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Old 02-10-2014, 07:26 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
You have to turn off the Progressive EMS if using a generator as most generators are not grounded and it will show a fault. You either have to make a grounded 2 prong plug or bypass the EMS. Research this on the generators forums.
Good point. The EMS will not allow current flow if it detects an open ground or open neutral. The power source must have the neutral bonded to the ground to avoid this fault detection.
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Old 02-10-2014, 10:42 PM   #42
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Yes, dilute about 1/3 concentrate to 2/3 water, heat and serve..
Could you add hot water to the room-temperature concentrate, yielding hot enough coffee and allowing you to heat just plain water? An electric kettle is cheap, compact, light, and more efficient than a microwave oven.

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When I use the AeroPress, which is almost all the time when in the trailer, I make a concentrated juice, and add it at about 25% to a cup of hot water.
... which is essentially an Americano (espresso plus hot water); I drink Americano, but my wife thinks it's nonsensical. The people I know here with Aeropresses also tend to make the coffee strong, although I don't know if any of them dilute it.
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Old 02-11-2014, 01:25 AM   #43
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To Invert or not to Invert

I have installed an inverter (a small 300W from Canadian Tire), and I find it very convenient when dry camping (which is about all I do).

I use 12V cigarette lighter adapters whenever I can, but my shaver, netbook and camera battery chargers, for example, are low-power 120V. It would cost several times more to replace them than use the inverter. If I’m out for more than 2 weeks at a stretch, I’m likely to use one or more of them. It’s a convenience, not a necessity, but for me it’s practical; maybe not so for others.

An inverter may not be “practical” for some things, at least unless you’re willing to use a generator to charge your batteries. While the 90W solar panel keeps up with my meager needs, things like electric blankets (any 120V heating devices really) and microwaves use a lot of power. Roughly, with a common efficiency of about 80%, an inverter would draw around 20A for a 200W blanket, and more than 100A for a microwave with an output of 800W (1000W+ from the plug).

An EMS on the other hand, since I almost only dry camp, is not practical for me. Also, the most expensive thing I ever plug into AC is the trailer Power Center which is only worth about $150; I’m not willing to invest much to protect that.

I’ve attached some pictures of my installation. I added a back board to the rear seat support and mounted the inverter and an upgraded solar charge controller. A switch (extending the internal inverter switch), a 120V indicator light, and a single AC socket are located under the table, adjacent to the power center. Not the most convenient location, but fine for the light use. It was easy enough to add a 12V socket in the same location. The 12V input to the socket and inverter is directly from the battery, via a 30A fuse (about right for 300W at 80% efficiency). I guess I would be able to power the blanket, but not for long.

The convenience of both the 12V socket, and the 120V converter are great, but my favourite part is the cool switch with indicator light attached to the socket. It draws no power when the switch is off.


Cheers,
John
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Old 02-11-2014, 06:06 AM   #44
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Nice set up John, is the battery vented outside?
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Old 02-11-2014, 10:02 AM   #45
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Thank you Brian and Jim for the input. I may just go ahead and get a portable EMS-surge protector plus a cable lock. It will be just one more thing to hook up and un-hook, but then I will feel electrically safer!
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Old 02-11-2014, 10:54 AM   #46
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Thanks Glenn.

I have a splitter and a 12V adapter on a very long wire to reach outside if needed. Certainly workable, but just wish I had a few more 12V outlets installed during the build (including one outside).

I also use the installed amplified television antenna as an FM radio antenna. I wish I had a TV jack installed outside too. It would be nice to sit outside in our (freestanding) screen house with radio or television plugged in to the outside of the trailer rather than have to jury rig connections through a window.

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Tim - you have options:
Check out your version of Canadian Tire, The Source, or Amazon:
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Old 02-11-2014, 07:39 PM   #47
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It’s a beauty. My xantrex Prowatt SW600 inverter came 3 days early, today. Very excited. Read the excellent owner’s guide – ready to get started, ran out to buy needed stuff: 4ft. copper wire AWG 0 size, (recommended), ANL DC-rated 80A in-line fuse, (advised), switch boxes, a couple duplexes, plates. Looked for the handy remote panel with LED. Not at Rocky Mountain RV, or Camping World, or Trailer Supply. Will have to order that online.

Actually, for installing this inverter, no supplier had the other things I needed. Drove 29 miles to Lowe’s but they did not have the correct, heavy copper wire, or the in-line fuse, or big ring connectors. Same with Auto Zone, Tractor Supply, or WalMart. WalMart did have a 51-inch long battery cable for $12, with a ring connector at each end. Whaa !

That ended my day. Must drive back in, check out Home Depot, tomorrow.

This xantrex is so beautiful. Has an LED for reading battery levels on its face, an on/off switch, USB charging port, two GFCI outlets. Seems a shame now, to hide all that, buried under the bench seat. So... now conducting internal debate on wisdom of making a change to original plan shown, (re: opening post). Should I cut an opening 7 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall, on the wood face beside the converter and poke xantrex’s nose through it? I hate doing any stuff to this trailer that is not reversible, but…. ...what would you do?
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Old 02-11-2014, 07:53 PM   #48
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Won't be as 'purdy' with plugs in and cables hanging off of it. Just say'n.

