inverter installation

[Jeff Miller]

If you read the Xantrex manual Tom, you will find that running wires
from the inverter to the batteries on a mid-mounted inverter / FC is
within the allowable length. In a pre-'87 it is only about 15feet
away,less on newer FCs, across the coach is around half that at 7feet
or so, plus wire routing. Yes it would be nice to mount the batteries
and inverter together as in Mike's FC or the '87PT we did, but
leaving the FC batteries where they are means that you're either
across the coach from them or behind the front wheel, neither is
optimum.

As far as what "the designers intended", I've found that the load
center in our Wanderlodges is badly in need of balancing, not
properly set up IMO. Re-balancing loads makes the panel and twin 30a
setup work better in my experience, it also gives you an opportunity
to set the panel up for a primary and secondary leg (if you only have
one 30a circuit and one 20a to plug into as is found many times, this
is very important), and it allows use of the transfer switch setup in
the RV2512 and RV3012 inverters as a 50a which can power an enire
leg. It takes a little brainpower and planning to do it right, but in
the end you wind up with a better setup for inverter use while on the
road and while drycamping.

It can be done with a subpanel, I'd suggest no less than 8 circuits
however, this will work also. I have the advantage over you in that I
have done it both ways, I've found the split-panel method to work
best and it makes things so simple for others to operate.

Regarding shunts, if you look back the post where you replied: "Bob
shunts are always in series with the negative terminal of the
batteries.", my response is to correct that comment as BlueBird and
automotive shunts are all on the positive side with negative-ground
systems. What runs through the positive wire runs through the
negative on your inverter, your entertaining perspective that
shunting the positive will not sense all of the load on the negative
is a new electrical phenomenon at least.

- Jeff Miller
in Holland, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner
wrote:
>
> If you wait a few days Ernie I will take pictures of my Heart
> installation in the rear of my PT40. I have just been finishing a
> couple of little things on the 1982 Fc before the new owner takes
it.
>
> yes you can use the same battery bank on the PT40 to connect the
> Heart to. But I plan to add some more batteries in the rear just
have
> not decided how to do it yet.
>
> 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. As for installing the Heart in
> place of the old chargers in a FC model and running 4/0 cable to
the
> front drivers side compartment please dont do it. 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.
The
> ideal installation of course is in a PT where it can be installed
in
> the old charger compartment with very short cable runs. And I hope
> you are installing the Link 1000 with it. The link really gives you
> good indications of your alternator output while the engine is
> running and the output of the chargers when either the shore power
is
> connected or the generator is running. It will also give you the
> current reading of each individual device in your coach as you turn
> it on and off. Real neat for finding problems.
>
> As for using the sensing functions of the Heart (or the Trace)
> inverter/chargers if you install the battery cable to the positive
> terminal of the shunt you will NOT be reading all of the current
flow
> thru the batteries and thus all of your readings will be incorrect.
> Why would you want to do that after spending well over a $1000 for
a
> very sophisticated inverter/charger? But of course everyone can
> install it like they want.
>
> Tom Warner
> Vernon Center,NY
> 1982 FC35 sold
> 1985 PT 40