Inverter options

[jasin1]

I’m trying to decide on an inverter. I have a 2020 315 rls with solar prep. I found the romex wire loop in the pass through ( in the plastic cover screwed to ceiling of pass through) I was thinking of getting a xantrex freedom x 2000 with auto transfer switch. I want to be able to dry camp or boondock overnight without having to run generator( I bought a predator 3500 inverter gen) I’m going to get two Trojan g2 6 volt batteries or equivalent. I know 2000 watt is prob overkill for my situation but thinking towards future. I also bought a renogy 200 watt suitcase solar. Planning on taking trips this year and next that are multi day driving to destinations and want to use harvest host and others that may have gen restrictions between campgrounds.I basically only need to charge iPhones and iPads and watch a little tv Lights for night and shower in evening and morning and keurig in morning( realize that keurig is biggest draw)couldlook for other coffee options but keurig is my vice in morning) I’m just wondering what size inverter comes with otg full package? I saw some websites say 1800 watt comes with it and (xantrex)and the cougar brochure says 1200 but as far as I can tell xantrex does not make a 1200 or 1800 with pure sine wave and auto transfer switch. It looks like I def need hardwired version and not one with built in gfci outlets but I want to make sure the source line voltage power for romex in camper is sufficient to drive the 2000 watt inverter. Most installations show wiring directly from incoming line voltage and out to fuse panel I know this is basically the same thing going to the three dedicated outlets but is there a minimum you can use on a2000 watt inverter? It wouldn’t seem that way to me but just looking for others thoughts

[flybouy]

Welcome to the forum. I grew up in the Middle River area. It's a little difficult to read your post due to the long paragraph and lack of punctuation. I think you're asking about wire size for the 2,000 watt inverter.

The existing wire size is most likely 14 gauge wire which is appropriate for a 15 Amp circuit. One way to arrive at watts is to use ohm's law. Volts multiplied by amps equals watts. So a 15 Amp circuit at 120 volts equals 1,800 watts, so the 14 gauge wire is good up to 1,800 watts.

You can use a 2,000 watt inverter if it's supplying the 15 Amp breaker and all loads on that wire are downstream of the 15 Amp breaker. Hope this makes sense.

[jasin1]

Thanks for the grammatical feedback.I will keep that in mind going forward. I guess I need a lesson on sentence and paragraph structure. I was hoping if anyone had a newer cougar fifth wheel with the solar otg package already installed I could find out what inverter was supplied. Thanks

[7Iron]

Could you provide a schematic? Also what solar charger are you using?

We have the 19 315RLS

[jasin1]

The renogy kit came with a 20 amp voyager solar controller. I realize it will take quite awhile to recharge the battery’s on this because of the charger limitations. I just received the solar kit this morning so I’m checking it out today. Will post pictures of install after I decide on inverter.

[jasin1]

I just looked in the fuse panel and it is indeed a 15 amp breaker marked “solar”. I believe that feeds the 3 dedicated outlets in the rv already set up for an inverter. The path the wire takes after the breaker is up to the pass through storage to the plastic ceiling cover box located close to the forward bulkhead on some side as battery’s. And then it goes to outlets .Instead of going directly to first outlet in the string of three outlets this allows you to keep it intact if you do not plan on having an inverter.
I will cut this wire and install outgoing hot from the Solar breaker to the incoming terminals on inverter and the other end of wire will go to outlet side of inverter to feed the three outlets. Then run appropriate gauge wires to battery’s for inverter 12 volt supply.
The built in auto transfer switch should sense when I’m hooked up to shore power and energize a relay that allows shore power to pass through inverter when I’m at a campsite with power. It will use inverter for power when no shore power is present. Probably has a shutoff switch when not needed at all or driving

[jasin1]

So I’ve narrowed it down to a xantrex prowatt 2000 with a separate 15 amp prowatt transfer switch. It’s rated at 1800 continuous watts. I installed two Trojan t105 batteries and a victron Bluetooth battery monitor. I bought the renogy 200 watt suitcase charger and it works great but thinking I should have just used a 170 rooftop for ease of use. The suitcase fits nicely under master bed but may be a pain to set up all the time.
I’m mostly interested in driving for 8 hours max then boondocking for long trips. Gone are the days when I drove 24 hours straight with few rest stops.
Does anyone have any experience with xantrex prowatt inverters? I’m keeping it to 1800 watts to keep from having to install a separate breaker on outgoing solar prepped outlets.
If I go with battleborn Batteries one day I will upgrade to a higher end inverter system

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by bjasin1

So I’ve narrowed it down to a xantrex prowatt 2000 with a separate 15 amp prowatt transfer switch. It’s rated at 1800 continuous watts. I installed two Trojan t105 batteries and a victron Bluetooth battery monitor. I bought the renogy 200 watt suitcase charger and it works great but thinking I should have just used a 170 rooftop for ease of use. The suitcase fits nicely under master bed but may be a pain to set up all the time.
I’m mostly interested in driving for 8 hours max then boondocking for long trips. Gone are the days when I drove 24 hours straight with few rest stops.
Does anyone have any experience with xantrex prowatt inverters? I’m keeping it to 1800 watts to keep from having to install a separate breaker on outgoing solar prepped outlets.
If I go with battleborn Batteries one day I will upgrade to a higher end inverter system

