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optimistic
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2013 17:53
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Hey
I still don't have my solar parts but I will have an inverter running to my panel - which is a regular ac power.
My father in law is helping me with the electric stuff as I am clueless with these things..
In the future, I will run my cabin of my inverter but I might need to give the batteris a boost with my generator as well as have the option of running the cabin of the generator.
Knowing this - can someone explain, to someone who doesn't know much about electricity, how I should do this? (connect the inverter to the panel)
Thanks!
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GomerPile
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2013 21:19
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Simple way. Make the input to your cabins panel a power cord with plug on the end. Insert plug into whatever device is providing AC power.
To top off batteries, plug charger into the generator directly.
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Dillio187
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2013 09:31 - Edited by: Dillio187
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I like to keep my charger portable at the cabin in case of a dead battery elsewhere (my bank is 12V), so I wired my inverter direct into my panel, but I also wired an outlet in my cabin that patches directly into a quick disconnect outlet on the outside of my cabin, this is for the generator to plug into. I use it to power the 5000btu AC, a big shop vac, or my battery charger. When the generator is off, this plugin does nothing. I installed it upside-down so it's easy to differentiate it from the other inverter-powered plugs.
Use a waterproof box and one of THESE and you can use a standard extension cord to plug the generator in. Easy peasy!
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optimistic
Member
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2013 18:24
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Dillio - can you show some photos of how it is connected?
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2013 18:54
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Another option (depending on how much you want to spend) is an inverter that has a built in charger and auto transfer switch. I have a Xantrex HF1800. I have the AC in for the inverter wired through the wall to the Inlet Dillio linked to so I can connect the generator whenever I need it. The inverter will then switch over to use this source to power the 120 outlets in the cabin as well as charge up the batteries automatically (3 phase charger). I have two 120 circuits in the cabin. At some point I will directly wire the AC output from the inverter into a small panel but currently I just terminated both 120 circuits with a plug and plugged them into the GFCI outlets on the inverter (they come with the inverter and can be removed if hard-wiring). In my situation I rarely use 120 and the inverter is generally not even on (although it turns on automatically if connected to an external AC source). My solar panels are not yet fully mounted so I do need to run the generator occasionally although normally I just take advantage of any time I need it running for the bigger power tools. What I like about this setup is it is easy and all I needed to do was teach my wife how to start the generator. It does cost more due to the added features of the inverter.
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Dillio187
Member
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2013 11:23 - Edited by: Dillio187
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I don't really have any good pictures, but it's pretty simple once you think about it. Picture your average inverter with a couple outlet plugs on it. Take a piece of romex wire, and wire a plug on one side. The other side ties into the bus bars on your panel in the cabin. This panel has breakers in it that feed all the circuits in your cabin.
Regarding the generator line...it took me 15 minutes to install mine. I'll try to remember to take some better pictures, but I won't be back to the cabin for a couple of weeks. All it is, is 3 feet of romex wire with boxes on each side through the wall. I plug the generator in outside, start it, let it warm up, and then plug the battery charger into the outlet inside, clamp it on the battery posts, and turn it on.
batteries_inverter.j.jpg
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panel.jpg
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optimistic
Member
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# Posted: 18 Aug 2013 21:19
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Thnaks for the pictures. I just got back from the land... I will post tomorrow
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