Question Re. Inverter with Transfer Switch - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-10-2018, 03:54 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
Question Re. Inverter with Transfer Switch

I'm contemplating having this option on my 2018 Escape 19. So, just wondering how it is wired on the 120 volt side. My understanding is that the transfer switch basically switched the AC from the shore power input to the inverter when activated. I understand that the AC, converter, and frig should not be powered fro the inverter for obvious reasons. So, are the 120 volt circuits for those 3 devices run separately to shore power only? Or, is it up to the user to be sure those devices are just not turned on when using the inverter? Have not been able to get this info from ETI as yet.

Thanks for your advice!

Carl
CarlNH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2018, 04:25 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Eddys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Longmont, Colorado
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 'Houdini 2'
Posts: 153
Hey Carl,
We have a 1500 inverter. When you plug into shore power, it uses a converter to convert to 12volt. Your fridge has the option of being on shore power or propane. Our fridge does not have the battery option, but that would not be a good idea anyway in our experience with older camper fridges! They run down much too fast.
AC(I think you mean air conditioner?) can only be powered by shore power or a portable generator able to generate enough power to run it comfortably (2000w?) As you suggest, AC uses too much power for the innverter.
Our understanding is that there is not enough battery power to run the AC. The inverter changes battery power 12 volt to 120 volt and is useful for small devices like coffee pot, juicer, charger laptop and cordless drill etc. When you press the inverter switch it will convert the battery power to 120 volt.
Hope that helps. You will no doubt see many useful responses to this though!! When you come for a visit we can try to elaborate more.
__________________
Jenny and Ian
Eddys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2018, 04:46 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
sclifrickson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Trailer: 2010 17B “MATT”, then 2017 19 “Lilly”
Posts: 1,584
The transfer switch makes all of your 120V outlets live when you turn on the inverter. If you get the inverter without the transfer switch then you only have one live outlet on the inverter itself when you turn it on.

You are correct that certain items are wired so they can only be operated off shore power (not the inverter), which include fridge, air conditioner, 2-way water heater, and I feel like I’m forgetting something else...

In short, these are wired so they don’t run off the inverter so they won’t kill your batteries, as they’re high draw items.
__________________
💩-p+☕️+n
sclifrickson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2018, 05:03 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
There are a separate pair of circuit breakers for the receptacles (I haven't checked how they are wired, but if I had to guess, one would be for the microwave, and the other for the rest of the receptacles). The transfer switch is fed by a breaker in the converter, and the inverter. In the "off" position, the feed from the converter goes through the normally closed contacts on the transfer switch, and out to the separate breaker panel with the two breakers. When the inverter is turned on, after a 45 or so second delay, the contacts in the transfer switch "switch", and the AC from the inverter feeds the separate breaker panel that feeds the microwave & receptacles.
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2018, 05:14 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
(I haven't checked how they are wired, but if I had to guess, one would be for the microwave, and the other for the rest of the receptacles).
I did check in my 5.0TA, but can't find the sheet I put it on, but I believe the microwave was on the same circuit as the loft plugs, as well as the one on the right as you enter the door. The dinette, outside and dinette plugs were on the other. I am guessing something similar was done with the 21.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2018, 06:21 PM   #6
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
There are a separate pair of circuit breakers for the receptacles (I haven't checked how they are wired, but if I had to guess, one would be for the microwave, and the other for the rest of the receptacles). The transfer switch is fed by a breaker in the converter, and the inverter. In the "off" position, the feed from the converter goes through the normally closed contacts on the transfer switch, and out to the separate breaker panel with the two breakers. When the inverter is turned on, after a 45 or so second delay, the contacts in the transfer switch "switch", and the AC from the inverter feeds the separate breaker panel that feeds the microwave & receptacles.
This is correct. It's how my 19 is wired as well, sans the microwave. Don't worry about it trying to run the Air Conditioner from the inverter. It won't, for a couple of reasons. First, it's not wired that way, and second, the 1500W inverter doesn't output enough power to start it even if it was. It possibly could run the fridge if it was wired to do so (it's not) but I can't think of a better way to drain your batteries quickly than trying to run the fridge on AC power from an inverter.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2018, 08:26 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: In my Escape...full time. Currently in Maine, Maine
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 204
Thanks for the info everyone! So, it sounds like ETI has things wired OK. Guess my engineering DNA just likes to know the details behind everything :-) Would do the install myself but thinking it will be nice to have it already installed when I pick up so I can use it during the extended trip home. Thanks again.
CarlNH is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.