Connecting to existing electrical components on a Class C
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boondox
Chief Engineer, RedNeckTech Industries
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For the AC side you will need a transfer switch like one used to switch between a generator and utility power in a home. I don't know abut RV's in particular but I am sure they are out there. The purpose is to make sure that the inverter and shore power cannot be connected at the same time. They are what is called "break before make" meaning that it disconnects one before connecting the other.
For the DC side it depends on what you have. Some DC converters are chargers too.
For the DC side it depends on what you have. Some DC converters are chargers too.
MisterSandals
Participation Medalist
This does not make sense to me. An electrical panel alone cannot handle 3 power sources.
Is there an onboard charge controller?
John Frum
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I think it would be helpful for everyone if you drew your setup https://app.diagrams.net/http:draw.io
Please delineate what is existing and what is to be added.
I'm probably too ignorant to explain but I have a new 2200 watt AC inverter that I want to run back to where all my electrical comes in under the bed of my Class C RV. I want to connect it to my shore power. I also want to run wire from the house battery to the 12 volt fuze box which also under the bed. I still want my RV generator to continue running as it does now.
MisterSandals
Participation Medalist
What do you mean “all my electrical comes in”? Do you mean shore power coming in?
What is “it”?
I see no reason to connect an AC inverter to shore power. So i dunno what you are trying to do.
This should already be part of original RV wiring. Is it not?
I have not seen nor read how it runs now. If its like most, it feeds the same charge controller that the shore power does. And this controller should be charging your house batteries.
If you hook it up like I told you can still use the generator as you already have a transfer switch built in. But you cant charge the battery as the converter will remain off.
Youre best option is to buy an inverter-charger.
If you go with just a transfer switch your converter will be running off the inverter. It will try to pull from and charge battery simultaneously.
Your 4th option is to simply wire a few select outlets straight to inverter.
Your 5th option is to use a stand alone tranfer switch and wire the outlet your converter is plugged into with a simple light switch and only turn it on to battery charge when generator is running or on shore power.
Youre best option is to buy an inverter-charger.
If you go with just a transfer switch your converter will be running off the inverter. It will try to pull from and charge battery simultaneously.
Your 4th option is to simply wire a few select outlets straight to inverter.
Your 5th option is to use a stand alone tranfer switch and wire the outlet your converter is plugged into with a simple light switch and only turn it on to battery charge when generator is running or on shore power.
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I'm new to this, but I think I'm on the right track. I now have a battery bank consisting of 2 12volt lithium batteries in parallel. I'm hooking it up to a Giandel 2200w inverter (no transfer switch no charger). I want to run the inverter to the electrical panel which is already in the RV (30 amp). The RV has a WFC 8955 with a 3 stage convert/charger. I think I can use a transfer switch and hook up the inverter and the shore power and just turn off the circuit breaker to the converter when I am using the inverter. Is this making any sense? Can you recommend a transfer switch?
I'm new to this, but I think I'm on the right track. I now have a battery bank consisting of 2 12volt lithium batteries in parallel. I'm hooking it up to a Giandel 2200w inverter (no transfer switch no charger). I want to run the inverter to the electrical panel which is already in the RV (30 amp). The RV has a WFC 8955 with a 3 stage convert/charger. I think I can use a transfer switch and hook up the inverter and the shore power and just turn off the circuit breaker to the converter when I am using the inverter. Is this making any sense? Can you recommend a transfer switch?
MisterSandals
Participation Medalist
This does not sound right.
When you are on shore power, you will was the concerter/charger doing its 2 tasks: making sure the battery is charged and converting shore power (120v AC) to 12v DC for your RV lights and pretty much everything.
You may also have some electrical outlets for things like a microwave and maybe air conditioner.
An inverter on the other hand would be used to create 120v AC from your batteries when you do not have shore power.
Given this, you must be wanting to feed the AC stuff mentioned above from a single point, via a transfer switch?
And this would be “after” the converter/charger?
When you are on shore power, you will was the concerter/charger doing its 2 tasks: making sure the battery is charged and converting shore power (120v AC) to 12v DC for your RV lights and pretty much everything.
You may also have some electrical outlets for things like a microwave and maybe air conditioner.
An inverter on the other hand would be used to create 120v AC from your batteries when you do not have shore power.
Given this, you must be wanting to feed the AC stuff mentioned above from a single point, via a transfer switch?
And this would be “after” the converter/charger?
You lost me on the "after" the converter charger. I want to hook up the inverter to the main breaker with the shore power and be able to use a transfer switch. When using the inverter, I could just turn the breaker off of the converter/charger at the AC panel so its not trying to charge the house battery. Am I making any sense?
