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Inverter-charger or Inverter+charger? Honda Odyssey with 560ah 12v lifepo

Batvette

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I have a Honda Odyssey with golf cart batteries I am soon upgrading to 2 4cell 272/280 ah diy lifepo banks. Running a National Luna fridge/freezer, some fans/blowers, an LG projector, phone chargers etc. Adding 200 watts solar. Been using a Redarc 50a dc-dc charger that the solar will plug into. Have a harbor freight predator 2000 genny. Im gonna need to upgrade the charger, and get a bigger (~2000 watt) inverter, because the goal with all that power will be to use a portable AC im going to install, for about 4 hrs every other day. Its a very small (footprint)unit, 10k btu, draws 6.5 amps @117v when running, and Im converting it to dual hose operation.
Okay so Ive been looking first at inverter-chargers, and was ready to pull the trigger on one, then realized they dont let you use both functions at once. Or do they? The AC will mainly run off the inverter, though infrequently could use the genny, but I can think of a lot of times I would have loads on the inverter but would like to charge at the same time. Can I do this with a separate inverter and charger through the 2 lifepo banks, or do I need some kind of converter?

This thread might lead to recommending reliable brands, but will leave that question alone until I know which device(s) I need.
 
I have a Honda Odyssey with golf cart batteries I am soon upgrading to 2 4cell 272/280 ah diy lifepo banks. Running a National Luna fridge/freezer, some fans/blowers, an LG projector, phone chargers etc. Adding 200 watts solar. Been using a Redarc 50a dc-dc charger that the solar will plug into. Have a harbor freight predator 2000 genny. Im gonna need to upgrade the charger, and get a bigger (~2000 watt) inverter, because the goal with all that power will be to use a portable AC im going to install, for about 4 hrs every other day. Its a very small (footprint)unit, 10k btu, draws 6.5 amps @117v when running, and Im converting it to dual hose operation.
Okay so Ive been looking first at inverter-chargers, and was ready to pull the trigger on one, then realized they dont let you use both functions at once. Or do they? The AC will mainly run off the inverter, though infrequently could use the genny, but I can think of a lot of times I would have loads on the inverter but would like to charge at the same time. Can I do this with a separate inverter and charger through the 2 lifepo banks, or do I need some kind of converter?

This thread might lead to recommending reliable brands, but will leave that question alone until I know which device(s) I need.
Wait... are you saying you have a Honda Ofyssey
 
Wait... are you saying you have a Honda Ofyssey
No Im saying I have a Honda Odyssey. A minivan. You oughta see my Odyssey.
Honda also made an off road go cart thingy with the same name. This aint it.
 
For space it’s hard to beat a combo inverter/charger but you’ll want separate components if you want modularity.

I’ve been eying this inverter/charger and you may want to consider it for such a large battery bank. The in built charger can provide 90A to your battery. Most of the all in one 12V units I’ve seen only do 20A-40A. At least at 90A you can run you generator for a shorter period of time to recharge a 500Ah battery bank. The 3000w inverter might be overkill but it’d be nice to know you have lots of overhead for larger tasks like big power tools or powering a small cabin.

 
No Im saying I have a Honda Odyssey. A minivan. You oughta see my Odyssey.
Honda also made an off road go cart thingy with the same name. This aint it.
Oops I thought I deleted this. At first I thought you converted you Odyssey to an EV. I also have an Odyssey and it’s perfect for camping if I don’t need 4WD.
 
The modularity of discrete inverter and charger is actually a pita if you plan to connect/disconnect from/to shore power.
A ul-458 listed inverter/charger with automatic transfer switch makes switching the neutral/ground bond ezpz.
Doing that any other way is tricky and dangerous.
 
My impression is that from a space efficiency and a cost efficiency standpoint (as well as for simplicity of install) an inverter/charger often makes more sense unless you have a specific reason to go another direction. From what I've read an inverter and a charger share a lot of components in common, so at least in theory combining the functions in a single device should be more efficient w/ regards to space and price (of production). There are other advantages and possibly other disadvantages as well.

My curiosity has been piqued by the precise "use an AC 4 hours every other day" goal. I'm quite curious what usage pattern leads to needing the AC only every other day?
 
My impression is that from a space efficiency and a cost efficiency standpoint (as well as for simplicity of install) an inverter/charger often makes more sense unless you have a specific reason to go another direction. From what I've read an inverter and a charger share a lot of components in common, so at least in theory combining the functions in a single device should be more efficient w/ regards to space and price (of production). There are other advantages and possibly other disadvantages as well.

My curiosity has been piqued by the precise "use an AC 4 hours every other day" goal. I'm quite curious what usage pattern leads to needing the AC only every other day?
Some days I can park in the shade or Im not even in the van.
Or Ill be in a place where i can run it off the genny. Im building a hush box for it, if I ever get around to finishing it it will be whisper quiet. Itll have to go on a trailer hitch cargo rack which Im NOT a big fan of for stealth camping. The solar panels are bad enough, though Im mounting them between, not on, the roof rails.
I was just thinking an average realistic amount of use.
Im in San Diego coastal area, we get a late summer thats not very brutal within 5 miles of the ocean. If Im 20 miles inland Id need it every day. I do despise being uncomfortably warm, and just want a temporary oasis sometimes.
 
My impression is that from a space efficiency and a cost efficiency standpoint (as well as for simplicity of install) an inverter/charger often makes more sense unless you have a specific reason to go another direction. From what I've read an inverter and a charger share a lot of components in common, so at least in theory combining the functions in a single device should be more efficient w/ regards to space and price (of production). There are other advantages and possibly other disadvantages as well.

My curiosity has been piqued by the precise "use an AC 4 hours every other day" goal. I'm quite curious what usage pattern leads to needing the AC only every other day?
I guess thats why you cannot charge while you invert, shared components? I was thinking it had to do with heat sinking capacity.
Anyway the transfer switching I dont even need, theres rarely a time I have the luxury of an outlet to hook up to. For others I could see the value.

So my choices for brands were narrowing to:

AIMS

cheapest bang for buck, lots of models, but a lot of sketchy amazon reviews on all their models.

VICTRON

Pricey but good reputation. Does their warranty extend to US?

Magnum energy..

Ideally I want 12v 120v 2000w 100amps charging. Would pay a little more to avoid made in china. I bought a redarc dc-dc charger and a national luna fridge last year, pricey but theyve been winners so Im coming around to the latters' slogan of "buy once, cry never".

AIMS has a unit at $569 that will do but not if it bricks in 3 mos.
 
VICTRON

Pricey but good reputation. Does their warranty extend to US?
Yes, if you buy a US product/model it will have a warranty. Victron has equipment specifically for the North American market and has a network of distributors in the US.

AIMS has a unit at $569 that will do but not if it bricks in 3 mos.
My impression is that 'most of the time they won't, but sometimes they will.' From my observations, it seems one of the tradeoffs you make when going with more budget oriented inverters is consistency/reliability. Some (most?) will perform well, while others from the same brand/model will crap out early. I suppose this probably comes down to cutting corners in QA or cutting corners in production. AIMS (which is a brand not a manufacturer) has a decent reputation so far as budget brands go. Many people consider the potential cost savings worth the risk. Others subsribe to the buy once, cry once/never philosophy. As far as inverters go, I've oscillated between the two mindsets, as it stands right now, If I were currently in the market for an inverter Victron would be near the top of my list (I have a positive impression of Outback, Magnum, and Samlex as well, Kisae has also piqued my interest).
 
I have a Honda Odyssey with golf cart batteries I am soon upgrading to 2 4cell 272/280 ah diy lifepo banks. Running a National Luna fridge/freezer, some fans/blowers, an LG projector, phone chargers etc. Adding 200 watts solar. Been using a Redarc 50a dc-dc charger that the solar will plug into. Have a harbor freight predator 2000 genny. Im gonna need to upgrade the charger, and get a bigger (~2000 watt) inverter, because the goal with all that power will be to use a portable AC im going to install, for about 4 hrs every other day. Its a very small (footprint)unit, 10k btu, draws 6.5 amps @117v when running, and Im converting it to dual hose operation.
Okay so Ive been looking first at inverter-chargers, and was ready to pull the trigger on one, then realized they dont let you use both functions at once. Or do they? The AC will mainly run off the inverter, though infrequently could use the genny, but I can think of a lot of times I would have loads on the inverter but would like to charge at the same time. Can I do this with a separate inverter and charger through the 2 lifepo banks, or do I need some kind of converter?

This thread might lead to recommending reliable brands, but will leave that question alone until I know which device(s) I need.

Would you mind sharing photos? I'm working on my Grand Caravan, while I don't plan for an AC, I will include fresh water tanks, sink, fridge, port pottie, solar, 280 Ah LiPO batteries. Always interested to see how others squeeze so many features into a minivan.
 
I'm surprised.
I'm not saying they are anywhere near on par with the other higher end brands I mentioned, just that the company piqued my interest as a possible contender in the mid range market (a part of the market that doesn't seem to have a ton of options). I haven't looked in depth, but the company seems fairly responsive. Other than the fact that they are not in the same class as top tier brands, are there specific things that turned you off about Kisae inverters?
 
I'm not saying they are anywhere near on par with the other higher end brands I mentioned, just that the company piqued my interest as a possible contender in the mid range market (a part of the market that doesn't seem to have a ton of options). I haven't looked in depth, but the company seems fairly responsive. Other than the fact that they are not in the same class as top tier brands, are there specific things that turned you off about Kisae inverters?
I had forgotten that they have some low frequency inverters.
Their high frequency inverters looks cheap.
Their chargers look interesting though.
 
