Inverter/charger for wheelhouse

[coffee]

I would like to add an inverter/charger to my wheelhouse.  Suggestions?  I do have a 2000 generator.

[papadarv]

An inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

A Charger is a device for charging a battery or battery-powered equipment.

 

Your generator already is an "inverter/charger" so I think your talking about the inverter.

 

They come in a number of watts of 120 VA/C output. The greater the watt output the faster your battery will drain even if your not using the A/C. I have a 400 watt in my wheel house to charge ion batteries, my computer and occasionally a cell phone when someone forgets their car charger and only brings their A/C charger. Its plenty of power. If I need more A/C power, I fire up the generator.

 

I connect the inverter to my battery using alligator clips and only clip it on the battery when needed. You could hard wire the inverter to your battery, but I suggest you also add a switch to turn it off when not in use.

 

This is what the typically look like

[wishinferfishin]

You could add an RV power converter.  All your 12 will run off the converter while your generator is running and  maintain your battery, when you shut the generator off it will run off the Battery, lets you run large 12 volt load without draining your battery

 

[Whoaru99]

On 12/3/2015 at 11:47 AM, papadarv said:

An inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

A Charger is a device for charging a battery or battery-powered equipment.

 

Your generator already is an "inverter/charger" so I think your talking about the inverter.

 

They come in a number of watts of 120 VA/C output. The greater the watt output the faster your battery will drain even if your not using the A/C. I have a 400 watt in my wheel house to charge ion batteries, my computer and occasionally a cell phone when someone forgets their car charger and only brings their A/C charger. Its plenty of power. If I need more A/C power, I fire up the generator.

 

I connect the inverter to my battery using alligator clips and only clip it on the battery when needed. You could hard wire the inverter to your battery, but I suggest you also add a switch to turn it off when not in use.

 

This is what the typically look like

While what you say about the difference between an inverter and charger is true, there are inverter/chargers.

Here is but one example: http://www.donrowe.com/Xantrex-806-1020-Freedom-HF-1000-p/806-1020.htm

With an inverter/charger when the unit is seeing external AC power, like if you had the generator connected to it and running, it acts as a pass though for the generator AC to the connected loads. Simultaneously it is charging/maintaining the batteries. When the generator stops/external AC is disconnected, the inverter/charger automatically switches to inverter mode keeping AC power to the load but now supplied by the inverter & batteries.

Think of it sorta like the uninterruptible power supply you may have on your computer. When there is incoming AC, the AC powers the computer. If you lose AC power the UPS switches to inverter+battery mode to keep the computer going.

 

Edited January 14, 2016 by Whoaru99