12v wiring question (1 Viewer)

[PJGWiltshire]

About to wire in a additional12v socket. My intention is to connect both terminals direct to battery with 5 amp fuse on + as I have done already with another 12v socket

Question
Do I need to connect to battery? . Very close to where I intend to have the additional 12 v socket is my 2000w inverter. The inverter has its + and - connected to the batteries. Can anybody see any reason why I cannot connect directly to the inverters + and - thus I view that in effect I am connected directly to the battery. If I can do this do you see any issues when the inverter is in use when drawing from the battery
Many thanks

 

[DBK]

It will be fine connecting to the inverter leads though I wouldn't connect the socket directly like that. I connected mine to a 12 volt circuit which can be turned off and isolated.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

It will be fine connecting to the inverter leads though I wouldn't connect the socket directly like that. I connected mine to a 12 volt circuit which can be turned off and isolated.

Thanks

I wanted to connect to circuit but without tearing bits out I just can't get back to a live feed so I have gone this route. It's only to run the 12v fan during the night when down in the med next week

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[Rapido925M]

How is the inverter switched on and off? Hopefully, it's not permanently on!

How will that affect the socket? I would want to control both independently and I certainly wouldn't want a 2kW inverter on all night for no good reason: it would consume a fair bit of battery juice I guess. [2kW is the maximum power it can convert from dc to ac and it SHOULD only "consume" what it "provides" (if it was 100% efficient). Unfortunately, that is not the case: the VP2000 inverter which is on special offer today (google/sunshinesolar.co.uk) is 90% efficient and draws "less than 0.8A" when not being used. Over a 12h night that would only be 7Ah, which may or may not be significant.]

Gordon

 

[pappajohn]

Why a 5amp fuse ?
12v 2 pin/cig lighter sockets are rated at 10amps (120watts) providing you use the correct gauge wire.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

How is the inverter switched on and off? Hopefully, it's not permanently on!

How will that affect the socket? I would want to control both independently and I certainly wouldn't want a 2kW inverter on all night for no good reason: it would consume a fair bit of battery juice I guess. [2kW is the maximum power it can convert from dc to ac and it SHOULD only "consume" what it "provides" (if it was 100% efficient). Unfortunately, that is not the case: the VP2000 inverter which is on special offer today (google/sunshinesolar.co.uk) is 90% efficient and draws "less than 0.8A" when not being used. Over a 12h night that would only be 7Ah, which may or may not be significant.]

Gordon

The inverter has a remote switch that I turn on when the inverter is needed. So on the bases that the positive is live to the inverter there is no amp draw until I press the remote to on.

I do not want the inverter on all night and as I use it at the moment I have no draw unless I turn it on

Do you see problems

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[WSandME]

The inverter has a remote switch that I turn on when the inverter is needed. So on the bases that the positive is live to the inverter there is no amp draw until I press the remote to on.

I'd think that was OK, subject to the recommendation (above) re. wire gauge and fuse - 5A and lightweight wire may be OK for the fan, but you may want to use it for other things in future?

 

[PJGWiltshire]

I'd think that was OK, subject to the recommendation (above) re. wire gauge and fuse - 5A and lightweight wire may be OK for the fan, but you may want to use it for other things in future?

Good point shall put in 17 amp wire with 10 amp fuse. That should be ok for the Endless breeze fan.

 

[Rapido925M]

The inverter has a remote switch that I turn on when the inverter is needed. So on the bases that the positive is live to the inverter there is no amp draw until I press the remote to on.

I do not want the inverter on all night and as I use it at the moment I have no draw unless I turn it on

Do you see problems

It sounds OK to me, although I don't know what you mean by a "remote" switch.

I'm guessing some form of control which, as you say, allows the wire to the inverter to be live but there to be no current flow into the electronics of the inverter.

How will you connect your socket to this wire? Are you going to cut it and use some sort of connector block? If so, remember that a 2kw device will draw 2000 / 12 = 166.7A, so some beefy contacts will be required!

Obviously, if it is just a case of unscrewing a contact directly from the inverter and re-screwing it with your extra 17A wire, it will be a lot easier. Having said that, what sort of wire IS connected to the inverter? I've known people use solid copper rods.

Gordon

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[Northernraider]

It sounds OK to me, although I don't know what you mean by a "remote" switch.

I'm guessing some form of control which, as you say, allows the wire to the inverter to be live but there to be no current flow into the electronics of the inverter.

How will you connect your socket to this wire? Are you going to cut it and use some sort of connector block? If so, remember that a 2kw device will draw 2000 / 12 = 166.7A, so some beefy contacts will be required!

Obviously, if it is just a case of unscrewing a contact directly from the inverter and re-screwing it with your extra 17A wire, it will be a lot easier. Having said that, what sort of wire IS connected to the inverter? I've known people use solid copper rods.

Gordon

On most invertors they are permanently connected to the 12v supply. There's a switch next to the 240v socket which switches it on and off. If he's connecting the 12v feed to the 12v connections of the invertor it's before the switch on the invertor this providing a 12v supply to the item he's fitting but not affecting the invertor in any way.

 

[TheBig1]

the remote switch for the inverter powers a relay circuit in the inverter. no power from the switch, no current drawn by the inverter

 

[PJGWiltshire]

It sounds OK to me, although I don't know what you mean by a "remote" switch.

I'm guessing some form of control which, as you say, allows the wire to the inverter to be live but there to be no current flow into the electronics of the inverter.

How will you connect your socket to this wire? Are you going to cut it and use some sort of connector block? If so, remember that a 2kw device will draw 2000 / 12 = 166.7A, so some beefy contacts will be required!

Obviously, if it is just a case of unscrewing a contact directly from the inverter and re-screwing it with your extra 17A wire, it will be a lot easier. Having said that, what sort of wire IS connected to the inverter? I've known people use solid copper rods.

Gordon

Yes I have remote switch from within the van that plugs into the inverter from which I turn the unit on and off when required. I intend to use 8mm round connectors to unscrew the + and - and place them into the inverter terminals and recreating the retainer nut. The cables from the inverter are 16mm to two + on the inverter to two + on two 80 Ahr batteries

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