When I saw an inverter factory mounted on three 2020 units it was a Xantrex 1200. I too could never find the 1200 model for sale anywhere. I chose to go with the Xantrex 1000 pure sine wave with pass thru etc. The only reason I chose 1000 rather than 2000 was budget and a lack of need for the additional amps. I use an electric water boiler (tea kettle?) or ordinary tea kettle to boil water and pour over a Melita coffee pot. Good luck on your install. Post some pictures when you start in on the project.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by mikec557

When I saw an inverter factory mounted on three 2020 units it was a Xantrex 1200. I too could never find the 1200 model for sale anywhere. I chose to go with the Xantrex 1000 pure sine wave with pass thru etc. The only reason I chose 1000 rather than 2000 was budget and a lack of need for the additional amps. I use an electric water boiler (tea kettle?) or ordinary tea kettle to boil water and pour over a Melita coffee pot. Good luck on your install. Post some pictures when you start in on the project.

Thanks! It’s been a mystery figuring out the factory installed unit

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by bjasin1

Thanks! It’s been a mystery figuring out the factory installed unit

By the way, I should mention the Bluetooth feature on the "remote display and on/off button" is not worth paying extra for. If I recall correctly the remote display is $59, and with Bluetooth $89. The Bluetooth works but has to be paired to your phone every time you start the app on your phone. Since you have to press and hold buttons on the remote display to pair it, you might as well just look at the remote display. I spoke with the factory tech and they said they are aware and are "working on it." I guess since it's only $30 more you might buy it and hope they get that fixed.

I also bought the $25 120vac outlet you install on the inverter itself. That gives me a convenient outlet in the pass through.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by mikec557

By the way, I should mention the Bluetooth feature on the "remote display and on/off button" is not worth paying extra for. If I recall correctly the remote display is $59, and with Bluetooth $89. The Bluetooth works but has to be paired to your phone every time you start the app on your phone. Since you have to press and hold buttons on the remote display to pair it, you might as well just look at the remote display. I spoke with the factory tech and they said they are aware and are "working on it." I guess since it's only $30 more you might buy it and hope they get that fixed.

I also bought the $25 120vac outlet you install on the inverter itself. That gives me a convenient outlet in the pass through.

Thanks for the reply.I like your idea I may get the freedom x and put the gfci in it as well. Will be a cleaner install with built in transfer switch.

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by bjasin1

Thanks for the reply.I like your idea I may get the freedom x and put the gfci in it as well. Will be a cleaner install with built in transfer switch.

I don't mean to talk you out of your plan, but you can see in this pic I had a lot of wiring/install to do without adding a separate transfer box. And that doesn't count the rework I did to put two Battleborn on the tongue. LOL.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by mikec557

I don't mean to talk you out of your plan, but you can see in this pic I had a lot of wiring/install to do without adding a separate transfer box. And that doesn't count the rework I did to put two Battleborn on the tongue. LOL.

Looks good! Pretty impressive

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by bjasin1

Looks good! Pretty impressive

Thanks. I did something very similar in the front compartment on our last RV, a 5th wheel (pics are of our current TT). Back then I had to use store bought length on all my cables. It worked but looked "less elegant." This time I bought cable, lugs, and a crimper and made custom length cables. That allowed me to locate components in the best location.

[tanglemoose]

We just bought a 2021 cougar 25rdswe with the otg package. It now comes with 170 watts on roof, controller and a xantrex freedom x 2000 inverter. They installed in storage, attached to bed upside down to read panel. Am thinking we need the remote panel with 25' cord... wish keystone would have put in unit, pain to have to turn on.. after power safe mode shuts it off. Can't believe no way in rv to see the status of inverter.
However works like a charm. Because no on off switch inside, we unplug tv from outlet, pain but not getting good battery charge..



Anyone else get this remote panel? Where to bring inside, etc..

[mikec557]

Originally Posted by tanglemoose

We just bought a 2021 cougar 25rdswe with the otg package. It now comes with 170 watts on roof, controller and a xantrex freedom x 2000 inverter. They installed in storage, attached to bed upside down to read panel. Am thinking we need the remote panel with 25' cord... wish keystone would have put in unit, pain to have to turn on.. after power safe mode shuts it off. Can't believe no way in rv to see the status of inverter.
However works like a charm. Because no on off switch inside, we unplug tv from outlet, pain but not getting good battery charge..



Anyone else get this remote panel? Where to bring inside, etc..

I did buy the remote panel, but I bought the one with Bluetooth ($89 instead of $59) with the idea I would NOT mount the panel inside. Instead, I would leave it in the pass through with the inverter and read the inverter with my cell phone and their phone app.

But. At the time (July 2020) the app was buggy. Every time you wanted to use your phone to read the inverter you had to re-"pair" the panel and your phone. You have to push a button on the panel to do that. And if I have to be at the panel to do that, I might as well just read the panel.

They released an app update in November +/- but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet. If that fixes it, then Bluetooth will eliminate your need to route the long cable and mount the panel inside. You might want to look into that.