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Old 11-13-2019, 06:47 PM   #21
MarkEHansen
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Great info, Mike. Thanks.
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Old 11-13-2019, 07:27 PM   #22
JRTJH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Logan X View Post
Mark,

This is a little off topic and you may already know all of this but I just recently figured it out. I wanted to mention the inverter I have been using. It has been a game changer for my dry camping experience. It is a 300 watt inverter that has two 120v outlets and a couple of USB ports. It has a 12v plug and I plug it into the 12v outlet by my TV, so there is no wiring involved.

My kids like to watch TV and so do I, it has been great to run the TV and Apple TV off of the batteries. The dual 6v batteries last a long time even with the TV on.

The TV is the main thing I need the inverter for. If I want to run the microwave or the coffee maker, I just turn on the generator.

Here is a link if you are interested

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-300Wat.../dp/B07KQ4Q2L5
Just a few comments:

There is a warning in the Winegard antenna manual concerning the 12 volt outlet. It reads:

WARNING
DO NOT connect high
current devices such
as hair dryers to this
receptacle. Maximum
current rating of this
receptacle is 8 amps at
+12 VDC.


The input amperage draw of a 12 volt DC to 120 volt AC inverter producing 300 watts of AC power is 29 amps of DC. That's almost 4 times the maximum amperage rating of the plug that you're using to power your 300 watt inverter.

The wiring behind it (that powers that plug) is typically 16 ga multi-strand wire. If the wire was 12 gauge, a 10' run is rated at 13.8 volts to carry 15-20 amps. (That's 15 amps sustained and 20 amps surge)

Probably, to date, you've only drawn 60-100 watts through the inverter, but should you use the rated 300 watts, chances are likely that you'd overload and probably overheat the wiring in your trailer.

Your 300 watt inverter can draw significantly more power than both the socket and the wiring to the socket are rated to carry. You are risking overheating the wire and potentially setting up a situation that might start a fire behind the wall panel in your trailer.

A 300 watt inverter should have 10 gauge wire to provide power if the battery is 7-10 feet from the outlet/inverter.

You can read about inverter current draw here: https://www.redarc.com.au/faq-tech-t...r-current-draw

You can read about wire size for "automotive DC wiring requirements" here: http://www.offroaders.com/technical/...gauge-to-amps/

ADDED: The Amazon website indicates that the inverter "has a built in 40 amp fuse"... You're plugging that into a socket rated for 8 amps "max" and that's protected (at your 12 volt DC distribution panel) by a 15 amp DC fuse.
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Old 11-13-2019, 08:25 PM   #23
Logan X
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Just a few comments:

There is a warning in the Winegard antenna manual concerning the 12 volt outlet. It reads:

WARNING
DO NOT connect high
current devices such
as hair dryers to this
receptacle. Maximum
current rating of this
receptacle is 8 amps at
+12 VDC.


The input amperage draw of a 12 volt DC to 120 volt AC inverter producing 300 watts of AC power is 29 amps of DC. That's almost 4 times the maximum amperage rating of the plug that you're using to power your 300 watt inverter.

The wiring behind it (that powers that plug) is typically 16 ga multi-strand wire. If the wire was 12 gauge, a 10' run is rated at 13.8 volts to carry 15-20 amps. (That's 15 amps sustained and 20 amps surge)

Probably, to date, you've only drawn 60-100 watts through the inverter, but should you use the rated 300 watts, chances are likely that you'd overload and probably overheat the wiring in your trailer.

Your 300 watt inverter can draw significantly more power than both the socket and the wiring to the socket are rated to carry. You are risking overheating the wire and potentially setting up a situation that might start a fire behind the wall panel in your trailer.

A 300 watt inverter should have 10 gauge wire to provide power if the battery is 7-10 feet from the outlet/inverter.

You can read about inverter current draw here: https://www.redarc.com.au/faq-tech-t...r-current-draw

You can read about wire size for "automotive DC wiring requirements" here: http://www.offroaders.com/technical/...gauge-to-amps/

ADDED: The Amazon website indicates that the inverter "has a built in 40 amp fuse"... You're plugging that into a socket rated for 8 amps "max" and that's protected (at your 12 volt DC distribution panel) by a 15 amp DC fuse.
Thanks John, good info. I’m just using it for the TV so I believe I am within the current rating for that outlet. If I suggest that set up to anyone in the future, I will be sure to point out the limit on the outlet’s capacity.
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Old 11-13-2019, 09:08 PM   #24
Ken / Claudia
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I only plugged in the genny to the trailer power cord, no other source used for charging the batteries. Before starting the genny at night the 12v socket readout I installed would show 12.2v and up to 12.8v. When the genny was running it normally showed 13.4v.
Last year with dual 12v batteries about 1 year old the readout was before starting the genny was as low as 11.8v
It seemed the 2 6v batteries did hold a charge longer. No idea how long it took to get the batteries fully charged each night.
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Old 11-21-2019, 10:42 AM   #25
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Congratulations,
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Old 11-21-2019, 06:43 PM   #26
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I love Elk season.
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Old 11-30-2019, 06:52 PM   #27
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Thanks for sharing Ken. The temps have been so mild here in Alaska or well the Anchorage area and lack of snow has made me question winterizing the Tumbleweed, but I haven't had the time to go camping recently. It is ready to deploy in case a natural disaster hits. It was a year ago today that a 7.1 quake hit south central Alaska and messed a lot of stuff up.
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Old 12-01-2019, 10:50 AM   #28
Ken / Claudia
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I understand the point of having the RV ready to go if needed. That's not talked about on here much. I winterized mine when cleaning from the hunt trip and than put my bug out food and gear back in it. Refilled the propane tanks checked the battery levels. It's ready to go except for water. I have a large driveway and am able to keep any RV here at home. I did a tune up on the genny, it's ready also.
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Old 12-01-2019, 12:40 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roscommon48 View Post
Ken, I hate to admit it but i think your thread is the longest I've ever seen on this forum. You win.


I have no idea if there was a question in the thread. Sorry, I tried to read it.


RVing in cold weather is simply a challenge and it depends on how cold 'cold weather' means.
OK ... need to get this back on track! Ken, what is your towing capacity and did you take the camper to a CAT scales prior to camping? Please read off all the numbers on your door jamb sticker! Geesh, We gotta ask a question for the thread to be bona fide? OK Roscommon48, since Ken screwed up and posted without the question... I will post it for you: Why did the chicken cross the street?
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Old 12-01-2019, 01:05 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge View Post
OK ... need to get this back on track! Ken, what is your towing capacity and did you take the camper to a CAT scales prior to camping? Please read off all the numbers on your door jamb sticker! Geesh, We gotta ask a question for the thread to be bona fide? OK Roscommon48, since Ken screwed up and posted without the question... I will post it for you: Why did the chicken cross the street?
I thought it was a road, not a street that the chicken crossed... If the answer is, to lay the egg, then that answers yet another question of "which came first"...

See, start a thread without a question and wind up with too many questions to answer.....
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