Wiring inverter to 240v outlets in the van - advice needed

[VXman]

In ameteur (dummie) electrician speak hat is the best way to wire in my inverter to my mains sockets.

Set up is - batteries (3) are up front in the drivers seat/lounge area. EHU inlet is just rear of the hab door behind fridge. RCA trip box is at the rear side the garage.

Inverter is next to the batteries which I assume is the optimum position.

So how do I get the inverter output to the sockets - through the RCA I assume. It seems a difficult route to route 240v cable past th hab door, past the fridge, through the bedroom and to the RCA. It would seem that th obvious root is through the floor at the front, underneath the van and up into the garage.

Am I correct? I really don't fancy drilling holes in the floow but if it has to be.

Also, I assume I need some kind of switch device. Simplest and safest. Don't really want any fancy auto switching. Suggestions?

Appreciate any help, advice, guidance. Thanks.

 

[pappajohn]

If the route is going to be difficult have you considered some new sockets wired directly to the inverter.
You can then place the sockets where you want/need them without impossible or difficult routes.
Switching device.
You really need an auto changeover of some type
Too easy to forget to switch off the inverter when plugging in hookup.
At best it will trip the sockets or hookup post but not worth the risk.
If you put the inverter output through the 230v fuse box you must unplug the charger and fridge or risk a very flat battery in a very short time.

 

[Richard n Ann]

This is how I wired ours, didn't fancy auto changeover because I just selected (the metred) hook up for the hairdryer then switch back to solar.

 

[VXman]

If the route is going to be difficult have you considered some new sockets wired directly to the inverter.
You can then place the sockets where you want/need them without impossible or difficult routes.

I suppose that would be an alternative but I feel that would involve even more butchery of the inside of the van. Trying to keep the physical impact to the van as small as possible.

 

[xsparks]

The very simplest of ways is to run a cable from your inverter with a blue socket on the end and plug it into your external inlet. The sockets are bs4343 16a.

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[tacr2man]

these are easy to fit , and you can wire the battery charger on the ehu input side the ats output goes to consumer unit the inverter feeds to one input ehu to other .

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[VXman]

The very simplest of ways is to run a cable from your inverter with a blue socket on the end and plug it into your external inlet. The sockets are bs4343 16a.

Yes...but not a good permanent set up. Cable would have to go out of a window, need to disconnect battery charger or the battery will be charging itself in an endless cycle and would have to manually switch fridge onto gas because it will automatically start using the inverter to power it.

 

[xsparks]

Appreciate all that, the guy was looking for quick and easy non technical.

 

[Stealaway]

I took a 13 Amp lead to where I needed the sockets for the TV and sound bar plus a spare in the garage.
I used a copy of the existing German van sockets without involving the existing EHU circuit - and marked them accordingly.

<Broken link removed>

 

[Googlebot]

There is a thread in my signature where I put an inverter to all my sockets if that helps?

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[the1andonly]

I only had 1 240v socket at rear of van. I fitted the invertor at the front with an invertor only socket.
Wired in a new 240 EHU only socket in middle of van then added a manual switchover issolator (thanks to Richard n Ann )to feed the rear socket with either ehu or inverter

New socket on orange wire. CBE box
the rear just rewired to centre of switch using male socket. Allows easy reversion to standard.

 

[DavidCh]

Just done this. Firstly, remember the inverter needs to go through an RCD trip as 240v of the inverter will kill you just as easily as the mains supply. You will not want to connect before your existing trip and breakers since you only want the sockets to be live, not the fridge/heater etc;

I then used a double pole relay to automatically switch between them so if the mains hook up is live it closes the relay and connects the hookup to the sockets, if it’s not connected the relay is open and connects the inverter to the sockets

I used this.


https://www.amazon.de

But I am sure it’s on the UK site somewhere

Then a separate switch to turn on and off the inverter. Mine works great, nothing switches off during the changeover.

 

[Tombola]

But I am sure it’s on the UK site somewhere

Amazon product ASIN B000UW31AO
or you can also choose an inverter with an autochangeover UPS switch
Amazon product ASIN B09C1XCTHZ
explained quite well here

 

[Nedge68]

A simple solution would be take a cable from your investor to a 16A plug that you can plug in to your EHU point, this way you can’t have two supplies connected at the same time, and you don’t need to add extra hardware. I would turn off your battery charger though otherwise you would be charging with your invertor…

 

[Tombola]

A simple solution would be take a cable from your investor to a 16A plug that you can plug in to your EHU point, this way you can’t have two supplies connected at the same time, and you don’t need to add extra hardware. I would turn off your battery charger though otherwise you would be charging with your invertor…

and ensure you have enough power to run the fridge if it is left on leccy, or switch it to gas or off

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[Nedge68]

Forgot about the fridge! perhaps the dedicated socket route is a better option as you won’t have the turning equipment off and back on debate, as you and bound to miss something.

 

[Tombola]

Forgot about the fridge! perhaps the dedicated socket route is a better option as you won’t have the turning equipment off and back on debate, as you and bound to miss something.

A guy on a site I went did this, and he just added a sticker to his plug he made saying FRIDGE FOOL ....ha ha, good idea

 

[Nedge68]

Perhaps worth considering the power rating of your invertor, for example if it is 1500W or 6A it makes sense to have a dedicated plug that you can mark up as 6A Max, you could have a 6A RCBO for overload and leakage protection, this reduces the chance of you overloading your invertor.