Hello again I have just purchased a 2000 watt pure sine wave invertor. I know it has to be connected straight to the battery but as I have 2 batteries linked should I connect it to a specific one. Ie the original battery or the 2nd battery.
Thanks Hugh
That depends on how your batteries are linked. Do you mean that you have two leisure batteries wired together in parallel thus doubling your battery capacity, or do you mean that one battery is a leisure battery and the other is the starter battery? If its the former it doesn't matter which battery you connect it to, but if its the latter whatever you do don't connect it to the starter battery.
A 2kw inverter is going to take a huge amount of power to run and will flatten a battery quite quickly if you use it when the engine isn't running, putting charge back in. Don't forget to switch it off completely when you are not using it as inverters draw power from the battery to run themselves even when there is nothing plugged into them. They are very power-hungry, and the bigger the inverter the more power they take just to run themselves.
Thanks for reply I have 2 leisure batteries in parallel. But wasn't sure which one to connect to. I was also thinking about adding a set of bus bars. Could I connect my invertor to them. As space is quite tight around battery terminals. 🤔 Hugh
Quote: Originally posted by parkranger on 24/10/2023
Thanks for reply I have 2 leisure batteries in parallel. But wasn't sure which one to connect to. I was also thinking about adding a set of bus bars. Could I connect my invertor to them. As space is quite tight around battery terminals. 🤔 Hugh
Sounds quite feasible, but if the inverter doesn't have a switch on it, make sure you fit a switch in a convenient place to cut off power going to the inverter when it isn't in use.
Hi there navver could you elaborate on reply. Not sure what you mean. I thought these invertors are made to run off your 12v system. The invertor is 1000/2000watt. Are you saying don't connect to bus bar or battery.?? .
My inverter is 1000 watt normal use 2000w max ie on gadgets with a higher start up voltage requirement. I have 2 x 110amp leisure batteries.. With 170amp rated cables with 70amp fuses in line. Does this sound about right as I want it to be safe.
I am not using high power appliances.. A bit more information would be greatly appreciated.
Hugh
I think what is being said is that it is perfectly safe to connect as you suggest, but you need to be aware that an inverter of that sort of power rating will use a huge amount of battery power, unless it is only used when the engine is running. It will work fine for very short periods. Inverters use power just to run themselves, without anything connected to them, and the bigger the inverter the more power they consume. You have 220ah of battery power available so if you use the inverter very much or for very long periods without the engine running, and you are using high rated appliances, you will still flatten your batteries very quickly. Even if you don't use very high rated appliances, a 2kw inverter will still take quite a bit of power just to run itself. The losses in an inverter are quite high.
What appliances are you intending to run via the inverter?
What type of battery are you using? Lead acid, AGM, Lithium?
How are you intending to recharge the batteries?
If using solar what capacity panels do you have? Not going to be an awful amount of sunlight for a few months.
Do you intend to plug in to EHU to recharge them?
Hi everyone thanks fir replies and advice
The batteries are 2 new 110amp lead acid. So far I have installed split charge relay that is charging both. I have yet to purchase solar panels as with the inverter I was getting a headache trying to decide on one same with solar the more I look the less I see. So any help on picking correct wattage/rampage would be most welcome also do i get rigid panels or flexible. As for appliances I would use 12v fridge. Laptop and maybe power tool battery charger also 12v led lights. Phone charger. That would be be it. I am starting to think I could have got a smaller wattage inverter
Thanks look forward to reply
Hugh
Hi birdman. It's a 12v camping fridge more of a hot and cold cool box but runs off 240v and 12v
I should have said. Ps thanks for all the help advice with my kia sorrento a couple years back.
A 12 volt compressor fridge will use a lot less battery power than a normal 3 way caravan fridge. I used to use one on my river cruiser that I had before I went back to caravanning. They are excellent but a bit expensive.
The thing to avoid with inverters is anything containing a heating element. They will really drain a battery. Laptops, phone chargers, and even power-tool chargers don't use all that much so they will be no problem. If that is all you intend running you probably could have got away with a much smaller inverter, which would have used less power.
That what I am thinking. I will change it. Any advice on the solar. How much solar power to keep my 2x 110amp batteries. Charged. I did some research and the figure is around 150watts per battery so 300 watts if solar. 🤔
Quote: Originally posted by parkranger on 25/10/2023
That what I am thinking. I will change it. Any advice on the solar. How much solar power to keep my 2x 110amp batteries. Charged. I did some research and the figure is around 150watts per battery so 300 watts if solar. 🤔
Perhaps someone else can help there, I don't know that much about solar panels. All I know about them is that they have to be in direct sunlight and angled correctly to obtain their maximum output. They give out some power just from ordinary daylight, but nothing like their rated output.
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Topic: Adding invertor to leisure batteries
via mobile 24/10/2023 at 9:29am
