Inverter Use

rfw · Post by **rfw** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:26 pm

If one had an in-motion satellite receiver, would a 2000 watt inverter run the dish, receiver, and tv while traveling down the road without running the generator. Knowing that the engine would be charging the batteries at the same time.

KTnLen · Post by **KTnLen** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:48 pm

Yes! I used the 2000w Xantrex Freedom 485 Inverter this past week while my wife was driving from Albuquerque NM and it powered the In-Motion Satellite KingDome, DirecTV receiver, the Bose radio, and the 23-in LCD TV just fine. I even made a pot of coffee and ran the microwave to heat a cup of water at the same time and it worked like a dream. I have a small 350w 12v plug-in inverter to keep my laptop and cell phone charged when I don't use the big unit.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:30 pm

I power our 20" CRT TV, MotoSat Dish and dish 625DVR from our 400W inverter, I measured the draw and it was only 85 Watts.
Steve

Mike Jean Bandfield · Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:44 pm

RFW, 2000w is a lot of power. If the inverter is rated for 2000w continuous it could ealy power your microwave oven or even your air conditioner. But be careful - that could discharge your batteries very quickly. Just currious: What is the size and type of TV? ...crt, LCD or Plasma?

Thought I'd share my recent inverter lesson

with the group and this seems like a good topic to conveniently expand upon.

I bought a 2000w/4000w Harbor Freight el cheapo inverter at the beginning of the year for $150 and installed it in the big storage compartment. http://tinyurl.com/y92w9b We've been using the output via an extension cord until last weekend when I finally got around to wiring the AC output into the coach wiring. (I have an excuse - we are building a house and it is consuming our lives.)

I turned the inverter on with the ground and neutral tied into the coach wiring but not the hot side and, surprise

, it promptly blew up. My investigation of the cause turned up a surprising piece of information - at least to me. It seems the el cheapo inverters are designed using two inverters each supplying ~60VAC 180 deg out of phase with each other and referenced to ground. So neutral is not really neutral. It supply's half the current. Tying the inverter's neutral to the coach's neutral effectively shorted the inverter to ground at the generator and/or shore power.

My el cheapo inverter was an expensive inverter lesson. And, now I can go buy the Xantrex I should have bought in the first place. When buying an inverter make certain that it is designed to be wired into a standard house wiring where neutral is bonded to ground. Most higher end inverters allow this. Also, be aware that most small inverters (< 400W) assume a floating neutral and are not intended for integration into house wiring.

Hopefully, my experience and this post will save another from buying the same lesson. Good luck!

Mike

KTnLen · Post by **KTnLen** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:14 am

I purchased the Xantrex Freedom 458 (not 485 as I stated) as an option with the coach for $1750 so I'm glad I had it installed by someone who knows them. http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/8/learn.asp

As for the TV, it is an INITIAL 23-in LCD with DVD built-in. Cost for that was $995 and included the switching center. The bedroom TV is also an INITIAL, 17-in LCD, and also with a built-in DVD, cost of $695, and this one runs on 12v. Both are HDTV ready. http://www.initialdvd.com/?page=products_lcd

The in-motion satellite system is a KingDome and costs $2195 installed. http://tinyurl.com/8oc56

rfw · Post by **rfw** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:31 pm

We currently have a 2k inverter in our DP but the TV's (CRT) are not situated for viewing while driving. Also there is a lockout. We have been looking at the 32' BF where the TV's could be viewed while driving. So in a way it was a what if question.

Thanks for the replies