Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Silas Pradetto

Silas Pradetto

Graduate Student
Jan 11, 2011
2,130
1
0
Land of Steady Habits
www.concertsunlimited.com
I happened to pick up a nice 3kw RV inverter and it needed an enclosure, so since we have a case shop, I whipped one up. Final product has nice lugs on the outside (to handle the maximum input current of 310 amps!) and two duplex receptacles to handle to the two hot legs the inverter provides. The control panel is mounted on the top and there are two fans for cross-flow ventilation. The top comes off if I need to work on the inside.

All said and done, it weighs about 50 pounds, and works great.

Pics:

1119898_539152422789318_19697197_o.jpg1094503_539152399455987_100808618_o.jpg1078779_539152366122657_199234137_o.jpg
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

I really like how close together the lugs are, with no insulation and all ;)~;-)~:wink:
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Per Søvik said:
I really like how close together the lugs are, with no insulation and all ;)~;-)~:wink:
Click to expand...

It's 12 volts DC. Blame Adrian for the spacing, but the inverter takes up pretty much all the space inside the case. Also the lugs connect to #1 AWG high-strand copper on the inside, something that doesn't like to bend with a 2" radius at all, so to move them farther apart would have been difficult.

It's hard to see from the angle, but there is over 1/2" between the closest part (the fender washer up against the ABS).
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Silas Pradetto said:
It's 12 volts DC.
Click to expand...

I know, but it is always a good idea to have some means of separation that prevents accidental shortening from a tool or anything falling on the lugs. A separating "wall" between the two lugs is often the easiest solution.

Nice box though. :thumbup:
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

It's a pretty case, but not road friendly. Those lugs hanging off the side would either end up broken off, or will end up lodged in someones leg as they move the case around. Also, having the bare lugs exposed like that, so close together is asking for a mistake to happen. Drop a screwdriver and you could get a short across the lugs pretty easily. A protective door over the lugs in some way would definitely be recommended.
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Danger.
It is so easy to touch across both of them with a tool or something. With multiple batteries attached top this it would be scary.
The voltage won't hurt you but the flying slag and sparks from a contact short will hurt.
I would change them out to a pigtail with one of those DC connectors like an electric forklift uses for it's battery pack.

And on a slight topic swerve, how does the grounding work with an inverter? Is it just the (-) terminal on the battery? (I've gotten some weird behavior running my laptop off of a sine-wave inverter and my computer's charger and was just wondering)
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

The ground point depends on the inverter design. You definitely want to ground the AC side of the system, especially when you have more than one power source around. The grounds being different can be fatal.
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Craig Hauber said:
Danger.
It is so easy to touch across both of them with a tool or something. With multiple batteries attached top this it would be scary.
The voltage won't hurt you but the flying slag and sparks from a contact short will hurt.
I would change them out to a pigtail with one of those DC connectors like an electric forklift uses for it's battery pack.

And on a slight topic swerve, how does the grounding work with an inverter? Is it just the (-) terminal on the battery? (I've gotten some weird behavior running my laptop off of a sine-wave inverter and my computer's charger and was just wondering)
Click to expand...

Multipole Connectors
 
Re: Custom 3kw inverter setup! with pics!

Silas Pradetto said:
It's 12 volts DC. Blame Adrian for the spacing, but the inverter takes up pretty much all the space inside the case. Also the lugs connect to #1 AWG high-strand copper on the inside, something that doesn't like to bend with a 2" radius at all, so to move them farther apart would have been difficult.

It's hard to see from the angle, but there is over 1/2" between the closest part (the fender washer up against the ABS).
Click to expand...

A whole 1/2"? Wow!

Seriously Silas, I would put some sort of plastic shield around those lugs. Voltage doesn't matter when you drop an Allen wrench or screwdriver on those things. It will arc weld it fast, and then melt the falling object or your wire. Either way you are asking for a disaster there.
 
Top Bottom