Inverter/converter install

[Gluecheck]

Hi all,
I own a 2019 chateau 31y. For some reason Thor doesn't recommend a install of a inverter/converter for this unit (not an option for factory install). But why would you want to start the generator every time you want to watch TV. I got a great deal on a xantrex 1800 (inverter) and had the dealer install. But is never work right and had them disconnect it. I think it is due to a 15 amp problem when the RV is a 30 amp system. also their electrician wired it to the main bus instead of a individual breaker which the TVs are on. There's not enough room for a separate breaker box and he took the easy route two wire it into the system.

I have a friend who is a certified electrician and wants to take on the issue. I've been looking at a Freedom HFS 2055 which is a inverter/ converter and I can get a good price on it. The specs on the system sound pretty impressive and a very reliable converter to replace the existing system that came in the RV. Does anyone have anything to say with regard to an inverter/ converter install and wiring it into an individual breaker or two without a stand-alone breaker box. Any inputs would be welcomed!

[16ACE27]

Start with: what does " never work right" mean?
Why replace the converter if it's not broken?
1000 watts should be plenty to run TVs
No need for a standalone breaker box
Just use an inverter Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) if the inverter did not come with an integral one.

[bry899]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Start with: what does " never work right" mean?
Why replace the converter if it's not broken?
1000 watts should be plenty to run TVs
No need for a standalone breaker box
Just use an inverter Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) if the inverter did not come with an integral one.

I agree 1000 watts should handle this.
42" flat screen uses about 200 watts, I use a 500 watt inverter for Tv and dvd player plugged into cigarette lighter outlet.

[Judge]

I have a 2018 Outlaw 29H and it came with a Xantrex 1000 Watt Inverter. It was wired from the factory to power all 3 TV’s..... one 42” and two 32” TV’s.

Your issue has nothing to do with 15A / 30A. My guess is the dealer wired it incorrectly.

I had posted a thread here about how it is wired from the factory but here it is in a nutshell......

Thor took a 15A breaker in the Power Distribution Panel and ran Romex to the Fridge receptacle. They then ran Romex from the Fridge receptacle to the AC input of the Inverter. The AC output from the inverter was then run to the three TV receptacles. There is obviously 12V into the Inverter from the house batteries.

When on the generator or shore power, the AC passes through the Inverter to power the TV’s. When there is no AC, I can turn on the Inverter and run the TV’s off the house batteries

Thor did not run a separate 15A breaker for the AC output circuit as Xantrex recommends for hardware installations. Instead, they removed the built-in GFCI receptacle and wired the TV’s to that circuit so they could save money and use the 15A breaker in the Xantrex that was used for the built-in GFCI receptacle.

[taylorbob1]

Too bad you didn’t research the AIMs 1200 watt Inverter with auto-transfer switch

Many on this forum have purchased and installed the AIMs with great success. And in doing so you will have a fully integrated system

For more info on this subject look at these links...

AIMs Part 1

AIMs Part 2

AIMs Part 3

[Gluecheck]

Thank you all. Yes I agree I don't need a converter combo, I thought it might be an idea to do both. As for the 1000 watts vs 2000, it was a decent price for the xantrex. I will look into the AIMs. Thanks for the inputs!

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Gluecheck

Thank you all. Yes I agree I don't need a converter combo, I thought it might be an idea to do both. As for the 1000 watts vs 2000, it was a decent price for the xantrex. I will look into the AIMs. Thanks for the inputs!

I have little doubt you can still successfully install the Xantrex 1800 you purchased. All you need to do is follow the basic install guidelines I provided earlier.

[Gluecheck]

Judge, I will have my electrician buddy look at this. The RV dealer followed the xantrex install directions. Then he wired to the whole panel bus (not my idea). He tells me not us the air con and to switch the converter breaker off. It actually worked powering all the RV outlets. The issue was on the generator. The xantrex has a built-in transfer switch, but the Gen or external power would not put put out 110 vac. That is why I thought the issue was 15 amp inverter vs 30 amp RV house system. I am fairly technical person, but not a lot of AC electrical experience. There is also a possibility the inverter failed, but I will have my buddy check it out.
Thanks again for your help.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Gluecheck

Judge, I will have my electrician buddy look at this. The RV dealer followed the xantrex install directions. Then he wired to the whole panel bus (not my idea). He tells me not us the air con and to switch the converter breaker off. It actually worked powering all the RV outlets. The issue was on the generator. The xantrex has a built-in transfer switch, but the Gen or external power would not put put out 110 vac. That is why I thought the issue was 15 amp inverter vs 30 amp RV house system. I am fairly technical person, but not a lot of AC electrical experience. There is also a possibility the inverter failed, but I will have my buddy check it out.
Thanks again for your help.

