Xantrex RV 3012 M Inverter Installation, Reinventing the wheel!

[bumpersbird]

Gregg,

Your probably right.

I spoke with several people today, Xantrex support, Solar power techs
etc. after I posted my little progress report. It seems as it does
not matter how heavy the cable is after a certain lenght the DC side
decreases efficance for every foot past 7' and after about 12' it may
not function at all. I've learned there are three enemies of an
invertrer: 1- Moisture,2- Heat,3- Dirt

I have been told that it can be done but the majority opinion is it's
better to keep the inverters as close to the batteries as possible,
even if they run hot and are in a dirty enviroment. By the way those
who think it's doable have not elaborated on how to do it.

So I'm going to put the new units in the inverter box in the engine
compartment. It will be a tight fit. Moisture is not really a
problem, perhaps condensation on the rare occasion. I will vent it in
some fashion, probably a couple of 130 cfm computer fans. The fans
that I'm installing to cool the engine compartment should also help a
lot. I'm mounting 2 - 1650 CFM radiator fans on the right side grill.
The inverters are just a 10" or 12" away. I might place some sort of
air filter on the door in an attemp to keep the box interior somewhat
clean.

I have 6 Lifline Batteries, they are only 24 month old and in time
switching to something else could happen, but these will have to die
first, especially at $600.00 each

SSSSHHHHHH_________TTTTTTTT !!!!!! There I go again, trying to
reinvent the wheel. To be honest this was probably one of Bluebirds
bigger engineering screw ups. Then again maybe not the old inverters
were in there for 13 years.

Hey on the bright side the bay with the BBQ is now metal lined, Looks
good and should be easier to clean.

Kurt Horvath
95 PT-42 WLWB
Fayetteville TN



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:
>
> Kurt,
> Would it be less costly and with less issues to re vamp the heart
> inverter box area above the batteries to make it waterproof and may
> be even taller????
>
> With L-16 I have more room under the inverter box as the top
> battery tray was removed.
> http://www.pbase.com/gregoryoc/image/86932717
>
> you can also split the inverters up?????????
>
>
> GregoryO'Connor
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bumpersbird"
> wrote:
> >
> > The two inveters arrived in new sealed boxes. The RV7/GS
> controlers
> > arrived in as new condition, but they were in non mfg packaging.
> >
> > cost to date:
> >
> > $1370.00 inverters.
> > $ 305.00 controls.
> > $ 100.00 Sheet metal and aluminum angle for lining bay.
> >
> > I decided that I will move the inverters into bay 3, right side
in
> > place of the electric grill, from the hot, dirty, and sometimes
> wet
> > inverter box in the engine compartment.
> >
> > After the renovations I will convert the old inverter box to hold
> 2
> > more house batteries.
> >
> > I have removed the grill and I have lined the area with sheet
> metal,
> > and framed the opening with aluminum angle. I also replaced the
> > small angle iron mounting peices with wider aluminun braces and
> ran
> > an angle support under the shelf to help support the 120+ lbs. of
> > weight, Overkill! When the tool box is under the shelf it does
not
> > move or vibrate. I will post photos shortly.
> >
> > There is the question of how large the wires have to be that
> connect
> > the invertes to the batteries. It will take appox. 115' of cable
> to
> > get the job done and if you have bought heavy copper cable of
late
> > it's not cheep! It looks like around $10.00 a foot for 350 MCM
> > welding cable.
> >
> > It is 0.970 in diameter So I am having a bit of trouble figuring
> out
> > how or where to run these cables. Idealy inside the frame rail
> would
> > be my first choice, but after spending a few hours under the
> coach,
> > poking around, this will be impossible without getting the coach
> on a
> > lift. Anybody know what size cable is used on the coaches that
> have
> > factory installed inverters in the bays?
> >
> > Here is a responce from Xantrex about the cable size. YIKES!!!
> >
> >
> > Dear Kurt Horvath,
> >
> > My wire size calculator says 1000 MCM, which I didn't even know
> > existed until just now. Is there any way you can shorten the run
> to
> > 12 feet, which would allow you to use 500 MCM?
> >
> > For all correspondence regarding this issue, please make sure to
> > leave the ID number [ref:00D3Wjr.500351Yfr:ref] in the subject
> line
> > or body of the email.
> >
> > Allegra Sloman
> > Customer Service Operations
> > Xantrex Technology Inc.
> >
> > Well there goes the farm 1000 MCM cable????
> >
> > There are 2 large cables running along the top inside of the
wheel
> > well from the engine compartment into the holding tank bay and
> > forwards from there. This looks like the easy way to run the
> cables
> > but it is exposed to a lot road damage and wear and tear, not to
> > mention a tire coming apart. So it's not really a good choice.
Any
> > ideas on this option?
> >
> > I am checking into STACKING the inverters. I really don't know
> much
> > about how this system works. Or what is required to change from
> the
> > two unit system to a STACKED system. I do know that it reduces
the
> > required cable lenght in half. Any ideas here would be helpful.
> >
> > I also have to run the control wires and 120v wires from the
> engine
> > bay to the new invert bay. The control wires are also a small
> problem
> > the origonal wires are 6 wire data lines and the new control
wires
> > call for a 4 wire telephone line in place of the old data line.
> I'm
> > told that these can be used with a little effort. I haven't
gotten
> > that far into the project yet. I hope that I don't have to re-run
> the
> > control lines through the whole coach.
> >
> > One thing that bothers me is that the inverters are now
surrounded
> by
> > water pipes and tanks. Water pumps on one side and a small water
> tank
> > on the other with plumbing going over the top. i guess I'll just
> have
> > to keep an eye out for leaks.
> >
> > I am considering installing some small fans with snap thermostats
> to
> > control venting the compartment. Here again I'm asking for ideas.
> You
> > can vent out the back of the bay but it blows against the fuel
> tank.
> > That doesn't seem like a good idea. Or I could mount the fans on
> the
> > shelf and pipe it down through the bottom of the bay. But here
> again
> > hot air rises and this will be trying to draw it downwards. I'm
> not
> > even sure if this is needed. But it sounds like a lot of fun.
> >
> >
> > Kurt Horvath
> > 95 PT-42 WLWB
> > Fayetteville TN
> >
> >
> >
> > PS. After the e-mail from Xantrex I am considering putting the
new
> > inveters back in the engine compartment. After all the old
> inverters
> > were there for 13 years?!?!?!?!?!?!? HELP!
> >
>