inverter hook up

[Pascal]

this is even more critical with inverters that have built in transfer switches. I always turn off the DC switch as well to make sure the thing doesn't suddenly come on line...

i'm not sure i'd wire the 2 or 3 appliances to the inverter directly and permanently, for a variety of reasons...

i think that everything shoudl be going thru the panel, with all the breakers there. want to turn off something ? breaker is right there.

an inverter runnig a couple of compressors is going to generate some heat... not much... but it's still some extra stuff that's left on.

you dont' have to add a rotary, you could add an extra breaker with a safety slide. cheaper, less space, equally safe. there is no way to back feed if you have a safety slide since only one master breaker can be on.

i dont' know if this is a pure sine wave inverter, but if modified sine wave, do you really want to run motors on MSW 24/7 ? not sure... i don't think there is a definitive answer on that but it has been suggested that motors run hotter on MSW. i don't want to take a risk... replacing the fridge in a MY isn't fun !

to connect the fridge, freezer, etc.. you're going to have to modify the panel anyway, by pulling the wires of the breaker and the neutral bus and running wires to the inverter anyway.

finally, by directly connecting the 2 or 3 appliances, you are loosing the benefits of using the inverter for other things.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I think maybe we're talking about 2 different things here. Boatsb is saying (I think) that you don't want your inverter working (inverting) all of the time. Trojan is saying that his is a pass through system. Is that right? So, if you have the inverter hooked up to the fridge, etc and the AC is present, it flows through and shuts off the invert function until such time as the input AC drops out. This is okay, but as stated before, make sure you know that it will automatically pick up and you will have energized curcuits there until you turn it off.

I prefer the selector method for 2 reasons:

1) It is safer since you can only run from one source and all sources can be turned off at the same point. One look at that panel and you know if anything is on.
2) If you ever need to run something on any curcuit, you can do it. With a dedicated subpanel or pas-thru system, you only have certain loads that are connected.

As Pascal said, the breakers are much cheaper than the rotary. I paid $150 for the 2 breaker setup with the slide from Sams to replace the single genset breaker in my panel.

 

[garyd]

On my 115v panel the breakers are screwed together and into a solid piece of plated steel. I plan on cutting that so only two circuits will be islolated from the ship/genny 115v. They will still run through the standard 115v breakers. They will be labeled warning that they are being powered by the inverter. My inverter is pass through and of course charges the battery. If the battery is charged then neither the inverter or charger is operating thus really no heat (might be a very slight amount from the relay).

If the relay fails then you could have a problem. If the inverter fails you could also have a problem. Both of those are very unlikely. However since the steel bar is tapped I am going to premake a jumper wire to install if the above problem occurs. I bet I never use the jumper wire.

I am going to replace the Battery switch from the house/port engine from a on/off to a 1 both 2 off. The house battery will be the inverter battery as well. Then I can either use two batteries to start or two batteries for the house. Or can charge both batteries from the engine or just one. I still haven't decided if I'm going to add a small charger to charge the non-inverter battery or batteries yet.

garyd

 

[Trojan]

My inverter is dedicated to the the refridge, ice maker, stereo and TV. why would I want to turn it off? The inverter runs 24/7. I have a DC breaker right off the batteries that shuts off the inverter when I want. I don't use the inverter for anything else. Standard panel breakers will not handle the DC current. And small of wires will also cause the unit to heat. Do as you like. The question was how can I hook the inverter up? You could purchase some DC relays and just use a little toggle switch, and some leds. You could add that new computer control that the new boats have and control it from the screen. All it takes is money......
BILL

 

[hwginc]

My inverter is dedicated to the the refridge, ice maker, stereo and TV. why would I want to turn it off? The inverter runs 24/7. I have a DC breaker right off the batteries that shuts off the inverter when I want. I don't use the inverter for anything else. Standard panel breakers will not handle the DC current. And small of wires will also cause the unit to heat. Do as you like. The question was how can I hook the inverter up? You could purchase some DC relays and just use a little toggle switch, and some leds. You could add that new computer control that the new boats have and control it from the screen. All it takes is money......
BILL

Bill the inverter has a remote contoll that shuts it off I am going to install a disconnect between inverter and panel to insure backfeed doe not happen

 

[Trojan]

The relays in the unit will likely do that for you, just check it out and see. Sounds like a plan.

Bill