converter and inverters??

[IMABUSBOY]

I'm looking at and need an inverter and a converter/distribution panel for a 50 amp service and  would like your advise ,pros and cons on these units.
Generally speaking, can I run my entire bus on a 12v, 3000w inverter or should I go to a 24v? What's the difference in performance?

Next, converters: Should I pay $100 more to include a battery charger or is a separate charge better/as good?
Thanks! Danny

[belfert]

I think you are mixing up converters and inverters.

An inverter takes in 12 or 24 volt DC and puts out 110 volt AC.  An inverter can also have a battery charger included.
A converter takes in 110 volt AC and outputs 12 or 24 volt DC.  This is basically a battery charger and not needed if inverter has battery charger.

I would definitely buy an inverter with battery charger.

[Oonrahnjay]

quote author=IMABUSBOY link=topic=29613.msg328644#msg328644 date=1440640858]
I'm looking at and need an inverter and a converter/distribution panel for a 50 amp service and  would like your advise ,pros and cons on these units.
Generally speaking, can I run my entire bus on a 12v, 3000w inverter or should I go to a 24v? What's the difference in performance?

Next, converters: Should I pay $100 more to include a battery charger or is a separate charge better/as good?
Thanks! Danny
[/quote]

     If you have an inverter, you don't need a converter (probably).  What are your DC loads?  Are they 12V or 24V?  If things you're going to be running on DC are 12V, it's probably best to get a 12V (to 120V, of course) inverter.  There are some issues, though.  You'll need to run larger diameter power cables with a 12V inverter, plus *in general* 12V inverters don't go up the the same level of wattage as the 24V ones (usually 2500 watt is the biggest you'll find in 12V but 24V inverters will go up to 4000 watt -- but this is ONLY a general rule.)

     Quality inverters these days include a battery charger with programmable charging profiles (wet cell vs. gel cell etc.).  With these, you don't need a separate charger.  Some people have been running cheap, low-wattage inverters that don't include a charger -- Do It Your Way.

     The question of whether 3000 watts is enough you can only answer by totalling up your 120V loads -- and adding a 10% margin for efficiency losses.  If you plan to run much of anything else, 3K watts is very unlikely to start and run two air conditioners at the same time.  If you want to run a water heater and a coffee maker or microwave or hair dryer at the same time, that means *no* air conditioners at the same time.

    The problem is that everyone's bus -- and power needs profile -- is different.  And different brands or designs of inverter have different capabilities and power levels.  But the above is about the general rule, but you can usually find a way to do something else if you need to.

    (and, yeah, what Brian said ... )

[thomasinnv]

You might look at the xantrex sw3012 or sw3024 if you dont mind spending a little more. They have built in chargers, ups rated transfer switches, and are xanbus enabled. They also do load sharing. You can add a solar charge control to the system, a generator auto start, and a power shedding load system. You might also look at the xw series, or possibly the freedom 458.

I recently upgraded from a prosine 2.0 to the sw3012 with scp and ags. I really like it.

[scanzel]

You alse need to decide what type of battery bank you will be using, wet cells or AGM. How many batteries and amp hours. If you only have a few hundred amp hours you won't get much inverting time if boon docking without some sort of back up changing, generator or solar or both combined. I have 8 AGM batteries with a Magnum 4024 at 4000 watts. It is an over kill but I got a real good price on the Magnum so I went with it. My ac electrical panel is a square D qo panel with a 50 amp main breaker with a rotary switch so I can switch between shore/generator/inverter when needed. I also have a Vanner equalizer for the 12v items because I could not them in 24v. All my lighting will be led for less power draw. In the future I plan on solar panels.

[Lee Bradley]

As far as 12 vs 24, what is your bus? Probably should go with the same voltage as the bus.

[sledhead]

my bus is 24volt and originally I had a 12 volt inverter . worked great for years but I just changed to a 24 volt 4024 hybrid inverter and should have started with the 24 volt system but at the time my loads ( at 120 volt ) were small

there was nothing wrong with the system I removed ( 12 volt ) but the 24 v system is much more superior  and so was the cost

dave 

[IMABUSBOY]

Thanks for all your replies and suggestions.  Belfert, you're right I am mixing it up. I've been researching this for a while and was getting a little buggy.
My bus is 24v and my house batteries will be either 12v or 24v/w varner. I intend to run 12v or 24 on all that I can.  Currently, my shore power is 50 amp,120/240 V/AC.

My AC needs will start with two 120 V/AC roof top units, a microwave, coffee pot, refer, TV and dvd player. We cook outside with electric when we have shore power or portable propane stove. I don't like cooking inside. Our propane needs are, water heater and furnace but I would like to eventually go 100% electric.
All good suggestions!
sleadhead, I'm probably going to have to go the way you did.
Thank all! I'm sure I'll have more questions as we progress.

[thomasinnv]

If you intend to run your roof ac on the inverter while underway definately go with a 24v inverter so you will have the full output of that 50dn available.

[IMABUSBOY]

Thanks Thomasinnv. I'm leaning in that direction(24v) for sure! My bus central air works well on the road but wife likes to sleep with air...she's freezing me! haha My house and the bus are like meat lockers.
Danny