inverters

[Silver Pony]

I guess I'm dumb, no, I know I'm dumb. New to RVing and I know I have an inverter, I have seen it. It's under a cushion on my FC26U, but what exactly does it do and is bigger better? I've read a number of posts on this but am still confused. Thanking you in advance for the education

[SeaLevel]

The inverter converts 12V from the batteries to energize the 120V outlets that have the blue labels so that you can power things like your TV when you aren't plugged into shore power. Bigger may or may not be better, depending on your usage needs. We've never used ours after 1 years of ownership.

It would of course drain your batteries pretty quickly.

[lewster]

Among other things, your 1000 watt inverter will allow you to operate your TVs and a few selected 120VAC outlets (yes, the ones marked with the blue 'inverter outlet' sticker on them) up to 1000 watts (approx. 8 amps) from your batteries when you have no shore power available.

In the new 26U (just finished a major solar/inverter/lithium upgrade) Airstream has actually........wait for it........ used the 120VAC pass thru capability of the WFCO inverter so that when on shore power, the blue-labeled inverter outlets are actually powered too.......IT'S ABOUT TIME AIRSTREAM!!!!!!

This simply means that you don't have redundant outlets right next to the inverter outlets that were for shore power, as the inverter outlets were dead unless the inverter was turned on.

But I digress....................

I would NOT recommend going to a larger capacity inverter using your OEM battery arrangement, as any significant load (like a microwave) will deplete your house batteries rather quickly.

Most inverter upgrades involve re-wiring to allow for the use of an inverter/charger, significant battery upgrades AND solar to keep your enhanced battery bank charged while off grid.

[DA4753]

My wife, Anne, and I hope to get our first RV soon and are looking at power requirements for operating a sewing machine and perhaps a small iron. Are the Airstream standard 1000 W inverters capable of supplying power to these items.

I have read somewhere on here, in the Air Forum, that if I upgrade to a larger inverter output, that I may need to upgrade the wiring to a heavier gauge. Is this true?

I am relatively ignorant of a lot of the RV'ing particulars such as this, also. However, I do understand that more things operating through the inverter will inevitably deplete the 2 12V batteries more quickly; the next question is what is the easiest, quietest way of charging the batteries. I understand rooftop solar cells and charging systems get pretty pricy, and may need to be done at the factory.

Are there portable solar cell chargers that are satisfactory?

Or a small 500W generator, that definitely would not power a microwave even, but could relatively easily recharge the house batteries for further use in the boondocks.
Thanks,
David

[lewster]

Originally Posted by DA4753

My wife, Anne, and I hope to get our first RV soon and are looking at power requirements for operating a sewing machine and perhaps a small iron. Are the Airstream standard 1000 W inverters capable of supplying power to these items.

I have read somewhere on here, in the Air Forum, that if I upgrade to a larger inverter output, that I may need to upgrade the wiring to a heavier gauge. Is this true?

I am relatively ignorant of a lot of the RV'ing particulars such as this, also. However, I do understand that more things operating through the inverter will inevitably deplete the 2 12V batteries more quickly; the next question is what is the easiest, quietest way of charging the batteries. I understand rooftop solar cells and charging systems get pretty pricy, and may need to be done at the factory.

Are there portable solar cell chargers that are satisfactory?

Or a small 500W generator, that definitely would not power a microwave even, but could relatively easily recharge the house batteries for further use in the boondocks.
Thanks,
David

David,

Any question relating to inverter capacity essentially comes down to how much battery power you have available. Your 2 Interstate liquid cell batteries provide you with 80 amp/hours of usable capacity (to a 50% depth of discharge) and will not power much for very long.

Your 1000 watt inverter has a total capacity of just over 8 amps @120VAC, which is also not very powerful.

I don't know what the power requirements of your sewing machine are (they vary greatly) but a Honda or Yamaha 1000 watt generator, or better yet....the 2000 watt models, would easily provide sufficient power for your machine and the larger 2000 models will also provide sufficient power for your microwave and now....even your roof A/C unit when the Easy Start compressor soft start device one installed in the A/C unit.

The factory IS NOT the place for you to get a quality solar charging system. There are far better, less expensive options available after market that are properly designed and installed using high quality solar components that will provide sufficient re-charge power to keep your batteries at 100% but again, it all comes down to battery type and capacity when designing a solar charging system that will suit your requirements.

[DA4753]

I understand the AS fridge is dual powered . . . Electric & propane. Is the electric run through the inverter or do you have to be tethered to shore power?

[n2916s]

Two way RV fridge is 120v shore power OR propane (small amount of 12vdc needed for the control board)

[Paprika]

David, your sewing machine probably draws about 100 watts, so the factory-supplied inverter should be able to power it with ease. The iron is a different story. Even small travel irons draw 800 to 1,000 watts, and standard-sized irons may require 1,200 to 1,500 watts. I strongly dislike generator noise, but I know how essential it is when sewing to be able to press seams flat and so on... so you may have no choice but to invest in a generator.

Originally Posted by DA4753

Are there portable solar cell chargers that are satisfactory?

Friends of mine have been happy with Renogy's 100 W "solar suitcase" portable panel setup. Pro: it's convenient and portable--no roof mounting needed. Con: it costs about twice as much per watt as panels purchased separately. Still, if you want an easy-to-use portable solar power system, something like this may be worth considering, if only as a "starter system." By the way, I agree with Lewster that the factory's solar power systems are significantly overpriced and underpowered. That's the last place I'd go for a solar setup.

Originally Posted by DA4753

...if I upgrade to a larger inverter output, that I may need to upgrade the wiring to a heavier gauge. Is this true?

In general, RV makers use the smallest gauge wire they can get away with (and sometimes even smaller than that!), in order to minimize costs. After all, very few owners are going to crawl around looking at wiring and exclaiming "12 gauge wire for a 20-foot run that carries up to 40 amps?! Ohmigod, the voltage drop is gonna be ridiculous!"... so manufacturers know they can get away with cutting corners in this area. So if I were you, I'd take it as a given that upgrading from a 1,000 W inverter would mean also upgrading the wiring between inverter and batteries.

[Fair_Enough]

Originally Posted by Paprika

In general, RV makers use the smallest gauge wire they can get away with (and sometimes even smaller than that!), in order to minimize costs. After all, very few owners are going to crawl around looking at wiring and exclaiming "12 gauge wire for a 20-foot run that carries up to 40 amps?! Ohmigod, the voltage drop is gonna be ridiculous!"... so manufacturers know they can get away with cutting corners in this area.

Yep, around 21% when it should be 3% or under. 12 gauge copper would work... one way run between 2 and 3 feet. 10 gauge gets you up to around 4 feet.
WW