Inverter question (1 Viewer)

[Road Runner]

I have a 300 watt inverter which JUST runs my TV and sky box but drains even the biggest batteries for it's operation extremely quickly.

Now if I had a larger inverter would it use the power from the battery more steadily lasting longer?

As the small inverter cuts out while the may be 12.2 volts left in the battery.

Help and advice please

 

[Wildman]

Hi john, the current drawn will be the same no matter what size the inverter, get a smaller TV and stop using electric kettle hair dryer etc It is possible a large inverter will also have a larger overhead. Basically you need a bigger bank of batteries, more solar power and maybe a wind generator (best answer for long term static use at least if near the coast and a moderate wind
:thumb

 

[johnsandywhite]

:Cool: Yes. I have to agree with Wildman. More Batteries and solar/wind power. You can NEVER have too much of either. Unless of course you have FREE hook-up on a camp site. We have to pay on Camping Almafra for electricity so our Solar panels and Battery bank saves us quite a bit of money that we can use for other things.

 

[Gonewiththewind]

I wont use an inverter. My TV is 12v, my Sky Digi Box is 12v. Every thing is run from 130Watt Solar Panel and 2x110 Batteries, yonks since I have been hooked up. The genny has been descarded to the garage at home and I am quite happy watching Sky Movies into the wee hours.

:thumb:

 

[johnsandywhite]

I wont use an inverter. My TV is 12v, my Sky Digi Box is 12v. Every thing is run from 130Watt Solar Panel and 2x110 Batteries, yonks since I have been hooked up. The genny has been descarded to the garage at home and I am quite happy watching Sky Movies into the wee hours.

:thumb:

So let me see now?

12 volt TV & Sky digibox? Mmm. VERY expensive. You can buy a couple of extra batteries, an inverter and a solar panel for the difference in cost.
I suppose it's horses for courses. I have ALWAYS used Inverters. I would be lost without them.

If anyone remembers George (GT)? He once did a test as to the difference between using an Inverter and 12 volt specific appliances. He stated that the Inverter won. :thumb:

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[TJ-RV]

John,

In addition to the other replies, you need to keep the wires from the battery to the inverter as short as possible. The DC wires carry the higher current and will have the largest voltage drop. So, 12.2V at the battery will translate to something less at the inverter.

If they inverter can't be moved, do you have the option to increase the size of the wires between it and the battery? Larger diameter wire will translate to higher voltage at the inverter for a given current.

 

[Terry]

The bigger the inverter the bigger the use of battery power A 1000w inverter will use more than a 300 ! What size telly you want ?loads of 19 /22 ins that are 12v for about 200 squids :thumbr under.A 12v sky box are about 80 ish--- but then again a 135 amp hr battery is only about 75 ish :thumb:
terry

 

[MicknPat]

As the thread relates to inverters may I ask a question of you experts?

We have bought an A class diesel pusher which I would say has the following standard American set up.

Onan Quiet 7.5kw generator.
W 2000 watt inverter
4x 6 volt batteries.

Now so far during our American / Canadian tour we have been spoilt by using camp grounds with either 50 or 30 amp hook ups.

However once we return to the UK things will be very different with the max hookup being 16amp and in Europe :thumbdown:

So I need a little :help: and advice please.

It is my intention to just install a transformer to reduce the 220 to 110 so that we can continue to use ALL the American appliances we have purchased.

We are also considering installing solar panels especially for those French & Spanish 2 amp sites.

My question is if we are on a 16amp or less site and we exceed the site amperage if we have the inverter turned on will the appliances continue to work or will something trip?

Hope this question doesn't get as many as Johns did but this subject is easy if you know the answers, but if you don't you have to ask.:Blush:

 

[Thepips]

Hi Mick N Pat,
That's a lovely RV,

As the thread relates to inverters may I ask a question of you experts?

We have bought an A class diesel pusher which I would say has the following standard American set up.

Onan Quiet 7.5kw generator.
W 2000 watt inverter
4x 6 volt batteries.

Now so far during our American / Canadian tour we have been spoilt by using camp grounds with either 50 or 30 amp hook ups. However once we return to the UK things will be very different with the max hookup being 16amp and in Europe :thumbdown:

So I need a little :help: and advice please.

As daft as it sounds 30amps in USA is the equivalent of 15amps in Europe. You won't be able to run both air con units at the same time but other than that you'll be ok. Some sites offer as little as 6 amps and then you do have to be careful. We bought a 1kw kettle especially for them.

It is my intention to just install a transformer to reduce the 220 to 110 so that we can continue to use ALL the American appliances we have purchased.

I do know a couple of people who are quite happy using a site transformer. (110v tools are used on building sites). I'm not sure that the tv/video recorder will work in the UK so they may need changing. The TVs that use external power adapters will run happily on 110v but it's still a good idea to check before plugging it in!

We are also considering installing solar panels especially for those French & Spanish 2 amp sites.

My question is if we are on a 16amp or less site and we exceed the site amperage if we have the inverter turned on will the appliances continue to work or will something trip?

I suspect that the Discovery will not use the inverter if the generator or shore supply is in use. Yes, something will trip if you draw more than the amps available!

Hope this question doesn't get as many as Johns did but this subject is easy if you know the answers, but if you don't you have to ask.:Blush:

Just keep asking, saves making embarassing or expensive mistakes on your own! Even if you do, you'll get lots of sympathy. I think we've all been there and done that!

Regards
Doug

 

[Wildman]

As the thread relates to inverters may I ask a question of you experts?

We have bought an A class diesel pusher which I would say has the following standard American set up.

Onan Quiet 7.5kw generator.
W 2000 watt inverter
4x 6 volt batteries.

Now so far during our American / Canadian tour we have been spoilt by using camp grounds with either 50 or 30 amp hook ups.

