1000w converter question (1 Viewer)

[dave_mutt]

Hi,

I suppose this is 2 questions.

The Renogy 1000w inverter has a mains hook up.

When connected to mains power at a campsite, am I still limited to 1000w? What I'm wondering is if I can use a hairdryer when the inverter is hooked up to mains.

Also, when hooked up at a campsite, will the 12v power still be drawing power from the batteries? Or will that also be drawn from the mains power?

Hope this makes sense, thanks.

 

[dave_mutt]

1000w inverter question**

 

[jollyrodger]

dave_mutt
Perhaps a link to the inverter in question would help

If like this one the mains plug is an outlet from inverter

1000W 12V to 230V/240V Pure Sine Wave Inverter with English Standard Socket (with UPS Function)

Whether for a van or a cabin, the Renogy 1000W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter acts as a DC to AC converter that allows you to power your household appliances.

uk.renogy.com

And yes it would probably complain or not work if using a hair dryer
Ask Jim as I believe he uses one a lot
I'm told .

 

[Figaro]

 

[ChrisL]

Why are you using an inverter if you're connected to EHU? Use a 240v socket. Inverters have DC input and a/c output, whilst on hookup the batteries should be being charged by the motorhome's built in charger, but you cannot power something from the inverter that requires more then its rated output.

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[Figaro]

When on hookup I think you'd just turn off the inverter wouldn't you, or it may do so automatically depending on how it's been installed ?

 

[DerryW]

Let’s start with the inverter, it gets its power from your leisure battery, I suspect you’re confusing yourself and thinking the 240v output is a normal EHU. It’s not, it’s simply a 240v socket to allow you to plug 240v appliancee (hair dryer etc) that’s assuming the 1000v inverter is sufficient.

12vLighting etc. yes any 12v appliances I.e. lights etc will continue to run off your leisure battery, however, the leisure battery is being continuously charged from the site EHU.

Hope this helps.

 

[oldiesontour]

If its the one in the link above your appliances will run off hook up when it's present and switch automatically to battery when no hook up is present

 

[dave_mutt]

If its the one in the link above your appliances will run off hook up when it's present and switch automatically to battery when no hook up is present

Hi, yes it's the one linked above. Does that mean that when I'm hooked up, the 1000w limit on the inverter is irrelevant as it's essentially being bypassed? Cheers

 

[DBK]

Hi, yes it's the one linked above. Does that mean that when I'm hooked up, the 1000w limit on the inverter is irrelevant as it's essentially being bypassed? Cheers

The 240v socket on the inverter will be limited to 1000W. All your other sockets will be running off the EHU and will be limited by whatever limit there is on the supply.

It is possible to connect all you 240v sockets so they can work off the EHU or the inverter but that's a whole different subject.

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[dave_mutt]

The 240v socket on the inverter will be limited to 1000W. All your other sockets will be running off the EHU and will be limited by whatever limit there is on the supply.

It is possible to connect all you 240v sockets so they can work off the EHU or the inverter but that's a whole different subject.

Ok thanks - That's exactly what I'm after - the 240v sockets running on the inverter when not hooked up and swapping to the EHU when connected (assuming by doing that, I'm not locking myself to the 1000w limit on the inverter, even when hooked up)

 

[DBK]

Ok thanks - That's exactly what I'm after - the 240v sockets running on the inverter when not hooked up and swapping to the EHU when connected (assuming by doing that, I'm not locking myself to the 1000w limit on the inverter, even when hooked up)

If you want to have the ability to run all the sockets from the inverter you essentially need to add a change over switch which swaps the feed to the sockets from either the EHU or the inverter. It can be made automatic or manual.

But this isn't something to try unless you have a good knowledge of electrics. There is a risk of fire or électrocution if you get it wrong.

There are companies who can do the work for you.

In my signature there is a link to how I wired my inverter.

 

[Jabstatt]

Check this carefully.

My Renogy inverter is between the ehu and van 240.

If it is turned on, and ehu is live, van 240 is fed from ehu.
If ehu power is removed, inverter kicks in and provides power.

Is that what you are suggesting?

Output is set by a breaker so, in your case 1000w, a low power, maybe travel, hair dryer.

Quiescent current is about 1500 mA.
We turn the inverter off when it’s not needed.

