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01-07-2007, 09:51

My 94 heart inverter runs off the batteries. charging batteries and
using batteries are independent. the alternator is putting out more
amps than a 2800 watt inverter can use. I had a rig with one ac setup
to run off the inverter for road trips. I thought about setting my 94
pt up that way but kinda like to exersize the genset fully loaded with
all ac's running when I have the chance to. For the most part I use the
inverter. I am doing a 'inverter use test' now to prepare for
Quartzsite drycamp rally.

GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, dspithaler@... wrote:
>
> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the
road to
> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp
alternator or is it
> better to run the genny.
> Don
> 89 SP 36'
> Butler, PA
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

01-07-2007, 11:34

Hi Don,

I routinely use my inverter on the road to keep the ice maker going
and the laptop on and charging. During the day, it seems to draw no
more power than all of the lights do at night. I think that the draw
is usually around 65 amps when the ice maker is on. I do not leave the
ice maker on when I park for the night. Usually, it has no problem
staying cold for a few hours while we're sleeping.

Are you going to AZ this winter??

Shane Fedeli
85PT40
Hershey, PA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, dspithaler@... wrote:
>
> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the
road to
> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp
alternator or is it
> better to run the genny.
> Don
> 89 SP 36'
> Butler, PA
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

01-07-2007, 12:14

I have an all electric coach and the refrigerator is a home-style
Amana side-by-side model. The dual inverters run most of the time to
keep the refrigerator and any other 120VAC items operating. I haven't
noticed any particular extra load on the alternator (although I think
I have a larger alternator).

Don't try to run roof/basement ACs, however, without turning on the
genny. I believe that my coach is wired up so that the ACs draw
either from shore power or from the genny -- and won't draw from the
inverters. (That's what I was told, anyway.)

The ACs draw about 15A at 120VAC each unless you've replaced them
with high-efficiency units -- so a couple ACs could easily overwhelm
the typical inverter.

Pete Masterson
aeonix1@...
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
El Sobrante, CA

On Jan 7, 2007, at 12:51 PM, dspithaler@... wrote:

> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the
> road to
> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp
> alternator or is it
> better to run the genny.
> Don
> 89 SP 36'
> Butler, PA

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01-07-2007, 12:42

Mine's wired so that one AC can be operated off an
inverter. Cruising down the road I get chassis AC and
one house AC, unless I start the genny.

David B
'02 LXi, Smokey
NC

Pete Masterson wrote:
> I have an all electric coach and the refrigerator is a home-style
> Amana side-by-side model. The dual inverters run most of the time to
> keep the refrigerator and any other 120VAC items operating. I haven't
> noticed any particular extra load on the alternator (although I think
> I have a larger alternator).
>
> Don't try to run roof/basement ACs, however, without turning on the
> genny. I believe that my coach is wired up so that the ACs draw
> either from shore power or from the genny -- and won't draw from the
> inverters. (That's what I was told, anyway.)
>
> The ACs draw about 15A at 120VAC each unless you've replaced them
> with high-efficiency units -- so a couple ACs could easily overwhelm
> the typical inverter.
>
> Pete Masterson
> aeonix1@...
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'
> El Sobrante, CA
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 7, 2007, at 12:51 PM, dspithaler@... wrote:
>
>
>> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the
>> road to
>> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp
>> alternator or is it
>> better to run the genny.
>> Don
>> 89 SP 36'
>> Butler, PA
>>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01-07-2007, 13:59

Don:
a 160 amp alternator will put out 1920 watts. An airconditioner will draw about
1500 watts, this includes the inefficiences of the inverter, so you will have
only 400 watts or so for other things.
If you are driving during the day with your lights on that will easily gobble up
the rest of your power.
So, although a 2500 watt inverter will power your AC, and with your engine
alternator putting out 160 amps, gets real hot then, I would say it would not be
too wise to run air conditioner with your engine.
One option, expensive though, is to install the 300 amp alternator, hmmm maybe
runnning the generator would be cheaper LOL

Bill 84 FC 35 SB "$quanderlodge"
Terrace, B.C. Canada

----- Original Message ----
From: Pete Masterson
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2007 4:14:54 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Inverter

I have an all electric coach and the refrigerator is a home-style

Amana side-by-side model. The dual inverters run most of the time to

keep the refrigerator and any other 120VAC items operating. I haven't

noticed any particular extra load on the alternator (although I think

I have a larger alternator).

Don't try to run roof/basement ACs, however, without turning on the

genny. I believe that my coach is wired up so that the ACs draw

either from shore power or from the genny -- and won't draw from the

inverters. (That's what I was told, anyway.)

The ACs draw about 15A at 120VAC each unless you've replaced them

with high-efficiency units -- so a couple ACs could easily overwhelm

the typical inverter.

Pete Masterson

aeonix1@mac. com

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42'

El Sobrante, CA

On Jan 7, 2007, at 12:51 PM, dspithaler@aol. com wrote:

> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the

> road to

> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp

> alternator or is it

> better to run the genny.

> Don

> 89 SP 36'

> Butler, PA

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01-07-2007, 14:12

Don:
Another reply:
Easy way for you to see if you can use electrical equipment on the road.
Watts used has to be replaced, generally by the alternator , battery chargers or
inverters.
If you running down the road, as long as you don't overload the inverter, it
should be okay to use it for short periods of time, making toast, coffee, using
the ice maker, things like that.

