diy solar

diy solar

Rv hook up

Geak77

New Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2021
Messages
14
Im building a new system for my rv, I want to use 110v that is currently wired. Is it ok to hook up the inverter to the shore power connection? Im a worried that the current converter for shore power will cause problems getting power from the batteries off the inverter. The shore power converter will then try and charge the batteries. apologizes for the bad explanation.
 
Is your existing 12V power connected to the same batteries as this inverter? And what make and model inverter?
 
Yes they are connected to the same batteries. I have not purchased the inverter yet. Would a all in 1 system work better since it has a shore power connection already?
 
You will want to shut of the converter in the RV if connecting the inverter to the shore power input .... hopefully there is a breaker for it. That's what I do with mine.

You don't want to feed from the batteries to the inverter then to the converter and then try to charge the batteries from the converter.
 
So you are correct. You will want to turn off the RV battery charger.

So ideally, The best way to do this is to get an inverter that has a built in charger, aka inverter/charger. You plug the inverter into AC power, and it charges the batteries, and passes the AC on to the AC loads in the RV. You unplug the AC power, and it changes into inverter mode and powers the AC loads off the batteries. It happens automatically. The inverter/charger will handle battery charging from then on and you will not use the built in RV battery charger. It will take some rewiring to make this happen.

The good part of this, is that the built in RV battery chargers are generally of poor quality and tend to kill batteries. A proper inverter/charger will have a nice 3 stage charging system and make your batteries last longer.
 
How do you power the 12v system if the converter is off? Doesnt the converter have to be connected to the batteries to work? If it doesnt than I should be able to disconnect the battery charging side from the converter and just have the PV charge the batteries correct?? The trailer has a on board genie but its stupid noisy. If I use the all in one setup couldnt I plug the genie into it in the event ineeded to run it as shore power
 
Is it ok to hook up the inverter to the shore power connection?
Yes
worried that the current converter for shore power will cause problems
you disconnect the converter
How do you power the 12v system if the converter is off?
from the batteries
Doesnt the converter have to be connected to the batteries to work?
no
I should be able to disconnect the battery charging side from the converter and just have the PV charge the batteries correct?
yes- but you don’t want the converter to have ANY power whatsoever. The converter is in essence an inefficient 120AC to 12VDC power supply. The RV cord into the inverter is how I run fwiw
 
Get an automatic transfer switch.
The automatic transfer switch makes shore power and the inverter mutually exclusive
Wire the converter in parallel with the shore power.
Don't forget to put a fuse or breaker in front of the converter.
 
I appreicate all the help. I might have my wording wrong, Im thinking the converter is the same as the power distribution box it the RV correct?
 
I appreicate all the help. I might have my wording wrong, Im thinking the converter is the same as the power distribution box it the RV correct?
The converter is a component inside the ac/dc distribution center.
It's ac connection needs to be moved upstream of the automatic transfer switch on the shore power leg.
 
How do you power the 12v system if the converter is off? Doesnt the converter have to be connected to the batteries to work? If it doesnt than I should be able to disconnect the battery charging side from the converter and just have the PV charge the batteries correct?? The trailer has a on board genie but its stupid noisy. If I use the all in one setup couldnt I plug the genie into it in the event ineeded to run it as shore power

Correct. You pull the fuse (or breaker) for the AC side of the RV battery charger/converter so it won't be doing anything. The DC distribution side of the converter will still be connected to the battery, so you 12V stuff will still work.

PV can charge the batteries when not plugged into AC/shorepower, when plugged into AC/shorepower, the inverter/charger will charge the batteries. You don't need to charge the batteries with the RV converter anymore as the charger/inverter one will do the job better.
 
I appreicate all the help. I might have my wording wrong, Im thinking the converter is the same as the power distribution box it the RV correct?

In most RVs I have seen, it's in the same box. It sits behind all the fuses and breakers in that brown box.

And if you get a inverter/charger combo, then you don't need a transfer switch as it's built in.
 
In most RVs I have seen, it's in the same box. It sits behind all the fuses and breakers in that brown box.

And if you get a inverter/charger combo, then you don't need a transfer switch as it's built in.

One thing to consider if using the transfer switch in the inverter or inverter charger is the rating on the built in transfer switch. I have a 50A setup and all inverters I looked at only had a 30A auto transfer switch. So you would want a separate ATS if you have a 50A system.
 
I have a 50A setup and all inverters I looked at only had a 30A auto transfer switch.
Most, if not all, of the Victron inverter/chargers have 50A transfer switches.
 
How do you power the 12v system if the converter is off? Doesnt the converter have to be connected to the batteries to work? If it doesnt than I should be able to disconnect the battery charging side from the converter and just have the PV charge the batteries correct?? The trailer has a on board genie but its stupid noisy. If I use the all in one setup couldnt I plug the genie into it in the event ineeded to run it as shore power

The batteries are connected to the 12V power distribution .... and the converter is connected to it also. So, the battery will still power the 12V loads as it would if nothing is connected to shore power.

The converter is a 120V battery charger. Some systems have the ability to turn off the converter AC input ... some don't. If yours does, you will just need to flip that breaker off when connecting the inverter as if it were shore power.

If there is no breaker for the inverter, you may want to consider adding a switch or breaker for the purpose of turning it off .... I'm assuming you will actually want to be plugged into shore power occasionally.

Using an inverter / charger instead of just an inverter is a different solution and would require different wiring considerations.
 
Fantastic you guys are awesome, my system will be a smaller one 2-300ah battery, around 500 watts solar, this is the solar charger, inverter im looking at, PIP-1012LV-ms. I will be looking for the fuse this weekend. Thanks all
 
Most, if not all, of the Victron inverter/chargers have 50A transfer switches.
Ok, I'll change my statement to every 2000W inverter that I looked at other than the Victron Multiplus mega $$$ ones have a 30A ATS.

 
Fantastic you guys are awesome, my system will be a smaller one 2-300ah battery, around 500 watts solar, this is the solar charger, inverter im looking at, PIP-1012LV-ms. I will be looking for the fuse this weekend. Thanks all
Since the pip is also includes a charger and an automatic transfer switch just disable the converter.
 
Will i have any problems plugging in my on board genie as shore power through the PIP
 
Back
Top