Upgrade inverter to inverter charger

[ktnissen]

2021 Momentum 395MS-R. The inverter powers the Refrigerator and several outlets. There is an inverter circuit breaker in the electrical panel, and two separate circuit breakers under the stairs.

I want to replace the current magnum 2000 watt inverter with a 3000 watt inverter charger. Do you use the current lead coming out of the inverter/generator automatic transfer switch? I don't understand how it will charge when plugged in to shorepower or running generator.

 

[Soundsailor]

Are you talking about something like the Victron MultiPlus-II Inverter/Charger?

 

[ktnissen]

I have thought that or a GoPower IC3000, Litime 3000, or similar. I am not sold on victron, I dont want to keep adding other modules.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I want to replace the current magnum 2000 watt inverter with a 3000 watt inverter charger. Do you use the current lead coming out of the inverter/generator automatic transfer switch? I don't understand how it will charge when plugged in to shorepower or running generator.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/catsy.549/MANUAL_GP-IC-Series.pdf

Heres the manual for the Dometic IC. There is an internal ATS apparently.
Remember when you up the wattage of your inverter, to take advantage of that power you will need to look at wire size, breaker size, fusing etc.
Personally I'm not sold on packaged units like that. Sure they are great as far as footprint and nicely clean up some of the wiring, but when a problem occurs you are confined in your repair options.

 

[440scout]

2021 Momentum 395MS-R. The inverter powers the Refrigerator and several outlets. There is an inverter circuit breaker in the electrical panel, and two separate circuit breakers under the stairs.

I want to replace the current magnum 2000 watt inverter with a 3000 watt inverter charger. Do you use the current lead coming out of the inverter/generator automatic transfer switch? I don't understand how it will charge when plugged in to shorepower or running generator.

I've been using a Go Power IC-3000 inverter charger for over 3 years in a 2019 Solitude 310gk. Because this camper came with an on board generator there was already an Automatic Transfer Switch in place so wiring in the inverter was easy. Shore power is wired to one of the inputs of the ATS and the generator is wired into the other input. The output from the ATS went to the breaker panel. But with the inverter the output from the ATS goes instead to the input of the inverter and the inverter output now feeds the breaker panel. The original converter/charger simply gets unplugged or disconnected from the back of the breaker panel and its 12 volt wires disconnected and taped up or removed. The inverter/charger (weighs 54 lbs) is mounted on a 1/2" thick plywood nut and bolted on the wall of the pass through storage and the front compartment where the generator and batteries are. I used 4/0 welding cables between batteries to positive and negative bus bars that feed a 400 amp ANL fuse then to a disconnect switch on the inverter side of that wall. My inverter/charger came with a (very necessary) remote panel that I mounted inside the control center cabinet where the inverter can be turned on or off and all monitoring and program changes can be made. That inverter has a built-in automatic transfer switch for when you connect or disconnect shore power. I agree about the Victron inverter, unfortunately you have to buy all kinds of other equipment to get it to work the way you want. But, it is well built and has excellent reviews.