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  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    I just looked at it zoomed in. It is indeed two cables installed into
    one lug, but only for the positive cable! The negative is only one cable. Not a good wiring practice at all. I cannot believe that this is a real Renogy.
    I’m really puzzled they would do that. First, doubling one wire without doubling the other accomplishes nothing. Second, and most important, there is no safe way to install circuit protection devices in a doubled wire without putting a fuse or breaker in each wire unless each wire can handle the required input current alone. If your system needs 200A and you use two wires that can handle 100A each, you can’t fuse the wire combination at 200A. You have to fuse each wire at 100A. Makes no sense.
    John & Kathy
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  2. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    I just looked at it zoomed in. It is indeed two cables installed into
    one lug, but only for the positive cable! The negative is only one cable. Not a good wiring practice at all. I cannot believe that this is a real Renogy.
    My Renogy inverter has the standard positive and negative lugs. You may not want to go by the picture, it may not represent how the inverter would actually be used in practice.
    Stephen and Judy
    2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
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  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundsailor View Post
    My Renogy inverter has the standard positive and negative lugs. You may not want to go by the picture, it may not represent how the inverter would actually be used in practice.
    It better not be used that way.
    What size is your Renogy and it's cables...If it was a kit?
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
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  4. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    It better not be used that way.
    What size is your Renogy and it's cables...If it was a kit?
    The inverter is 3,000 watts, the cables are 4|0. No, not a kit. Personally, I'd buy the inverter and the cables separately.
    Stephen and Judy
    2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
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  5. #45
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    So would I. But I am good at spending money, and even better at spending someone elses. Th OP is on a limited budget, and I think the idea of a ready to go kit appeals to him. I just wish these so called kits had the right stuff in them. One would end up spending more rebuying the right cables than they would sourcing them seperatly if they get a kit with cables that won't work
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
    Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
    800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
    2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by huntindog View Post
    So would I. But I am good at spending money, and even better at spending someone elses. Th OP is on a limited budget, and I think the idea of a ready to go kit appeals to him. I just wish these so called kits had the right stuff in them. One would end up spending more rebuying the right cables than they would sourcing them seperatly if they get a kit with cables that won't work
    No...I don't want a kit. I have loads of cable in my shop...and lugs. I just need an inverter. I don't really care what size cables they come with, I will use the right size depending on my length of cable run. Thanks

  7. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by SolarPoweredRV View Post
    Why not buy one?

    Because the 3,000 Watt Inverter will overpower your 150 amp batteries.

    Additionally, every Inverter has inefficiencies in their design, the higher the wattage, the more actual losses you will experience. For example 10% loss on a 1,000 Watt Inverter is much less than 10% loss on a 3,000 Watt Inverter.

    A 36 volt system is an unusual voltage to operate an Inverter from. More common is 12v, 24v, and 48v (48v is usually reserved for higher Wattage Inverters). You will find more inverters available in voltages of 12v and 24v along with much lower prices.

    By-the-way, are you looking at "Pure Sine" wave Inverters? A Pure Sine wave Inverter is the only Inverter I would recommend for installation in an RV.
    Yeah...I am looking at only pure sine wave. I would like to to find a low freq one but they may be to big and expensive due to coil size.

    Also...I don't understand why a 3000W 36V inverter will "overpower my batteries"? I've explained several times I'm not going to draw that much and it will be wired into a circuit for my outlets with a 15a breaker. If I want to use 36V, and can only find 3KW inverters, why not buy one? Who knows...I may add battery power in the future.
    As far as efficiency, both the 2KW and the 3KW are advertised at 10% loss. Sooo...if I am only using 1000W, are you saying the 3KW will be less efficient the 2KW? Thanks
    Last edited by Homeby5; 01-10-2023 at 01:32 PM.

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Homeby5 View Post
    Yeah...I am looking at only pure sine wave. I would like to to find a low freq one but they may be to big and expensive due to coil size.

    Also...I don't understand why a 3000W 36V inverter will "overpower my batteries"? I've explained several times I'm not going to draw that much and it will be wired into a circuit for my outlets with a 15a breaker. If I want to use 36V, and can only find 3KW inverters, why not buy one? Who knows...I may add battery power in the future.
    As far as efficiency, both the 2KW and the 3KW are advertised at 10% loss. Sooo...if I am only using 1000W, are you saying the 3KW will be less efficient the 2KW? Thanks
    For your stated use, a 1,000-watt inverter should suffice (for instance https://smile.amazon.com/Renogy-Inve.../dp/B07JMQ27WJ). As for loss, 2,000 x .1 =200 vs 3,000 x .1 = 300. So a 50% higher loss in the 3,000-watt inverter than the 2,000-watt version. Get the smallest one that will serve your needs, wire your three batteries together in parallel using bus bars, and you should be good to go.
    Stephen and Judy
    2022 Reflection 150 Series 260RD (Stella)
    2017 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (Blue)
    Traded - 2018 Forest River Rockwood Minilite 2104S

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Soundsailor View Post
    As for loss, 2,000 x .1 =200 vs 3,000 x .1 = 300. So a 50% higher loss in the 3,000-watt inverter than the 2,000-watt version. Get the smallest one that will serve your needs, wire your three batteries together in parallel using bus bars, and you should be good to go.
    Clear up something for me. As an example, say I only consume 1KW. As long as the 1000W or 3000W inverter is 90% efficient, doesn't that mean if I only consume 1KW on either inverter, shouldn't the loss be 100W on either one? Or are you saying that on the larger inverter I would lose 300W when consuming 1KW?
    I want to get the bigger one because I may upgrade in future but only if the larger inverter stays at 90% efficiency linearly.

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Homeby5 View Post
    Clear up something for me. As an example, say I only consume 1KW. As long as the 1000W or 3000W inverter is 90% efficient, doesn't that mean if I only consume 1KW on either inverter, shouldn't the loss be 100W on either one? Or are you saying that on the larger inverter I would lose 300W when consuming 1KW?
    I want to get the bigger one because I may upgrade in future but only if the larger inverter stays at 90% efficiency linearly.
    I would make my decision based on how likely I would be to upgrade to the larger Inverter.

    First, I think the 3000 Watt Inverter might over power your three batteries, I could be wrong, but, I would still consider this as a possibility.

    Second, how likely are you to increase the size of your battery bank? If you are really tied to the three 50ah batteries, then stay with the smaller Inverter.

    I have always recommended to buy components based on the size of your final system, this includes sizing the cables to the final size as well. Because, everything you install for the 2,000 Watt Inverter will need to be replaced when you upgrade to the 3,000 Watt Inverter (Inverter and cabling).

    I feel that once you, and your family, begin to experience 120v power being available at the flick of a switch, you (and especially the family) will want more, and more access to the 120v power coming from the Inverter. There is also a chance you might begin to resent being forced to set up the generator every time you camp (especially if it is raining).

    To answer the question about efficiency, the larger Inverter will have more loss than the smaller Inverter because the electronic components are larger and will consume more energy, even when sitting at idle, than the smaller Inverter.

    Only decide on the larger Inverter, if you are more likely to expand your battery bank in the future, than not.

    Note: when I say "Expand your battery bank", I am thinking minimum of 200ah with 300ah or 400ah a realistic possibility, I am not advocating for 1,000ah battery bank and a 2,000 Watt Solar system (Solar is always the next logical step).
    Last edited by SolarPoweredRV; 01-12-2023 at 11:18 PM.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
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    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

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