Sinewave inverter

[Yatabata]

We have a 2021 cougar with a 1200 watt inverter but may not be hardwired to the breaker box yet? We are upgrading the fridge to residential but the outlet without shore power but this inverter on is not getting ac power. But I just read that it may be hooked up to selected outlets only inside the rv. Will test all the outlets to see if any work? I could run an extension cord from the inverter to shore power connection but I worried this may be a bad idea?

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Yatabata

We have a 2021 cougar with a 1200 watt inverter but may not be hardwired to the breaker box yet? We are upgrading the fridge to residential but the outlet without shore power but this inverter on is not getting ac power. But I just read that it may be hooked up to selected outlets only inside the rv. Will test all the outlets to see if any work? I could run an extension cord from the inverter to shore power connection but I worried this may be a bad idea?

Tim, I am having trouble following what you said in your post. Is the new residential refrigerator 12VDC? An inverter converts DC from a solar system or batteries to AC. Are you trying to use a solar system? Please re-read what you posted and elaborate carefully as my reading comprehension isn't great. Thanks.

[NH_Bulldog]

Did you install the 1,200 watt inverter yourself or did you buy the camper used and it was already installed? This can make a big difference depending on who and how the inverter was installed.

I have never seen any 1,200 watt inverters that have hardwired AC power connections with a passthrough circuit and automatic transfer switch, so there are a lot of challenges in a non-typical setup like yours.

Keystone wires an inverter prep loop, but it only has 5-6 outlets on it (typically bedside plugs, television(s) and maybe one in the passthrough). If you are going to install a residential refrigerator, there is no inverted outlet there, so it would have to be wired in back to the inverter.

A 1,200 watt inverter is going to have very limited functionality (a residential refrigerator will pretty much max it out) and if you plan to try to run a residential refrigerator for any length of time besides just trying to keep food cold while driving down the road, even with a substantial bank of batteries, you "might" get close to a day off-grid.

[Yatabata]

Not sure if a residential fridge runs on 12v for a house? anyway, it's 120ac and it fits the hole where the dometic fridge came out from. The inverter states right in the owner's manual it will run a residential fridge, but I don't run the RV out in the sticks without power just parks with full hookup. What I plan on using it for is while we are traveling with our truck alternator keeping the power topped off on the batteries.

[Yatabata]

I just read this morning that and went out with the shore power unplugged and the inverter switched on to find the limited outlets. Found one in the kitchen that lit up my outlet tester and one in the bedroom. I think the outlet powering the tv may also but forgot to try it. Now that I know I do have inverted dc to ac power with the old fridge already removed I tested for hot wires in the fridge cabinet and found one. It may be going to the tv is my guess. Question is can I hook up an outlet in the cabinet for Inverted AC power?

[chuckster57]

The outlet in the refer cabinet is most likely on a GFCI circuit. Do you plan on installing a new outlet?

[NH_Bulldog]

I think you can as long as you know what you are doing, and as long as you understand that there are limitations. Since you are only looking to run it while on the road, I doubt the bedside outlet(s) or TV outlet(s) are going to siphon power away from the refrigerator circuit, so it "should" be okay.

On mine, the inverted outlets are on either side of the bed, the bedroom television, the living room television, the outside kitchen refrigerator and the outlet in the front passthrough compartment. All of them have this yellow sticker:

[Yatabata]

At least yours has stickers. I found the 3rd outlet and it's in the TV cabinet. I can run the line there which goes behind the pantry right into the fridge cabinet where I can put another outlet for both the outside mini fridge and the main one to run from the inverter. Should be easy and won't have to remove the current one which is setup for shore power only.

[flybouy]

Can you post the brand & model number of the inverter? Do you know if the 1,200 watt rating is a continuous output or peak output. Check your appliances (the 2 fridges) for the "running wattage" and add them up. Make sure the load doesn't exceed the running wattage rating of the inverter.

What type/size battery does your trailer have? You need to consider all of the components of the system to avoid being disappointed in a failure of a "weakest link" and finding out that you may need more than just an outlet to accomplish your goal.

[Yatabata]

I read the owners manual that came with the rv specific to the sinewave keystone installs with a 15amp main box breaker. It states it can handle a residential fridge plus tv and lights. Only going to use it in inverter DC mode while traveling. We never boondock and always use full hookups at RV parks so not worried about overload. When hooked up to both fridges have an ampere tester to make sure I'm under 15amps. Found the TV outlet is a hotline from the inverter so that's where it will be sharing the load from. Won't be watching TV while driving although I'm sure a few would try��

[workinonit]

Yea, go for it. My Alpine came with a res fridge. My vanity outlet is an inverter GFI and the load from the GFI fed about seven other outlets, one was the fridge outlet. I removed the load side from the GFI and now all those outlets are just inverter and not GFI. I really do like the res fridge and how it works on the inverter loop. Last trip I drove for 8 hours and still had power to the fridge when we got home.

[Yatabata]

Cool and that's our plan. A plus I found today that the outside mini fridge is hardwired to the inverter. We get the new fridge tomorrow and will get the new outlet in before installing it. Need to cap off the gas line too. Got a friend to help get the old one out and new in. The place I'm getting the fridge from will take the old one for free.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Yatabata

Cool and that's our plan. A plus I found today that the outside mini fridge is hardwired to the inverter. We get the new fridge tomorrow and will get the new outlet in before installing it. Need to cap off the gas line too. Got a friend to help get the old one out and new in. The place I'm getting the fridge from will take the old one for free.

Along with the gas line, you won't need the sidewall and roof vents with a residential refrigerator. Leaving those open will make for a cold COLD fall and a hot HOT summer. Most people use 2" foam and leave the plastic vents in place rather than try to patch the FILON siding with a FILON plug. Same on the roof or higher on the sidewall if your refrigerator is in a slide.

As for the gas line, I'd crawl under the trailer and remove the copper gas line and plug it "outside the trailer body" then completely remove the gas line from behind the refrigerator space.

[workinonit]

If it's in a slide the gas line going to the slide may also feed your range. That's how mine is.

[rlh1957]

On rigs that say inverter or wired for inverter… only a few plugs are tied into the inverter or have the lines for an add on inverter.
The plugs that will be hot with inverter will have the outlets labeled as such on new rigs.
Generally you have a outlet at TV, an outlet in BR for CPAP, etc. Also one in kitchen area for coffee maker.
Refrigerators, microwaves and AC are not hot while on inverter. If your rig came with residential fridge on inverter, it will have an inverter already. If it is standard rv fridge it could be 2 way or 3 way. Gas & Electric or Gas, Electric & 12VDC. But it wouldn’t be wired to the inverter panel.
Electrical work can be done to make it that way as well as other plugs you want hot.
Not a do it yourself job unless you are familiar with and done RV Electrical in DC, AC and Inverter installs.

[Yatabata]

Thanks, for an update we got a 11cu ft fridgidare and it fit perfect where the 10cu ft Dometic was. All I had to do is ad in an outlet in the fridge box from the TV inverter outlet. I put in a residential outlet there and used the inverter TV outlet to the new location for the fridge. Got it all strapped down inside so no straps are showing. Came up with a way to keep the doors closed while traveling. Had a new guitar wide strap I never used and bought the screw in guitar post. Perfect fit and the post into the cabinet on both sides secures the fridge doors but also keeps the fridge stabil traveling as well.

[rlh1957]

There ya go. That’s what RV’ing is about… adapt, use what’s available to make it work. Very good job.
If you had bought some rv specific labeled item it would have cost three times as much.
This forum members provide more up to date and solid info than any dealer shop know to give. No drama here. Just friends with opinions and info.