However once we return to the UK things will be very different with the max hookup being 16amp and in Europe :thumbdown:

So I need a little :help: and advice please.

It is my intention to just install a transformer to reduce the 220 to 110 so that we can continue to use ALL the American appliances we have purchased.

We are also considering installing solar panels especially for those French & Spanish 2 amp sites.

My question is if we are on a 16amp or less site and we exceed the site amperage if we have the inverter turned on will the appliances continue to work or will something trip?

Hope this question doesn't get as many as Johns did but this subject is easy if you know the answers, but if you don't you have to ask.:Blush:

1st thing to remember is the frequency of the two systems are different, just changing from 240v to 110v still leaves a problem USA appliances 60HZ UK supply 50HZ, this frequency difference MAY affect some Items. The RV boys will advise. If you exceed the 16amp supply you will either trip the supply, blow a fuse, or burn out wiring which is not rated for a higher load.
16 amp from a 240v supply is approx 4 kilowatt, would you really use that much?
Solar panels are always a good idea. a 24W theoretically will match the 2 amp supply 12w per amp at 12v so if you are looking for 16amp plus 16 x12 =192W however solar panels only average half of their ratted power so you would be looking at 384W and sufficient batteries to store double your total current requirements amp/hrs. You have so far been spoilt with cheap fuel and electric hookups, welcome to the real world, I hope you have enjoyed your USA touring, maybe you could tell us a bit about it.
TV of course is a totally different system and will not receive terrestrial UK stations DVDs are also regional I'm sure others who have made the change will have the answers, a lot of them at rally this weekend so be patient.

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[MicknPat]

Roger,

We started our tour in Florida Oct 2007 and crossed into Canada just before our visa expired in April 2008, just before leaving the UK we started a blog which can be seen at this location Thiswilldous - GetJealous.com Travel Blogs

Mick & Pat

 

[johnsandywhite]

:Cool: Hi MicknPat. I would have thought you had ALL your answers by now?

The only real problem with the 60/50 mhz is the speed that appliances will work.
The Microwave will run slower. The clocks will run slower.
The only real problem could be the TV's.

Paul (ukrv) says that his worked OK (I beleive) when using the SCART. I tried mine with an NTSC to Pal converter as it was an older TV. Got a picture OK but it was scrolling due to the mhz difference.
In the real OLD days. There used to be a horizontal and vertical hold buttons to make this adjustment. Not on my thrown away TV's. Mine also did NOT have SCART or video/audio connections.
Your's being much NEWER TV's may work fine.

I have one of the special 110v/220 v Tranformers that is used for the continuous running of Heaters. It works a treat. Also very quiet on use and causes NO buzzing of the on-board converter.

BTW. I got my Solar panels and controller fitted while visiting Quartzsite.

 

[Wildman]

Roger,

We started our tour in Florida Oct 2007 and crossed into Canada just before our visa expired in April 2008, just before leaving the UK we started a blog which can be seen at this location Thiswilldous - GetJealous.com Travel Blogs
Mick & Pat

What a fantastic trip, but you've missed out the middle are you planning a return trip to complete that I wonder. Plenty of photos to keep me busy for a while. Thanks for sharing with us. Get Jealous, yup sure am.

 

[MicknPat]

Roger,

As you can see via the blog we are currently camped in Thunder Bay, Ontario and last night BOY did it live up to its name.

We are heading for Milton just outside Toronto where our youngest son and his girlfriend will fly out and join us for two weeks.

We all then fly back to the UK (RV in storage) to be with our eldest son and his fiance who are about to increase the world population by ONE.

On 16th Sept we fly back and will cross back into the USA via Niagara Falls obtaining our second visa, after visiting friends in Niagara we will continue south via the east coast.

We are not sure what to do when he visa expires, ship the RV & car back to the UK or apply for a third visa?

John, Did you buy your solar panels at the Quartzsite Rally, can you recommend a company? Ta

 

[johnsandywhite]

John, Did you buy your solar panels at the Quartzsite Rally, can you recommend a company? Ta

:Cool: Bought ours 2 weeks before the show. Looked at ALL the companies doing business. These were the best I found:-

Link Removed

2 x 125 Watt panels + Solar Boost 2000E Controller for $1734 including fitting.

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[MicknPat]

Guy's,

Thanks for your replies some of which answer with a load of tech jargon which I don't understand and electricity can be very dangerous I thought I would rephrase the question.

Okay here is the picture: We are on a French municipal camp site that has a 4 amp electric hook up.

Our RV with the inverter, generator, (details as previously given) has been only been converted with a 110v/220v transformer, so all RV electric is 110v.

We plug our hook up line into the 4amp supply, switch ON the inverter and plug in our 1,500 watt kettle, would the RV's EMS (Energy Management System with soft start) help out the French 4amp system via the inverter & batteries?:thumb: or :thumbdown:

 

[Lampie]

In france and other bits of europe I have found that the mains can be as little as 3a and on great sites 16a and anywhere between. 3a was in switzerland. Have had 5/6a many times in france. All I would say is get a transformer with built in slow start. Since having one I have never tripped a site mains on plug up. Link Removed had that fitted all has been well.

Lampie

 

[johnsandywhite]

We plug our hook up line into the 4amp supply, switch ON the inverter and plug in our 1,500 watt kettle, would the RV's EMS (Energy Management System with soft start) help out the French 4amp system via the inverter & batteries?:thumb: or :thumbdown:

I believe the EMS provides protection from High/Low Voltage, Line Faults, AC Frequency and possibly auto-start the generator? If so and you asked for more power from the shore power? It may trip and default to the Inverter/Batteries or start the generator if this was controlled by the EMS. The EMS sheds loads if too much is asked from the shore power/generator/Inverter whatever it is controlling. Different EMS work in different ways.