the microwave/toaster oven, kitchen plugs (GFI), outside plugs, plug under the dinette, front and back TV/stereo systems, 2nd water heater, bathroom electric heater, ice maker.  It's simple, but bulky with the three breaker boxes.  Email me with any questions.  Good Luck, TomC

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Danny,

I choose to wire everything so that I can run any appliance off the inverter. [1 panel]

This order, land line/gen, transfer switch, inverter, then panel..

Good Luck
Nick-

[JackConrad]

Danny,
    As you can see, there is more than one way to wire in your inverter.  Each method has pros & cons.  We have ours wired to feed a separate panel which feeds only the items we want to run off the inverter. Large items (ACs, water heater, block heater, etc.) cannot run off inverter.
    A friend has his wired the way Nick wired his. This allows him to run anyting on the inverter. The down side is that when we were camping together and went on a day trip in our toad, the campground power failed. We had left our ACs running. When we returned, we both had a bus that was hot inside, but he also had dead house batteries. When the power failed, his inverter took over to keep his ACs running. This type of draw ran down the houe batteries rather quickly.  Jack

[TomC]

The newer inverters have programmable voltage cutoffs that can save your batteries from being drained.  Also, the newer inverters have automatic generator start.  So in both cases, with the load being gone with the A/C's powered through the power pole, the generator would have started immediately.  In the other case where the A/C's were powered through the inverter, when the batteries got down to the set recharge voltage the generator would have started.  Some of the APU's that are being made for the big rig trucks, have this low voltage battery start for the generator.  I know truckers that simply love this feature.  They come home for a weekend and just leave the reefer on in the truck, knowing the APU will start to keep the batteries up.  This could be done also if the bus is parked for a length of time with no hookup.  Good Luck, TomC

[RTS/Daytona]

Hi

Little known secret product - Progresive Dynamics

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_details/dist_panels/pd5500_2.html

but here's the secret - they have 2 additional models they sell that are not mentioned in thier catolog - they are used my most of the RV manufactures that supply inverters in thier RV

Nice units (all in one) - plastic housing (white/black/brown)  - only 9.25" H by 11.75" W by 4.5" D

Model-->DUAL 50/30 AMP AC Distribution Panel
<> 2 isolated and separate bus sections 50amp / 30 amp
<>50 amp (220 VAC dual 50 amp breaker slot and up to 8 120 vac half circuit breakers or up  4 240VAC full breakers
<>30 amp (120 VAC main and up to 6 120 vac half  circuit breakers for inverts requiring 30 amp output circuit breaker

Model-->DUAL 50/50 AMP Distribution Panel
same as above but second side is 50 amp 220VAC 50 amp dual mains for inverters which L1 L2 240 VAC inverters up to 5000 watts
and 4 120VAC half breakers or 2 240VAC full breakers   

also have a 15 amp rear outlet feature (RV manufactures use this for Refrigerators

you need to call and ask for these SPECIAL products

Dealers cost use to be about 25-30 dollars - retail ??
         
The distribution box come without C/B (they are available anywhere Lowes/HD/ACE/EtC

[Frank @ TX]

Hi Danny,
The way ours is wired uses only one panel.
The shore and the gen come into the transfer switch then into the breaker panel.
The 2 legs of the 50 amp shore or gen run down the breaker panel ( left & right ).
Every thing is normal so far.
About half way down the left leg the bus bar in the breaker panel is cut to stop the current flow.
The last breaker on the top half of the left leg ( power all the time ) has a 30 amp breaker to feed the INVERTER IN.
The first breaker on the left leg AFTER the cut has a 30 amp breaker INVERTER OUT.
So if I want inverter power I use the lower left leg breakers.
If I want pure shore or gen I use the top left or anywhere on the right leg for breakers.
This is the way we have been using the bus for the last 6 years.
Early on I moved some of the wires around to have the inverter power different plugs thean I first thought.
This is an easy thing to do, just move the wires from one breaker to another.
But now we think we have it the way we like it.
Remember the inverter powered things need to go the inverter neutral / ground.
So, once you wire it up this way everything's in the same panel.
We have 3 AC's the front AC is powered from the inverter the other 2 are not from the inverter.
That way we can run down the road and have the front AC on , without the gen fired up.
If the front one can't handle the heat we'll just kick on the gen.

With the gen or shore power active , the inverters "pass thru" the power to the correct breakers.
So you aren't makeing inverter power all the time just passing it thru.
Hope this helps
Frank