Inverter Installation

[Gulf Comanche]

I am about to install a 1500w inverter in Old School and need a few suggestions on installation.
Can I put it in the engine room near the batts? Its pretty hot in there this time of year.
Can I run one of the outlet wires to the shore power breaker panel so I can use the outlets that the panel supplies? Or will the panel feed back to the inverter when on shore power and cause problems?
Though this whole deal doesn't look terribly complicated, some do's & don'ts would be helpful. Thanks.
Mike
Baton Rouge

 

[Capn Chuck]

You can install the unit in the engine room but I would not. Most inverters are heat sensitive and you most probably will have problems. You will need a transfer switch to connect the inverter to your breaker panel since if you connect it directly you will have backfeed from either the inverter or shore power and you will have some serious issues. There are lots of installation information on line for installing an inverter and I suggest you do some serious research before you attempt this or get some professional help. You can cause a lot of problems and cost yourself some serious dollars if you do this wrong. It is not difficult but you do need to know what you are doing. Chuck

 

[troy994719]

Is this a inverter/charger combo?
I would not put it in the engine room, its way too hot.



-- Edited by troy994719 on Thursday 16th of July 2009 03:09:05 PM

 

[Gulf Comanche]

Chuck, I'll do the research beforehand, absolutely. I figured there would be back feed from shore power, just wanted confirmation.
Troy, its not an inverter charger. Probably the simplest thing to do would be connect directly to the batt, ground it, then run a few wires out to new outlets forward & aft.
Mike

 

[Capn Chuck]

Mike, We use an inverter to run our "entertainment system", the TV, DVD player and satellite receiver. The outlets for these are connected directly to the inverter and are not connected at the electrical panel so the inverter is dedicated to these outlets alone and the equipment only runs off the inverter. This is the simplest installation, but be sure and mark the outlets inverter only. Chuck

 

[2bucks]

Hmmmmm...... when I installed mine in the last boat, 2000 watt inverter/charger there was no problem with feedback. Hooked right into the 110 into the boat and did the changeover automatically. Everything that used 110 was always supplied. Even the clocks that blink when they lose power never blinked.

That was a gasoline powered boat that required the inverter to be outside the engine room for explosion reasons.

In the current boat the professional installer put the inverter/charger in the engine room for the previous owner. Never a problem from heat for the past 10 years. Again a Heart 2000 inverter/charger. No explosion hazard in the diesel engine room. It is also wired to supply 110 to everything BUT the hot water heater and electric heater. Again all automatic with no blinking or brown outs.

Seems worth any extra effort to kill two birds with one stone and have an automatic charger with the inverter and the convenience of always having things plugged in and working. How much difference in price between the inverter/charger and the inverter, extra plugs and wiring, and remembering to plug/unplug everything you want to run on the inverter?

 

[Gulf Comanche]

Chuck:
Thats what I had in mind. I want to run a tv & sterio forward, and a microwave in the galley. GFCI outlets at both places. No electrical panel, just switch it on when needed.
Mike

 

[Gulf Comanche]

Ken:
I just went thru the new charger install as my old one was cooking the batts. Alls well on that end now. So now its the inverter install.
Mike