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Inverter recommendation needed.

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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2016
    Good explanation using coffee which most people can relate to.
    The Wins are doing A/C from solar but they have lots of solar and lots of expensive lithium batteries. So, A/C can be done but only if you're the Wins and getting free advice and either get free stuff or spend a fortune. Not gonna happen on a small T@B
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,367
    Ditto on PXLated's comments.  Saw them on the Going RV show.  Maybe some corporate sponsors are involved? If so, good for them.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,367
    BTW St Bob - you rock man. Great battery write up. Hoping you get a TAB and keep helping us with your knowledge and experience. You will be in good company!
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,367
    Yep. Saw their bus on one of the RV shows generating enough solar power to run their A/C (at the last deployment of an angled panel on top of their bus for maximum dramatic affect). Excuse you me, but I'm longing for the truth. Seems like everyone has a hidden agenda. That's one of the great things about this forum.  We strive to help each other without regard for personal gain.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Posted a pic awhile back where they had a ton of panels out - Think the title was something like "Jenn Goes Big Rig" - Passed by them last week again so counted the panels - 21 of the suckers (roughly 2x4.5 ft each). Almost stopped and asked what the heck they were running with those. Would think they'd have a whole building full of batteries.
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    Holy moses! 21 panels! AND lithium batteries? *gasp faint* 
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • EWizardEWizard Member Posts: 106
    Their rig is pretty awesome for sure!  They have all kinds of sponsors, and they sell stuff through their site.
    Pretty cool way to live.
    2005 T@B U model
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ratkity - The Wins don't have 21 panels - I saw someone else with 21 set up.
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  • EWizardEWizard Member Posts: 106
    For anyone wanting to read about their setup:
    http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/
    Their interactive map is pretty neat for getting ideas about where to travel.  
    They've been all over.
    2005 T@B U model
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2016
    Another good source for places is WheelingIt...Several years of maps...Much more detail than the Wins...
    http://wheelingit.us/the-journey/
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    PXLated said:
    Ratkity - The Wins don't have 21 panels - I saw someone else with 21 set up.
    Ohhhhhhh... sorry, misread. Still. Geesh.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ratkity - Posted a pic over here...Pic doesn't show the ones stacked up on the left side...
    http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/2353/when-jenn-goes-big-rig#latest
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  • RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    I rem that pict. They could have a trailer they tow stacked with batteries! Maybe there's an incinerator in there for the bodies...... *cue scary music*
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • capewoodscapewoods Member Posts: 36
    I have exactly the same question as EWizard earlier in this post.  He wrote "How would you hook up an inverter with the stock converter that is already installed in our T@B?" I'm not trying to plug the trailer into the inverter.  Rather, I'm just installing the inverter under the driver's side bench in order to occasionally power a laptop or other modest draw device when boondocking.  I was planning on just wiring the inverter directly to the master switch I've installed before my battery, but is that not advisable for some reason? It is not possible is it for the DC leads into the inverter to conduct electricity back through my master switch and harm the trailer's converter?

    Maybe a more important question is what happens when the trailer is plugged into shore power and therefore powering the DC wires running to the battery -- and the inverter?  If this were a problem, I suppose I could keep my battery master switch off, but then I also wouldn't be charging my battery from shore power.  Any help would be appreciated.
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  • MercatorMercator Member Posts: 237
    edited March 2016
    capewoods said:
    I have exactly the same question as EWizard earlier in this post.  He wrote "How would you hook up an inverter with the stock converter that is already installed in our T@B?" I'm not trying to plug the trailer into the inverter.  Rather, I'm just installing the inverter under the driver's side bench in order to occasionally power a laptop or other modest draw device when boondocking.  I was planning on just wiring the inverter directly to the master switch I've installed before my battery, but is that not advisable for some reason? It is not possible is it for the DC leads into the inverter to conduct electricity back through my master switch and harm the trailer's converter?

