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RV Inverter Guide: Modified vs Pure Sine Wave - Safe Power
Solar Batteries Medium 4-6 hours for inverter replacement 250 👍 1

RV Inverter Guide: Modified vs Pure Sine Wave - Safe Power

My multimeter's out and I'm ready to tackle this RV electrical mess myself — pretty sure the inverter's the culprit but need to know where to start. I have a 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Advantage with four deep cycle house batteries and recently installed a Xantrex 758 inverter to replace my old Freedom 15 unit. The first time I tried using the inverter power while unplugged from shore power, something very strange happened - a hair dryer in the bathroom started running by itself and wouldn't shut off when I tried the switch. I had to unplug it, and the handle was warm. The hair dryer appears to be ruined now.

When I bought the Xantrex 758, I paid around $725 for what I thought was a good unit, but I'm now learning there's a difference between modified sine wave and pure sine wave inverters. I wasn't aware of this distinction when I made the purchase, and it turns out the 758 is a modified sine wave unit. I've since heard that modern electronics, especially things like residential refrigerators, computers, and sensitive electronic components, can be damaged by modified sine wave power.

I'm really concerned about potentially damaging my new residential refrigerator, stereo system, and computer equipment. Should I be worried about using this modified sine wave inverter with modern RV electronics? Is the hair dryer incident a sign that I need to upgrade to a pure sine wave unit, or are there other factors that could have caused this problem? I'm trying to understand if my current setup is putting my expensive electronics at risk. …more
Atwood GC10A-4E Replacement: Best Tankless RV Water Heater Upgrades 20
Propane Hard 6-8 hours 149 👍

Atwood GC10A-4E Replacement: Best Tankless RV Water Heater Upgrades 20

Halfway through draining my Atwood GC10A-4E's supposed 10-gallon capacity, the water's already running cold but my gauge shows I've only pulled maybe 6 gallons. Are there any dual-fuel tankless units that would work as a replacement? I know there's no plug-and-play option, but what are the best tankless water heaters that offer both gas and electric operation for RVs? …more
MagnaSine MS2012 Inverter Replacement Guide - Best Upgrade Options 202
Solar Batteries Hard 4-6 hours 106 👍

MagnaSine MS2012 Inverter Replacement Guide - Best Upgrade Options 202

About my 2007 Fleetwood Bounder: the MagnaSine MS2012 manual claims it should handle my loads perfectly, but this inverter keeps failing on me anyway. It's been acting up for months now - the microwave keeps causing it to hiccup and shut off, then it comes right back on. I know it's only going to get worse from here.

I've been looking at upgrading to something more reliable, maybe a Victron or another brand, but I'm honestly overwhelmed by all the options out there. What are the best replacement inverters that other RVers have had success with? I just want something that's going to work consistently without all these random shutdowns.

Before I spend a bunch of money though, could this actually be a battery issue instead of the inverter itself? I'd hate to replace a perfectly good unit if the real problem is somewhere else in the system. …more
RV Whirlpool Refrigerator Cycling Every 30 Minutes: Is It Normal? [202
Ac Refrigeration Easy 30 minutes 92 👍

RV Whirlpool Refrigerator Cycling Every 30 Minutes: Is It Normal? [202

Looked everywhere for answers on my Whirlpool residential refrigerator cycling every 30 minutes—my neighbor says it's normal, RV dealer says it's broken, YouTube says something else entirely. The ambient temperature here is around 65°F, and I have both the fridge and freezer set to the 3rd snowflake setting.

I haven't timed it exactly with a stopwatch, but I keep noticing it kicking on again after what feels like a short time. I'm concerned this frequent cycling might be a sign of a problem or could lead to premature failure. I try to keep the vents clean when I can access them. Should I be worried about this 30-minute cycle pattern, or is this within normal range for an RV refrigerator in these conditions? …more
Honda EU2200i Generator: Can It Charge a 330Ah RV Battery Bank?
Engine Easy Informational 87 👍

Honda EU2200i Generator: Can It Charge a 330Ah RV Battery Bank?