Watts used = volts * amperage / 60 * minutes used.
Eg. Coffee maker = 120 volts * 15 amps /60 * 10 minutes = 300 watts.
For your 160 amp alternator at 12 volts it would take almost 10 minutes to put
that power back into your battery.
Hope this helps

Bill 84 FC 35 SB "$quanderlodge"
Terrace, B.C. Canada

----- Original Message ----
From: sfedeli3 <sfedeli3@...>
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2007 3:34:26 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Inverter

Hi Don,

I routinely use my inverter on the road to keep the ice maker going

and the laptop on and charging. During the day, it seems to draw no

more power than all of the lights do at night. I think that the draw

is usually around 65 amps when the ice maker is on. I do not leave the

ice maker on when I park for the night. Usually, it has no problem

staying cold for a few hours while we're sleeping.

Are you going to AZ this winter??

Shane Fedeli

85PT40

Hershey, PA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, dspithaler@. .. wrote:

>

> Question ---- I was wandering if running an inverter when on the

road to

> use a few electrical appliances is a big draw on a 160 Amp

alternator or is it

> better to run the genny.

> Don

> 89 SP 36'

> Butler, PA

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01-07-2007, 14:21

Bill I believe you may have amp hours confused with watts. Your
batteries are rated in amp hours for example T105s are 225 amp hours
and not watts. you use a coffee maker for 10 minutes it may
consume 1500 watts or about 250 amp hours. And remember their is a
discrepancy as far as batteries and alternators. Batteries put out
approximately 13.2 vdc while alternators are rated at 14.2 volts

tom

At 09:12 PM 1/7/2007, you wrote:
>Don:
>Another reply:
>Easy way for you to see if you can use electrical equipment on the road.
>Watts used has to be replaced, generally by the alternator , battery
>chargers or inverters.
>If you running down the road, as long as you don't overload the
>inverter, it should be okay to use it for short periods of time,
>making toast, coffee, using the ice maker, things like that.
>
>Watts used = volts * amperage / 60 * minutes used.
>Eg. Coffee maker = 120 volts * 15 amps /60 * 10 minutes = 300 watts.
>For your 160 amp alternator at 12 volts it would take almost 10
>minutes to put that power back into your battery.
>Hope this helps
>
>Bill 84 FC 35 SB "$quanderlodge"

01-07-2007, 14:35

Wilhelmus:

I am certainly not an expert on inverters but I am having trouble
following your logic. You seem to be confusing 12 volts DC with 120 ac.
I would think that the first factor would be the capacity of your
battery bank. The alternator is not providing the power to the
appliance it is charging the batteries. The inverter is converting the
12v dc fom the batteries. Perhaps one of the electrical gurus will
provide an expanation. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.

Bruce
1988 FC35 "La Reina Gitana"

01-07-2007, 15:05

Ok, let me explain:
there is a battery bank which has a certain capacity.
there is an alternator which has a predetermined charging capacity

You are correct that the alternator charges the batteries.

BUT the alternator is only so big, 160 amp so that gives you 1920 watts each
hour.
The battery bank has capacity depending on the size.

The question Don wanted to know is if he can use some of the 120 volt electrical
equipment while driving down the road.

So, you have an alternator going which can produce up to 1920 watts. With this
setup, the appliance is taking power out of the battery bank through the
inverter, while the alternator is trying to replace what has been removed. But
while you drive, there are other things which is taking load as well, things as
lights, if you have an electric retarder, stereo, and many other things. All of
this comes into play with the load on the alternator. If you draw more load
than what your alternator can produce, then the difference is coming from the
batteries. If you run long enough like this, well it certainly is not good for
the alternator, but the batteries will become depleted, then the only other
thing which would help is to start the generator, the generator would take the
120 volt loads, which includes the inverter, thus helping to restore the
batteries to normal.

Hope this helps.

Bill 84 FC 35 SB "$quanderlodge"
Terrace, B.C. Canada

----- Original Message ----
From: birdshill123
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2007 6:35:04 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Inverter

Wilhelmus:

I am certainly not an expert on inverters but I am having trouble

following your logic. You seem to be confusing 12 volts DC with 120 ac.

I would think that the first factor would be the capacity of your

battery bank. The alternator is not providing the power to the

appliance it is charging the batteries. The inverter is converting the

12v dc fom the batteries. Perhaps one of the electrical gurus will

provide an expanation. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.

Bruce

1988 FC35 "La Reina Gitana"



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

01-07-2007, 15:05

Bruce,
The charging current ant the battery current are in paralell.
That means that a device using power will draw from both. In reality
due to the nature of charging voltages, etc., if you exceed the
alternator charging current you will begin to drain the batteries.
I am sure there are very specific calculations to determine the
actual load on each source, but it sufices to think of it as a
bucket of water (battery) with a hose feeding it (alternator). If
you drain the water faster than the hose feeds it, the bucket will
empty out (drain the battery).

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> Wilhelmus:
>
> I am certainly not an expert on inverters but I am having trouble
> following your logic. You seem to be confusing 12 volts DC with
120 ac.
> I would think that the first factor would be the capacity of your
> battery bank. The alternator is not providing the power to the
> appliance it is charging the batteries. The inverter is converting
the
> 12v dc fom the batteries. Perhaps one of the electrical gurus will
> provide an expanation. I will gladly eat crow if I am wrong.
>
> Bruce
> 1988 FC35 "La Reina Gitana"
>