There are no holes.
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Old 02-11-2014, 07:57 PM   #49
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Ya, not purdy for sure but you can say that about any in-use outlet. When you need the plug-in you need the plug-in.
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Old 02-11-2014, 10:18 PM   #50
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Had to change my signature for you Myron.
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Old 02-11-2014, 11:02 PM   #51
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Myron, it's always a shame to hide beauty! It would be nicer if the Remote connector wasn't on the front of the unit though.
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Old 02-12-2014, 01:42 AM   #52
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Quote:
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Nice set up John, is the battery vented outside?
Yes, the battery is vented to the outside through the rear wall of the trailer. This was the standard dual 6V installation for the Escape 5.0.

I had considered moving the batteries to the rear bumper like on some Escape models. This would reduce the pin weight and free up some storage space. But I don’t really need the space, and I like maintaining clean, rather than mud covered batteries. I’ll evaluate the pin weights with the new Frontier, but if it worked for the Ranger, I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Cheers,
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Old 02-12-2014, 08:43 AM   #53
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And if a donut gets eaten what happens to its hole? This is a valid question much applicable to the quandary at hand. Thing is, if I do cut that big opening a point easily made is the remote will not be needed, nor will a hole for an on/off switch, the duplex, or the USB. So which be the lesser weevil?
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Old 02-12-2014, 08:54 AM   #54
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And if a donut gets eaten what happens to its hole? This is a valid question much applicable to the quandary at hand. ...
Not sure about New Mexico, but here in Alberta there is a recycling program for donut holes. Just toss them into a clear plastic bag after you eat the donut and put the bag out on the street on recycling day. My understanding is that they are collected and sanitized, and then resorted by size and sold back to the donut manufacturers for re-use.
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Old 02-12-2014, 09:09 AM   #55
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Not sure about New Mexico, but here in Alberta there is a recycling program for donut holes. Just toss them into a clear plastic bag after you eat the donut and put the bag out on the street on recycling day. My understanding is that they are collected and sanitized, and then resorted by size and sold back to the donut manufacturers for re-use.
What an amazingly efficient system.
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Old 02-12-2014, 09:42 AM   #56
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And if a donut gets eaten what happens to its hole?
Timbits!
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Old 02-12-2014, 11:19 AM   #57
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Quote:
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... So... now conducting internal debate on wisdom of making a change to original plan shown, (re: opening post). Should I cut an opening 7 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall, on the wood face beside the converter and poke xantrex’s nose through it? I hate doing any stuff to this trailer that is not reversible, but…. ...what would you do?
I installed the 1000 watt version of the same inverter. I ordered custom length cables from GenuindealZ. Since I have the detachable power cord option, I had lots of room under the seat & placed the inverter there. I have the remote to turn it off & on, and rather than using a transfer switch, added a new receptacle that is powered by the inverter. While I can no longer see the LED panel, I have a TriMetric 2025 Battery Monitor, which tells me everything the LED would. It also precludes cutting a big hole in the face of the storage area.

On the 12V side, I also added a 150 amp catastrophe fuse near the batteries, and a 200 amp switch at the inverter.
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Old 02-12-2014, 07:38 PM   #58
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Ah, thank you Jon for that info. Today had a great visit with Dave in Corrales. He showed me his 19's factory installed inverter. It's pos/neg wires go through a hole in the floor direct to the battery and runs a remote display on on dinette bench. Totally independent, no association with converter.

This now is what think I will do. Liking isolating the inverter ....cut the big hole and poke the Xantrex through it, eliminating all redundant duplications.

What gauge wire did you connect to your battery? My users manual says, "Use 4 AWG copper as the smallest battery cable size." Yet on the same page, in Table 1, it clearly says, "Note: Xantrex recommends a size 0 cable...." "...for a minimal Voltage drop per foot." (0.0060 with the 600 inverter.) (...what the &*%#@ !!)

Now, in the wire department at Home Depot today, I find size 0 cable is near as thick as my pinkie and stiff enough to use for re-bar. Forget about buying an in-line 85 amp fuse, which Xantrex recommends. The nearest fuse to that size looks like a stick of dynamite.

I bought 8 feet of 4 AWG copper cable. Then stopped on the way home at Pep Brothers and got an inline AGU fuseholder which takes the #4 wire, and a 50 Amp AGU-LittleFuse, all evidently meant for audio equipment.

Am I ok?
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Old 02-12-2014, 08:09 PM   #59
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First question is whether or not the wire can handle the power without melting. The first chart I found (google is your friend) says 4 AWG is good for 60A power transmission. For your 600W inverter, you need 50A (50A x 12v = 600W).

The second question, is can the wire handle the power without dropping voltage so much that it gives your inverter problems. The first voltage drop calculator I found says 12v over 8 feet of 4AWG wire at 50A will have a voltage drop of 0.2V. Given your voltage will vary a lot more than that as your battery charges and discharges, it shouldn't be a problem for your inverter.

Sounds like you're good to go.
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Old 02-13-2014, 08:07 PM   #60
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Click image for larger version

Name:	wire4a.jpg
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ID:	4953No melting! Have not cut the hole in the plywood face yet. Decided better make certain the thing works first. Hoo-Hah, re: see that close up of voltage display?
Connected the inverter pos and neg wires to corresponding poles serving behind the converter. Keeps them nice and short. A grounding wire from inverter goes to a 5/16ths bolt that anchors the floor to the frame.
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