    Maybe a more important question is what happens when the trailer is plugged into shore power and therefore powering the DC wires running to the battery -- and the inverter?  If this were a problem, I suppose I could keep my battery master switch off, but then I also wouldn't be charging my battery from shore power.  Any help would be appreciated.
    I think that you will find that most inverters that provide more than 150-200 watts have a fan built in for cooling.  Larger units generally need to be connected to the battery and with those you will have that fan noise all of the time, which could become annoying.  I have a 400 watt unit that I connect directly to the battery terminals only if/when I need it. I haven't used it very often and may leave it home.

    If you only need 150-250 watts you can find some inverters that plug into the 12 volt "cigar lighter" outlet in the T@B.

    You may be able to find a charger for your laptop that also can be plugged directly into the 12 volt outlet.  I found one for my MacBook Air.
    Ray and Vida Barrick
    (formerly a 2013 T@B Q M@X); 2015 Jeep Sahara JKU (Max Tow)
    Toronto ON Canada
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  • capewoodscapewoods Member Posts: 36
    The inverter I'm installing has a remote power switch.  I'll only turn it on when and if needed.  But my primary concern is whether I have to worry about the wiring.  Currently I've got a 30 amp fuse on my battery post and based upon the coffee pot example above regarding what happens when you plug in a high wattage device, that fuse might have to be increased substantially.  But is there a risk that plugging into the inverter will also trip the breaker to my solar panels or harm anything else in the trailer?
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I'd make sure you can live with the inverter fan noise (if the size you're considering has one) before you permentately install. I couldn't so mounted mine outside in the battery/propane tub/box. It takes longer to charge your computer via inverter than 110 so you'll be listening to it for quite some time.
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  • capewoodscapewoods Member Posts: 36
    Agreed.  And in fact the USB ports will probably not get used that often since they're all over my TV as well.  It's really just for that rare event when there's something we need to plug into 110 and are located a long ways from it.  Any thoughts on the wiring?  When you connect up your inverter, do you disconnect the existing wiring to the rest of your trailer or leave that in place?
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    My inverter is directly wired to the battery. It has an on/off button. If I need it, I just run a flat extension cord into the drivers side window and charge things up. I only do that during peak sun while my solar is charging the battery. Right now I have my computer, bluetooth speaker and camera batteries plugged in and charging.
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  • RonRon Member Posts: 137
    I've lived  on and traveled by sailboat for many years until I sold my boat about 2 years ago.  I would go for many weeks and never hook up to shore power.  I motored some and used solar panels to charge my 500 amp battery banks.  I had lights, forced air diesel furnace, 12v cold plate refrigeration, tv, stereo, 12 anchor windlass, and ect.  I never ran out of juice in the summer months up north or in Mexico in the winter.
    My shore power battery charger was a 2000w Heart interface inverter charger.  This would automaticly switch between shore power and battery power to supply 110 or 12 anytime and charge battery bank when on shore power.  What's important here is AUTOMATIC.  If you try to hardwire an inverter along with your converter you can have problems.  If you forget the inverter is turned on and plug into shore power it ain't going to be good.  Most likely you will have a direct short from phase imbalance.  You could install an automatic transfer switch, but space limitations would probably not allow this.  Also, I don't see a way to not charge the battery when converter is powered on by 110vac. This would mean useing your battery to make 110v to charge the same battery that you are making 110v from.  The inefficieny of this would deplete your battery.
    The safest way is a dedicated outlet for inverter use only, or an extension cord from the inverter.
    2016 T@B MaxS, 2018 Jeep Rubicon 4dr, Rural Scottsdale, Az.
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  • KyBawpawKyBawpaw Member Posts: 183
    FWIW, many recommend or even insist on a full sine wave inverter for use with electronics like laptops and such. I believe using a cheap 300 watt inverter with a deep cycle bass boat battery during a power outage a couple years ago is what blew out my relatively new laptop battery. We were watching some DVDs on it for two weeks waiting the the snow to melt and the power to come back on. Full wave inverters are not cheap.
    "Not all those who wander are lost"- J. R. R. Tolkien 
    2014 T@B-S
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