Broke down and installed a 2,000 w PSW Inverter

[TitanMike]

For the last couple years I've kind of put off installing an inverter large enough to run my microwave. Finally decided to install one and not have to start the generator early in the morning or late in the evening.

I chose a Renogy 2,000 watt (4.000 watt surge) unit. I already have a Renogy DC-DC charger and was impressed with the quality.

The inverter came with power leads, two "Paired #4 awg wires" (equivalent to one #1 awg) and they were just long enough to go from my bus bars to the Inverter.

When finally installed I tested it by running the microwave exactly one minute with a cup of water in it.

Power Draw = 125 amp

Voltage drop measured at battery 3%

Ah consumption in the 1 minute run time = 2 Amp Hours.

Idle current, no AC load = .9 - 1.0 amp.

Certainly a solid unit at 11 pounds.

Here's a pic or two:







Since I didn't want to install a transfer switch or run any wires under the floor to make a new receptacle for the power cord I just used a piece of !0-3 SO cord I had in storage. Attached one end to 120 vac hardwire terminals on Inverter and installed a 30 amp RV cord cap on the other. I now just plug into the cord which can also be used as a separate power source in the campsite if I desire.

The lazy man's "transfer switch". My Inverter is now "whole house", I just make sure converter and water heater are switched off at power panel.



BTW, the inverter is installed on a piece of aluminum plate that not only acts as a heat shield but strengthens the supports it's attached to.

[notTobyG]

I did something very similar. I took a heavy duty extension cord and hard wired and outlet hidden under the trailer. Then I plug in my trailer cord to the outlet with a 30 to 15 Adapter. That way I don't have to leave my storage door unlocked. only thing I regretted was not doing it sooner.[emoji16] Running the coffee maker without turning on the generator is a wonderful thing early in the morning.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by notTobyG

I did something very similar. I took a heavy duty extension cord and hard wired and outlet hidden under the trailer. Then I plug in my trailer cord to the outlet with a 30 to 15 Adapter. That way I don't have to leave my storage door unlocked. only thing I regretted was not doing it sooner.[emoji16] Running the coffee maker without turning on the generator is a wonderful thing early in the morning.

I'm "noodling" what to do so I can leave the cord out without leaving the door unlocked. Perhaps install a marine "Deck Plate" in the floor of the storage compartment like this:



Mate it with a piece of ABS pipe to extend below the bottom insulation and then seal with "Good Stuff" foam.

I often go with my Son to RC Scale model Rock Crawling events and he sets up his "shop" next to my trailer. Has several battery chargers running and often a soldering iron. With this I could drop several extension cords as well as the power cord through the access hole and lock the door.

[notTobyG]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

I'm "noodling" what to do so I can leave the cord out without leaving the door unlocked. Perhaps install a marine "Deck Plate" in the floor of the storage compartment like this:



Mate it with a piece of ABS pipe to extend below the bottom insulation and then seal with "Good Stuff" foam.

I often go with my Son to RC Scale model Rock Crawling events and he sets up his "shop" next to my trailer. Has several battery chargers running and often a soldering iron. With this I could drop several extension cords as well as the power cord through the access hole and lock the door.

I've seen several people take this route. Only reason I didn't was because I had all the parts laying around which made it simple. [emoji106][emoji16]

[mlmay12]

Very nice job, all your mods are very clean. I like my 2k inverter I installed also for the microwave and other things.

[turbocc]

125 amps ?? That's 1500 watts ! Pretty serious microwave. Why not just use a coffee pot, draws WAY less than 1500 watts.

[mlmay12]

Originally Posted by turbocc

125 amps ?? That's 1500 watts ! Pretty serious microwave. Why not just use a coffee pot, draws WAY less than 1500 watts.

My Chile burns in the coffee pot

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by mlmay12

My Chile burns in the coffee pot

My thoughts too. [emoji41]

Not just chili but I like to heat frozen veggies, Soup, and an occaisonal frozen meal.

And then there's popcorn.[emoji106]

[Comanchecreek]

I have a fifth wheel so I can run my cord up through the propane compartment and through the hole where the propane lines go through into the front compartment. I then just plug directly into the inverter. Only thing I see with your setup is that you used the supplied, double wire connectors. My unit, (Power Tech On), recommended that for heavier use you increase the wire size to prevent heating and/or failure of the wires. I used 4 awg initially and am getting ready to replace that with 2 awg. One other problem I ran into was the 300 amp circuit breaker I installed ahead of the inverter. Found that it will trip when using my microwave. (Only 900 watt). I am abandoning it, and going to an ANL fuse as when I researched the breaker I found a number of posts where it is a common problem with them. Otherwise your setup is very similar to mine. We just completed a 7 night boondocking trip and loved having the inverter to run everything. Also test ran my Renogy 200 watt suitcase solar panel system, and we were 100% by noon every day. Also used it to charge my boat trolling motor. I still haven't converted to Lithium Batt's yet, but that will come next spring. Still running 4 6volts, but looking forward to some Battleborn's. Do you find 2 to be enough?

