Inverted Outlets when shoreline plugged in

[GRP]

We just bought a 2023 Cougar 26RBS. The outside outlet has a yellow "Inverted Outlet" sticker on it. There is also another inverted outlet beside the kitchen sink.



My question is, when the 50 Amp shoreline is plugged into the campground power, does the AC power get fed to the inverted outlets automatically?



My wife wants to be able to plug an electric griddle into the outside outlet but I don't want to overload the inverter if it is trying to feed the 120 VAC to it.



I've looked at the owners manual but it does not cover this.


Are the inverted outlets fed by the shoreline power when the camper is plugged in and is there a switch to turn the inverter on/off or is it automatic in this model?



The salesman that demonstrated it when we picked it up was less than helpful with specifics like this. He said "YouTube is your friend" but there is nothing out there on this.


If my wife plugs our electric griddle into the outside outlet is it going to operate off the campground power or is it going to blow something up in the camper?


Thanks!

[NH_Bulldog]

When you are plugged into shore power, the inverter is bypassed and the outlet is fed normally. Without shore power, the inverter takes 12v DC and inverts it to AC and sends it to the outlets with the yellow stickers. The inverter is automatic, and there is no danger of blowing anything up.

[jasin1]

Also remember if you’re boondocking ,unless you have a larger battery bank you could easily deplete your batteries if you use high wattage items on the inverted outlets.
Have you verified that you actually have an inverter? Because the inverted outlets are just wired regular unless an inverter was installed by you or the factory…They just have the wires longer and routed to a convenient place to cut and install the inverter if you decide you need one

[Essvar]

All of this makes the assumption that you have an inverter If you have the 200i package your unit is prepped for an inverter but does not come with one from the factory.

[sourdough]

As noted an inverter isn't in the picture when plugged into shore power. In your case according to Keystone you don't have one anyway. It is prepped for an inverter but standard equipment does not include one. Click the bottom bullet where it says "Solarflex" and note that the Solarflex 200 is standard. Scroll down the Solarflex "learn more" and click on that. Scroll to Solarflex 200 and click on learn more. There it gives the specifics for the 200 system. The 4th bullet says it has the inverter loop, inverter not included.

https://www.keystonerv.com/product/c...oorplans/26RBS

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Essvar

All of this makes the assumption that you have an inverter If you have the 200i package your unit is prepped for an inverter but does not come with one from the factory.

The SolarFlex 200 system is the "standard build package". (note there is no "i")

The way Keystone denotes packages, lowest to highest is:

Solarflex 200
Solarflex 400i
Solarflex 600i-L
Solarflex 1200i-L


Inverters are only included in packages with the "i" suffix.

Simple mistake, made by many people, so I'm not "correcting anyone" but rather just making the point that there is no "solarflex 200i package"

[Essvar]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

The SolarFlex 200 system is the "standard build package". (note there is no "i")

The way Keystone denotes packages, lowest to highest is:

Solarflex 200
Solarflex 400i
Solarflex 600i-L
Solarflex 1200i-L


Inverters are only included in packages with the "i" suffix.

Simple mistake, made by many people, so I'm not "correcting anyone" but rather just making the point that there is no "solarflex 200i package"

Thank you for the clarification, I should have realized the "i" stood for Inverter

[LHaven]

I'm still goggling at a 50A 26RBS.
I can't even find literature that says either way.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by LHaven

I'm still goggling at a 50A 26RBS.
I can't even find literature that says either way.

In the link I put in post #5, exterior tab, 4th bullet from the bottom.

[GRP]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

When you are plugged into shore power, the inverter is bypassed and the outlet is fed normally. Without shore power, the inverter takes 12v DC and inverts it to AC and sends it to the outlets with the yellow stickers. The inverter is automatic, and there is no danger of blowing anything up.

Thank you so much for the info! We are currently camping and have been running an extension cord from an inside outlet until we got the question answered.

[GRP]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Also remember if you’re boondocking ,unless you have a larger battery bank you could easily deplete your batteries if you use high wattage items on the inverted outlets.
Have you verified that you actually have an inverter? Because the inverted outlets are just wired regular unless an inverter was installed by you or the factory…They just have the wires longer and routed to a convenient place to cut and install the inverter if you decide you need one

This unit has the Dragonfly Lithium batteries, 200 watt solar panel on the roof. Our sales person told us it came with the factory installed inverter. When unplugged from AC were supposed to still have 120 VAC at the inverted outlets. She said that even the air conditioner would run off the system as it was a "soft start" system.


I just went out and pulled the plug... no AC at the inverted outlets.



I guess there was a lack of understanding on the sales force at the dealership.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by GRP

This unit has the Dragonfly Lithium batteries, 200 watt solar panel on the roof. Our sales person told us it came with the factory installed inverter. When unplugged from AC were supposed to still have 120 VAC at the inverted outlets. She said that even the air conditioner would run off the system as it was a "soft start" system.


