Installation inverter

A freshly brewed cup of coffee, and a camera, of course. You head to the galley, plug in the coffee maker and start the generator, within a few minutes the eagles have fled, the deer have darted away and your formerly slumbering neighbors and mate are giving you less than friendly glances. If, on the other hand, you had an inverter, it would be entirely unnecessary to start the generator in order to operate the coffee maker and a variety of other gear that would otherwise operate from shore power.

Certain appliances such as laser printers, electric shavers, some rechargeable flashlights, VCRs, TVs and bread makers, along with some desktop computers and uninterrupted power supplies, may not work properly if at all using MSW inverters and in some cases this gear may even be damaged if an attempt is made to operate it using a MSW.

Audio devices will often exhibit a hum and video devices may show interference when used with MSW inverters. This type of inverter remains available today, and many legacy units continue to go strong, I encounter them from time to time in my consulting work. True sine wave TSW inverters, on the other hand, produce a form of power that is virtually indistinguishable from utility power and in some cases the power they produce is superior to that of a generator.

Provided the capacity is properly matched, all appliances running on a TSW inverter should operate in precisely the same manner in which they would when used with shore power. Details regarding inverter installations abound, it is therefore essential that installers read and fully comprehend installation manuals and manufacturer requirements.

Other than the cost, how do you decide which inverter to specify or use? Among other things, if superior quality audio and video performance is important to you, and having power that is indistinguishable from the shore power, then the decision is made, TSW is the only way to go. Today, I would be hard pressed to recommend anything other than a true sine wave inverter. The next step in the inverter selection process is sizing.

This is where many installations go terribly wrong in one of two ways. First, in many cases, the inverter is selected based either on the loads that will operate from it or based on its charge output capacity many inverters are also sophisticated multi-step DC chargers.

In those cases, with a few exceptions, the power supplied by the inverter is capable of handling most of the AC loads aboard the vessel. Items that are typically not operated by inverters of any sort include air conditioning units and water heaters. As always, there are exceptions to every rule; with the appropriate design inverters are capable of operating air conditioning compressors, although this is, for now, the exception rather than the rule.

The manner in which this installation goes wrong is the inverter size fails to take into account the start up or surge loads imparted by motor loads such as pumps or compressors. Often, start up loads can be three to five times the operating load and thus, a watermaker that draws a steady state of twelve amps at volts may require a momentary start up capacity of forty-five or fifty amps.

If the inverter is not appropriately sized it simply will trip its output circuit breaker. The second manner in which an inverter selection goes wrong is in the sizing or mismatching of the source of power for the inverter, the battery bank. The inverter may have the capacity to handle all of the loads, including start ups of refrigerators and water makers, however, how long can it sustain those loads without the battery bank receiving a charge?

Whether you intend to operate high wattage gear, such as a hair dryer or microwave, on a short-term basis or moderate wattage gear, such as a refrigerator, on a long term basis, calculations must be performed to ensure the battery bank has the necessary amp-hour capacity to handle such loads.

Load calculator forms are available from most inverter manufacturers. The size of capacity of a house battery bank should be inextricably linked with the expected inverter loads.

Failing to take this into account will often lead to frequent charging and shortened battery life. Run both charging cables directly to the alternator. Do not use the vehicle chassis as a conductor. AC wiring must be stranded copper conductors for vibration resistance and must also be protected by a conduit. Route closely to the frame. Use electrical tape over the wire nuts at the terminations because they can be loosened by vibration.

Bonding Connect a 8 gauge stranded copper wire from the bonding lug on the inverter chassis to the vehicle chassis. The connections must be tight against bare metal. Use star washers to penetrate paint and corrosion. This safety requirement also reduces radio interference the Dimensions Inverter is UL listed, its DC input connections are isolated from the chassis.

Cut the cable using a shear-type cable cutting tool figure 6. Strip the insulation from the cable using a rotary type cable stripper tool figure 7. Battery connections can be made with ring figure 8 or clamp figure 9 terminals. Make alternator connections with ring terminals.

When two cables must be connected to a single battery post, use a post clamp type terminal figure All engine compartment wiring and cabling must be in high temperture degrees C loom figure Skip to main content. Skip to main content Skip to navigation. Power Inverter Installation. Introduction The success of a DC to AC power inverter installation depends mainly on the methods and materials used for the installation. Other successful, smaller installations consist of an Watt inverter system in a smaller utility van or truck: Alternator rated at least 85 Amperes.

A deep-cycle battery, Group 27 or larger in size. Wire from the inverter to the battery is 2 gauge at up to 15 feet one way distance Where larger inverters than these are used, or where more continuous power is required, it is recommended that a battery pack be installed as close as possible to the inverter and that the alternator system be upgraded.

Inverter Installation refer to Figure 1 Compartment: The power inverter is an electronic device and is therefore somewhat sensitive to external factors. Mounting the Inverter: Bolt the inverter securely on either a platform or bulkhead. Fuse Holder Installation: All wiring from a battery must be protected with the proper size fuses. Battery Installation Compartment: The battery area must be vapor-tight to the interior of the vehicle and vented directly to the exterior.

Mounting the Battery: Mount the Battery using hold-downs, trays, or boxes. Make sure you read through your user manual before tackling your inverter installation. Your inverter should be located close to the batteries but in a protected area free from moisture, dust, dirt and battery fumes. The DC Install Kits listed on page 10 contain everything you need to install your inverter properly. Once installed, simply plug your power cord into your Go Power! Inverter and you will have AC power.

Option Two: Go Power! Hardware with the standard automatic transfer switch. Use the TS automatic transfer switch with your Go Power!