Victron Phoenix Pure Sine Wave Inverter - 12V 500VA installation

[Paulypaul]

Just after a bit of reassurance that I'm doing things correctly, and if not, what do I need to do?

I'm just about to install the Victron phoenix pure sine wave 500w inverter by using 10mm2 cable with an 80a in line fuse. Positive from one of the leisure batteries and negative from the other LB.
I'm wiring in an on and off switch to the inverter to save me having to lift the seat cushions up everytime I want to use it and I don't want to leave it on "eco" which will always have a small power draw, I think?

I'm going to earth it out onto the body and then connect a 240v 13a extension lead to a plug socket at the desired location. I'm not having great big long runs of cable and all the wiring will probably be within a couple of feet of the batteries.

I also have a Victron Energy Smart battery Sense connected to the leisure batteries at the moment so I'm wondering if my above method will be compatible?

Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Not dissimilar to my setup. But I only have the one battery rather than a pair.

On off switch the Pheonux has inbuilt remote switching. Look for the tiny loop of wire across two terminals on the inverter. You can replace that with a longer thin wire an standard 12V automotive switch. I routed that close to the 240v socket I ran as an extension keeping most stuff unobtrusive.

 

[NigelNovice]

Hi Paul, what are you hoping to run off the inverter 500w

 

[Paulypaul]

Not dissimilar to my setup. But I only have the one battery rather than a pair.

On off switch the Pheonux has inbuilt remote switching. Look for the tiny loop of wire across two terminals on the inverter. You can replace that with a longer thin wire an standard 12V automotive switch. I routed that close to the 240v socket I ran as an extension keeping most stuff unobtrusive.

Yes that's exactly what I was going to do, thank you.

Hi Paul, what are you hoping to run off the inverter 500w

Nothing major, tablets laptop etc. Nothing that heats or cools and at most, perhaps I'll try to charge electric bike batteries one at a time.

 

[Raul]

I would downsize the fuse from 80 to a 50 on 10mm2. That’s plenty for 600w and your inverter is capable of pushing 400w.

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[Paulypaul]

I would downsize the fuse from 80 to a 50 on 10mm2. That’s plenty for 600w and your inverter is capable of pushing 400w.

Will do, thank you.

 

[DBK]

If you wire it directly to the terminals, as I have with my inverter, the battery monitor won't know what current it is drawing, but I've not found this to be an issue. It will temporarily throw the monitor and the figure for remaining charge will be wrong after you have used the inverter, especially after a heavy discharge, but as I've said this isn't a problem as the monitor will work it out after a while based on battery voltage.

You could connect the negative lead so the load goes through the shunt used by the monitor but you may have to upgrade the cable currently going to the shunt from the battery if it a bit thin.

 

[autorouter]

If you wire it directly to the terminals, as I have with my inverter, the battery monitor won't know what current it is drawing, but I've not found this to be an issue. It will temporarily throw the monitor and the figure for remaining charge will be wrong after you have used the inverter, especially after a heavy discharge, but as I've said this isn't a problem as the monitor will work it out after a while based on battery voltage.

You could connect the negative lead so the load goes through the shunt used by the monitor but you may have to upgrade the cable currently going to the shunt from the battery if it a bit thin.

A Victron Smart Battery Sense device is not the same as a Smart Shunt. It is used with for example an MPPT solar controller to send the battery voltage and temperature, but it doesn't have a shunt to measure amps. The MPPT controller can already measure the amps it is sending to the battery. Because it can't measure amps, the Smart Sense doesn't calculate State Of Charge capacity or percentage.

The Smart Sense will work fine with the new additions. I'm assuming the Smart Sense is connected to the same terminals as the inverter cables.

 

[Paulypaul]

I haven't actually connected the inverter yet but from what you have said, I need to connect the inverter to the same terminals as the smart sense? Negative off one battery and positive off the other?

 

[autorouter]

I haven't actually connected the inverter yet but from what you have said, I need to connect the inverter to the same terminals as the smart sense? Negative off one battery and positive off the other?

Yes, that's the best way. Also make sure the link wires between the batteries are thick enough. If you're adding 10mm2 wires for the inverter, the link wires should be 6mm2 at least. They probably are anyway. If you have some bits of 10mm2 wire left over you could make link wires out of those.

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[Paulypaul]

Yes, that's the best way. Also make sure the link wires between the batteries are thick enough. If you're adding 10mm2 wires for the inverter, the link wires should be 6mm2 at least. They probably are anyway. If you have some bits of 10mm2 wire left over you could make link wires out of those.

Thank you, much appreciated