Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Well, fuck. Where were you yesterday?
Power inverter mounting
- Thread starter Ontario Outlaw
- Start date
- inverter
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Really? I’m not doubting you, but I wouldn’t have thought that matters. I guess I’ll have to think on redoing that
ironpony
Professional Pot-Stirrer
That matters if you don't want to experience your body fat cooking while your truck explodes in flames. Other than that, rock on!
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
Thought I commented on this before. If for example that battery cable gets hot and the insulation gets gummy. Then where it passes by the frame on the way to the cab it rubs through. That’s a direct short to ground without a breaker or fuse. Food for thought.
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
One guy I talked to said I’m an idiot for not mounting it in the battery box like you’re suggesting, for the reason you’re suggesting. The breaker cuts the power before it can arc and cause issues
A buddy of mine said the starter cable is larger gauge and unfused, so he wouldn’t worry about it as a “must fix soon” type deal. He agreed in a perfect world, the power inverter breaker should be as close to the batteries as possible.
Two different ways of looking at it
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
That Main Starter terminal has a meltable lead link in it typically. When it hits like 300 some odd degrees it breaks contact. Also if the short is in the starter that terminal is also designed to melt off. Like I said man. Just a concern. I’m not saying you need to get it done today but, personally I would move it. Or he’ll even add another and leave that one there if you’re lazy lol.One guy I talked to said I’m an idiot for not mounting it in the battery box like you’re suggesting, for the reason you’re suggesting. The breaker cuts the power before it can arc and cause issues
A buddy of mine said the starter cable is larger gauge and unfused, so he wouldn’t worry about it as a “must fix soon” type deal. He agreed in a perfect world, the power inverter breaker should be as close to the batteries as possible.
Two different ways of looking at it
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Or just up the insurance.....
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Buddy of mine stopped by the shop yesterday. He asked why not hook up a couple deep cycle batteries with a battery isolator and run the power inverter from them. They’ll still charge when the truck is running, but the power inverter won’t drain the main batteries
Not a bad idea, actually.
His words were “I’m more concerned with starting the truck in the morning to get me home, than I am about the milk in the fridge going bad”
Not a bad idea, actually.
His words were “I’m more concerned with starting the truck in the morning to get me home, than I am about the milk in the fridge going bad”
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
Most inverters have a low voltage disconnect. They usually shut themselves off before you get to the point of not being able to start the truck. But, adding extra batteries for it is a great idea. My brother actually added two for his inverter. He removed the closet in the bunk and has like a shoulder high on me fridge in there.
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
My buddy mentioned there’s external voltage disconnects you can buy to add to the system, if your inverter doesn’t have one already.
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
Yeah it’s a battery isolator like they have on RVs
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
Based on what I read there that could work if you have one per spare battery. You’d have to figure out how to make them emergency all your spare bats at once. The ones in RVs that I have worked on will isolate like 6 battery’s from 2 that are solely used to start the coach, but can be used in emergency mode but it looks like a giant inverter with lots of extra wiring.
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Hmm.
I would’ve thought if I was isolating one battery, it shouldn’t matter how many batteries are on the other side of it.
If that makes sense
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
It’s all in how much load that solenoid is capable of carrying. You hit the starter and try to pull 600 amps across a 150 amp rated isolator. Shit will get hot real real fast.
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Slow down...
I thought this worked the other way.
If I have four batteries (for starting) this thing is like a giant diode STOPPING the extra battery from helping start the truck
BUT once it’s running the alternator can send juice TO the extra battery, but your alternator should never come close to 150 amps
In emergency mode the extra battery can help to start the truck, but I still don’t think it would be close to 150 amps
Or am I not understanding something?
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
If you need to use the “extra” battery to start the truck because your primary is dead. It’s going to pull everything it can out of that batter. Whatever your 2/0-4/0 cable will carry. There is where the risk lies is using the emergency function.
Let’s take it a different route.
If you say. Put in two batteries to run your inverter. Behind the isolator and your inverter is hooked up behind the isolator. Then your 4 starting batteries wouldn’t have inverter draw when it clicks off at 12.6v so essentially you’d always have 12.6 in your main batteries and it would only isolate to charge.
Ontario Outlaw
Hozer Witta Hood
Ok that’s what I was thinking. Probably better to never use the emergency function then.
So yeah, wire up a couple deep cycles AFTER the isolator for inverter use only, and have the cutoff at 12.6 so the main starting batteries still have juice
r3gulator3
IMA KEEP IT REDNECK
Yeah that’s how I would do it. My brother did a similar thing with a bistable relay. When he switches it off his inverter batteries are separated from the truck starting system. Turns it on and everything is one big happy family. But a bistable relay can haul a hell of an amp load of it needs to. My understanding of what you got there is your limited to 150 ampsish. So that option is far cheaper than anything else and using it the way we just talked of should be fine.
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