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Inverter/Charger Use

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Joel Weiss:

--- Quote from: Keith Oliver ---
 Know that without any load whatsoever, the inverter itself will suck your batteries down quite quickly, so be careful to use it only when you need to.  If you are mobile, your alternator will easily supply all your inverter will consume, so you don't need to worry about having the inverter on while you drive.  Just be careful when you are dry camping, to keep the inverter off at all times that it isn't needed.
--- End quote ---

I don't know if there's something wrong with your inverter, but ours sure doesn't suck the batteries down unless there is a load.  Since we have a residential fridge we need 120V power all the time, so we never turn the inverter off--ever.  We never had any problems doing this when we had the Xantrex and our new Magnum is significantly more efficient than the Xantrex was.

Keith Oliver:
Joel:

I have a much newer Xantrex inverter on my boat, on which I have measured consumtion of power just to run the inverter.  On that MS2000, before turning on any load whatsoever, the inverter uses between 6 and 8 amps.  When using an AC appliance, the readings are consistent with adding the rated amperage of the appliance to the power needed to keep the inverter turned on.
I haven't actually measured the "Freedom" on my 1998 Contessa, but with its technology being 7 or 8 years older, I doubt it is as efficient as the inverter on my boat, so I am just as vigilant of the "inverter - off" switch.  I wouldn't want the unwary to suffer a depleted battery without knowing about the inverter's own load.

I don't doubt your stated lack of problems, but you no doubt closely monitor your battery state while dry camping, due to having an AC load that must be supplied all of the time.

Joel Weiss:
Keith:

I just checked the specs for my new Magnum MS2812 and its power consumption without load is rated at 30 watts (2.5 A).  That's a lot less than what you are measuring on the Xantrex.  Furthermore, if you are willing to let it "turn off" unless it sees a large load (which means it probably won't power the TV and other devices which draw small currents when off) then it will draw <8 watts while "searching" for a load.  Sounds like technology has improved a lot over the past decade.

In comparison the Xantrex 458 manual that I still have online does cite 12A as the no-load current drain for that unit.  You're not seeing that much and neither did I but that's all the manufacturer claims it will do.   I guess I simply never realized it could consume that much power; that's why its cooling fan seemed to be always running.

Joel

Keith Oliver:
Joel:  Thanks for looking those numbers up.  I don't think the old "Freedom" has a mode that would allow you to leave it off and come on by itself when it sees a load, so I wouldn't ever just leave it on.  My MS2000 does have such a setting, and it wouldn't come on for small loads, so getting it to power the microwave eg, was a hassle, as it wouldn't recognize the microwave in that mode, although it is a large load once you press start.  
I guess, based on the year of his coach, that the OP, Gary, has an old "Freedom".

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