Results for "pure sine wave"

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

Looked at our 2022 Winnebago Ekko's dual 320 Amp Hour Lithionics batteries and 450-watt solar setup after my wife mentioned it wasn't optimized for boondocking, and now I'm completely obsessing over our power management. Planning extended boondocking trips to music festivals and remote locations.

I'm particularly interested in understanding how feasible it is to run the roof AC while driving using solar panels and batteries, and ensuring enough power remains when I arrive at my destination. What's the best strategy for maximizing battery life and solar charging efficiency during extended off-grid stays? …more

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

During my morning drive, that sharp, persistent beeping sound erupts from my 2022 Ford E-450 motorhome dashboard as the "Tire Pressure Sensor Fault" message flashes relentlessly. Because nothing says "relaxing RV vacation" like mysterious warning lights, am I right?

The intermittent fault seems to be coming from the rear tires mostly, and of course it always happens at the most inconvenient times - like when I'm trying to convince my spouse that this whole RV lifestyle was a brilliant idea. I'm wondering if this is just a typical TPMS sensor going bad or if there's some sort of relearn procedure I need to do?

Since this beast is still under warranty, I'm hoping there's a straightforward fix that doesn't involve me pretending to understand tire sensor technology. Anyone know what the usual culprit is for these TPMS faults on the E-450 chassis? …more

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

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

During my third inverter failure in two years on my 2005 32' Southwind, I'm officially done with this inverter roulette game. Time for an upgrade!

I've got 400W of solar (4x100W panels) and 4 6-volt batteries powering this rolling money pit. Currently rocking a 1000W unit that keeps throwing error codes like it's having an existential crisis. I'm torn between going with a 2000W or 2500W pure sine wave inverter - brands like Aims Power and Renogy keep popping up in my research.

Will my current battery bank handle a 2500W unit, or should I stick with 2000W? I'd rather not discover the hard way that I've created an expensive paperweight. Any recommendations before I throw more money at this beautiful disaster? …more

During these scorching summer days, this complete RV newbie is baffled why my Class A's GFCI keeps tripping every few days and I'm totally lost. The RV isn't plugged directly into the GFCI outlet, but there's one on the same circuit that keeps popping.

I'm wondering if my solar inverter might be the culprit since it seems heat-related? Or could this be pointing to a battery that's starting to go bad? Just trying to figure out if this is normal wear and tear or something I need to address before it gets worse. …more

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

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