Connecting Inverter to 240 sockets (1 Viewer)

[VXman]

Thinking of getting an inverter for occasional light use. How easy is it to plumb it into the existing 240V electircal system? I guess if you did you might have issues with the fridge switching to 240V. Apologies if I am misunderstanding stuff here - new to electrical systems on MH's.

Another reason for doing it is to charge the electric bike whist on the move. We only have a 240 socket in the garage.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Put a manual changeover on ours so I can select ehu for the hair dryer. Also don't like the idea of a relay/contactor continually on with an auto change over.

I trip the fridge and charger off when using inverter

 

[Pausim]

I have separate sockets for the inverter output. The mains and inverter circuits are entirely isolated from each other.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

You could install a separate socket or sockets just connected to the inverter. This is the simplest solution. Alternatively, find where the cables start which go to the existing sockets and break into them there, fitting a change-over switch as suggested above or a relay as I did.

Fitting a 1500W Inverter

In this thread I asked for comments on a 1500W pure sign inverter. As the comments were favourable I went ahead and ordered one. :) https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/thoughts-on-this-inverter.155627/ When it arrived I tried it for size in my chosen spot in the PVC. This is very...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[SuperMike]

Or perhaps the easiest, make up a short hook up cable to run from the inverter to your vans ehu point.

 

[VXman]

Or perhaps the easiest, make up a short hook up cable to run from the inverter to your vans ehu point.

Not sure how that would work while driving along!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[VXman]

Sounds more complicated than I thought it would be. So, it's not possible to do through the power distribution unit (Electroblock EBU 119).

Does the EHU just go directly to the 240V sockets and not through the distribution unit then? Actually thinking about it - it charges the batteries to there it must route through something?

 

[Richard n Ann]

Sounds more complicated than I thought it would be. So, it's not possible to do through the power distribution unit (Electroblock EBU 119).

Does the EHU just go directly to the 240V sockets and not through the distribution unit then? Actually thinking about it - it charges the batteries to there it must route through something?

Take some covers off and have a nosey, I would

 

[Pausim]

Or perhaps the easiest, make up a short hook up cable to run from the inverter to your vans ehu point.

I did this for a while but had to take great care to switch off the electric heating and battery charger first.

Sounds more complicated than I thought it would be. So, it's not possible to do through the power distribution unit (Electroblock EBU 119).

Does the EHU just go directly to the 240V sockets and not through the distribution unit then? Actually thinking about it - it charges the batteries to there it must route through something?

The EBL is the heart of the 12V distribution system not the 230V mains. The EBL does take some mains power for the charger but this would not be the place to connect anything else. I suggest that it is unwise to interfere with the existing mains system unless you are confident that you know exactly what you are doing. You could compromise the essential mains safety devices and also end up with live exposed pins on the ehu connection point on the outside of the motorhome.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Richard n Ann]

I did this for a while but had to take great care to switch off the electric heating and battery charger first.

I've had some thoughts about using the neutral pole on my switch above to disconnect the sockets from the sockets MCB, therefore the charger fridge etc can't be back fed, the inverter would never trip the MCB because it's not powerful enough (200w)so there's no safety issue. There's no tied earth on the inverter so no ehu current could flow through that from ehu neutral (or live in Europe). I somehow don't like the idea though, too much faffing.

 

[pappajohn]

Change over switches have been mentioned but inverter voltage and hookup voltage MUST NOT be present at the same time if connected to sockets. It's too easy to forget to switch a manual changeover.
Unless you buy a dedicated inverter charger the phases/cycles will never match and the inverter will pop and the hookup will trip.

 

[Pausim]

I've had some thoughts about using the neutral pole on my switch above to disconnect the sockets from the sockets MCB, therefore the charger fridge etc can't be back fed, the inverter would never trip the MCB because it's not powerful enough (200w)so there's no safety issue. There's no tied earth on the inverter so no ehu current could flow through that from ehu neutral (or live in Europe). I somehow don't like the idea though, too much faffing.

Some inverters do not have a neutral, they send out of phase power at a lower voltage down both wires, being out of phase they produce 230V at the appliance. Although the reduced voltage in both wires is considered safer than 230V it can still be lethal. This is why all switches and and RCDs must be 2 pole, i.e. they disconnect both wires.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SuperMike]

Not sure how that would work while driving along!

Obviously, it would depend on where your input socket is. Ours was inside a locker so ’twas easy peasy, and Management could have her heated pads on. Or sometimes, instead I would run the inbuilt generator whist we were going along, but at 5.5kw that was a bit of overkill.

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds more complicated than I thought it would be. So, it's not possible to do through the power distribution unit (Electroblock EBU 119).

Does the EHU just go directly to the 240V sockets and not through the distribution unit then? Actually thinking about it - it charges the batteries to there it must route through something?

The only connection on mains to the EBL is to supply power to the charging circuit.

This is what I did.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...the-new-gin-palace.150824/page-5#post-2323191

 

[Reallyretired]

I have my inverter wired to sockets only, not fridge or charger. The contactor switches automatically when the inverter is turned on (remote switch) and because I have wired it so that the contactor operates from the inverter, not the ehu, it is not using current all the time only when the inverter is on..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

because I have wired it so that the contactor operates from the inverter, not the ehu, it is not using current all the time only when the inverter is on..

Wired my relay so it works on mains that way it saves battery power and for us it makes sense as if we do 150 nights away in a year only 5 or 6 of them will be on EHU.

 

[Reallyretired]

Wired my relay so it works on mains that way it saves battery power and for us it makes sense as if we do 150 nights away in a year only 5 or 6 of them will be on EHU.

I'm sure theres something to be said for either way. I only switch on the inverter if I'm actually using it to power something so usually only on for a short time. TV is 12v, not that its been turned on for years.

 

[Tombola]

Or perhaps the easiest, make up a short hook up cable to run from the inverter to your vans ehu point.

I did similar but added it to the inside back end cable of the EHU socket, auto switchover before the cable runs to the fuse box