First use of inverter

S

stinson

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 25, 2020
Messages
78
Fluid Motion Model
C-242 C
Hi guys I am on hook and using my inverter for the first time I threw the inverter breaker and nothing happened I rotated the breaker in the battery hold and still nothing happened am I missing something fundamental here?
 
ON my boat the Inverter button is on the KSIA control panel in the mid berth, press rocker switch once and hold for 2-3 seconds to turn on. Green LED light will come on. Press again to turn off. Turn off shore power breaker and slide lock up, then turn on inverter breaker. Voltage on control panel should read 120
 
Awesome you just save the night now we can have warm meatball subs thank you
 
stinson":227lbqut said:
Awesome you just save the night now we can have warm meatball subs thank you
Click to expand...

Hint: Start the engine/motor whenever you're going to turn on the inverter. Those meatballs will take a lot out of your battery!
 
Chimo - I've been doing that instinctively, idling engine before daring to use the microwave. Does it work? Is there a minimum RPM threshold before the alternator kicks in?

/tmm
 
The outboards use a stator, as opposed to an alternator. My F200 puts out about 30 Amps at idle. 40 Amps at cruise.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
As a bit of info for those of us who have diesels, I recently added a Victron monitor. After a night on the hook and consuming a bunch of aH I started the engine. Charging showed at about 30A. I turned on the Inverter and that jumped to 40A. When I turned on the microwave there was a noticeable audible bump in the load on the engine and input showed 80A. Of course most of that was going to the microwave and not to the batteries. All measurements at idle. I haven't seen an alternator output/rpm curve. The alternator is rated 160A max.

I never run the inverter or the thrusters without the engine running.
 
Oh, I shouldn't have spoken so fast. With my motor running I kept resetting the inverter when trying to use the microwave. Should I have increased the RPM?

Okay, so the math here says does the inverter have the output capability to power the Microwave. It seems regardless of what the motor can put out, the electronics in the inverter needs to be able to support the load.

My manual has several models ranging from 1000W to 2000W.

My questions are:
1. What model does the R23 have?
2. Where is it?
3. How much does the microwave draw?

Thanks for all your help. I thought I was going to be a hero on the hook but it wasn't that easy.....
 
Curious about the inverter, We only use it for coffee in the morning, once coffee is made I shut it off do not start the engine for this. What happens if you forget to shut of the inverter while traveling and does it charge the batteries with shore power automatically? Just got the new boat in July and I am very frugal with the power while on anchor my wife calls me a Power Nazi. As of yet we have not plugged into shore power and I use the solar panel meter for voltage for battery condition. Not sure if that’s a good idea and what would be critical voltage? We have the USB port which gives a voltage reading, the lowest voltage I have seen is 12.2 and as of last night it was 13. Thanks
 
I always start the engine and idle while using the micro... Anything else, as long as it's short-term such as making coffee, I'll rely on my batt bank if I have the AH.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should never try to use the inverter as a battery charger. Although the switch combination makes it 'possible' (Turn on the inverter; turn on main inverter power source switch; turn on battery charger switch), it makes no sense. You are using battery power to charge the battery... and the process uses AH to run, therefore it's a circle that is draining power as it runs. The result, if left to run long enough, is a dead batt bank.
 
Brian98133":n0zfvy2t said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should never try to use the inverter as a battery charger.
Click to expand...
You are correct.
 
Margo, what model do you have? Some have a separate inverter and battery charger (my R-23, for example) some have a combined inverter/charger in a single unit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
This post is to add a clarifying info for future searches on this site regarding battery charging and inverters.

Some models of Tugs and Cuts have “combined inverter/chargers”. Unfortunately, this creates confusion. An inverter NEVER charges the batteries (in fact, an inverter does the opposite by discharging the batteries very quickly as noted above). The inverter creates 120 VAC from a 12VDC battery at a 10x amp draw from the batteries! The Battery Charger feature of a “inverter/charger” creates 12VDC charging voltages from 120VAC but this charging function works ONLY IF YOU ARE CONNECTED TO SHORE POWER (120VAC).

They are essentially opposite functions, Inverter = 12VDC to 120VAC, Battery Charger = 120 VAC to 12VDC (adjusted for battery charge voltage needs). The current is flowing the opposite way in each. The automated feature to switch between these two opposite modes only makes the confusion worse. When you do not have shore power (120VAC), you have limited battery capacity, and you ONLY want your inverter ON when you actually need it (and are carefully monitoring battery consumption)! Switching automatically to Inverter mode will drain your batteries fast if any 120VAC appliance is on.

I see a lot of posts referring to the the Inverter/charger as the “Inverter” when they really mean the Battery Charger (or vice versa). Having them combined in one unit makes it really confusing! Their opposite functions actually save parts (and thus cost) due to their similar but opposite nature. That is why they are combined.

Note: The above is still true even if the Inverter and Battery Charger are separate units as on our boat. It just may be more obvious that they provide the opposite function when they are separate devices.

Curt
 
I would add that my inverter switch is probably ranked as one of the top "most used switches" on my boat.

Turn the inverter on as I need 120v power (making sure I have the AH in the batt bank and/or utilizing the amperage from the running OB), and turn it directly off once that load is done.
 
Thanks all for all the great post. I have a 2019 Ranger 23 that I have been trying to get the inverter to work for over six months. I finally read this post and especially the video on the Elvin Ray. My AC panel board is very similar to the one on the Elvin Ray … except for the reset power button for AC power that is under the AC panel.
Using the video as a guide this is the process… I use the following procedure to turn on the inverter🙁procedure assumes that all the power buttons in the lazaret on the port side are in the proper on position):
Turn off all loads on AC panel
Turn off main AC panel power switch
Press test reset button under AC panel.. red light should start to flash.
Press KISAE inverter remote switch to the right of Engine and house power main switches for two seconds
(Green LED light should now be on KISAE switch and inverter switch)
Turn on inverter switch on AC panel now (sliding black slide bar up out of the way of the inverter switch)
Success..,AC board is now active!
 
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