Liberty inverter setup and amp usage

[jelmore]

We're in a 2000 Liberty. We've been on 30 amps for a couple of weeks in Mexico and perhaps this is a eureka moment in understanding how Liberty has things wired.

First, the 30 amps we have here come through a 50 amp style outlet. I don't know it gets split up, but we have 120 volts on both legs.

In trying to manage the power we have available, it seems that the red bezel circuits, the ones that run off the inverters if there is no shore power (microwave, refrigerator, water pump, etc.), continue to run off the inverters (batteries) and do not draw on the 30 amps available. I have one battery charger set to 20 amps and the other set to 5 amps. I can have running up to 50 amps and even more when the battery chargers are on without tripping the 30 amp breaker, so I'm guessing that the 25 amps we're putting into the batteries through the chargers plus whatever is in the batteries is available to the red bezel circuits. Whatever is left on the 30 amps coming in is available to all other circuits. If the battery chargers are off, I see the batteries being drawn on heavily for those red bezel circuits and not at all for the other circuits (washer, dryer, water heater, air conditioners, etc.) When we need more amps for those big items, I turn off the battery chargers and then those amps are available.

Perhaps I haven't explained this well. I'm just beginning to understand, I think.

Miss the 50 amp service in both legs, but this is good experience.

Any insight from you folks that have been around a few more blocks?

[dalej]

Jim, you are not at the Elmirador are you? (San Carlos)

[jelmore]

Jim, you are not at the Elmirador are you? (San Carlos)

Close, sort of. We drove there yesterday to take a look around San Carlos and eventually got lost in Guaymas! Pretty nice RV park in a nice resort town.

We're at La Playa in Bahia de Kino. We've had enough sand in everything and are ready to head out!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

You folks should be pretty proud of the blog your putting together. Everyone in the group with one as well.

They are all very good. It is an inspiration to both travel and learn more on the computer to be able to document it as you all are doing so well.

[jelmore]

You folks should be pretty proud of the blog your putting together. Everyone in the group with one as well.

They are all very good. It is an inspiration to both travel and learn more on the computer to be able to document it as you all are doing so well.

Well, thanks. It's embarrassing it's so out of date. Having too much fun traveling!

Hope someone jumps in on the electrical stuff. I'm sure there's a lot to learn from the experts here.

[truk4u]

Jim,

I would take a shot at it, but my experience is with Marathon and CC. Jon is your man and he's on his way to Pt St Lucie for our mini rally tomorrow. We will get him hooked up with someones laptop and get you some answers. Roger is traveling with him, so he may pick this up.

Stand by for help.....

[VegasDogMan]

Question - is the 30A Breaker a Double 30A with a 50A Socket?
If so, see 30-30 Power Cheater config below.
If Single Breaker see 30A below.

OK - From My Experience....Here's how I've run my 97 Liberty.
I have two Heart 2500 Inverters and have run coach on 20A, 30A, 30A-30A with Power Cheater and also 50A.

For 20A -
Set Dip Switches on inverter/charger to limit charge current to 5A each to prevent tripping 20A Shore Breaker. Do not run high current devices such as AC, water heater or Range as they will trip 20A breaker. Inverters will produce enough power to run most normal devices and batteries will charge slowly. You have to keep aware of power you're using and be somewhat frugal.

For 30A - (One 30A Leg feeds entire coach)
Set Dip Switches on inverter/charger to limit charge current to 5A on one and 20A on other to prevent tripping 30A Shore Breaker. Do not run all high current devices at same time. One AC and water heater is ok and range too - best to turn off water heater when cooking. Inverters will produce enough power to run most normal devices and batteries will charge reasonably well.

For 30-30 with Power Cheater (60Amps available - 30A per Leg)
Basically same as 30A but you can run Rear AC as well as EITHER Front or Mid AC but not all three.

50A - (100A Available on two 50A Legs)
Both Inverters set to charge at 30A

For more info see my posting under "Confessions of a Power Cheater" in Sparkys Corner
http://forum.prevostownersgroup.com/...ead.php?t=1401

[jelmore]

Question - is the 30A Breaker a Double 30A with a 50A Socket?
If so, see 30-30 Power Cheater config below.
If Single Breaker see 30A below.

OK - From My Experience....Here's how I've run my 97 Liberty.
I have two Heart 2500 Inverters and have run coach on 20A, 30A, 30A-30A with Power Cheater and also 50A.

Thanks. Your experience is what I have slowly discovered as best practices. The 30 amp we have now is just that, a 30 amp circuit, so our power management has been vigilant. The cooktop and outdoor grill don't work, so we're not getting any 220 volts and not making any. Everything else works fine, with management. I have kept the chargers at 5 and 20 amps (even when on a 50 amp 220 volt supply. While on 30 amps, the batteries get charged up overnight when not running any ac. We turn off the chargers during the day to run the big load items, though only a couple at a time.

When we got the coach, the chargers were set to 30 amps each, but that used too many amps and we kept blowing circuits so I turned them down. Hope that doesn't affect the batteries in a bad way. They seems to charge fine.

[Jim_Scoggins]

Instructive thread to us Liberty newbees.
Q. On 30 amps does it matter which inverter/charger you have set for 5 amps and 20 amps?

[VegasDogMan]

Doesn't make any difference which is set to 20A and which is 5A...

When plugged in to 30A or any other shore power the inverters (internal Transfer Switch) passes all AC through and performs no function other than acting to keep batteries chaarged.

Your total load on 30A service is just that.. 30A max .