R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: installing Inverter
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic Closedinstalling Inverter
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>
Author
Message
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: installing Inverter
    Posted: 18 Jun 2016 at 4:49pm
I too would like a phone charger around the bed. When you guys are talking about 12v outlets you mean the cigarette lighter type right. So you run a line directly from the DC box to a outlet. No need to have an inverter as the use plug takes care of that right. . How many outlets and what fuse size would you use.
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2016 at 8:45pm
Originally posted by dherman201

I too would like a phone charger around the bed. When you guys are talking about 12v outlets you mean the cigarette lighter type right. So you run a line directly from the DC box to a outlet. No need to have an inverter as the use plug takes care of that right. . How many outlets and what fuse size would you use.

Correct on the cig lighter socket. Put 2-3 in convenient spots. Wire them all together with #12AWG wire, both positive and negative sides, red and black by convention, and run both leads back to an unused fuse slot in the power panel. Fuse with a 15V fuse.
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
bjk View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 23 May 2016
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 65 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2016 at 10:21pm
@sailer123  Thanks, that's what I was thinking.  I saw the blossoming wad of foam around the wires behind the inverter.   I hadn't decided whether to follow the AC wires from the kitchen, or just punch straight down to keep the wires short.
2016 HRE R-179 "CapPODccino"
2011 F-150 SLX
Back to Top
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2016 at 2:14am
Thanks Charlie 
I see there are some that are just sub ports. That's probably the way to go,huh. Do you need a ground wire for  these?  
Back to Top
Rustler View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 07 May 2016
Location: S. Oregon Coast
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2016 at 3:29am
Originally posted by CharlieM

Originally posted by dherman201

I too would like a phone charger around the bed. When you guys are talking about 12v outlets you mean the cigarette lighter type right. So you run a line directly from the DC box to a outlet. No need to have an inverter as the use plug takes care of that right. . How many outlets and what fuse size would you use.

Correct on the cig lighter socket. Put 2-3 in convenient spots. Wire them all together with #12AWG wire, both positive and negative sides, red and black by convention, and run both leads back to an unused fuse slot in the power panel. Fuse with a 15V fuse.
Thanks Charlie, for the good idea. I have been wanting to install DC power outlets in my 171. I'll take your advice and utilize an unused fused leg in the power panel.

But I'm not a fan at all of the cig. lighter sockets. The connection was good for its intended use - lighting cigarettes. But that plug and socket causes a lot of voltage drop with currents over 3-5 amps. Works OK for heating the lighter, but is less than optimum for other more voltage sensitive devices. Plus those plugs are just plain ugly, inconvenient to install and cumbersome to use.

The better option is to use Anderson Powerpole connections. They are the standard now used by emergency responders like ambulance, fire department, ham radio. I believe they are the best option for DC power in a recreation vehicle. Even with the smallest sized connectors you can easily get current handling capabilities of 15 to 45 amps. Such a current would not be good to pass through a cig. lighter plug. The two links in this posting will lead you to a wealth of information about this superior product.

One of the best sources for these connectors is Powerwerx. I highly recommend getting the crimp tool. The amount of time saved assembling the connectors versus soldering is well worth the cost. According to Powerwerx "while both methods will work, crimping an Anderson Powerpole connector to wire is much preferred for better long lasting results".
Russ
2009 Toyota RAV4
V6 w/ tow package
2016 Rpod 171 HRE
Back to Top
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 12:37pm
So I'm ready to do this. Heading to buy and pure sign wave inverter 300 w or so. I need to be able to charge a MacBook Pro laptop (yes I have to still work on the road) and would like to be able to run the tv occasionally.

And I'm going to install a couple of 12v usb plugs. So some questions.
Inverter. From what I've read I install the into the DC panel connecting it to one of the extra fuse positions. Probably ising 10 awg wire but what size should the fuse be. Do I connect the inverter directly or run a wire with a cigarette plug socket and then plug the inverter into the socket.

Should I run the 2 usb 12v plugs on another circuit or try to feed off an existing light circuit. Looking to place one socket around the tv area and another socket around the bed somewhere for nighttime phone charging.
Thanks
Deb
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 1:56pm

Deb,

A 300W pure sine inverter is a reasonable choice though still overkill for your application. Laptops can run on less than 150W as can the TV. However the 300W unit will give you margin and higher reliability. Morningstar makes a nice unit and Techntrek recommends it because it’s quiet. The rule is wire it as close to the battery as possible with as big and short a wire as possible. A reasonable compromise is short #10 wires directly to the power panel. Don’t use a cigarette lighter socket, but do use a good connector such as the Anderson PowerPole series. Install the inverter in an accessible location so you can get to the on/off switch and the AC socket.  A 20A fuse will give you plenty of power and still protect the converter circuit board. Read this and other threads on inverter installation for how others have done it.

The USB chargers are low power so they can be tapped  into an existing circuit, though I don’t like to. The solution I like is to install a few cigarette lighter sockets wired with #12 wire to an unused 15A fuse on the panel. Then use the readily available plugin USB adapters.

Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 3:26pm
Thanks.
I just opened the panel to take a look.  A little intimidating.  I helped fully re-wire a house boat but that has been awhile and the operative word is I was the helper not the designer.

So I believe there are 2 unused fuses in panel.  Thinking one for the inverter and one to run some USB plugs.   I also notice what I assume is a DC ground bus behind the panel.

So each fuse in the box has a positive and negative terminal, correct?
So for the 12V plugs,  I just connect to positive and negative terminals and to the plugs.  Am I right in there is not a need to ground this circuit.

Inverter:  I looked at the Morningstar http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/suresine/
I notice that there are no plugs on this one so.   The diagram shows it as if it were wired directly to the battery.  In my case if I wire thought the panel,  am I connect to positive and negative in the panel box.  And the diagram shows a ground but that may be because of installing directly to the battery. Would I need to ground it?

The AC circuit from the inverter then powers an AC outlet that I install. The wiring diagram shows an inline fuse and a ground on the AC circuit from the inverter.  Am I on the right track.

If I choose to go with an inverter that has its own plugs built in, can I just wire that to the DC panel with the #10 wire and mount it about 3 feet away behind or around my TV.  Do I need to ground it.

Sorry for all the questions.  I'd like to do this myself, but I might give up get the dealer to do it. HaHa.
Back to Top
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 3:30pm
<<The USB chargers are low power so they can be tapped  into an existing circuit, though I don’t like to. The solution I like is to install a few cigarette lighter sockets wired with #12 wire to an unused 15A fuse on the panel. Then use the readily available plugin USB adapters.

Charlie do you prefer the cigarette lighter socket and then use the USB adapter .  I bought a couple of USB sockets and thought I would just use them.  Guess the cigarette lighter socket gives some other options.
Back to Top
dherman201 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2016
Location: Northern CA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 4:01pm
So now I think I am all wrong on this. In the panel is only the positive side right. Then the buss behind the panel is the negative buss. I actually have 3 fuses available     
So I connect the positive wire to the fused in the panel and the negative behind to the buss?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz