inverter

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:28 am

Here's what I have hooked up, 5k watt inverter powered by 2 4D's it powers a stand lone outlet in the galley, I would like to wire it in to my main. So the question is this..

White to white..
black to black..
green to ?

and I'll and to install a breaker to keep the shore/gen set from feeding power back right ? There's an auto switch for those two already pre-installed by Carver,

g36 · Post by **g36** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:41 am

i dont know what brand your invertor is but on mine i have outlets on the front. i wired from this to a switch that feeds the breaker (edit:should say receptacles)and the circuit in my panel. it is a 4 pole double throw but i am only using 3 legs of it. if no switch remember to isolate the neutral and ground in the panel if it has a ground bus and they are tied together. the invertor wont like that if they are. it will go into overload probably be toast. the wiring is wire for wire to the invertor. i made up a cable from my switch that i plug into the front of the invertor outlet. the switch prevents any chance of back feeding power. its either invertor or shore. cant be both at the same time.

aweimer · Post by **aweimer** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:22 am

g36 wrote:i dont know what brand your invertor is but on mine i have outlets on the front. i wired from this to a switch that feeds the breaker and the circuit in my panel. it is a 4 pole double throw but i am only using 3 legs of it. remember to isolate the neutral and ground in the panel if it has a ground bus and they are tied together. the invertor wont like that if they are. it will go into overload probably be toast. the wiring is wire for wire to the invertor. i made up a cable from my switch that i plug into the front of the invertor outlet. the switch prevents any chance of back feeding power. its either invertor or shore. cant be both at the same time.

Any chance of seeing this in a diagram? Switch in line between inverter and breaker? So you have a flip a switch to enable power from your inverter to your AC breakers?

If you put your inverter in line between the breaker and the outlet you want to feed would that not allow the automatic switch to work as designed? When AC was there from shore power the inverter charges batteries, when its not it enables 120v to the outlet?

Maybe i'm lost here.

g36 · Post by **g36** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:47 am

i dont have an automatic switch. that is why i have installed a manual switch. my aims invertor doesnt have any auto features. i do not power a whole panel .only one circuit . there are 4 receptacles that are on this one circuit . there is a overload protection circuit built in the invertors themselves. i dont have a diagram could probably draw something. the switch is between the breaker and receptacle. so when on invertor the protection comes from the invertor. and when flipped and shore power is on the rectacles get protection from the panel breaker as original.
i have a seperate battery charger that is 75 amps. this charges my batteries.
switch prevents any power from crossing over from invertor or shore or generator
sorry if i mistated earlier. it was early

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 12:18 pm

I think an updated inverter kills alot of the confusion, new electronics with standard features seem to have come along way. How many batteries though? 3 6v golf cart? 2-3 12v deep cycles?

g36 · Post by **g36** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:41 pm

i use 4 golf cart batteries for my house bank. many people dont need them, others might be fine with group 27 or 31 even. you must decide how much back up you need. and then make the decision on what to use. if you plan on heavy useage golf cart batteries do last better when deeply discharging. something you try to avoid but sometimes this happens . if so then a golf cart battery may be for you. if you choose to use them you will need them in pairs so 3 wont get it. its also up to each to decide how they want to install the inverter. i dont need to pay extra for a fancy inverter to do what i need. sometimes that just means more things that can go wrong. many times simple is the best. its no big deal to change over a switch rather than have it automatically done for me. hey if its automatic you might forget and be working on a electric circuit and shocked because your not used to rembering to power up the line.

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:13 pm

very good points thanks. Im going to jump over to my post cuase I already hijacked this one. I have another question for ya

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:25 pm

g36 mine sounds like your setup 4 outlets on it..

http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/p ... power.aspx

this is the type but the 5k one. Tried wire to wire once but the reverse polarity light came on, and not being a spark tech I'm afraid of screwing the boat up..

and as far as invert/chargers every sail boater I know that had one when it went bad they replaced placed it with and stand alone inverter and charger..

g36 · Post by **g36** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:19 am

alexander38 wrote:g36 mine sounds like your setup 4 outlets on it..

http://www.xantrex.com/power-products/p ... power.aspx

this is the type but the 5k one. Tried wire to wire once but the reverse polarity light came on, and not being a spark tech I'm afraid of screwing the boat up..

and as far as invert/chargers every sail boater I know that had one when it went bad they replaced placed it with and stand alone inverter and charger..

on my f32 with my inverter i am powering all the stbd side recepticales of the boat and one i added in the v berth for a tv. i added one to the galley also. when you got the reverse polarity light what were you trying to do? power up the boat receptacle ? or something else?. it will be correct to wire to wire but if its being tied into the boat wiring you must address the neutral and ground issue. do you have a volt/multi meter?
i usually dont buy combo items like tv/dvd or invertor/charger etc. that means if one goes bad they both are out. when its removed to be sent off or repaired. but thats just me i repair electronics for a living (although they are medical electronics) so i keep this stuff floating around in my head all the time.

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:14 pm

yes I was tryin' to wire it in to the boat's breaker panel. I have a volt meter but I'm one those guys that is scared to death of hooking up Elec. stuff wrong and burning down the boat.

and the way Carver wired the panel all outlets are on two breakers on the same panel, on the same one is the stove and water heater, the lower has 3 A/C's and A/C coolant pump doubt if the inverter could handle those. but the outlets would be great. The thing I don't get is white to white - black to black - to power the panel what do I do with the green (ground) ?

g36 · Post by **g36** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:47 pm

Hey alexander38 check your messages