Inverted outlets

[s1000pre]

In the process of upgrading to lithium with 30amp inverter. I would like the ability to run the convection/microwave, coffee maker from kitchen outlet, & hair dryer in the bathroom. I do realize, I can probably only run one at a time on each 15amp circuit. The irritation here is, the kitchen outlet is not inverted, neither is the microwave, and guessing nor is the bathroom. I’m going to try to figure out the easiest way to invert the microwave and kitchen outlet. Has anyone done this?.
The tv outlets have one outlet available, the other is non-usaeable. Is there a reason other than limiting a potential overload if someone plugs a high draw appliance while the stereo and tv’s are on?

[wulfraat]

The reason is that they are dedicated inverter outlets and it’s to limit potential 120v AC draw on your current 1000w inverter.

The devices you are referencing are on 2 or more AC circuits. Putting everything on one circuit and being mindful not to run one more than one thing at a time is not a best practice / might be against code.

There is equipment (pass through inverter chargers) that solve for this. A traditional inverter is design to power a single AC circuit.

[T Mac]

When I installed my Victron Multiplus inverter, I completely removed the 1000 watt inverter. The factory inverter was on AC circuit 7. I connected the wiring going into the inverter with the wiring that was going out of the inverter. That completed the circuit to the TVs etc. Look in your owners manual for the wiring diagram.

As per AM Solar wiring diagrams, my Multiplus is connected between the shore power input and the main AC panel (SPS installed too). So the Multiplus powers all AC outlets when don’t have shore power. You have to remember that you can’t run everything simultaneously, just like at a campground with 30 amp service.

It is very convenient to be able to use the microwave or coffee maker when stopped for fuel. I’ll pull into the diesel line and my wife gets started on lunch.

My 2 cent.

[s1000pre]

I’m hearing everyone’s comments on this subject, and appreciate the feedback. I came up with another option which will give me some redundancy as well (option B).

Option A. Install Victron 3000, ditch my converter, move everything around and spend 80-100 hrs figuring it all out and re-wiring my 30bunk.

Option B.
1.Swap out my converter with a progressive dynamics PD9160 (plug & play).
2. Add an additional Inverter PD1618 (1800 watt) to carry the 15A microwave circuit, two galley and bathroom outlets.
I have already experienced a bad inverter on the road which AS quickly replaced. This setup would give me the redundancy and ability to swap inverters in a pinch.

I would only need to use the second inverter when I want to use the microwave, or outlets.

I realize the microwave, hair dryer, toaster, or coffee maker can only be used one at a time, we are used to doing that anyway. The bonus is I can complete this setup in an afternoon.

Any thoughts or opinions?

[goldenchase]

Originally Posted by s1000pre

I’m hearing everyone’s comments on this subject, and appreciate the feedback. I came up with another option which will give me some redundancy as well (option B).

Option A. Install Victron 3000, ditch my converter, move everything around and spend 80-100 hrs figuring it all out and re-wiring my 30bunk.

Option B.
1.Swap out my converter with a progressive dynamics PD9160 (plug & play).
2. Add an additional Inverter PD1618 (1800 watt) to carry the 15A microwave circuit, two galley and bathroom outlets.
I have already experienced a bad inverter on the road which AS quickly replaced. This setup would give me the redundancy and ability to swap inverters in a pinch.

I would only need to use the second inverter when I want to use the microwave, or outlets.

I realize the microwave, hair dryer, toaster, or coffee maker can only be used one at a time, we are used to doing that anyway. The bonus is I can complete this setup in an afternoon.

Any thoughts or opinions?

Suggest you install the MultiPlus-II and be done with it. You will have an AC electrical system just like your house with the bonus of using shore power connections of less than 50 amps letting the lithium batteries make up for temporary surges of demand that exceed a 20 amp or 30 amp shore connection.

[AKNate]

Option B may not be as simple as you think. An 1800 W inverter will pull around 170 A DC and need at least 1/0 wires to feed it. It should be located up front by the batteries. You then still need to run the AC to the distribution center toward the back of the camper. If you put all those things on one circuit, yes you will only be able to use one at a time, but that is permanently true, even when you’re on shore power. Not sure you’d want that.
I’ve been down this road, trying to come up with an easy way to power just a few things. I ended up just installing a Multiplus and rewiring the camper.

[jsmall01]

Anybody have wiring diagrams they can share for victron multi plus inverter charger retrofit for airstream

Also adding 4 Battleborn batteries and relocating them under front bed near new victron

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by jsmall01

Anybody have wiring diagrams they can share for victron multi plus inverter charger retrofit for airstream

Also adding 4 Battleborn batteries and relocating them under front bed near new victron

Here’s how I added 500ah of lithium and a Victron Multiplus 3000 under the curb twin if that helps.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by jsmall01

Anybody have wiring diagrams they can share for victron multi plus inverter charger retrofit for airstream

Also adding 4 Battleborn batteries and relocating them under front bed near new victron

There are as many ways to wire one of these as there are people doing it.

The Victron has two outputs - one that is always hot whether you're running off the inverter or on shore power, and the other only hot when on shore power. This is designed so that when you lose shore power your larger items like the a/c units, electric water heater, space heaters, etc. won't immediately overload the system and cause it to error out.

Doing this type of install requires all the circuits which should only run off shore power to be separated from those which can run off either shore power or the inverter.

On my coach I installed one of the new Victron Multiplus inverter/chargers and did it where everything on the coach is fed from the Victron on the always-hot output. I didn't want to go through the trouble of installing a sub panel and rewiring things. What this means is that before I disconnect shore power I have to carefully shut off anything which will have too large a load for the inverter.

After a season of traveling with it this way, I'm thinking that I should have installed the sub panel and done it with two separate outputs. It's not that difficult to shut things off when disconnecting from shore power, and it only took a few times of forgetting something and having the system shut down to make a point of remembering.

The problem comes when shore power blips out, even momentarily, while you have something with a large load running. As Murphy would have it, the power at the campground is going to have the momentary outage while your a/c is running, your space heaters are on, etc. Then the Victron will require a reboot to get going again, not something ideal especially in the middle of the night.

If the two separate outputs are used the Victron will automatically and instantly shed the loads which are on the shore-power-only output whenever the shore power is lost. Makes for a much smoother operation all around.

All that said, if you have a large enough battery bank and enough inverter capacity to handle your largest loads for a short while you may not have the same problem.