Can I Use The Invertor To Power The Whole Van?

[Yorick]

I have a 300w inverter and it's fine. Can I plug my mains lead into the inverter and plug it into the round socket outside ?

This way we'll have access to 3 plugs inside, rather than use an extension with bulky 4 plug sockets at the end.

The only things we use are laptops and phone chargers.

 

[DavidG58]

You can, if it is similar to my inverter it will give a loud squeal then go bang, or it might just blow a fuse, it will be trying to run your charger and fridge I would think needing a good few more than 300W

I guess if you switch off the charger and have fridge on gas, it might then have a chance, but even a 300W inverter will draw a lot of amps, I know from my own flat battery experiences , better to have a multiplug on the inverter and plug all in at one place, but even 2 laptops might take more than 300W

Good question though, I hope I am wrong

 

[Snowbird]

I dont think your system will work well but both RMBs I have owned had a built in inverter that powered all sockets. There was a switch to switch between mains or inverter. They were 2 KW pure sine inverters though.

 

[Yorick]

Good point about the charger. Might stick with a multiplug

 

[TheDogMan]

Mine powers all the sockets but I always ensure I switch the fridge from auto to gas before I switch on, generaly use it for microwave and my laptop and .... the wife and her sisters 2 x Ipads, mifi and ecig batteries, oh and the rechargeable torch and dyson hand held. too much !! I have 3 batteries and 240w of solar and still its tight sometimes, I think the 6 year old chassis battery may be buggered after the wife killed it a couple of years ago and it tops up from the leisure batteries, too much me thinks

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[chaser]

It's also going to try to charge your battery same as hookup

 

[ASel]

Our MH has a inverter built into the electrical system that powers all 240v sockets, except fridge and battery charger, when switched on which is done remotely from control panel.

A "break before make switch" is utilised in the external mains power cuircuit to switch off the inverter before connecting the mains to the distribution panel.

Some of the larger inverters also have this facility but then you have to have a way of isolating the fridge and battery charger.

For a 300 w inverter this is overkill, would be more practical to get 12v power supplies for phones and laptops.

 

[WillH]

As above, why not run everything off 12v and do away with the inverter?

 

[Moodybrook]

Sort of hijacking this thread but can you guys illuminate me. I understand the Battery to the inverter is critical, shorter the better ! my query is, does it matter the same about the length of the multi sockets lead, to the inverter ?

Thanks

 

[Lenny HB]

Sort of hijacking this thread but can you guys illuminate me. I understand the Battery to the inverter is critical, shorter the better ! my query is, does it matter the same about the length of the multi sockets lead, to the inverter ?

Thanks

No it is not criticicle as long as they are lager enough to take the output from the in inverter or you have fitted circuit breakers or fuses of a lower ratting than the cable

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[Moodybrook]

That's just what I thought. Best to listen to advice though. Thanks Lenny

 

[Reallyretired]

A 300w inverter is a bit tiny to run sockets. I do have one of these, pure sine wave 300w, but is wired solely to supply the shaver sockets in the washroom. The main inverter is not pure sine wave and is fine for everything else (Kettle, toaster, hairdryer, microwave), but the toothbrush chargers are notoriously sensitive.
The toothbrush charger is only 1w but 300w seems to be the smallest you can get.

In time I will replace the main inverter with a pure sine wave one as they are getting much cheaper, but while it works have better things to spend my cash on.

 

[Theonlysue]

My 300 watt inverter would not charge my laptop, and I could not get a 12v one with the correct connector, so had a 1kw invertor fitted.