Suggested inverter/chargers?

[zuren]

When I bought my van, it had been used as a mobile office and came with a Tripp-Lite PV3000HF (3000w) inverter with a remote switch. I have used it sparingly over the years since it drains the house battery quickly if the engine is not running (battery is a Diehard Platinum PM1 Group 31).

Fast forward to this morning when I found that the inverter isn't working. I'm not sure what the problem might be but my toddler does love buttons so he may have power cycled it on/off too fast and tripped something (a breaker) on the unit or fried the switch. Does this sound plausible?

I have been thinking about that inverter for a while anyway. I'm not sure a straight inverter is the best option for my uses and I think 3000w is overkill. I try to keep all of my vehicle/camping related electronics to low-draw 12v or battery so my AC needs are limited. I am wondering if a smaller output inverter/charger would be a better solution to provide any AC needs plus keep the battery charged when plugged in. Prices seem to be all over the place so I wanted to know what brands/models others are using. I would need the option of a remote switch since the unit will be mounted in a cabinet. I'll have to come up with a locking cover to keep little hands out of it.

Thanks!

 

[zelatore]

The first question is what do you need to power? That will determine how large your inverter needs to be.

You are correct that 3000w is pretty big. That's the size I would put on a good size yacht and waaay more than I would expect in a van. And you're also right that a single group 31 battery isn't going to run something that big for long at anything like full power.

My only question would be is the battery going flat with the inverter on but not with a heavy load? Tell us a little more about what's going on there - does it go dead with the inverter just idling? That shouldn't be happening as most inverters pull very little stand-by current. Give me an idea about what you are running and for how long on your current setup.

As for specific recommendations that will depend on your exact needs. Do you need an inverter only? Or an inverter/charger? Sine wave or is modified sine OK? Brand wise, I tend to favor the guys who play in the marine market since that's the field I'm in, so Magnum, Xantrex, Mastervolt, etc. I've heard some people like Outback Power (?) but haven't used them myself. In my little work van I have a cheap Kisae that keeps my cordless tools charged that has been OK, but I've never installed one for a customer. They are distributed by a company in Canada but I suspect they are made in China.

 

[zuren]

The first question is what do you need to power? That will determine how large your inverter needs to be.

I retained the 3000w inverter since I wasn't sure what I would use it for and it was already mounted/wired into the van. Over my 6 years of ownership and use, I have charged my laptop while running down the road and ran a crockpot while running on the highway. I have not had a use case where 3000w has been required. Other than that, I don't really have any AC needs. RoadPro makes a 12v crockpot and there are 12v laptop charger kits out there with interchangeable tips to fit various laptops. For $60, I could eliminate my AC uses to date. I have considered the possibility of being able to run power tools out at a hunting blind to construct or make repairs, but most of the time I'm using hand tools or battery power tools. So this is why I'm questioning the inverter - it's big, it isn't being used, and it doesn't help me with charging the battery.

My only question would be is the battery going flat with the inverter on but not with a heavy load? Tell us a little more about what's going on there - does it go dead with the inverter just idling? That shouldn't be happening as most inverters pull very little stand-by current. Give me an idea about what you are running and for how long on your current setup.

I just read in the manual that the inverter may need to be reset, so I'm heading out now to try that. If I can't get it running again, I won't be able to run a test but from my memory: the engine was off, I powered the inverter on, plugged the laptop in to charge, after a little while the battery monitor LEDs in the remote switch started showing a severe decline in the charge. I think I read that these are some sensors that can be adjusted on the unit so maybe they are too sensitive. Again, I'm heading out now to look.

As for specific recommendations that will depend on your exact needs. Do you need an inverter only? Or an inverter/charger? Sine wave or is modified sine OK?

I do some boondocking but most of the time a 110v hookup is available. I'm thinking a smaller (750-1000w), sine wave, inverter/charger might be a better choice than what I have now. Being able to keep the engine off but keep the house battery charged would be nice. Sine wave would be better for any electronics.

Brand wise, I tend to favor the guys who play in the marine market since that's the field I'm in, so Magnum, Xantrex, Mastervolt, etc. I've heard some people like Outback Power (?) but haven't used them myself. In my little work van I have a cheap Kisae that keeps my cordless tools charged that has been OK, but I've never installed one for a customer. They are distributed by a company in Canada but I suspect they are made in China.

Thanks! I'll take a look at some of those name brands.

 

[zuren]

Just went out to the van and the inverter is fine but the remote switch seems to have gone bad; $110 to replace.

I also found this post where someone else was stating that the Tripp-Lite inverter kills the batteries. Makes me wonder what the inverter is actually drawing when idle:

http://davewhitmore.net/Roadtrek/TrippLite Inverter Control.htm

If I sold it, what could I reasonably expect to get for a used inverter (current price on Amazon: $400) that is missing it's remote?

 

[dwh]

You're going to pay a lot more for a combination unit. You might consider separate inverter and charger.

Morningstar SureSine is a great unit. 300w, but can handle up to 600w for a while. All solid state with no cooling fan to wear out. Super low standby power draw and provision for both a remote on/off switch and a remote optional meter. You can use your own switch as well, no special switch required.

Then add a decent programmable charger with remote battery temperature sensing, like a Xantrex TrueCharge 2 and you'd be good to go.

But if you just gotta have a combined unit, I've heard a lot of good things, and no bad things, about the Xantrex ProSine units.

