Adding inverter to 2007 310 Sundancer

One other point is that the voltage drop and heat issue which leads to the requirement for a short cable run from the batteries to the inverter does not apply to the 120v side. Ac current does not drop much over the distances in a boat. So locate the inverter as close to the batteries as possible (but not in the bilge of a gas powered boat), and run longer 120v wires to the panel.
 
This is the back of the 400DA AC power breaker panel. Pretty common configuration with Sea Ray. The breakers are typical marine units. Note that all I did is to add a new breaker (bottom left in picture - that was a spare position) which is the line power to the inverter. By lowering the two copper buss bars off the two upper left and one upper right circuit breakers and then tying the inverter load side to these three, the inverter now provides power to these circuits. It's all simple and seamless and can easily be converted back to as original.
T

So I have a accessory slot, working with a 340sd, I have a inverter, and can buy a auto transfer.. but getting lost on your input out put.

If auto transfer are you using a switch To turn it on and off still? So the inverter is located close to the batteries, AC OUTPUT is ran To breaker panel, and has a new switch in the spare slot. The inverter is hard wired to batteries? And then the AC feeds the back side of switch? Which is tied to a buss bar so once switched the AC hits all those circuits?
 
So I have a accessory slot, working with a 340sd, I have a inverter, and can buy a auto transfer.. but getting lost on your input out put.

If auto transfer are you using a switch To turn it on and off still? So the inverter is located close to the batteries, AC OUTPUT is ran To breaker panel, and has a new switch in the spare slot. The inverter is hard wired to batteries? And then the AC feeds the back side of switch? Which is tied to a buss bar so once switched the AC hits all those circuits?
This is how I did it and is compliant to NEC and ABYC but in no way meant to provide direction for your installation -
On the line side of the transfer switch (120VAC from shore or generator) there needs to be a circuit breaker before the transfer switch; this is the new circuit breaker in the panel.
120 VAC coming out of the inverter (which can be from shore power / generator or inverter depending where the transfer switch is positioned) then feeds the existing circuit breakers in the existing panel. These circuit breakers and the neutral (common) legs must be isolated from all other AC power sources.
I my case the transfer switch is integral with the inverter which makes the installation much simpler.
On the DC side of things there is the battery main disconnect and the inverter control panel to turn and off the inverter. The battery switch is always on however the inverter is turned off from it's control panel unless in use so if there is a power outage the inverter doesn't drain the battery bank.
Hope this helps....
 
so you have a On/OFF switch for the INverter. and a new breaker in panel. the On/Off just turns the inverters power switch on, like a remote to an stereo amp, the main pos/Neg are hard wired.

The breaker is stopping the AC power coming from the inverter, before it connects to the out put side of the shore/genny power side of the AC breakers. so you stop givine AC from genny/shore, and then flip new breaker, and feed them on that side?


If it was a auto transfer would it not just detect power from genny/shore and turn off inverter... and once you kill shore or genny kick on and feed that side of the pannel?
 
I have a 4K Xantrex inverter and it is feed by the shore/genny power or 4 6v golf cart batteries. My whole 120v panel is hot, but I do not run the anything other than lights, fridge & ice maker. No coffee maker, no microwave, etc because they just chew through the batteries very quickly. It is nice that I don't have to reset the clocks on the micro & coffee maker everytime we go out.
 
I've been watching this thread and am intending to install a Xantrex XM 1800 on my boat. Since I'm diesel, I am planning on installing it on the forward bulkhead in the engine room, about 3 feet away from my house bank, and then running the AC wire to the panel. Doing some research on the Xantrex install, it requires a location that is dry and cool - the ambient temperature needs to be between 32F and 105F. I'm pretty sure that my ER gets hotter than that during cruising (though I've never put a thermometer down there to check, hmmm).

ttmott, I saw the pic of your location and it looks exactly like what I want to do. Does your inverter have the same temp requirement? If so, have you had any issues with where it's installed being too hot?
 
Ours is located forward of the port engine on the outside wall (closest to the elec. panel) the 4 6v sit between the two main engines. Our ER easily runs over 100F (I have a remote sensor for temp down there) but we have never had an issue with Xantrex. It does have an internal fan...
 
Ours is located forward of the port engine on the outside wall (closest to the elec. panel) the 4 6v sit between the two main engines. Our ER easily runs over 100F (I have a remote sensor for temp down there) but we have never had an issue with Xantrex. It does have an internal fan...

I might be wrong but if the ambient temp in the ER is lets say 115*F I don't think the internal fan on the inverter is going to help cool it down below 115*F.....the fan will just be circulating 115* air around the internals of the inverter....there is no 'wind chill affect' involved so the internals will likely stay at 115*F....now if the fan had the ability to draw in cooler air to blow over the internals of the inverter that would definitely help....but I think the available air supply to an inverter installed in the ER is going to be pretty well limited to the heated air in the ER.....

just my opinion....

cliff
 
I might be wrong but if the ambient temp in the ER is lets say 115*F I don't think the internal fan on the inverter is going to help cool it down below 115*F.....the fan will just be circulating 115* air around the internals of the inverter....there is no 'wind chill affect' involved so the internals will likely stay at 115*F....now if the fan had the ability to draw in cooler air to blow over the internals of the inverter that would definitely help....but I think the available air supply to an inverter installed in the ER is going to be pretty well limited to the heated air in the ER.....

just my opinion....

cliff

your opinion is accurate in my mind... I was merely making a statement about its components. When our mains are running so is the gen. so the inverter doesn't have a load on it and ER temp should be a non-issue.
 

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