Camping off-grid next week with a 330Ah lithium battery bank and wondering if my Honda EU2200i can keep up. Last trip the generator ran for six hours and the batteries still weren't fully charged. Need to know if this little generator can realistically maintain a bank that size. …more
RV Residential Fridge Battery Drain: Generator Usage in Hot Weather Explained
Engine Easy Informational 80 👍

RV Residential Fridge Battery Drain: Generator Usage in Hot Weather Explained

My 2017 Pace Arrow 38B's residential fridge is forcing me to choose between running the generator nonstop or risking food spoilage during Phoenix boondocking in 80-degree heat.

I splurged on new AGM batteries just a few months ago, so these babies are practically still in diapers. But every morning I'm waking up to dead batteries like some sort of RV Groundhog Day nightmare. I have to fire up the engine just to get the generator going again!

So here's my million-dollar question: Is my power-hungry residential fridge just being a normal drama queen in this Phoenix heat, or did I somehow get cursed with defective batteries? I'm starting to wonder if running the generator twice daily is just the price I pay for having cold beer and ice cream in the desert, or if there's actually something wrong with my setup. Help a confused RVer out! …more

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Best 2000W Inverters for Grand Design RV: Complete Installation Guide
Solar Batteries Medium 4-6 hours 78 👍

Best 2000W Inverters for Grand Design RV: Complete Installation Guide

Noticed my Grand Design's warranty paperwork doesn't mention inverter installations — would installing a 2000W inverter void my coverage completely? except my dream apparently involves wanting to run actual appliances without firing up the generator at 6 AM and becoming "that neighbor" at the campground! 😅

My TT came with the prewired inverter loop (thank goodness, because my electrical skills peak at changing light bulbs), and I know it's wired with 10/2 Romex that can handle up to 2000 watts. Now I'm drowning in inverter options and getting analysis paralysis.

I'm looking for recommendations on the best 2000W pure sine wave inverters that'll play nice with my Grand Design's setup. Also completely confused about whether to go with an internal ATS for simplicity or bite the bullet and install an external transfer switch. Help a fellow glamper out - what are the top models you'd recommend, and what's the real difference between internal vs external switching options? …more
RV Generator Size Calculator: Solar vs Gas Generator Power Needs for Your Camper
Electrical Medium Planning exercise 78 👍

RV Generator Size Calculator: Solar vs Gas Generator Power Needs for Your Camper

Woke up to my Aliner classic's power system working perfectly in 60°F weather, but now that it's 85°F outside I'm drowning in solar versus gas generator confusion. Coming from a Rialta with a built-in generator where I just added some solar panels, I'm now starting from scratch with just one 88Ah lead acid battery and need to figure out the most practical setup for my boondocking needs.

My power requirements are pretty straightforward - laptop, house lights, furnace for overnight heating, and the occasional use of my 1800-watt toaster oven which is really the main power challenge. In my previous RV, I had 160Ah of lead acid batteries with a 100W solar panel that handled everything except the toaster oven, which required firing up the generator. I'm considering adding 200W of solar panels to this setup.

Here's where I'm getting confused: I've been looking at 2000-2500 watt generators with minimum 1900 running watts, but I heard you shouldn't run more than 80% of the running watts capacity, which would mean I need about 2300 running watts just to safely operate my 1800W toaster oven. Is that calculation correct? Alternatively, I'm wondering if I could skip the generator entirely and run the toaster oven off a large battery bank with a proper inverter - but I have no idea how much battery capacity that would require or if it's even practical. What's the most cost-effective approach for someone who primarily needs reliable power for essential loads but occasionally wants to use higher-wattage cooking appliances? …more
How to Fix Freedom 20D Inverter Circuit Loss and Internal Breaker Repair Guide
Solar Batteries Hard 2-4 hours 73 👍

How to Fix Freedom 20D Inverter Circuit Loss and Internal Breaker Repair Guide

Wondering why the manual shows a reset breaker location on my Freedom 20D inverter that doesn't match what I'm actually seeing inside the unit? My 1999 motorhome has a Freedom 20D inverter that was working fine until recently. I was running some heaters during cold weather and when I started the engine, something went wrong and I lost one of the AC circuits completely.

