Renolgy 3000w pure sine wave inverter install into Winnie Mini 2108DS RV.

[@Craftypants7]

I’ve been trying to figure out how to hook up my inverter to the panel and was going back-and-forth whether or not I could just use an extension cord and your video help me make my decision. Thank you.

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

You can, just remember to turn off the circuit for the inverter charger on the RV panel. So you do not create a parasitic loop.

[@dsanner]

Lots of good stuff like chafe protection but ideally, depending on the distance to your battery, you might add a fuse (or move the existing breaker) at the battery to protect the wire going from the battery to the existing breaker. The codes vary on the maximum distance between the battery and fusing but it's generally measured in inches (or cm). You always want the protection (fuse/breaker) as close to the power source as possible. Inverter/Chargers may need protection at both ends - ideally. Also remember your cable run is only as good as the thinnest wire that it travels over (think weakest link in the chain) which includes the battery to battery cables (though in your case they only need to be 50% the size of the main run) so in your case you wouldn't want to terminate the larger wire on the busbar unless you upsize the wire from the busbar to the battery. A clean install generally looks like Battery -> Fuse as close as possible -> bus bar -> fused distribution panel with smaller fuses to protect the smaller gauged longer runs. Larger loads like an inverter can be wired "alongside" your general house loads (which looks like what you are doing) but both should be fused/protected close to the battery. Search for "MRBF Terminal Fuse Block" for a quick and easy fusing. Happy travels.

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Good info, I will throw a large 300A inline fuse closer to battery

[@thomasatkins1204]

Per this chart, aren’t you way undersized on that 0 wire. You need to check the heat on that line while running the max power you will be utilizing. The 12v wire gauge size chart that can be found online, will show you need a heavier duty line then that.

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

I have it fused at the battery for 250 amps. Then a reset able 300a after that. Fuses will pop before any heat becomes a issue.

[@_Zachariah_]

Clean install I will be doing this shortly with solar

[@jerrytalley802]

Question, you sized your fuse for 3,000 watts, but what about the surge, usually double or 6,000 watts? Just trying to learn so I can build a portable power supply, thanks

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Hi Jerry, What I did not show in the video was another inline fuse of smaller capacity 6 inches from the battery, it is a 250A fuse. So It would pop faster than the 300A one would. It has enough surge for me to run my A/C. Or for my wife to run her hair dryer. I am not running anything with more load than that. If you were you should increase the wire size, and fuse amperage, Worst case in my set up, the fuse pops.

[@jerrytalley802]

Did this inverter hold up a year later?

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

So far still working. We mostly use if for my wife to do her hair with hair dryer when boondocking, and to watch TV boondocking.

[@anthonyguess5528]

I would like to do this setup with lithium but inside the passthrough. If I take the wires that charge my lead acid and connect to the lithium that should charge them? I have a WFCO auto detect currently

[@IH-nr7dx]

The WFCO converter charger is capable of charging li batteries using the existing cables when connected to shore power or when your 30amp shore cable is plugged into a generator. Whether you wire the inverter to the AC panel in your trailer through a transfer switch, or simply plug into it as described in this video, you will need to disconnect (turn off) the converter charger while running the inverter to avoid a parasitic loop.

[@michaeljohnson_ok]

FYI, there's something they never mention as far as your total load on the batteries. This model states >90% efficiency. So, the inverter will draw 1.11x more than the rate of 3000/12. This will add up to 3330 watts / 277.5 amps load on the batteries at exactly 90%. This may improve by how much better than 90% it might be, but prepare for the 277.5 amp draw at max rated watts. It is a big difference in run time.

[@anthonyguess5528]

Im new so go easy.since you have your batteries connected to the inverter now where does the rv get the ac since its not connected to anything? It looks like you accomplished nothing again im new so please educate me as we just bought a 2108 fbs and want to do the same

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

I have a 30a plug beside the inverter, that your normal 30a extension cord plugs into, and then into the side of the RV. So you utilize the stock rvs internal AC wiring. All you have to make sure you do is turn the converter off at the panel using the fuse, so it does enter a parasitic charging cycle. You could do the same thing but with a standard 115v extension cord with a 30a adapter added to the end so you can plug into your RV.

[@jerrytalley802]

My plan is to also install a hard wired 30 amp rv female plug beside the inverter, with a closable plastic access hole at the bottom. That way I could plug it in, it’s hard wired 30 amp, should run the whole camper. Now I just need to figure out how to charge these 230 amp hour batteries, lol

[@dash8465]

That will power your converter which will try to charge your batteries that are powering the inverter that is powering the converter that is charging the batteries that are.. see where thats going? Instead.. find the breaker thats maybe powering all of your 110v outlets (prob except microwave). Disconnect from that breaker and run the romex to the 3-wire connection on the inverter instead. That way.. real shore power powers converter, converter charges battery, battery powers inverter, inverter powers 110v outlets. No shore power? No problem, inverter powers 110v outlets until batteries die, perhaps charged/prolonged by 400-600 watts solar? This works for 90% of 110v needs.. coffee maker, TV, laptop, etc.. A/C is out of the question, the inverter could maybe do it, but the batteries wont last.