Would you mind sharing photos? I'm working on my Grand Caravan, while I don't plan for an AC, I will include fresh water tanks, sink, fridge, port pottie, solar, 280 Ah LiPO batteries. Always interested to see how others squeeze so many features into a minivan.
No I dont mind at all but will do after I build and install the batteries, wiring is a bit messy.
As a single guy I think the porta potty isnt as useful as a wide mouth juice jug. :)
One of the best investments... Door shades. Crack every window an inch and you really cant tell they are open. Think they were about $55 on amazon. Keeps out rain and most bugs.
Home depot sells a 4x8 mat of thick pvc/rubber for about $60 that will fill the floor of most minivans, its a good way to protect the carpets.
I also built an overhead rack out of aluminum that clamps up to the 4 grab rails. Gives me a shelf about 14"x34" on the driver side, with a pair of slide out clear tubs. It also allows for a mount for my LG projector (pf50ka) which, when I hang a fold up screen made from a poster board behind the front seats, makes about a 48" big screen tv with very little bulk. (Winegard flat antenna in the moonroof glass)
 
No I dont mind at all but will do after I build and install the batteries, wiring is a bit messy.
As a single guy I think the porta potty isnt as useful as a wide mouth juice jug. :)
One of the best investments... Door shades. Crack every window an inch and you really cant tell they are open. Think they were about $55 on amazon. Keeps out rain and most bugs.
Home depot sells a 4x8 mat of thick pvc/rubber for about $60 that will fill the floor of most minivans, its a good way to protect the carpets.
I also built an overhead rack out of aluminum that clamps up to the 4 grab rails. Gives me a shelf about 14"x34" on the driver side, with a pair of slide out clear tubs. It also allows for a mount for my LG projector (pf50ka) which, when I hang a fold up screen made from a poster board behind the front seats, makes about a 48" big screen tv with very little bulk. (Winegard flat antenna in the moonroof glass)


Some nice ideas! I will look into a projector for sure.

I also have a large ice tea jug flying around. The porta pottie is only for emergencies or when public restrooms look like hell.

I just installed window / door shades. The first set from Weathertech broke, this time I bought some with 3M tape that attached to the outside. Only for the front windows since the rears always have windows shades in place.

In order to get the hot air pushed out, I have 2 x 120mm axial fans on order. They will be installed on the cabin exhaust vents in the rear. They will pump in cooler air from underneath the rear bumper, on the sides. They only use 1.4 watts each and can run any time the engine is off.

Also got a smart Victron inverter on order. Will go into the stow-n-go cubbies in the floor with 280 Ah Lipo4 batteries and charge controller. For now I'll stick with alternator charging, but I may add 1 x 385 watt panel later on.

2011, got this thing for only 3k. I call it my beach beater camper. Only for day and long weekend trips. Older photos, work in progress...



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Some nice ideas! I will look into a projector for sure.

I also have a large ice tea jug flying around. The porta pottie is only for emergencies or when public restrooms look like hell.

I just installed window / door shades. The first set from Weathertech broke, this time I bought some with 3M tape that attached to the outside. Only for the front windows since the rears always have windows shades in place.

In order to get the hot air pushed out, I have 2 x 120mm axial fans on order. They will be installed on the cabin exhaust vents in the rear. They will pump in cooler air from underneath the rear bumper, on the sides. They only use 1.4 watts each and can run any time the engine is off.

Also got a smart Victron inverter on order. Will go into the stow-n-go cubbies in the floor with 280 Ah Lipo4 batteries and charge controller. For now I'll stick with alternator charging, but I may add 1 x 385 watt panel later on.

2011, got this thing for only 3k. I call it my beach beater camper. Only for day and long weekend trips. Older photos, work in progress...
I put a crossflow blower in the same spot. Blowers tend to be more efficient pressurizing or evacuating a closed space than fans. I use it for exhaust, leaving the HVAC controls on cold defrost upon shutdown for fresh air intake. Its not all that effective, Im working on alternatives.20180522_140120(0).jpg20180522_140120(0).jpg20180427_160249.jpg
 
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I believe that blower is 60x60x210mm. You couldnt get a bigger one in there.20180427_160111.jpg
 
I believe that blower is 60x60x210mm. You couldnt get a bigger one in there.

Looks like its pulling only 3.6 watts. That's not too bad. I don't have the room to get anything like that installed in the rear panels, unless I would cut out structural sheet metal or do some finger breaking ducting.

Regarding the pressure issue, modern fans come in 2 versions: either for max air flow, or in order to pressurize systems. The fans I bought are pressurizing fans. They are used to pump air through radiators in water cooled computer builds for example. They fit perfectly into the cabin exhaust vents on my Dodge. I got a fan for both sides, they push 140 cfm in a minute. I'll upload some photos ones the fans arrive. Will also do some temperature testing.
 
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