Installing Inverter?

[marant]

Considering installing a 1500w inverter in our 2022 21C. We have 1 panel and 2 6v wet batteries.

I have a few questions:
1. Suggestions of which one to buy. Features to look for? Source?
2. Is it possible to wire it so it powers all the ac plugs, like Escape does? How?
3. My electrical skills are moderate at best. Should I not take it on, and have someone else do it?

[VB434]

We are getting ours in June, so others can probably speak to this better than me.

If you haven't already, check out Will Prowse's channel on YouTube. Here are all the videos that come up when searching for "inverter." I think his videos also give a lot of good info about DIY electrical in general. I'm also not an expert, but he explains things really well.

As far as wiring up all the outlets, my understanding is that it is possible but quite a lot of work to wire ALL of them since you would need to wire each one to the inverter, meaning you'd have to get wires behind the wall. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong!) Instead, you might just wire the ones that are easier to access. You'll also have an outlet on the inverter itself that you could use.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by marant

Considering installing a 1500w inverter in our 2022 21C. We have 1 panel and 2 6v wet batteries.

I have a few questions:
1. Suggestions of which one to buy. Features to look for? Source?
2. Is it possible to wire it so it powers all the ac plugs, like Escape does? How?
3. My electrical skills are moderate at best. Should I not take it on, and have someone else do it?

I Recommend the 1800 watt Progressive dynamics inverter/transfer switch. I installed it in my old 21 c with dual 6 volt batteries and it was well matched to that application. Not very Expensive. If you have no electrical experience any decent electrician could help you plus the myriad of helpful people on the forum. Three things adequate DC cables to the inverter 1/0 or 2/0 is my recommendation, a class T fuse protecting the current from the battery to the inverter. A sub panel with all the circuits you want to power. etc
I got my inverter from Etrailer. In my new rig I went upscale and installed all Victron equipment and SOK Lithium Batteries. Significantly more money .

[marant]

Were you able to power the trailer outlets using the breakers in the main panel? Or will I tie the inverter subpanel to the outlets by using the switch? (you can tell I need some basic general information on how the systems work and are related).

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by marant

Were you able to power the trailer outlets using the breakers in the main panel? Or will I tie the inverter subpanel to the outlets by using the switch? (you can tell I need some basic general information on how the systems work and are related).

The subpanel contained the outlets that I wanted to power, it did not contain the ac side of the fridge, the electric water heater and the converter circuit or the ac. It did contain the microwave and all the outlets. In my new rig because the converter is also,the charger and transfer switch I power the entire panel and manage the loads manually ie run the fridge on propane and keep the water heater off while on inverter power. Because my ac has a softstart I tested my ac and it works on inverter power, but I’d only use it in a pinch for a quick cool down.

[Ron in BC]

There's different levels of inverters and needs. All I've ever used are modified sine wave ones. For folks with electronics that need a higher quality output there's pure sine wave inverters. I've never used a pure sine wave inverter and my microwave etc. worked fine with the modified sine wave.

As Oldwave points out you can power the existing circuits with a subpanel etc.

On my 19 I kept it real simple. Inverter output to one receptacle and used a DPDT switch as a transfer switch. Worked fine for my needs.

On my 21 I haven't installed an inverter because some of my needs from before are now done by USB or 12V outlets and I never used the microwave enough that I bothered getting one for the 21. Easy retro-fit though so no bridges burned.

Ron

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by VB434

As far as wiring up all the outlets, my understanding is that it is possible but quite a lot of work to wire ALL of them since you would need to wire each one to the inverter, meaning you'd have to get wires behind the wall. (Someone please correct me if I am wrong!) Instead, you might just wire the ones that are easier to access. You'll also have an outlet on the inverter itself that you could use.

No wiring should be necessary in the walls. You just need to pull the existing outlet circuit terminations out of the WFCO power center and land them in a sub-panel. This sub-panel is then fed from a dedicated 30A breaker in the power center under normal power or from the inverter when off-grid. These two power feeds pass through an automatic transfer switch that recognizes when there is shorepower or not. For awhile Escape was using the WFCO T-30 transfer switch that hooks to the back of the power center to minimize space used.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

No wiring should be necessary in the walls. You just need to pull the existing outlet circuit terminations out of the WFCO power center and land them in a sub-panel. This sub-panel is then fed from a dedicated 30A breaker in the power center under normal power or from the inverter when off-grid. These two power feeds pass through an automatic transfer switch that recognizes when there is shorepower or not. For awhile Escape was using the WFCO T-30 transfer switch that hooks to the back of the power center to minimize space used.

This is correct. Plus the inverter I recommended already has the transfer switch built in. The description above is spot on. It’s really not hard a couple of hours with a qualified electrician to install the sub panel and route the in and outs to the inverter.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by oldwave

This is correct. Plus the inverter I recommended already has the transfer switch built in. The description above is spot on. It’s really not hard a couple of hours with a qualified electrician to install the sub panel and route the in and outs to the inverter.

Yes John different ways to approach it. I have a combination inverter/charger/transfer switch (Xantrex Freedom XC) but it takes a considerable amount of rewiring. The easiest way for marant is probably an inverter with built in transfer switch like you suggested. If anyone is looking for a nifty sub-panel I purchased this one made by Eaton from AM Solar as part of my DIY install package.
https://amsolar.com/rv-inverter-accessories/box-spbs

Here is a few shots of it in use. For most this will just contain a main breaker and the breakers needed to feed all outlets. Our trailer was wired with the microwave and 120V fridge element on the same circuit so I left it that way. I also have my mini-split wired through there only because I have a large enough inverter and battery bank to do it.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post383235

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Yes John different ways to approach it. I have a combination inverter/charger/transfer switch (Xantrex Freedom XC) but it takes a considerable amount of rewiring. The easiest way for marant is probably an inverter with built in transfer switch like you suggested. If anyone is looking for a nifty sub-panel I purchased this one made by Eaton from AM Solar as part of my DIY install package.
https://amsolar.com/rv-inverter-accessories/box-spbs

Here is a few shots of it in use. For most this will just contain a main breaker and the breakers needed to feed all outlets. Our trailer was wired with the microwave and 120V fridge element on the same circuit so I left it that way. I also have my mini-split wired through there only because I have a large enough inverter and battery bank to do it.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post383235

Like you I installed an inverter charger and ts, though I used a Victron multiplus. It did entail a fair amount of rewiring also, but I got very effective charging with the large cables. I did not bother with a subpanel choosing instead to manage my loads manually ie no hot water electric heater on the inverter and making sure my two way frig is on gas only instead of auto.
The manufacturer looped my shore power to my internal lithium battery location so I could do a simple install .