Completely simple and transparent system



Tony

 

[fred_jb]

You have no need for any switch as this Renogy inverter switches anything connected through it to EHU when that is present. Effectively acts as an automatic pass through for the EHU. So to answer your question the 1000W limit does not apply when a working EHU is connected.

I have the same inverter and it works great. Just make sure that its output only supplies sockets in the van and not anything else like aircon or battery charger. You should be able to ensure this if you have a mains consumer unit which separates these items onto separate circuits.

For example it won't have sufficient power to run the aircon and should never be connected to a built in battery charger such as those in the Schaudt EBL. The reason is that doing so would result in it taking 12V power out of the battery, converting to 240V, feeding it into the charger and converting back to 12V to charge the very same battery, but with cumulative conversion losses which would actually discharge the battery instead.

 

[Jabstatt]

No, I don’t think you do! Your config is different.

The ehu goes into the inverter.

The output from the inverter feeds the cable that used to go to the ehu socket.

My charger has the fuse removed.

Easy install.

The inverter breaker covers everything. If you have 1000w inverter, it trips at 1000w whether on ehu or inverter, so I have 3000w inverter

Tony

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[fred_jb]

No, I don’t think you do! Your config is different.

The ehu goes into the inverter.

The output from the inverter feeds the cable that used to go to the ehu socket.

My charger has the fuse removed.

Easy install.

The inverter breaker covers everything. If you have 1000w inverter, it trips at 1000w whether on ehu or inverter, so I have 3000w inverter

Tony

Nope, sorry but that is not correct. The Renogy inverters have a relay that bypasses the inverter circuitry when an external mains supply is detected. This takes the inverter out of the circuit and gives you a direct connection to the EHU supply, so you are only limited to what that can supply.

Alternatively you can just switch the inverter off with the supplied remote switch and the same situation obtains. The inverter only takes 12V DC power and converts it to 240V AC when it does not see an external mains supply and of course if it is switched on.

You also should not wire the EHU directly into the inverter mains input. The EHU should connect first to an RCD and preferably also go through a master isolation switch. The inverter then gets its input by being connected to the mains supply after the RCD and isolation switch.

So far as the output of the inverter is concerned it should only supply circuits connected to mains sockets in the van. The question of charger power, aircon, or anything which exceeds the capability of the inverter then does not arise unless you plug something into a socket which requires more wattage than the inverter can supply.

 

[fred_jb]

To give you an example we have a 1500W air fryer and this runs off a socket connected to our 1000W inverter, but only when we have an external mains supply via the EHU. If we tried to run it without an EHU if would overload the inverter which would trip out.

 

[Danger]

Nope, sorry but that is not correct. The Renogy inverters have a relay that bypasses the inverter circuitry when an external mains supply is detected. This takes the inverter out of the circuit and gives you a direct connection to the EHU supply, so you are only limited to what that can supply.

Alternatively you can just switch the inverter off with the supplied remote switch and the same situation obtains. The inverter only takes 12V DC power and converts it to 240V AC when it does not see an external mains supply and of course if it is switched on.

You also should not wire the EHU directly into the inverter mains input. The EHU should connect first to an RCD and preferably also go through a master isolation switch. The inverter then gets its input by being connected to the mains supply after the RCD and isolation switch.

So far as the output of the inverter is concerned it should only supply circuits connected to mains sockets in the van. The question of charger power, aircon, or anything which exceeds the capability of the inverter then does not arise unless you plug something into a socket which requires more wattage than the inverter can supply.

I have the Renogy 1000w inverter and just hooked it up so it supplies all the van sockets with the inverter AC connection connected (via a switch and RCD) to the hookup to enable the transfer switch.

I had very much hoped it would work as you had suggested but unfortunately it works as Tony mentioned and even when I’m bypass mode it limits the inverter output to 1000w (continuous, it operates higher wattage devices for a short while via its surge ability as you’d expect).

Really gutted it works this way, so now need to wire in a transfer switch to run of hookup and bypass the inverter, or get a 3kw inverter.

Annoying!

 

[fred_jb]

I don't understand what is happening there, something must be wrong. If you turn off the inverter, either with the remote switch or on the front panel, do you still get mains when on hookup? If not then it is either wired incorrectly or is faulty. Make sure that your incoming mains and outgoing mains are connected correctly to the inverter and are not crossed over.