Utilizing 2KW 120V inverter in truck bed while towing

[chowlee]

Does anyone have experience with using the available truck bed AC power to power the camper while towing. I have a 2021 Ford F150 with a 2KW AC inverter outlet in the bed. I'm primarily interested in providing additional battery charging and running the fridge on AC while towing.

Charlie

[Brian B-P]

I don't have experience with this, but it makes a lot of sense. The big challenge will be setting up a suitable connection - you certainly don't want the shore power cord strung down the side of the trailer on the road! However, the inlet is handled, a breakaway cord connection would be prudent; perhaps a Voltsafe block heater cord would work.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't have experience with this, but it makes a lot of sense. The big challenge will be setting up a suitable connection - you certainly don't want the shore power cord strung down the side of the trailer on the road!

Would a transfer switch inside the trailer make sense that would have the shore power main as one input (priority) and suitable wiring from the truck as the second input with output to the WFCO power center main breaker?

Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-TS-3.../dp/B00153EYTO

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Would a transfer switch inside the trailer make sense that would have the shore power main as one input (priority) and suitable wiring from the truck as the second input with output to the WFCO power center main breaker?

Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-TS-3.../dp/B00153EYTO

That seems perfectly appropriate to me. A manual switch would work, too, but automatic is more convenient.

A cascading set of transfer switches to handle multiple possible AC sources (such as shore power, generator, and inverter) is normal, and the truck is acting as an external generator.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

That seems perfectly appropriate to me. A manual switch would work, too, but automatic is more convenient.

A cascading set of transfer switches to handle multiple possible AC sources (such as shore power, generator, and inverter) is normal, and the truck is acting as an external generator.

If the OP was interested in this as part of a solution this is how the GoPower transfer switch would be wired for shore power priority. Several of us have used or considered using these transfer switches and realized their diagrams are incorrect/misleading on the device versus the paperwork as far as which position is priority.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

If the OP was interested in this as part of a solution this is how the GoPower transfer switch would be wired for shore power priority. Several of us have used or considered using these transfer switches and realized their diagrams are incorrect/misleading on the device versus the paperwork as far as which position is priority.

After that discussion (Transfer switch priority), I think the problem is that the labelling of some transfer switches may be suitable for a generator installation in which the user want to use the generator whenever it is running (generator priority); that's different from an inverter installation in which the user wants to use the inverter as little as possible (shore power priority).

I might want the truck's power supply to be used as little as possible - meaning giving priority to shore power - because it would be easy to not realize that the truck's inverter is active.

[dbnh]

The automatic transfer switch is exactly what I have been hoping to find.
I have a very similar situation, now just need to figure out how to connect my truck inverter to my travel trailer while driving so that my 2 way fridge (gas/120v) can run on ac while driving.