Inverter question, 2016 grand tour.

[jtmac]

We are heading out to Florida for the winter and taking the airstream. I usually park it in a storage area at our condo that is uncovered. I am wondering if I need to leave the inverter on when storing so the solar will trickle charge the house batteries. I do turn off all the power and unplug things that may get a parasitic drain.

Or......would I be better off turning off the main disconnect to the house batteries and then turn off the inverter. On all my other coaches I had to leave on the inverter to get the house batteries to charge from the solar.

thanks,

Jim

[TayaraTravel]

Always turn the Inverter off. It plays no role in charging the batteries, and only draws current. Also make sure you turn the outside LPG switch off, it has a significant parasitic drain.

[Pahaska]

The inverter will be disconnected when you switch the main disconnect switch to off. There is a second motor-powered rotary switch or a solenoid that disconnects the inverter in all recent AI.

In my 2014.5, it was a stupidly-engineered solenoid that I replaced with a manual switch.

[Heckler56]

Trying to understand all the different threads on how to “disconnect/turn off” my inverter.

I have a 2016 Grand Tour Ext and I am pretty sure I do not have the Airstream solenoid. I have removed the BIM and battery isolator, choosing to wire the alternator side directly to a dc to dc charger and the lead from the inverter fuse to isolator to the house batteries.

Should I put a battery disconnect switch on the wire from the inverter fuse to house batteries to stop the parasitic battery drain?

I am attaching a picture of my inverter area prior to my modifications.

[nateallen80]

If you really want to stop the parasitic draws, put a switch between the battery positive and the 200 amp main fuse.

[Heckler56]

Originally Posted by nateallen80

If you really want to stop the parasitic draws, put a switch between the battery positive and the 200 amp main fuse.

It would be nice while boondocking to not have the inverter draining additional power.

In all fairness, I have been avoiding hitting the master battery switch thinking my new Balmer shunt would not keep an accurate soc or soh. But duh, the shunt has a positive lead directly on the battery. Can’t believe I spent the last two weeks worrying about that...

[nateallen80]

Originally Posted by Heckler56

It would be nice while boondocking to not have the inverter draining additional power.

In all fairness, I have been avoiding hitting the master battery switch thinking my new Balmer shunt would not keep an accurate soc or soh. But duh, the shunt has a positive lead directly on the battery. Can’t believe I spent the last two weeks worrying about that...

I put my victron battery monitor positive on the other side of the switch, as my coach sits in storage for months at a time.