Inverter Charger recommendations for RV Trailer

[justinm001]

I’m still coming around to a different mindset from the old lead acid where I pull the disconnect and store it (after the other pre-storage procedures). I guess I have to rethink things with a lithium system with the inverter. Unfortunately most of the storage places don’t have WiFi so that’s a bust, but I generally check things maybe once a month or so…so could probably catch things, especially once I know what a steady state idle draw is. Generally all of the other appliances are turned off (fridge etc) but I had always just pulled the disconnect to prevent any phantom draw.

Im sure oothers shut down lithium but I use my coach year round. Remember last winter -11degrees out driving my old coach and having to get windshield deicer for the inside of the windshield.
You could always get a $10/mo hotspot for it or something.

 

[Rocketman]

FYI - a few years ago (before we went full-time), we had our MotorHome parked at my Sisters home. When we left it - we would completely kill the power (both chassis & house). The Victron equipment never had an issue starting up when we came back.
The solar & mppt was on the battery side of the cut-off switch - so it was just floating the AGM batteries along.

Don’t worry about shutting them down. The bigger worry is draining the batteries down to zero.

 

[TheHotCarl]

Im sure oothers shut down lithium but I use my coach year round. Remember last winter -11degrees out driving my old coach and having to get windshield deicer for the inside of the windshield.
You could always get a $10/mo hotspot for it or something.

I’m south Texas we MAY get a few days below freezing, but hard freezes aren’t too common. Once I’m certain that my renogy mppt charger won’t overcharge anything (renogy batts have bms protection too), I’ll look at having everything left on and let the solar work it’s magic.

 

[Jbuck]

You mention the inverter having its own breaker. Are you referring to shore power coming into the main panel and one breaker powers the inverter, or the shore power coming in and going to the inverter and it has a separate load panel after the inverter? Are you trying to run the a/c off of the inverter in a bypass mode with shore power?

Yes trying to run inverter separate from the RV panel. I put the converter on its own breaker so when I plug in my inverter to the shore power plug, I am not charging batteries or in a loop. This wouldn’t charge my lifepo4 battery bank but would charge the 2-100 Ah hybrid gel batteries on the tongue tied to the DC power supply of the original/factory electrical system.
My solar and inverter set up are stand alone and want to be able to have for off grid but also be able to switch back to shore power if at an RV park somewhere. Still the only thing I can think is ground the inverter to the chassis because when I plug my inverter into the shore power supply plug and switch off my converter, I’m now running ungrounded power supply through the grounded factory system which my AC and other appliances are grounded to so it’s like I have an incomplete circuit and why it seems like my soft start isn’t working properly when my AC try’s to start off the inverter bs when it is plugged into shore power which is grounded. My soft start helps by reducing my inrush amps at start up and watts used while running as well.

 

[Jbuck]

I have everything grounded according to what is called for in the manual. So both the inverter and the air conditioner are ground to the chassis. I can't say if the lack of ground is your issue or not.

My Mach 15 says it's rated for 19 amps (AC), but that's not the surge amps. It's running from my Multiplus (2400 watts), so I'm surprised that yours isn't running from a 3,000 watt inverter.

Thank you. My Renogy inverter manual specifically says to ground inverter to chassis for off grid set up which is basically what I’m doing but also wanting to be able to switch back to shore power by unplugging my inverter from the shore power 30amp outlet, turning off inverter, switching the house panel converter on and plugging the shore power back into my 30amp shore power outlet. It’s like my soft start isn’t working properly when Inverter is plugged in and converter switch is off. When plugged into shore power I can’t even hear the compressor start up with the soft start on it. On the inverter I hear it struggle to start then trip and GF light on inverter comes on.

 

[Jbuck]

Yes trying to run inverter separate from the RV panel. I put the converter on its own breaker so when I plug in my inverter to the shore power plug, I am not charging batteries or in a loop. This wouldn’t charge my lifepo4 battery bank but would charge the 2-100 Ah hybrid gel batteries on the tongue tied to the DC power supply of the original/factory electrical system.
My solar and inverter set up are stand alone and want to be able to have for off grid but also be able to switch back to shore power if at an RV park somewhere. Still the only thing I can think is ground the inverter to the chassis because when I plug my inverter into the shore power supply plug and switch off my converter, I’m now running ungrounded power supply through the grounded factory system which my AC and other appliances are grounded to so it’s like I have an incomplete circuit and why it seems like my soft start isn’t working properly when my AC try’s to start off the inverter bs when it is plugged into shore power which is grounded. My soft start helps by reducing my inrush amps at start up and watts used while running as well.

 

[Jbuck]

View attachment 152759

The leak surge is 6000w on my inverter. Also it tripped GF (yellow LED) not the overload LED fault as written on this screen shot

 

[RoadTurtle]

I’m still coming around to a different mindset from the old lead acid where I pull the disconnect and store it (after the other pre-storage procedures). I guess I have to rethink things with a lithium system with the inverter. Unfortunately most of the storage places don’t have WiFi so that’s a bust, but I generally check things maybe once a month or so…so could probably catch things, especially once I know what a steady state idle draw is. Generally all of the other appliances are turned off (fridge etc) but I had always just pulled the disconnect to prevent any phantom draw.

Real world data here. I have a 50a trailer, with MP II 2x 120v. I go through about 10% of my battery capacity (600ah total), every night. I shut nothing off, it's all vampire loads from TV's sound bars, standby power, etc. Next day, solar has it back up to 100% by noon, and that takes so long because I'm heavily shaded by trees in the morning.

 

[HRTKD]

Thank you. My Renogy inverter manual specifically says to ground inverter to chassis for off grid set up which is basically what I’m doing but also wanting to be able to switch back to shore power by unplugging my inverter from the shore power 30amp outlet, turning off inverter, switching the house panel converter on and plugging the shore power back into my 30amp shore power outlet. It’s like my soft start isn’t working properly when Inverter is plugged in and converter switch is off. When plugged into shore power I can’t even hear the compressor start up with the soft start on it. On the inverter I hear it struggle to start then trip and GF light on inverter comes on.

An inverter with an AC-in port would seem to be a better solution in your situation. It may not solve the ground fault issue, but it sure would eliminate you having to do the hokey pokey to switch between shore power and battery power.

 

[justinm001]

Real world data here. I have a 50a trailer, with MP II 2x 120v. I go through about 10% of my battery capacity (600ah total), every night. I shut nothing off, it's all vampire loads from TV's sound bars, standby power, etc. Next day, solar has it back up to 100% by noon, and that takes so long because I'm heavily shaded by trees in the morning.

Mines similar. I have about 100w on each 12V and 120V that I'm still working on finding the cause, I'm sure most is the fridge but my coach was designed to run off the massive genny when in use and was commercial so they didn't care about saving power. It was about 700w on 120V but I traced a bunch down.

I bought some smart outlets that record power consumption which will be nice but not sure how much they consume at idle themselves.

 

[RoadTurtle]

Mines similar. I have about 100w on each 12V and 120V that I'm still working on finding the cause, I'm sure most is the fridge but my coach was designed to run off the massive genny when in use and was commercial so they didn't care about saving power. It was about 700w on 120V but I traced a bunch down.

I bought some smart outlets that record power consumption which will be nice but not sure how much they consume at idle themselves.

I don't really care, as the solar can keep up on most days to recharge... however we are on day four of clouds and rain while boondocking, and I'm now starting to wonder if I'm going to need the generator on day 5