Inverter use while boondocking

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Rocinante

If you have an inverter, the only safe way to use the AC power that comes from it is to use it in the manner intended.

If your inverter has plugs on it, then plug stuff into the inverter.

If Airstream wired your inverter into your trailer and it is already configured to feed power to a couple of outlets (usually marked with a bue sticker), then use those.

If you've completely re-wired your trailer such that every outlet in the trailer is fed by your hybrid inverter / charger, then they are all hot every time the inverter is active. This is what we did as part of a major solar / battery upgrade.

As to whether it's generally a good idea to run an inverter while camping, that entirely depends on the capacity of your batteries and your ability to charge them. Inverting burns lots of DC amps. Lots. If you have enough in your battery bank, you'll barely notice. If you have a pair of standard Group 24 batteries, then turning on and/or using the inverter will be a relatively energy expensive move. Just so we're clear, the very act of turning on your inverter burns DC amps while it sits there waiting for you to plug something in so it can get busy inverting.

Lastly, if you're camping off-grid and don't have a big enough battery bank, it's far more rewarding to figure out how to do as much as possible without AC power. As another poster suggested earlier, brew your coffee on the stove in a good old-fashioned stainless steel percolator. If you do it right, perc coffee is surprisingly delicious - certainly at least as good as any electric drip coffee you're ever going to make. Also, your coffee urn won't shatter at the tiniest provocation. It's a win win win!

Agree 100%! And here is a good overview of using both electric and stove top for best results:

http://www.best-coffee-machines.com/...h-a-percolator

Now, make sure you add a WDH when towing, make sure you have enough payload in your TV, and your all set for camping!

[pteck]

Originally Posted by richw46

Our coffee pot doesn't require any watts.

Ahh, but you use gas.

The watts are free and indefinitely sustainable when powered by the sun.

[Rocinante]

Originally Posted by pteck

Ahh, but you use gas.

The watts are free and indefinitely sustainable when powered by the sun.

Yes, though this is only true if your rig has been upgraded with enough solar, batteries, and inverter to run the electric coffee pot.

[pteck]

Agreed. It's a beautiful thing.

The upgrade can be easier than typically made out to be.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196422

I made 4 cups of coffee this morning. Battery didn't even blink and still at 100%.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by pteck

Ahh, but you use gas.

The watts are free and indefinitely sustainable when powered by the sun.

Well, technically, if you have to carry around solar panels then you are burning TV gas for the extra weight. There's no free energy lunch.

The amount of propane we use is negligible and when we use it, the tanks weigh less, so less TV gas used to pull the AS as we roll towards the next CG. Besides, we have a Coleman stove that uses Coleman fuel, if I don't want to use the propane, but setup is much easier with propane.

In any event, the percolator was cheap, much cheaper than solar panels and I can brew coffee as long as I have propane, Coleman fuel, matches for a campfire or a nearby gas station.

[pteck]

Well, if you want to go around in circles, that's fine. Merits to either way. I much prefer to cook with gas as well. Yet I don't mind reaching for the microwave nor electric coffee pot when I want the convenience.

[J. Morgan]

This is a FWIW thing, I have wired my trailer for full inverter service, everything less the air conditioner works on inverter.

Early on I used a large modified sine wave inverter, a couple of years ago I changed to a much smaller (2,000 watts) Go Power full sine wave inverter, the PSW inverter isn't near as efficient. and the MSW inverter was never a problem with any of my devices.

The moral for me is that for my purposes, a MSW is better....

[gypsydad]

Think I'll have another cup of fresh brewed coffee!

[BarryLCole]

Will someone with knowledge of the 2018 classic 33 tell me where the inverter is located and how to get access to it please
Thanks
Barry

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by BarryLCole

Will someone with knowledge of the 2018 classic 33 tell me where the inverter is located and how to get access to it please
Thanks
Barry

Hi

I think it's a safe bet that it's under the sink / microwave in the kitchen. You pull out all the bottom kitchen drawers to get access to the space. Since it spreads out a bit, there's more than one drawer to snap out of its tracks.

Bob

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by kittmaster

Using a cheater plug is bad business.

Don't do it.

I am not an expert in electrical systems, so could anyone better versed in these matters explain why feeding 110V outlet protected with a 15 Amp breaker with a male-to-male jumper cable connected to an inverter fed wall outlet that will not exceed 10 Amps (1000 Watts inverter / 110V = 9 Amps) is dangerous?

