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Topic ClosedMy adding inverter plans - Pls review and comment - Event Date: 29 Mar 2018

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Blender Bob View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: My adding inverter plans - Pls review and comment
    Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 10:03am
Have new 2018 Rpod 178 with 2 deep cycle batteries (~150-180amps) and 120W solar charger. Goal is to dry camp and have 15min microwave per day, TV, and run my blender. (Nothing beats a frozen margarita after long day hiking in the sun!)  No A/C or 110 Hot water, converter usage.

I plan to added a Powerjack 12000W peak 3000W LF Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter. By opening Rpod 110 circuit breakers, I can control what pulls 110v power in the RV. With proper 12v cables, I plan to have the inverter in the front storage area and use a 20a to 30a plug and existing 30amp cable to bring inverter power to the R-pod external plug. Inverter is on only when needed and storage doors are open to allow air for cooling. Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!  

URL to Inverter:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071RV7DWT/?coliid=I1J831L6YIO9L5&colid=NZFFQLHCHF5H&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Bob
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 11:29am
If you can make it work, more power to you. I seriously doubt your measley 150-180A even with your 120W solar would be sufficient. Is that the capacity or 50% of the capacity of the batteries? You don't want to discharge deeper than that or you risk damaging your batteries.

Upgrade to a bank of Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries at double or triple the capacity and it might be doable. Lithium batteries can be discharged much deeper without damaging them.

You would be better off getting a minimum 2000W generator for what you propose.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 11:37am
I agree with StephenH. The AC and the microwave are the two devices that aren't practical to run from an inverter. Not only do you have to worry about drain on the batteries, but you'd also have to use huge wire to run that much current. 1500W for the microwave is 125A from the batteries to the inverter, not including inversion losses.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 12:38pm
Agree. The amount of current required to run an inverter at 1500 watts is enormous, and would require humongous wires to support. Just 1500 watts would draw 125 amps. If you should happen to put a 3000 watt load on it, it would go to 250 amps. Now you're talking about welding cables.

Even a 1500 watt load would deplete your 150 AH batteries (if you have two of them) in less than an hour. The usable capacity of TWO 150 AH is about 1800 watt-hours. That means you can run 1800 watts for 1 hour, and then you are done. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 12:49pm
I agree with all the above. Fifteen minutes of the 1500W microwave would be about 31AH at 12V which is just shy of what you could expect from your 100W solar panels in a full day of sun. For your use I would recommend a 2KW generator such as the Honda or Yamaha units. If you're set on an inverter I suggest you consider hard mounting it in the TV and connecting it with short #4 or #2 copper wires. Think jumper cables. Then you could run the engine for your 15 minutes.

The blender might be doable on a smaller inverter but you might have to use the LP appliances instead of the micro for heating. The stove will boil a lot of water and fry a lot of bacon on two 20lb tanks.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 2:26pm
premix and freeze the margs in the pod freezer and cook on the stovetop or charcoal grill.  That sounds like a lot of work for 15 minutes in the nuke box and a blender.  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 3:11pm
If it's just margaritas you're after, then consider a 12v. blender.  Check the marine supplies.  Boaters really like their margaritas too, especially when anchored off the coast of Zihuatanejo.  Here's a sample:
https://www.roadtechmarine.com.au/12v-mini-blender/p/TCC502
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2018 at 6:44pm
Nothing much to add -- if solar is your only means of recharging your batteries you're going to be SOL after one cloudy day.

I have and really like the Yamaha 2400iSHC.  You can spend less but you can't get much quieter.  It runs my air con and microwave, but not at the same time.  For what you'd spend on that inverter, you can have power anytime for not a whole lot more.  If you don't care about the noise you can get a generator for a good bit less than that inverter.  And you will have to spend some bucks on cables.

Listen to what folks here say.  I really don't think you'll be happy with that size inverter for very long.

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Blender Bob View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Mar 2018 at 9:55am
Thank everyone for your posts.  I appreciate all info and perspectives. Your comments confirm some of my suspicions: 
1) Battery draw down needs to be managed to not kill the batteries. I will need to test / experiment where my 50% or 10.5v threshold will be.
2) Power draw management. The microwave is the biggest draw. Usage is not so much full meal cooking but heating leftovers / cooking a hotdog or warming a breakfast burrito. It also has 10 power settings, I can run at 50 to 75% and see what that means to 12v amps use rate.
3) I have 2awg wire in the barn to use so if I keep things below 1500w I should be good.
4) Account ~90% inverter efficiency.
5) My panels can put back 40 to 50amp hrs / day (Utah desert sun) so starting with a full charge and with a little thought, I think the solution can last for a few days, which will be mission accomplished. 

So I'm gonna try and will report back. I am compelled to try as part of my nature. Really don't want a generator, and if I can make this work, it will be so cool! Por que no?! Besides, this will keep me in the barn and out of trouble with ranch headquarters. :-)  

Thanks again everyone!
Bob
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Mar 2018 at 11:42am
Originally posted by Blender Bob

1) Battery draw down needs to be managed to not kill the batteries. I will need to test / experiment where my 50% or 10.5v threshold will be.

Battery voltage must be measured unloaded and after a resting period. If you get to 10.5V under these conditions your battery is totally dead and probably damaged. Most sources indicate 50% SOC is 11.9-12.0V.
Charlie
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