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Date:         Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:27:15 -0600
Reply-To:     Paul Connelly <vanagonhummingbird@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Paul Connelly <vanagonhummingbird@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Inverter Questions
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <20080725014819.GKGZ4226.eastrmmtao106.cox.net@eastrmimpo02.cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Thanks David,

Okay, I'm getting the message - seemed like a good idea at the time...

What did you mean by "go the whole hog with a transfer switch" though?

Paul.

On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 7:48 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:

> At 07:12 PM 7/24/2008 -0600, Paul Connelly wrote: > >> I thought that 100 amps seemed excessive (it was for short circuit >> protection not normal operation - it has 2 x 30 amp fuses on board for Short >> circuit protection, >> > > Ok, internal fusing for 60 amps... > > as well as overload and over temperature shutdown protection too) and the >> wiring instructions calls for 10 awg (for cable runs of 10' or less, 8 awg >> for longer runs - I am using about 5' in the original plan). 500 watts at 12 >> Volts running at max would draw a little over 40 amps >> > > Remember inefficiency, and the potential difference between watts and > volt-amperes. The unit is fused to carry 60 amps... > > the breaker box and run some fresh cables to the auxiliary battery. Maybe >> a 40 amp breaker might be a better idea than a 100 watt fuse (also solves >> the switch rating problem)? >> > > A 40-amp *DC* switching breaker could be a good thing. Here's a 50-amp > AC/DC unit from Blue Seas: < > http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/BLU/BLU7228.html> $16, not bad -- unless > you need to stick it in a Blue Seas panel to make it work. > > > On the feeding the external circuit with the inverter rather than plugging >> directly to it, I don't see any major difference between doing that and say >> plugging an extension strip to the inverter and running a couple of small >> loads off of it. >> > > Power strip is ok, as long as it doesn't have noise filtering circuits in > it. The stepped-square-wave output has lots of high-frequency content, > tends to burn up the filters. > > I'm talking like cell phone charger (.15 amps, laptop 1.5 amps, if not >> using the laptop maybe a small DVD player, nothing major). Although, if the >> inverter is accessible then so are the sockets - just kinda makes the stock >> sockets obsolete ( I never hook up to shore power unless I'm drawing the >> Dometic down at home before a trip. >> > > *You* never...but what about your heirs and assigns, or your wife, or the > person who buys it after you are senile? Or the kid playing with the 110v > flap outside when you're running the inverter? You absolutely must not hook > up in parallel with a working 110v input. No kidding. Really. > > Talking of the Dometic, that's the only potential high draw from that >> circuit if I forget to switch it from 110 volts to DC or Propane. (Sorry >> BTW, the 240 V thing is inured in my brain!) >> >> However, what the application of 110 VAC to the output of the inverter >> might do if that switch was left on (on the inverter unit or breaker) I do >> not know - might be worth a try first!!! >> > > I can almost guarantee it would be much more exciting than you have any > interest for. And I'll give sporting odds that it could be pretty exciting > even if the inverter is not powered. In any case, as I said before, you > simply must not do this, it's far too likely to be fatal to someone down the > road. If you permanently disable the external 110 input, then the remaining > issue is whether neutral and ground are bonded together inside the fan. > > Also, looking at the manual a little more, there is the phrase "Do not >> connect to ... any AC circuit where the neutral conductor is connected to >> ground or the -ve of the DC source".... which would mean the Dometic - which >> is connected to the distribution circuit for the 110 VAC. >> > > I don't know if the Dometic neutral is connected to ground at the fridge -- > probably not. I don't know if the house wiring neutral is bonded to ground > -- might well be. > > But I strongly recommend to leave the existing shore-power setup intact, > and keep the inverter wiring completely separate from it. Or go the whole > hog with a transfer switch. > > > > -- > David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ > '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation" >


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