I have not done this but I have run an extension cord from the inverter wall outlet, out the door, under the trailer to connect to my 50 Amp inlet with an adapter. This worked fine but I made sure the fridge and water heater were running on LP, the thermostat was turned off, and obviously I didn't use any hair dryer, toaster, microwave, and other high consumption appliances, and switched Store/Use switch to Store which disconnected the batteries from the 12V circuit (which includes the Conveter/Charger). But it is somewhat annyoing not being able to close the door because of the extension cord.

Under these particular RV conditions, from an electrical perspective, how different is using a wall outlet from the 50 Amp inlet? Thanks!

[Ephraim]

Originally Posted by Hermes

I am not an expert in electrical systems, so could anyone better versed in these matters explain why feeding 110V outlet protected with a 15 Amp breaker with a male-to-male jumper cable connected to an inverter fed wall outlet that will not exceed 10 Amps (1000 Watts inverter / 110V = 9 Amps) is dangerous?

I have not done this but I have run an extension cord from the inverter wall outlet, out the door, under the trailer to connect to my 50 Amp inlet with an adapter. This worked fine but I made sure the fridge and water heater were running on LP, the thermostat was turned off, and obviously I didn't use any hair dryer, toaster, microwave, and other high consumption appliances, and switched Store/Use switch to Store which disconnected the batteries from the 12V circuit (which includes the Conveter/Charger). But it is somewhat annyoing not being able to close the door because of the extension cord.

Under these particular RV conditions, from an electrical perspective, how different is using a wall outlet from the 50 Amp inlet? Thanks!

When things work well, and you have specific procedures that you follow, there is no problem. But what happens when someone unplugs the hot plug from the trailer? You then have 110V on exposed prongs on the plug. When you know that is the case, you can be careful, but what about someone visiting you? Or a child? What happens if you slip while holding the hot plug? What happens when someone grabs you not knowing you are holding a hot plug? There are too many things that can go wrong there.

[rmkrum]

Precisely. It’s hellish dangerous to use a hot plug setup. They are called “suicide plugs” for all of the reasons stated above. Don’t do it !!!

[pteck]

Originally Posted by Ephraim

When things work well, and you have specific procedures that you follow, there is no problem. But what happens when someone unplugs the hot plug from the trailer? You then have 110V on exposed prongs on the plug. When you know that is the case, you can be careful, but what about someone visiting you? Or a child? What happens if you slip while holding the hot plug? What happens when someone grabs you not knowing you are holding a hot plug? There are too many things that can go wrong there.

On point. Definitely a concern with a live male plug.

Another issue is that this leaves open the opportunity to back feed and mix two live 120V sources, which is an extreme no-no. Let's say one is powering their 120V with the suicide plug. For whatever reason, one forgets. Then attempts to plug their trailer into the external hookups. There's no telling how this will play out. Burnt out inverter, fire, take whole campsite electrical down? Suicide plug is not far from the truth...

[uncle_bob]

Hi

One other possible "fail": Plug is lying there next to the socket. Uncle Bob comes along not knowing much at all and thinks "must have fallen out, I'll put it back in". Now the other end (that's who knows where) is live. It may be lying around next to somebody's feet ....

Another random happening: Outlets get cross wired fairly often. Neutral goes where hot should be and hot is on the neutral pin. Plug your magic cord into that setup and you get a bit of a surprise. Maybe the breaker will trip before the plug or wire fries (or melts in your hand) .... maybe not.

Yikes !!!!

Electrical plugs should *only* be used for their intended purpose. Live voltage on this end and not the other, 120V goes with these kinds, three phase 208V on this other sort .... Life is too short to randomly mess around with stuff that could kill somebody.

Bob

[Hermes]

Thanks, the message is loud and clear!

It would have been nice if JC had thought of putting an inverter outlet next to other outlets in the galley (for the coffee grinder, my DW likes freshly ground coffee in the morning) and bath (electric razor and toothbrush chargers...). We use those appliances more than the TVs when we boondock!

[lsbrodsky]

The reason they did not is hair dryers and kitchen appliances are not inverter friendly for the size inverter they install.

Larry

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by BarryLCole

Will someone with knowledge of the 2018 classic 33 tell me where the inverter is located and how to get access to it please
Thanks
Barry

What sayeth thy owner's manual?

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

What sayeth thy owner's manual?

Hi

If that info is in the owners manual it is *very* well hidden (and has been well hidden for several years). They acknowledge that it exists, but not much beyond that.

Bob

[OTRA15]

Asking that question had at least two purposes . . .