Inverter/charger or just inverter?

[NH_Bulldog]

I am building out my current solar/off-grid capability and now I am at the point of adding the inverter.

While visiting family this weekend, my brother (owns an electrical contracting business) offered me a Magnum Energy MS2012 Inverter/Charger that he had removed from a residential installation where the new owner didn’t want it. I am usually in the school of “if it’s free, it’s for me”, but I really don’t want to claim it if it will be too much of a pain to install/use in my Cougar.

My current converter is a deck-mount at the power center at the rear of the camper and the battery bank and mounting location for the inverter (or inverter/charger) is at the front. So my basic questions are; if I install an I/C, do I eliminate the converter? Would I need to run a new wire or wires from the power center to the front compartment to connect the I/C while on shore power? Should I just stick with an inverter and leave everything else alone?

 

[chuckster57]

I just did an I/C by Magnum. I got lucky enough to put the I/C on a space behind the breaker panel so I just needed to add the AC out. I did install a LiPo4 battery (368aH) about 4 ft from the unit and used 4/0 cable and a 400A t type fuse as required by Magnum.

I used a 3000W sine wave with remote panel, and powered a 50A service trailer.

The converter was the bottom half of the panel and I simply disconnected the AC leads as I remember.

 

[NH_Bulldog]

Thanks Chuck. It sounds doable if I unplug the converter as a first step.

Unfortunately it is something like 20’ from the power center to the front compartment, so I think I will have to add an appropriately size cord between the two to power the charger side. Then I will have to see what size cables I will have to have to run DC back to the power panel. I am thinking it might be a lot of work (certainly would easy if everything was closer).

I am going to pull up the manual and wiring diagram tomorrow and see if it can be installed without connecting the charger portion and just using the inverter side of the unit since it has passthrough and auto-transfer. I need to figure it out fairly quick since I had just ordered a Progressive Dynamics converter to replace my WFCO “auto-detect” converter

 

[Stircrazy]

couple things to consider. the first being you want your inverter as close as possible to the batteries so you don't go broke running giant wires between them, so that is an important consideration.

the next one is do you need to replace your converter? if not it is kinda of a situation I am in where I am trying to decide between a inverter/charger or just a inverter.

in my case I am adding 120V to my truck camper and the battery and inverter are going to be right beside the power panel, so for me I could go with a inverter charger with no hassels.

the other thing to think about is do you need load sharing ability. myself, if I need to run the AC in my 5th wheel I will make sure the campsite has at least 30amp power and not get 15 amp service.. that is for the few times I use power, other wise I am boondocking with no hookups and relying on solar so no AC. BUT, if you do need load sharing then something like a multiplex might be what you want and that's an inverter charger..

since you have a long run between the power center and the front compartment, and you already ordered a replacement converter.. I would just throw a inverter in the front compartment or on he other side of the wall from the batteries, and run a 120V wire to your power center. easiest way to go unless you need some of the other features.

now you also said it is free, but figure out how much the larger batteries wires for the inverter would cost and the work to install everything also. a lot of times we don't value our own time because its like a hobby, but I have goten into the habit of putting a value on my own time when I do somthing to help me decide if it is something I want to do or hire out haha.. but it all adds up. on the one hand you bought a new converter and then you would need a inverter and auto change over if you want it set it up nice, on the other side you get a free inverter charger and if it works properly its just the const of new cables and the pain in the but of running them.