Best location for inverter in an unconverted Freda

[paulim]

Hi, I'm just fitting a leisure battery and have an inverter ready to fit and I wondered if anyone has any advice on where to fit it. Things I've tried to consider but haven't been able to conclude anything from:

• * need access to front for socket and back for on / off switch
  * Our awning would suggest access through the sliding door would be good, although it wouldn't run for long on a leisure battery.
  * Running a fridge would probably be at the back of the van so that might be useful
  * But having access to it from the driver /passenger seats would also be good.

So has anyone come up with a clever arrangement they might like to share?

Thanks,
Pauli

[Gasy]

It wants to be as close to your battery as possible ( shorter cables the better ) don't forget to fuse it at battery end
Don't think it would run a fridge ( unless big inverta and battery )your better of with a 12v leisure battery supply for fridge

[paulim]

Not challenging, just ignorant - why should it be close to the battery?

I will fuse it - 30A on a 300W inverter. I imagined 30A ought to be plenty for a fridge - have I missed something (again)?!

[Diplomat]

230V ac is less lossy when travelling down cables than is 12V dc.

A popular location is up high in the passenger footwell as long as there is some air flow around the cooling fins. There is a horizontal member there which it can be strapped onto with jubilee clips (used in series to give required length).


Frank

[paulim]

Got it - more efficient to run a 240v extension than the equivalent length in dc. Thanks, I'll try and strap it up in the footwell.

[dreamwarrioruk]

i have a 1000watt inverter fastened to the steel rail that appears if you lower down the glovebox. There are 2 thick (4 gauge i think without looking) cables running through the grommet to the leisure battery. Protected by 50amp fuses, Ive not got round to fitting a remote switch but just open glove box to reach switch currently. Running through a relay to the sockets in the back powered by the 240v side of the hookup. Works well but may be more than you require.

[mikeonb4c]

i have a 1000watt inverter fastened to the steel rail that appears if you lower down the glovebox. There are 2 thick (4 gauge i think without looking) cables running through the grommet to the leisure battery. Protected by 50amp fuses, Ive not got round to fitting a remote switch but just open glove box to reach switch currently. Running through a relay to the sockets in the back powered by the 240v side of the hookup. Works well but may be more than you require.

Same here, but mine's not as big as Mike's

[dreamwarrioruk]

cant beat a large one for running the george foreman grill, since changed grill so not required as big, obviously cant fit 6 sausages and 2 rashers of bacon on at a time now

[digitalgypsy]

Hello all, hope you don't mind me diverting this topic with another question, rather than starting a new thread...

Just bought a pure sinewave 600w inverter myself from Maplins and will be mounting under glovebox as recommended. I figured I would need a 60amp fuse but can't for the life of me find a fuse holder for that size fuse. What fuse folders are you guys using??

Many thanks!

[mikeonb4c]

Hello all, hope you don't mind me diverting this topic with another question, rather than starting a new thread...

Just bought a pure sinewave 600w inverter myself from Maplins and will be mounting under glovebox as recommended. I figured I would need a 60amp fuse but can't for the life of me find a fuse holder for that size fuse. What fuse folders are you guys using??

Many thanks!

I'm no electrician but doesn't a device like that come ready fused so you don't need one as long as the supply wire is suitably rated? That's how I've done mine anyway.

[digitalgypsy]

That would certainly save a lot of hassle Mike. What wattage inverter have you got, out of interest??

[winchman]

[
I'm no electrician but doesn't a device like that come ready fused so you don't need one as long as the supply wire is suitably rated? That's how I've done mine anyway.[/quote]
It depends, some of the cheaper stuff isn't fused at all.
Its good practice to fit a fuse at the point its connected to the battery, this will then protect the cable feeding the inverter if you fit the correct size.

[winchman]

Hello all, hope you don't mind me diverting this topic with another question, rather than starting a new thread...

Just bought a pure sinewave 600w inverter myself from Maplins and will be mounting under glovebox as recommended. I figured I would need a 60amp fuse but can't for the life of me find a fuse holder for that size fuse. What fuse folders are you guys using??

Many thanks!

Heres the fuse
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60-amp-MAXI-B ... 2c6d3d466f
A standard fuse holder will do providing you can get the cables to fit in it
This sort of thing
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/In-Line-Maxi- ... 41614f665b

[winchman]

It wants to be as close to your battery as possible ( shorter cables the better ) don't forget to fuse it at battery end
Don't think it would run a fridge ( unless big inverta and battery )your better of with a 12v leisure battery supply for fridge

I know a man who sells Dometic fridges that only use 65w so can be ran from a cheap 150w inverter, even the light is LED to save power

[mikeonb4c]

That would certainly save a lot of hassle Mike. What wattage inverter have you got, out of interest??

Mine's 300w but I'd recommend bigger. The problem with these things is that they tend to trip out if there is even a momentary overload due to the initial capacitance of the device being plugged in. A quick reset usually sorts that though things like fridges might be trickier. I think mine is fused and its certainly intended for connection straight to the battery from the crocodile clip cables supplied with it.