MisterSandals
Participation Medalist
I mean to keep the converter/inverter out of the loop when using your stand alone inverter.
I think we need to know how your main panel is wired. Does shore power feed this panel directly?
And regarding my guesses/questions above as to what you are trying to accomplish... that would help us get to your goals which are unknown to me.
I think we need to know how your main panel is wired. Does shore power feed this panel directly?
And regarding my guesses/questions above as to what you are trying to accomplish... that would help us get to your goals which are unknown to me.
Shore power directly feeds the panel. I'm trying to wire the inverter into the main panel to run all 120v AC outlets and appliances execpt for the microwave an air conditioner.
I have 4 100 watt solar panels and a Renogy 50amp DC to DC charger with MPPT solar controler going to the house battery.
I have 4 100 watt solar panels and a Renogy 50amp DC to DC charger with MPPT solar controler going to the house battery.
Bob B
Emperor Of Solar
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If you wire the inverter into the main AC input ..... without disconnecting the AC to the WFC 8955 when you do this ..... you will be using the inverter to charge your battery .... kind of a power loop .... and loosing efficiency along the way.
I am wanting to do something similar, but haven't thought it all the way thru yet.
I am wanting to do something similar, but haven't thought it all the way thru yet.
Freddmc
New Member
"'m probably too ignorant to explain but I have a new 2200 watt AC inverter that I want to run back to where all my electrical comes in under the bed of my Class C RV. I want to connect it to my shore power"
Why would you want to connect your inverter to shore power. Shore power gives you 110V.The inverter also gives you 110v from the 12V batteries. The inverter is designed to give you 110v when there is no shore power.
My rv setup is similar but everything is manual. I run power from the inverter to a receptacle in the same compartment where the shore chord is stored. For shore power I plug the chord into a receptacle outside the rv(house, garage,plug-in at rv park, etc) When there is no shore power I plug the chord into the power outlet wired to the inverter.
Regards
Fred
Why would you want to connect your inverter to shore power. Shore power gives you 110V.The inverter also gives you 110v from the 12V batteries. The inverter is designed to give you 110v when there is no shore power.
My rv setup is similar but everything is manual. I run power from the inverter to a receptacle in the same compartment where the shore chord is stored. For shore power I plug the chord into a receptacle outside the rv(house, garage,plug-in at rv park, etc) When there is no shore power I plug the chord into the power outlet wired to the inverter.
Regards
Fred
If I manually flip the converter/charger circuit breaker off at the AC panel, that shold stop the power loop. When plugged into shore power I would turn the circuit breaker back on.
Wow, Fred, this is sounding pretty easy. So I'm assuming that you are using a 15 amp adapter and plugging into your 30 amp shore power cord and then plugging it into the back of the 110 outlet at the inverter? Or could I use a 30 amp female plug and plug into the shore power and then wire it to the terminal at the inverter for more power? Either way, it seems that I should flip the circuit breaker off for the charger/converter when I am using the inverter so that I'm not try to charge the house battery. Thanks for you help, Mike
dashdrum
New Member
I am about to do a similar project. The transfer switch goes between shore power and the circuit box, and its inputs are short power and the inverter AC output, with the transfer switch output going to the circuit box. DC power from the batteries goes to the DC input on the inverter (fuses and breakers as needed - I'm no expert).
One thing to check - will your existing converter charge lithium batteries correctly? If not, you might want to look into a replacement.
Yes, you will have to turn off the converter when using the inverter output. Some transfer switches have a separate AC output to run the converter only when on shore power. (And using a combined inverter/changer/switch makes all of this so much easier)
One thing to check - will your existing converter charge lithium batteries correctly? If not, you might want to look into a replacement.
Yes, you will have to turn off the converter when using the inverter output. Some transfer switches have a separate AC output to run the converter only when on shore power. (And using a combined inverter/changer/switch makes all of this so much easier)
Freddmc
New Member
My shore power chord has an adapter to allow me to plug into a standard 110v receptacle household receptacle(15amp). And I use the same kind or receptacle(15amp) connected to the inverter. You might want to look at a switch that allows you to select one or the other(but not both) In my case its pretty simple having only one chord with two choices to plug into( inverter or shore power) Its impossible to make a mistake.But lots of people want to automate this. For me it doesn't happen often enough to worry about. .When I first built my rv(converted highway bus) all that was available was a converter to convert from shore power(110V) to Dc(12V). Then I added an inverter a few years ago becuase where we like to camp has both sites with electrical hookups and those without. And now that you need a reservation at all public campgrounds we can't always get sites with hookups so the inverter takes over there.
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