Or your Automatic Transfer Switch in the coach or wiring to it failed - a common Thor lack of attention to detail failure item.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Gluecheck

Judge, I will have my electrician buddy look at this. The RV dealer followed the xantrex install directions. Then he wired to the whole panel bus (not my idea). He tells me not us the air con and to switch the converter breaker off. It actually worked powering all the RV outlets. The issue was on the generator. The xantrex has a built-in transfer switch, but the Gen or external power would not put put out 110 vac. That is why I thought the issue was 15 amp inverter vs 30 amp RV house system. I am fairly technical person, but not a lot of AC electrical experience. There is also a possibility the inverter failed, but I will have my buddy check it out.
Thanks again for your help.

If you overload the Xantrex inverter circuit greatly, it will fault with an E06 amperage overload and do a hard shutdown of all current output. It is necessary to remove all power from the inverter (120 volt and 12 volt) for about 5 seconds to reset the computer in the inverter. Been there done that!

[apr67]

I have an xantrex 1800 that I have installed in three different RV's that I have owned.

First step, find the circuit you want to power. For this turn off all the individual breakers in the load center (leave the mains on) and put something (like a light) into the circuits you want to power. Cycle the breakers till you have power at the circuit you want. Mark that, that is the one you need to wire for.

Step two, run new romex from that breaker to the ac input side of your inverter. Run romex back from the output side of your breaker to the existing romex. Connect the two wires with wire nuts. This should be in a box although I usually do not bother unless is somewhere where I think the wires will get pulled.

Run the battery cables to the inverter.

Mount the switch for the inverter somewhere you can see and access it.

You are done.

Considerations.
1. Running long AC wires is not an issue. However DC over 5 feet is. Keep this in mind when mounting.
2. Sometimes the circuit you want to power has something else you may not want to power. In my case it was the 2 way fridge. I had to remember to manually put it on GAS when running the inverter, otherwise my batteries didn't last very long (about 8 hours without charging).

[Gluecheck]

Great discussion! I think you nailed the problem. The coach wiring is good but the Xantrex required the reset. It is almost impossible to consistently reset the unit, so it's coming out and a better (wired) system is going in that will meet my needs. Most of the outlets I want on the inverter are on one circuit. All of the electrical is located at one area under the diner seat...which is good and bad...limited room.

[apr67]

Originally Posted by Gluecheck

Great discussion! I think you nailed the problem. The coach wiring is good but the Xantrex required the reset.

I have not had to reset my xantrex 1800 in 10 years of ownership. Drawing too much power is the issue, once you hook it to a single circuit of 15amps or so, you will be fine.

[TurnerFam]

part of the 'issue' is that these type of Inverters are not normally considered as 'whole house' inverters for RVs...meaning simply that you don't wire them directly to the MAIN ELECTRICAL PANEL's Main Breaker, or 'sub panel', but only to a single 15amp breaker/circuit, which is the circuit that powers the items you want to be able to run off the batteries - such as the TVs, some regular outlets for device chargers, satellite receiver, or even a 120v residential refrigerator, etc... but NOT for the microwave, NOT for the Electric water heater, NOT for the Air Conditioner, etc.

When you wire the output of the Inverter to a single 15a circuit, you must also change the current wiring to that same breaker, meaning that you must move the incoming Shore/Generator power to that breaker, feed it instead to the Inverter's 120v input(which has it's own automatic transfer/pass-thru), and wire the Inverter's output of 120v back into that same breaker/circuit in the Main Panel.
Essentially, you have created a new 'circle' of power, allowing the Shore/Gen 120v power to flow thru the Inverter, and back into the 15amp breaker in the Main panel, whenever you have the external 120v power, but also allowing the Inverter's own 120v output to that same breaker/circuit when only on battery power.

When, though, you have an smaller 'dedicated' inverter with NO internal transfer switch, you can't do it this same way - you have to provide the output to only the actual Outlet or Device that you want the batteries to power, which would be it's ONLY power source.
In those situations, which many RVrs use, the batteries are also being charged by the Converter/Charger when on Shore or Generator power, so the Inverter is giving power to only to the specific device, but the batteries are also be recharged - just another way of accomplishing the same thing, though only for a single device/appliance.

For those of us with more 'whole house' larger inverters, we typically have a sub-panel of breakers/circuits that it will power... it will not be run thru the main breakers, as this would allow the owner to accidentally try to power devices and appliances that have too large a draw for the typical RV sized Inverter. With a sub-panel, only those breakers/circuits will have power from the Inverter/batteries when not on Shore or Generator.
I actually only found recently that my Progressive brand 50amp Main Panel had a 'built in', or 'integrated', sub-panel - which is a more customized panel for certain 50amp coaches with 'whole house' larger inverters. There is no 'stand alone' sub-panel, as you might expect, but 4 15amp breakers are essentially run thru a 30amp 'main inverter' breaker, with the Inverter providing the input in a 'reverse' breaker wiring scheme - powering the short power bus bar for the 4 circuits attached to it. That's a lot to take in, but essentially it is simply wired to keep the Inverter powered circuits separate from the other 'regular' powered breakers, yet still having the capacity to be powered when on Shore and Generator thru the Inverter's 'pass thru' transfer switch. : )


and, I am certainly NOT an electrician, though I DID stay at a campground last night....


enjoy! : )