12v/110v Firstest of first world problems

[Rocketsled]

Now that I have an inverter for the TeeVee, I find I have to manually move the power cord from the inverter to the 110v depending on whether or not I'm on shore power. The Inverter we bought 10 years ago when taking the kids on a road trip was pressed into service. It's got a constant on fan which is annoying, but you can put up with it when boondocking.

They don't make a 12v/inverter - 110v auto source switch, do they? Like it would use shore power if it were detected, but use the inverter otherwise? (Or do I just get another inverter that doesn't need the fan on to drive the TV/Satellite and always power them off 12v?

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

Now that I have an inverter for the TeeVee, I find I have to manually move the power cord from the inverter to the 110v depending on whether or not I'm on shore power. The Inverter we bought 10 years ago when taking the kids on a road trip was pressed into service. It's got a constant on fan which is annoying, but you can put up with it when boondocking.

They don't make a 12v/inverter - 110v auto source switch, do they? Like it would use shore power if it were detected, but use the inverter otherwise? (Or do I just get another inverter that doesn't need the fan on to drive the TV/Satellite and always power them off 12v?

Yes lots of them... here is my favorite if all you want is a couple of plugs and the television..

https://www.progressivedyn.com/1600-...ave-inverters/

[jxnbbl]

Yes, I just installed one (inverter with a built in switch)

[Rocketsled]

I was looking more for a switch than a replacement inverter, though would understand if there's nothing there as there's no market for it.

Speaking purely (heh) about pure sine inverters, what makes these RV inverters cost twice as much as other ones? I'm seeing this one is $400-ish online, where a Renogy model is $200, and the 'more vowels than consonant' brands on Amazon are substantially are $150 or less.

Honestly, we're boondocking 2-3 weeks of the year, and watching the TV maybe 6-10 hours of that. My Scottish blood is twitching at dropping $400 for that when I should be outside.

[Rocketsled]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

Yes, I just installed one (inverter with a built in switch)

Got a link?

[jxnbbl]

Yes they have them...here is a 15A version....

https://xantrex.com/products/accesso...ransfer-relay/

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

I was looking more for a switch than a replacement inverter, though would understand if there's nothing there as there's no market for it.

Speaking purely (heh) about pure sine inverters, what makes these RV inverters cost twice as much as other ones? I'm seeing this one is $400-ish online, where a Renogy model is $200, and the 'more vowels than consonant' brands on Amazon are substantially are $150 or less.

Honestly, we're boondocking 2-3 weeks of the year, and watching the TV maybe 6-10 hours of that. My Scottish blood is twitching at dropping $400 for that when I should be outside.

If this is a 2 or 3 time a year event is transferring the plug really that big of a deal?

[Rocketsled]

No really. But it’s a slippery slope. I asked the DW about it and an always available 2000 watt inverter could power the coffee maker and microwave, too.

See how a $80 question can spiral all the way out to a new trailer?

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

I was looking more for a switch than a replacement inverter, though would understand if there's nothing there as there's no market for it.

Speaking purely (heh) about pure sine inverters, what makes these RV inverters cost twice as much as other ones? I'm seeing this one is $400-ish online, where a Renogy model is $200, and the 'more vowels than consonant' brands on Amazon are substantially are $150 or less.

Honestly, we're boondocking 2-3 weeks of the year, and watching the TV maybe 6-10 hours of that. My Scottish blood is twitching at dropping $400 for that when I should be outside.

To the point, the pure sinewave inverters are for electronics like my Samsung fridge, laptops and other things like the new smart 4K TV's that dirty power will play heck with on a bad day..

If you don't run any of that... you're good.. I do and my $1600 fridge or my $1900 Dell work computer is not worth worrying about $400 for a pure sinewave inverter..

[GHen]

A transfer switch is not a complicated install. You can do just a couple circuits or the whole system.

Remember, whenever the inverter is ON, it draws 1.5-3 amps of power, every hour, even if you’re not using it.

Have a convenient remote switch and turn on only as needed, well, unless you have hundreds of amps of power in your batteries.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

No really. But it’s a slippery slope. I asked the DW about it and an always available 2000 watt inverter could power the coffee maker and microwave, too.

See how a $80 question can spiral all the way out to a new trailer?

