steved28
Bellingham,MA,USA
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I have an 1800W inverter which I plan to feed my panel. I understand I will need to shut the breaker to the battery charger while the inverter is in use. I was thinking of feeding it (or backfeeding it) via a new breaker (it has open slots) while shutting down the "main". Is this a viable solution? Or should I be looking at a different point to feed the panel? Are breakers bi-directional? (one would think so considering it's AC current).
Thanks in advance,
Steve
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Why back feed a converter if you are only running off of 12 volts at the time? Maybe I miss read your question.
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smkettner
Southern California
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No do not back feed the panel. Electrically it will work but it is dangerous. For starters the prongs on the main cord will be energized. And good luck when you accidentally plug into your generator and have the inverter on. A distribution panel should have one source of power.
Get a transfer switch. You can feed the main panel and switch off breakers or feed a subpanel to keep items isolated that should not be powered by the inverter.
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Mandalay Parr
Phoenix, AZ
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You Don't want your inverter to feed your converter. It would be like a dog chasing his tail.
Call me. I will explain.
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steved28
Bellingham,MA,USA
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Gale Hawkins wrote:Why back feed a converter if you are only running off of 12 volts at the time? Maybe I miss read your question.
The converter is also where all the 110 feeds are located. So really I mean backfeed the AC panel.
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steved28
Bellingham,MA,USA
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Mandalay Parr wrote:You Don't want your inverter to feed your converter. It would be like a dog chasing his tail.
Call me. I will explain.
I understand this, which is why I stated that the breaker to the charger(also the converter) would be off. But the converter holds the AC distribution panel. Which I want to feed from my inverter.
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steved28
Bellingham,MA,USA
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smkettner wrote:No do not back feed the panel. Electrically it will work but it is dangerous. For starters the prongs on the main cord will be energized. .
I realize this, which is why I mentioned shutting off the Main. But I see your point if you do not. I guess I could do like the genny does, and put another plug in that my 30A service plugs in to.
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Bubby's RV
CA
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Joined: 07/22/2003
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steved28 wrote:smkettner wrote:No do not back feed the panel. Electrically it will work but it is dangerous. For starters the prongs on the main cord will be energized. .
I realize this, which is why I mentioned shutting off the Main. But I see your point if you do not. I guess I could do like the genny does, and put another plug in that my 30A service plugs in to.
That's much safer than your original idea and less expensive than a transfer switch, although you might change your mind if you have to go out in the rain to move the plug.
You never want to have to rely on your memory to do something (like open the main breaker) to be safe with electricity if you can help it.
John, Winnebago Minnie 24V
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Listermann
Cincinnati, Ohio
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I installed a relay that interupts the line to the converter when the inverter is on.
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Chris Bryant
DeLand, Florida, USA
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The neutral must be switched along with the hot leg in an RV, so that's not a good idea.
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