Doing a lot of rewire work on the van, setting up for free camping so all will be 12 volt or gas but still retaining the 240 system. I currently have a 240 volt power point under the seat which did operate a 240v to 12 volt transformer (thats comming out), I have thought about putting my inverter (300w I think will do) under that seat and making a piggyback plug from the inverter to that power point. That would then supply 240 v to all my outlets so I could use any of the 240 v outlets to run phone chargers, charge laptop, run tv/dvd. Dont propose to use the inverter much but it seems an easy soliution. Thoughts please.
cheers
blaze

Hi blaze, If wat I think you are going to do, use a male plug into a powerpoint under the seat could be a bit dangerous. Beter idea is run a lead from the inverter to the 240v inlet on the outside of the van. This is what ido to run power from my Genny on the A frame.cord is tied along the side of the van. Cheers Daryl

Hi
That was my only concern because the 15 amp inlet on the side of the van would be live but under a cover. Was try to keep it all inside for tassie weather.
cheers
blaze

Hi Robert, THIS IS IMPORTANT...(deliberate shouting).... Do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES wire your system so that the inverter 240v output and the 240v mains power could EVEN INADVERTENTLY be simultaneously interconnected. Even with either the power and/or the inverter switched off. Be VERY careful using poofter plugs (piggyback in polite society) that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES can power "appear" at the exposed pins. Jim

make your inverter go to a plug the correct way do not use a male end off the inverter or someone sometime will die you could still put your inverter under the seat but feed it to a different outlet the correct way, just put the outlet next to the existing outlet and mark it "inverter" dont hardwire it in to the vans constant or possible electrics!

What about if I fit an external 10 amp socket and then when the inverter is needed I can run a lead from there too my normal 15 amp imput, that way there is no way the 15 amp imput socket can be used when the inverter is plugged in
cheers
blaze

Blaze, consult a qualified electritian before you kill someone.......PLEASE. Cheers Peter

Hi Robert,

As Dave06 warns in his post, doing anything incorrectly with 240 Volts can be fatal!

Speaking as a 'Qualified Electrician' of many years, there are some very fundamental differences and requirements, when it comes to wiring up RV's.

If you click on this link below, you will be taken to the site of Collyn Rivers.

http://www.caravanandmotorhomebooks.com/books/index.htm

This gentleman, in my view, is one of Australia's leading authorities in this field.

But, above all Robert, please do take every precaution when dealing with anything that produces or uses 240 Volts. 

I endorse the comments above suggesting you talk to licensed sparky. I say this with all due respects to you, but it seems just from reading your post that your knowledge in this area may be just enough to get you dangerously into trouble. That said, please do not feel bad about having asked the question. I've said it before, the only dumb questions are the ones not asked, and if it has saved you from doing something potentially dangerous it has been well worthwhile. Jim

jimricho wrote:

---

I endorse the comments above suggesting you talk to licensed sparky.

I say this with all due respects to you, but it seems just from reading your post that your knowledge in this area may be just enough to get you dangerously into trouble.

That said, please do not feel bad about having asked the question. I've said it before, the only dumb questions are the ones not asked, and if it has saved you from doing something potentially dangerous it has been well worthwhile.

Jim

---

Surely we could always ask oldtrack for the correct and only way to do this????????????????.     OK I'm heading for the hills now.

 

Thanks for the comments, I now know what I want to do is possible and seems like quite a common thing. The link supplied by the palebushman has the answers I was looking for. I find if you dont know what you want to achieve and how to achieve the end results that you end up with a tradie doing what he wants and at the price he wants to charge. thanks again to all cheers blaze

JRH wrote:

---

OK I'm heading for the hills now.

---

Make sure you change your medication before you come back!!!

 

jimricho wrote:

---

 

JRH wrote:

---

OK I'm heading for the hills now.

---

Make sure you change your medication before you come back!!!

 

 

---

A moment of insanity perhaps

 

ah a moment of insanity now there is only one legal way to correct this!!! HAH!! join the club john we're all insane!

Robert we weren't trying to dissuade you from doing it yourself it's just that we must be careful of any advice we give the normal use of an inverter is for single items and not whole van applications although this does happen in larger more expensive units which require a switching system that is too complex to go into here, I have done a couple and that becomes very involved normally a "home built" camping system is a battery connected to an inverter then something like a telly is plugged into that then a recharging method to re power the battery

I would recommend that you do not disturb the vans wiring or connect the inverter into the system in any way. I would suggest you add a double power point that is wired to the inverter and keep the two systems separate.

dave06 wrote:

---

ah a moment of insanity now there is only one legal way to correct this!!! HAH!! join the club john we're all insane!

---

Yep but don't tell everyone they may want to join also.

Hope all is well in your world Dave0.

 

couldn't be better John!, sun still shines, birds still sing, I got a little mate that rides with me now, a little sparrow hawk, he sits up on the auger, when a mouse or quail flies out from the comb he rips in and grabs it he's been with me now for three days, getting to be a fat little bugger, I am also getting those barn owls frequenting me at night as well, very pretty, then of course the whistling kites diving in but they aren't as game as the little spoggy hawk when I stop for lunch or a nature call he doesn't fly away he just waits for me or even comes over in the shade a little away from me and gives me curry

dave06 wrote:

---

couldn't be better John!, sun still shines, birds still sing, I got a little mate that rides with me now, a little sparrow hawk, he sits up on the auger, when a mouse or quail flies out from the comb he rips in and grabs it

he's been with me now for three days, getting to be a fat little bugger, I am also getting those barn owls frequenting me at night as well, very pretty, then of course the whistling kites diving in but they aren't as game as the little spoggy hawk

when I stop for lunch or a nature call he doesn't fly away he just waits for me or even comes over in the shade a little away from me and gives me curry

---

Damned fantastic Dave0, must make working much more pleasurable. 

Isn't nature just fantastic, how the hell can some of those mongrels hurt such wonderful creatures?

 

makes you wonder!

We've gone and hijacked Blaze's topic, many apologies Blaze.

Keep up the good work Dave0.