[@jerrytalley802]

I heard you say you can’t run the AC. Is it just the Renogy not producing properly since it’s supposed to be 6,000 watts surge? I’ve seen other Renogy complaints not living up to the specs? I bought one to try anyway. My research said use 4/0 so that’s what I got, more expensive but larger is good and allows for upgrades. I’m hopping to run the AC as well, currently have 460 amp hours of LifePO4 battery, thanks

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Yes it will run the AC, how long the two batteries would last..who knows. But the inverter will fire it up, no issues.

[@bansheerider619]

The issue is lead acid batteries. The AC will eat those up in a very short period. Don’t forget the inverter itself is using battery capacity as well.

[@JNBillsfan]

Most times this is not a function of the inverter capacity as much as it is a function of the voltage drop on the DC side of the inverter. When the inverter is putting out 3000+ watts on the AC side, it is drawing 200+ amps on the DC side. A wire size calculator will show that 200 amps running just 2 feet will require 3/0 AWB wire! That size wire is rather impractical for most installations. Thus, when smaller wire is used, there is a more significant voltage drop in the wire. So the inverter sees the DC voltage at an unacceptable level and shuts down. It makes me wonder why they even sell inverters that require so much current. Just not practical.

[@72superlead]

Just installed mine, thanks for your tutorial. I'm getting heat at the fuse and isolator terminals, is that normal?

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Make sure you also install a inline fuse no greater than 6 inches away from the battery , and of lesser value than the shut off breaker. How many watts are you pulling with the inverter. At high watts it will pull alot of amps. And the DC wire will heat up. Also, how long is your DC cable run? the longer the more resistance. Run the inverter at max watts, and get a Thermal gun, and test to see how hot the wires are getting.

[@72superlead]

@@ADAMLS1240SX Thanks mate. Why the fuse close to battery?

[@72superlead]

@@ADAMLS1240SX I have it about 1m away at the minute

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

@@72superlead You want a fuse as close to the battery as you can get so that it would pop before the wire would ever melt down. And of lesser value than the shut off breaker, so that it would pop first.

[@true1dez]

Soon to be a new RV'r can you list all the materials you used in this video so I know what I need to buy. I definitely want to set up my RV like this, thanks.

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

All of the items were from Amazon.

[@tonydtom536]

You want to use 4/0 cable/wire and a 400AMP fuse also 3000 watt inverter will power the air conditioner. not sure how far your batteries are but you want to be less than 6 ft away from the inverter. If you do use bus bars they should be 400 amp. All this can be confirmed by Renogy if you give them a call.

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

I added an additional 250a fuse at the battery so if it pulls to much current that fuse will pop. And yes it can power the AC unit. So far no issues. Batteries are a very short run to the inverter, so not much loss there.

[@benji219]

Also.70mm cable like you're using can run 450a. 3000w/12v=250a. The 3000w invertor can hit 6000w peak.. hence a 300a = 3600w at 12v breaker is good!

[@hannesnel5414]

Why not use the passthrough function of the inverter to plug shore power into?

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

What I did that I dont show on the video, is I wired a 30 amp receptacle by the inverter, and now just plug in the 30 amp cable from the RV into it. So it powers the whole RV like I had shore power.

[@armadilllo]

"basically" do I have to keep picking up the wires and dropping them?

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Basically you are correct :)

[@markalan6679]

What are the size of your batteries. Amp hour?

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

two 100ah , lead acid batteries. 12v

[@matthewknight5641]

I think thats called a cable lug. A crimp ferrel is a little different.

[@randywilde9998]

Very well presented video but I can tell you without doing the math that two flooded lead acid batteries and a 3000 W inverter would maybe be likely to if you’re lucky toast two pieces of toast you are way overpowered for your bank of battery

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Yes its more of a future capacity planning. However my wife can use her blow dryer for over 13 minutes, so its serves its function :)

[@cdbnum1]

I’d BASICALLY just plug into an ecoflow that has a built in 30amp plug 😂

[@FrankBullitt390]

You cant run a 1900 watt Coleman Mach AC unit off that???

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

I can run my 13.5k BTU AC unit easy. However it drains the batteries pretty quick . It will start the compressor no problem.

[@FrankBullitt390]

@@ADAMLS1240SX Oh ok, good to know, I have 460AH lithium, it'll also drain but good to know it'll run it in an emergency or short periods. saw you have Canada proof battery, those are good, my car sat in storage 1 year (neg terminal removed) and it fired right up when I went to get it

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

@@FrankBullitt390 I leave my RV plugged into my garage, and leave the 200w solar hooked up. So the batteries stay fine all winter. I only have 220ah of reserve, using two deep cycle lead acid.

[@benji219]

The explanation turned yo7 British for a second "bloody solder"

[@solarcharging9743]

High frequency, transfomerless invertets like these have shorter life expectancies and lower surge capacities than low frequency, transformer based inverters.

[@armandofermill5768]

I noticed you used the word “ BASICALLY “ 12 times,,Judge Judy will definitely stop you from using that in HER COURTROOM

[@ADAMLS1240SX]

Its basically like a er or um type pause :)

[@pinkiepie1656]

You can't say that Judge Judy said that. That's hearsay:)