I've reset all the house breakers and checked every GFCI I could find. All the other circuits work fine, but this one inverter circuit has no power at all. When I look at the inverter itself, none of the breakers appear to have tripped - they all look normal to me.

I'm wondering if there might be some kind of internal breaker or component that failed inside the inverter that I can't see? Is this something that can be repaired, or am I looking at replacing the whole unit? Any help would be greatly appreciated since I'm not sure what to check next! …more
Norcold 1210 Not Cooling with No Error Codes: Troubleshooting Guide
Ac Refrigeration Hard N/A for diagnosis 72 👍

Norcold 1210 Not Cooling with No Error Codes: Troubleshooting Guide

Looked at my Norcold 1210 refrigerator in my Grand Design 303RLS this morning — it's running perfectly normal but everything inside stays warm with zero error codes. Everything seems to work - the control panel responds, lights come on, and it even fires up on propane - but there's absolutely no cooling happening. Temperature reading shows 43°F and climbing.

What's making me nervous is that there are no error codes or alarms at all. I've checked the fuse and it's good, the little black box's red light is not on, and the fans aren't running. Usually when something breaks, you get some kind of warning, right? I'm worried I might be missing something obvious or that continuing to run it could cause more damage. Is this pointing to a specific type of failure, and am I safe to keep troubleshooting or should I stop using it immediately? …more
Xantrex to Victron Inverter Swap - 2021 Winnebago View 24D
Solar Batteries Medium 4-6 hours 72 👍

Xantrex to Victron Inverter Swap - 2021 Winnebago View 24D

Got my 2021 Winnebago View 24D torn apart right now and there's charred components scattered all over the inside of this completely dead Xantrex inverter. Rather than replace with another Xantrex unit, I'm considering upgrading to a Victron MultiPlus system.

The RV is equipped with dual 100Ah LiFePO4 batteries and 200W solar array. Current electrical configuration uses the standard Winnebago 12V DC system with 30A shore power connection. The failed Xantrex unit was a 2000W inverter/charger combo with remote panel monitoring.

Which specific Victron MultiPlus model would provide optimal performance for this application? Additionally, what connection modifications will be required, and can the existing Xantrex remote panel be eliminated in favor of app-based monitoring? …more
CPAP Machine Shutting Down RV Inverter: Solutions for Boondocking
Solar Batteries Medium 1 hour to set up 63 👍

CPAP Machine Shutting Down RV Inverter: Solutions for Boondocking

Somewhere between my toolbox and my coffee, I'm determined to solve why my CPAP machine keeps shutting down my RV inverter every single night. I have a 2023 Entegra Vision 27a with 2 AGM batteries that show 12.6v at rest, which I think is good? My CPAP has a humidifier and heated hose, and every night the inverter shuts down before morning, leaving me without a full night's sleep.

I'm not sure if this is happening because my batteries can't handle the power draw, or if there's something wrong with my inverter setup. The CPAP seems to use quite a bit of power with all the features running. I do have a 12v auxiliary power cord for the CPAP but no DC outlets installed in my coach.

Would adding a 12v DC outlet and running the CPAP directly off the batteries help solve this shutdown issue? Or am I missing something else entirely? Any guidance would be really appreciated! …more
RV Inverter Sizing for Microwave: 100Ah Battery Runtime
Electrical Medium 2-4 hours 47 👍

RV Inverter Sizing for Microwave: 100Ah Battery Runtime

The endless wall of inverters at the RV store has me completely stumped trying to figure out which one will actually run my microwave without draining my 100Ah battery. Currently have a 750W inverter that I haven't installed yet, but wondering if I should exchange it for something bigger. My main question: if I run a 900W microwave through a 1000W inverter connected to a fully charged 12V 100Ah battery, roughly how many minutes of cooking time should I expect? Want to make sure I'm buying the right size inverter for occasional microwave use. …more
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