In an Rv do the 110 volt outlets run off the inverter?

I want to hook up my satellite dish but the Tv Runs off of 110 and also the statellite box does too.

Or would i have to have a seperate inverter inside.....

Does anyone have any means for satellite out in the boonies?

 

The 110v outlets are just that 110v a/c, they are only energized when your trailer is plugged into an external power outlet. The inverter converts 110v a/c to 12v d/c to power your 12v lighting and accessories, and charge your batteries.


Tim

 

What you have now is a converter, changes 120 volts to a 12 volt dc system. That will charge your batteries and power the 12 volt accessories in the trailer.
For your tv and satelite, you will need a separate inverter, sized to fit the power draw for both. Be aware that inverters are not very efficient and will use a lot of your battery power. If you're dry camping like that, you may need to consider a generator. But I won't get into that argument over which one.

Bill

 

Some RV's are equipped with an inverter/charger, that will provide 110ac off of the batteries when not hooked up to shore power.

Some RV's with inverters only have a couple specific outlets that run off the inverter, and others are equipped with switching gear that will automatically power the trailer's 110 plugs and appliances (except AC, 110v water heater element) when no shore power is available.

In short, it depends on how the inverter is set up.

Inverters are usually only factory equipment on pretty high end stuff, so if an average RV has a stand alone inverter, or an inverter/charger, it is often an aftermarket installation.

An inverter large enough to run the micorwave and other high draw items is fairly expensive, and draws tons of battery power, so when I want to run something with big draw, I run the generator (or reheat the coffee on the stove).

I do have a small (like 200 watt) inverter that I use to run the TV/DVD player quietly. Something similar might be the cost effective setup if your RV doesn't have a built in inverter, and all you want to run is a TV and dish.

 

You are definitely confusing a converter with an inverter. If your trailer is not plugged in to an electric outlet, will your TV run? No, not unless it is a 12v tv. Can you brew a cup of coffee (electric coffee pot)? No, not unless you are plugged into an AC source. Your lights are all 12v, so don't confuse having lights to mean you have 120v magically available.

If you wish to watch TV and not run a generator, you must have an inverter. If you wish to do that very long, you better have some good batteries (note the plurality of that last word, it has an "S" on the end). Cheap inverters are quite inefficient. Good, meaning expensive, inverters can be very efficient. My Prosine 2000, if I remember correctly without going and looking it up, is 97% efficient, meaning 97% of the power drawn from the batteries is produced into ac energy. I can run about 5 hours of tv, brew several pots of coffee, mama can run her hair dryer, and run the normal 12v stuff on our rig for about days before I have to fire up the genny to recharge when I am dry camped. It sure is nice to sit by the lake, watch tv and not have to listen to a generator running.

To answer your original question concerning will all 120v outlets run off an inverter - - yes, they CAN if you install the inverter so they will. If you install a permanently mounted inverter, you will wire it into your panel, normally thru a subpanel which you install. Then, you can chose which breaker(s) from your main panel you want to power thru the inverter.

Bob

 

if you want to watch tv, its cheaper in the long run to get a 12v tv than a good inverter, i don't know if they make a 12v sattelite box, but i'll do a google on it...here's a link http://www.3rivers.net/~cmac/cmac7.htm

 

A CONverter changes 110vac to 12 vdc.

An INverter converts 12 vdc to 120vac.

CONvertes usually will house the breakers for the 110 vac power, but it's not affiliated with the converter. It's just a place to put breakers. They also usually include battery chargers. Older CONverters will just have a single or sometimes dual stage battery charger, which can cook a battery if left plugged in too long, especially in hot weater. Newer CONverter will usually have a 3 stage battery charger/maintainer.

A CONverter will do nothing if the rv is not plugged in. If your rv is equiped with a house battery, it will pass current from that battery to the 12 volts lights, power jacks, etc. It will do nothing for any 120vac outlets or appliances.

 

Did that wrong

 

Here is the one that i use. It goes to auto charge when the trailer is plug in.

http://www.topsalesdepot.com/bwapoinwibui.html

 

not wanting to steal this thread but,

hey Bob could I ask how many days your batteries last? and how many batteries do you have? my rig has 4 batt. and are almost dead by morning the rig is new but im thinking I got old shelf batt.or my inverter is not realy a good one.im real conserative with power too

 

what are you running that you wear your batteries down like that?

I can run my heater all night long on one battery and it hardly moves the voltage on the battery.

 

I have two Trojan T-105's. If you are running the typical 12v RV/Marine batteries you probably have one of them weak which is pulling the good one down - - or two weak batteries. 6v golf cart type batteries are true deep cycle - - RV/Marine are not - - they are a hybred somewhere between a high current starting battery and a deep cycle. Lift a "real" deep cycle battery and then the Rv type so called "deep cycle" and you will know in a hurry they are two different animals. Incidently, deep cycles can be run down lower without hurting them and can be recharged from that condition many more times than the RV/Marine. And, when RV/Marines are hooked in parallel, when one goes bad it typically takes the other one with it - - they must be matched. This is not critical in the series connected 6v except in the catastophic short of one battery - - that can destroy the other.

How long can I run? A typical day includes mama using her hair thingy (things that get hot pull lots of current), breakfast with the micro running about 5 minutes (lots of current), three pots of coffee thru the day (they get hot), maybe toast for breakfast (toasters get hot), the normal days activity of water pump, lights, etc. TV maybe about 2 or so hours and an hour of computer. That routine will run me about a day and a half - - I will run the genny for about an hour or so late in the afternoon on that second day, usually coupling that along with using the microwave for supper. I will then be good for another day and a half.

One advantage here in recharging is the Prosine 2000 inverter is also a high current smart charger which can put out 100a of charging current, but monitors it very closely including battery temperature. It will compensate charge rate accordingly. This allows a quicker recharge than most converters yet not overcharge.

Bob

 

I have 4 grp 24s and run very little .the refrid. has a small fan stereo light and tv light (tv not on) on cold nights its dead by 6 am. if the truck plugged in it will go all night but thats with 6 batt. I load tested the batt. but the tester gets red hot real fast ,cant find a power drain. this is the first RV with an inverter. the coach is a holiday ramble and we have had zero problems but this. and i just thought it was normal but stunk maybe im wrong . any one have a idea what to look for im thinking a bad batt. too .the family would love it if you guys help so the TV can go on

 

I have 2, 27 series deep cycle batteries in my rig, no inverter, just a standard converter/intellicharger. If I am dry camping, my fridge, hot water tank are on porpane. My fver will go all weekend with the heat on at night and using the water pump for showering ,dish's, and a small 12v t.v. What I have noticed is you have to check the water level in each battery several times a season, I have had to top each battery off with water after a heavy draw and recharge cycle. These type of batteries seem to be constant victims of poor maintenance, they require more of it, mine are 3 years old and are getting replaced this spring commission.

How do you have your batteries hooked up? With more than 2 batteries in the system the load supply should be tied to the center battery or (batteries) as to achieve the most equalized draw from all of them.

Good luck,

Tim

 

all 4 are side by side the grd is on LR ,+ on RF batt. water is full in the batt. Im thinking 1 or all are new but were old shelf batt.I tested all 4 seperatly .my frig. is on lpg but it has a small fan thats always running. hate to buy 4 new one so soon my inverter/converter is a magnum energy it charges at 50/10/3 amp max monitors batt, condition and will auto maintain at a trickle according to manu.it also auto detects A/C input to charge from power source IE power or gen or will provide 110v to 3 of the coach outlets off the batt.