Only a Licenced Electrician is permitted to connect an inverter in any mobile vehicle that can be connected to shore power. Once installed and tested, a new 240V Electrical Certificate will be issued for the van. OffGrid RV WA utilises the services of a Licenced Electrician for all inverter work.
If you want to be able to operate your 240V appliances such as microwave, coffee machine, electric jug, toaster, airfryer, CPAP machine and potentially your air conditioner, then you will need to have an inverter installed. This device draws 12V from your batteries and converts it to 240V. Generally, the inverter will be grid wired – meaning that all 240V outlets in the RV will be live from either shore power or inverter power. The more expensive inverters will have a built in automatic transfer switch, whereas just a straight inverter will need a manual transfer switch. So when you go off grid, flick the switch to transfer to inverter power and switch back when you reconnect to shore power.
Using 240V power from an inverter in an RV has special safety considerations. When the RV is connected to shore power, it has an earth link via the earth wire in the shore power connection. When not connected to shore power, the RV is earth isolated as it is sitting on rubber tyres. In the event of an appliance malfunction when on inverter power, the potential for electrocution of the user is considerably elevated. In order to minimise this risk and to comply with standards, the output of the inverter must be protected either by an inbuilt RCD or by an external safety device such an RVD.
At OffGrid RV WA, we will ask you a series of questions about your desired usage of appliances when Offgrid in order to determine the most appropriate size and type of inverter for your RV. We will also match the inverter to your battery and solar capacity.