nu2this2
Home
New Member
Joined: 12/22/2008
View Profile
 Offline
|
I have a 2000W inverter and wish to use it in my trailer but have questions.
I assume that when the inverter is connected to the batteries, any A/C item plugged to the inverter will be energized. My trailer has an outside shore power receptacle meant to be connected to power supply from a trailer park. A dogleg RV adapter from the trailer,is then connected to the inverter by a heavy duty extension cord. This allows me to bypass the supplied power Am I not now duplicating the A/C from the campground? If so, why don't my A/C outlets work in the trailer![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/huh.gif "huh")
I am not electrically versed and am at a total loss.
Thanks for any help.
|
2oldman
south
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
First, a/c is traditionally used to mean air conditioning. AC is ac power.
You don't need an inverter when connected to shore power, if I read your post correctly. Now, if your 'inverter' is actually an inverter charger, then it DOES need 120v shore input power to be a battery charger.
|
KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
If you plugged your shore power cord directly into your inverter then yes, all the outlets in your RV should have power. You would want to turn off your built in converter (battery charger) when doing this. You would also want to make sure your refrigerator and water heater are set to gas and not electric.
It sound like you've done this and don't have power. That's just basic troubleshooting. Check for power at the inverter, check for power at the dog bone adapter, check for power in the RV breaker panel, etc.
You do have a volt meter I hope. If not this is a useless exercise.
|
nu2this2
Home
New Member
Joined: 12/22/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
2oldman
Thank you, what I'm trying to do is emulate shore power(120V) whilst boon docking purpose. My batteries will be charged with my solar system. My inverter is not a charger.
Sorry I wasn't clear on that.
|
time2roll
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Have you tried something besides the RV in the inverter? Just plug a lamp in direct.
No errors etc on the inverter? Did you check if the inverter GFCI is tripped?
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
675w Solar pictures back up
|
|
|
jdc1
Rescue, Ca
Senior Member
Joined: 05/30/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
You need to disconnect your converter when you do what you are trying to do. That converter is sucking some major power from those batteries.
|
nu2this2
Home
New Member
Joined: 12/22/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
KD4UPL wrote:If you plugged your shore power cord directly into your inverter then yes, all the outlets in your RV should have power. You would want to turn off your built in converter (battery charger) when doing this. You would also want to make sure your refrigerator and water heater are set to gas and not electric.
It sound like you've done this and don't have power. That's just basic troubleshooting. Check for power at the inverter, check for power at the dog bone adapter, check for power in the RV breaker panel, etc.
You do have a volt meter I hope. If not this is a useless exercise.
Thank you. I did not plug the shore power cord to the inverter. I had heard the converter would be trying to charge the batteries and I should turn off the circuit breaker. The inverter is working because I ran an extension cord to the TV and 1880W hair dryer independently and they worked perfectly. I noticed the previous owner had circuit breaker labels for "conv" and "batchg". I assumed the built in converter automatically did the charging when needed. I assumed by the label of the previous owner must have had a separate battery charger.
|
nu2this2
Home
New Member
Joined: 12/22/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
KD4UPL wrote:If you plugged your shore power cord directly into your inverter then yes, all the outlets in your RV should have power. You would want to turn off your built in converter (battery charger) when doing this. You would also want to make sure your refrigerator and water heater are set to gas and not electric.
It sound like you've done this and don't have power. That's just basic troubleshooting. Check for power at the inverter, check for power at the dog bone adapter, check for power in the RV breaker panel, etc.
You do have a volt meter I hope. If not this is a useless exercise.
Thanks, A circuit breaker label says converter. If this is turned off dose not that mean that I'm bypassing it? I have power to all the items you mention when on shore power. I'm trying to bypass the built in converter because my inverter is now providing 120V, but not to my receptacles.
|
DrewE
Vermont
Senior Member
Joined: 08/23/2014
View Profile
Offline
|
The receptacles, at least the ones you're checking, may be on the same circuit as one of the circuit breakers you turned off. An easy way to check that is to see if the outlets are live when connected to normal shore power with those breakers switched off.
|
time2roll
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Yes, plug into a regular outlet and let the converter charge the battery with the breaker on. Do the outlets work? Then flip the converter breaker and see if the outlets go off.
BTW "conv" may not even be the converter. Many use that "conv" as short for convenience outlets.
"batchg" seems more like "battery charger" and might be the converter. But again it may control some of the outlets also on that branch.
Often there is a minimum of two branches including the GFCI branch circuit and a second branch of non-GFCI.
Also need to discover what circuit your fridge is on or just know to set the fridge to propane only.
|
|
|
