inverter installation

[Tim Hannink]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner
wrote:

> As for installing it "right". Of course there is many ways to
> install an inverter/charger but if you want it to do what the
> designers intended then you should not rebalance the loads on the
> existing load center but install a new Square D sub panel. Makes
> for a very neat easily installed look.


AFAIK, the designers already balanced the loads out when they came
up with using two 30-amp power cords/circuits idea when a 50-amp
circuit wasn't available.

I wired the output of my inverter in place of one of the 30 amp
inputs and use the transfer switch in the 30-amp position to power
one leg of my panel. This puts all of the receptacles, the hot water
heater and the rear A/C on the inverter. Since I don't need to make
hot water electrically when I am underway, I make sure the heater
switch is turned off.

This wiring method also enables you to kill all AC power to the
coach (including the inverter output) with either the transfer
switch or the main 50-amp breaker. Makes it a whole lot safer for an
inexperience person to kill power to the coach without hunting for a
sub panel or an inverter on/off switch, especially in an emergency.

> There is to large a voltage drop (should be less then .25 VDC)
> since the cable run is over 40 feet when you take both the -
> positive and negative cable runs into consideration which is how
> you calculate the voltage drop.

My inverter is in the middle street-side compartment where the
battery boilers once were. I used 15' of black and 16' of red cable
to reach the front battery pack. My front coach-side compartment has
two 8D starting batteries that were integrated into the system by
Bluebird in the late '80's according to my documentation, so using
that location wasn't an option for me.

There is a diagram and more complete description of my installation
in the FC_Wanderlodge Yahoo_Groups file section.

Good luck,

Tim Hannink
Winter Park, FL
1981 FC-33SB