[Comanchecreek]

Here is my current setup.

[tomkatb]

My kid fooled around with a 2000 watt inverter in his stealth camper.

Using #4, recommended, wire to the battery was problematic with the microwave.

He then bought 2/0 welding wire. Works well.

He discovered.

Chinese wire comes in substandard quality and they are generous measuring size. Fewer strands of wire too. Amazon.

American welding wire is made better.

[Comanchecreek]

After looking back at your picture, I see the double cables you have are heavier gauge than what the Power Tech-On came with. What size fuse did you use to protect your system?

[Comanchecreek]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

My kid fooled around with a 2000 watt inverter in his stealth camper.

Using #4, recommended, wire to the battery was problematic with the microwave.

He then bought 2/0 welding wire. Works well.

He discovered.

Chinese wire comes in substandard quality and they are generous measuring size. Fewer strands of wire too. Amazon.

American welding wire is made better.

That result is what I'm hoping for.

[tomkatb]

My son was sort of shocked by the improvement wire made! He HAD followed the directions!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

I used 4 awg initially and am getting ready to replace that with 2 awg. One other problem I ran into was the 300 amp circuit breaker I installed ahead of the inverter. Found that it will trip when using my microwave. (Only 900 watt). I am abandoning it, and going to an ANL fuse as when I researched the breaker I found a number of posts where it is a common problem with them.

*****************

Still running 4 6volts, but looking forward to some Battleborn's. Do you find 2 to be enough?

According to my favorite wire size calculator, #4 awg wire is only satisfactory for my Inverter if it's mounted two feet or less from the batteries. Calculator shows a max wire length of just over 4 feet but remember, that's "round trip as this is a DC circuit. AC wire lengths can be half that.

As for my two Battleborn's being enough, so far they have been more than adequate as my average daily Amp Hour use runs around 35 Ah. Since the microwave will more likely than not be run no more than 15 minutes a day that will add another 30 Ah for a a projected max of 65 Ah per day. Estimating my Kwh use ~.9 Kwh, and the fact that a nice sunny day produces right around the same amount of Solar energy going back into my batteries from my 160 W portable setup I will probably not run my generator very much unless I need it for A/C.

Originally Posted by tomkatb

My kid fooled around with a 2000 watt inverter in his stealth camper.

Using #4, recommended, wire to the battery was problematic with the microwave.

He then bought 2/0 welding wire. Works well.

He discovered.

Chinese wire comes in substandard quality and they are generous measuring size. Fewer strands of wire too. Amazon.

American welding wire is made better.

My Inverter shipped with "Doubled Up" #4 awg wires for positive and negative connection. The double wires are the equivalent of a single #1 Awg wire which is fine for a 250 amp load if the round trip distance from batteries is less than 8 feet. This is calculated to provide less than a 2% voltage drop. The Microwave has a large inrush of current much like an A/C unit starting up so larger wire is better.

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

After looking back at your picture, I see the double cables you have are heavier gauge than what the Power Tech-On came with. What size fuse did you use to protect your system?

As I mentioned above they are doubled up #4 awg.

I decided to give what they shipped a try and so far it seems "adequate". That said I'm a "Big Wire Fan" when it comes to DC wiring. I'll be replacing them with a pair of 2/0 cables later this week. The cables on the batteries that feed my Bus Bars are 2/0 awg and I'll be upgrading this week so I'll have only about a 1% voltage drop.

I used a 250 amp ANL fuse in a fuse holder that uses lugs rather than requiring separate connectors crimped on the cables.



Description says it's only for up to 1/0 wire size but I found my 2/0 wire fit with no room to spare. Cinch down the locking screw and it's a solid connection. Just over $12 on Amazon, fuse and holder complete.


Another note, because my Converter and Power distribution panel are located some some distance away from my battery compartment, and the wire connecting them is only a #4 awg, I added a 100 amp Circuit breaker for protection of that wire. Otherwise it would be exposed to a full 250 amp should something catastrophic occur. It fulfills the same function as the annoying circuit breaker the factory installs underneath TT's.


As for fuse size, I went with 250 amp as it's double what the running current is for the largest device I will ever run on this Inverter. Even though the surge capacity of the Inverter is 4,000 watts I can't imagine ever getting anywhere close to that demand. Even if I were to turn on the A/C max startup current (with Micro-Aire) is less than 20 amp which would only draw less than 200 amp. Just tossing this in.

[chriscowles]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

... My Inverter shipped with "Doubled Up" #4 awg wires for positive and negative connection. The double wires are the equivalent of a single #1 Awg wire which is fine for a 250 amp load if the round trip distance from batteries is less than 8 feet. ...

Are those double conductors individually protected? I recently read a conversation elsewhere on that topic. The consensus was that they should each have a fuse/breaker sized for the individual conductor. Without that, failure of one would result in the entire current going through a single conductor not adequate for the purpose, because the larger breaker protecting the double wire would not trip.