 

[Joe917]

The bigger inverters draw a lot on standby, our 2700 watt Magnum draws something like 34 watts on standby. This is why large inverters should not be left on standby and should not be used for small loads. The solution is more than one inverter. We use a Morningstar Suresine 300 for smaller loads. Both are excellent units.(we shut the Suresine off too when not needed)
You won't like the price!
A battery monitor will show in real time exactly what things are drawing. Trimetric highly recommended.

 

[zuren]

The bigger inverters draw a lot on standby, our 2700 watt Magnum draws something like 34 watts on standby. This is why large inverters should not be left on standby and should not be used for small loads. The solution is more than one inverter. We use a Morningstar Suresine 300 for smaller loads. Both are excellent units.(we shut the Suresine off too when not needed)
You won't like the price!
A battery monitor will show in real time exactly what things are drawing. Trimetric highly recommended.

Yeah, I saw the price. Morningstar makes nice stuff.

One other thing I should mention that I wanted to do was have an elegant solution for running an electric space heater in the van (overnight while sleeping) when 110v is available. I would NOT be using this heater when boondocking. My current solution is a heavy duty extension cord (to handle the amp draw) passed through the window. This is why I was looking at the inverter/charger combo units; they charge the battery, have the pass-through capability, and can be an inverter......but as mentioned, at a cost. From a cost standpoint, am I better off sticking with my current method and focus on just charging the battery for any 12v draws?

I could replace the inverter with a charger and just focus on everything being 12v and grab a small inverter like this for those times that I "need" AC:

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power...07385&sr=1-4&keywords=inverter+sine+wave+pure

 

[Joe917]

You get what you pay for...

 

[zelatore]

I've used plenty of the 1800w Xantrex ProSine inverter/chargers with no failures. I've probably installed a dozen of them over the years on smaller boats where we don't need a lot of power. For a van, 1800w should be more than enough. I doubt I'd bother with anything under 1000w myself...if I only needed to run the occasional laptop or the like I'd just get one of the cheapo cig lighter plug-in units for a couple bucks and not worry about it. I've never heard of Morningstar, but that doesn't mean anything. Likely they're just not a big player in the marine market is all that means.

I wonder about your battery. A decent group 31 should be around 100a/h, so figure 50 a/h usable. Even an inefficient inverter shouldn't run that flat too fast with just a laptop plugged in. How are you charging that battery now? If it's just off your alternator likely it's never getting fully charged so naturally you won't be getting much service out of it. It sounds like the battery is also pretty old (came with the van?) so it may just not be up to par anymore. If you have a good quality multi-stage charger I'd suggest hooking it up and letting it top the battery up fully - will likely need a good 24 hrs. Then stick an ammeter in-line with it and measure the draw of your inverter at idle and with some common loads. You can do the math to see how many a/h you get from the battery before it goes dead.

As for inverter/chargers, I use them all the time for boats but I've never put one in a truck since shore power isn't a given there. They are generally a really good way to top up a large battery bank (I'd usually put at least 500 a/h behind a 3K inverter to keep it fed). But there are lots of ways to skin that particular cat. The key no matter what you choose is proper charging, which generally means some form of auxiliery charger beyond your alternator. DCC, solar, shore power, etc.

<edit>
Just looked up the Morningstar site and I see they only offer one tiny little 300w inverter. It may be a nice unit but the small size means I'd have no use for it which is why I've not seen them around.

 

[dwh]

Morningstar is one of the top manufacturers of solar charge controllers. They're not really in the inverter business, except for that one excellent little unit.

 

[Xterrachris81]

Yeah, I saw the price. Morningstar makes nice stuff.

One other thing I should mention that I wanted to do was have an elegant solution for running an electric space heater in the van (overnight while sleeping) when 110v is available. I would NOT be using this heater when boondocking. My current solution is a heavy duty extension cord (to handle the amp draw) passed through the window. This is why I was looking at the inverter/charger combo units; they charge the battery, have the pass-through capability, and can be an inverter......but as mentioned, at a cost. From a cost standpoint, am I better off sticking with my current method and focus on just charging the battery for any 12v draws?

I could replace the inverter with a charger and just focus on everything being 12v and grab a small inverter like this for those times that I "need" AC:

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power...07385&sr=1-4&keywords=inverter+sine+wave+pure

MinnKota AC Power Port (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MN8RUU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_m15pybGT41T7X

Here's a good solution for your space heater... it's fun to cut holes in your vehicle!!

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Couple of questions:

1. Is there a way to build an inverter into a panel (e.g., wood panel with switches, USB charge ports, etc.)?

2. What do you guys plug into these high powered inverters? Just wondering what I might be missing?

 

[Joe917]

Couple of questions:

1. Is there a way to build an inverter into a panel (e.g., wood panel with switches, USB charge ports, etc.)?

2. What do you guys plug into these high powered inverters? Just wondering what I might be missing?

1. The larger inverters and the Suresine are built to install out of sight. you run your AC wiring off them to standard wall plugs. On/off switches and control panels can go anywhere. USB charge ports run off the 12V system.
2. We run a microwave, washing machine, hot water tank, AC outlets (not all at once)

 

[LeishaShannon]

2. What do you guys plug into these high powered inverters? Just wondering what I might be missing?

Just the essentials.... Air conditioning, induction hotplates, oven, HWS, bread maker, deep fryer

A smaller "always on" inverter supplies a 255L fridge.

 

[DiploStrat]

Mate! You forgot the HAIR DRYER!