And there in lies the domino effect with inverters. The more 120 vac folks have the more they want "just add a coffee maker, or a microwave" and as the demand goes up the need for more battery storage is needed and necessitates a method of replenishment.

[sourdough]

Some of these trailers have all the amenities of a mid size house and we call it camping?? Whatever happened to that Coleman stove sitting on a rock for coffee and a microwave? That was usually "whatever" sitting on that same rock in the hot sun.

[Rocketsled]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Some of these trailers have all the amenities of a mid size house and we call it camping?? Whatever happened to that Coleman stove sitting on a rock for coffee and a microwave? That was usually "whatever" sitting on that same rock in the hot sun.

Been there, done that, you can pull my Hot shower out of my cold dead hands.

And we powered the TV because we got a deal on a Dish for Black Friday and man, we got tired of GRIT, QVC, and Spanish Language channels that all campsites seem to have.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Some of these trailers have all the amenities of a mid size house and we call it camping?? Whatever happened to that Coleman stove sitting on a rock for coffee and a microwave? That was usually "whatever" sitting on that same rock in the hot sun.

4+ decades ago when I met my wife I introduced her to camping...she never had been and her family was the opposite end of the spectrum or 'vacationing'. If you couldn't drive there and pitch a tent, she'd have to dress up for dinner.

Her one and only requests that are still requirements - find a site close to the bathrooms and the campground had to have a shower and a plug (can be in the bathroom) for the hair dryer. The requirement has never left and the only exception to this was the time we camped on an island in the middle of a lake for 4 nights, with rain for 2 days. Best trip ever but there was no dry hair.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Some of these trailers have all the amenities of a mid size house and we call it camping?? Whatever happened to that Coleman stove sitting on a rock for coffee and a microwave? That was usually "whatever" sitting on that same rock in the hot sun.

Not as many "campgrounds" as there used to be. More and more are called Camping Resorts" or "RV Resorts". I have to chuckle at some of the reviews on campground sites and the expectations some "campers" have.

Our last trip out to Moundsville, WV we were looking for an overnight stay on the way. Read reviews for Sand Springs Campground. One reviewer complained that she had to drive miles to go shopping. Another was complaining about the 3 mile treck to get to the cg at the top of the mountian. I looked at some maps and the WVU has most of the land around it and conduct forestry studies there. Lots of hiking trails. Perfect!

Nice and quiet, spectacular views, very little CG traffic. Great place to relax, smoke a cigar and stop shaking from the rough roads, both interstate and rural. A cup of coffee in the morning and watch the fog lift from the riverbanks & Cheat Lake below. One person's "nightmare" is another's "heaven".

[GHen]

After backpacking over a thousand miles in the cascades and summiting every major peak a few times….a couple hundred nights in a tent is an experience I would not change.
But, now I very much enjoy the rv, shower, proper bed, refer and setting up an outdoor living area to hang out and relax.

I still get in a tent occasionally to go fishing, but now it’s more about how well I can set up the solar/inverter/storage and amaze the DW that she can use anything in the rv without any hookups.

[Hblick48]

I have a modified sine wave inverter that powers my tv's and Dish receiver and Travel'r dish. Inverter is mounted close to the batteries. All equipment is plugged into dedicated power strips. I ran 14 gauge extension cords to both bedroom and living room tv's. I also installed an "old fashioned" 8 hour mechanical timer to the inverter. Mechanical so it doesn't draw power.

When plugged into shore power, tv power strips are plugged into standard plug. I unplug power strips and plug them into extension cords. Turn on timer, start satellite dish, turn on tv's and good to go. Go to sleep watching tv, timer turns off inverter after I'm asleep. Not drawing power for inverter when not using.

If we need to run coffee maker, hair dryer, etc, start generator. Since tv's are on inverter, power transfer switch doesn't interrupt 110 volts coming from inverter.

An automatic switch that you want would disconnect inverter if you plugged into shore power (or generator). This would momentarily interrupt 120 volt source for tv. Might not be good for the electronics.

No big deal deal to switch plugs.

[Life-in-Him]

Friday our Revere Ware copper bottom percolator arrived. Now we can pitch that plug-in thing.
'course we need a 3 min mechanical timer to keep from burning the coffee...