I just went out and pulled the plug... no AC at the inverted outlets.



I guess there was a lack of understanding on the sales force at the dealership.

Your unit comes with a 200W solar panel standard but not the Dragonflys or inverter. Open the battery boxes, are they Dragonfly? Look inside the passthrough at the boxes on the left wall; does the one on the upper right say inverter PREP or is there an inverter there? Unfortunately your salesperson probably had no idea what she was talking about but you will have to see if they put those items on there as an upgrade. Was there a line item on your purchase contract that showed those items as extra cost upgrades...which they would be? Here's a link with Josh. Start looking/listening about 10:40, does yours look like that? If so you don't have an inverter, the battery box(s)(behind the LP tanks) will tell you if you have Dragonflys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXdcB_C84ko

[RacerX]

As stated above. The standard Solarflex 200 comes with a 200w panel and inverter prep but no inverter. However it also doesn’t come standard with dragonfly batteries so there may have been some dealer customization.

Unplugging from shore power and checking for power at the inverted outlets doesn’t necessarily tell you whether you have an inverter present. It could be a) not installed or b) not powered on.

Someone mentioned looking in the left (drivers side) passthru compartment for the components . This is where the inverter prep, solar controller and potential inverter would likely be found in a late model Cougar TT. In our 400i install the Xantrex inverter is installed on the “ceiling” of the passthru. It has a power on button to initiate inverter power and settings.

All that said it is likely you have SF200 with one 200w panel and no inverter.

[Fish-a-Palooza]

A couple of changes for Cougar in 2023 and one of those is they almost all Ship with lithium batteries. Another one is they only use Goodyear tires.

[RacerX]

Originally Posted by Fish-a-Palooza

A couple of changes for Cougar in 2023 and one of those is they almost all Ship with lithium batteries. Another one is they only use Goodyear tires.

Nice! Both great upgrades and on my list for our 2022. Thanks for that info.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Fish-a-Palooza

A couple of changes for Cougar in 2023 and one of those is they almost all Ship with lithium batteries. Another one is they only use Goodyear tires.

The specs for the Cougar I linked does say they come with Goodyear tires but the SolarFlex 200 package does not include batteries. The Dragonflys are optional if ordered. Typically the batteries are dealer installed and that could be most anything unless the buyer is ordering something specific.

[JRTJH]

^^^ As Danny posted, all 2023 Cougar trailers (well as much as "all" means at Keystone) ship with the "Towing with Confidence" package as standard equipment. That package includes Goodyear Endurance tires along with several other "upgrades" in suspension/running gear as listed in the photo below.

The SolarFlex 200 package is the standard equipment "solar system" on all Cougars. It does not include an inverter or batteries. Upgrading to the SolarFlex 400i package is an optional $1950 charge. It does not include batteries.

The SolarFlex 600i package is also available for the Cougar line. It costs $11,550 and includes 600 watt solar panel configuration and a single 270 amp/hr Lithium battery.

There is an optional battery package available "from the factory". It includes two DragonFly 100 amp/hr Lithium batteries. The cost is $2700. But it is an extra cost item that must be ordered when the trailer is built. it is not "factory installed" if the dealership adds batteries after delivery to their lot.

Most dealers "can" get DragonFly batteries, however most are more "profit oriented" to move the trailer ASAP, so they typically choose to install either FLA batteries, or if the buyer wants lithium, they install what they can obtain quickly from their stock or from a local warehouse, not DragonFly (by brand name) from Keystone....

Here's the Keystone website information on both "towing package" and "solar package"

[NH_Bulldog]

Keystone says they are now shipping with the Dragonfly lithium batteries from the factory. Of the 24 some odd trailers we have looked at this spring (all Cougar 5th wheels) every one of them has the Dragonfly batteries with the factory-backed warranty installed, whether the SolarFlex 200 or 400i system, they all have them. Last weekend we reviewed an order sheet with a dealer and the batteries were listed as a mandatory “option” like the other packages; towing with confidence, climate guard, cougar innovation, and camping with confidence. He said every cougar they have was coming with them whether they asked for them or not.

My guess is that no one was voluntarily paying $2,700 for two batteries that one could buy for $1,200 to $1,500 less elsewhere.

[sourdough]

I have submitted a request to Keystone for clarification. Now if that happens, when it happens or what it will contain is anyone's guess. But hey, if they're giving away free $2700 batteries maybe I need a new trailer!

[NH_Bulldog]

Haha Nothing is free, they still charge for it, just take away the option of choosing whether you want it or not. Like Henry Ford said: "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants, so long as it is black." In Keystone’s case, it might be something like: You can choose from any of these great options and even if you don’t want them we are going to force you to take them and pay the inflated price anyway.

Anyway, we are going to see two other dealers this coming week and will see if their story is the same as the last one.