# Inverter in the Work Van



## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

For any of you that run an inverter in your van/truck I have a few questions.
I run one but am thinking I need to do different.

Do you use a battery other than the vehicle battery?

If so, what do you use, deep cycle?

How do you keep it charged?

I just run mine on the van battery but have started to run the battery down quickly. Battery is not that old so don't know if it's going bad or can't handle the inverter.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

A Little Short said:


> For any of you that run an inverter in your van/truck I have a few questions.
> I run one but am thinking I need to do different.
> 
> Do you use a battery other than the vehicle battery?
> ...


I have a separate deep cycle battery hooked in parallel to my alternator and the only thing it runs is my inverter. I also have a spring wound timer in line with the inverter so I can never accidentally leave my inverter on and kill my battery!


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I have a 2000w/4000w peak unit under the passenger seat. I runs off a battery behind the seat. It's charged off the alternator via an isolator under the hood.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

480sparky said:


> I have a 2000w/4000w peak unit under the passenger seat. I runs off a battery behind the seat. It's charged off the alternator via an isolator under the hood.


What do you mean by "isolator"?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

A Little Short said:


> What do you mean by "isolator"?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

A Little Short said:


> What do you mean by "isolator"?


I don't know what he means by it, but I'm guessing either a switch that can disconnect the starting battery and put the inverter battery in the circuit once the van is started, or a really big diode in the lead to the starting battery to prevent the inverter from pulling current from the starting battery.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

InPhase277 said:


> ........a really big diode ...........


Two diodes, actually.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

480sparky said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGD8HAeg5UA


Do you have just a regular battery?

Which type of isolator do you have, relay or diode?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

A Little Short said:


> Do you have just a regular battery?
> 
> Which type of isolator do you have, relay or diode?


I use a smaller battery, like what a motorcycle uses. My isolator is the diode type.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

480sparky said:


> I use a smaller battery, like what a motorcycle uses. My isolator is the diode type.


Would a lawn tractor battery work?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

A Little Short said:


> Would a lawn tractor battery work?



They're usually the same.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Im also interested in doing something like this. Do you guys use it for recharging batteries and/or other stuff?


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

Majewski said:


> Im also interested in doing something like this. Do you guys use it for recharging batteries and/or other stuff?


Mainly for charging batteries for my cordless tools. Sometimes I run a cord to a panel to power it up if there is no temp power there. I don't run a load off the panel, just mainly checking lights & receptacles. Just run it long enough to check them.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I kinda of lucked out.
My KUV utility body van has a Diesel engine. The second battery is in one the larger compartments behind the drivers seat.
I was able to use the factory cables from the inverter and only had to run 2' of cable from the inverter to the battery.
It left me stranded a few times and then I realized that one of my batteries was bad. I replaced it and haven't had a problem.
All of that could have been avoided if I would have opted for an inverter with a low voltage shut off. 

If an inverter is something that you infrequently use, you might just build a portable version with its own charger or one with a set of jumper cables and connect it on demand.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Majewski said:


> Im also interested in doing something like this. Do you guys use it for recharging batteries and/or other stuff?


I use mine primarily to run power tools and temp lighting on job sites that don't have electricity yet.

'Specially to use my Hilti TE-905 to drive service ground rods with.



jrannis said:


> If an inverter is something that you infrequently use, you might just build a portable version with its own charger or one with a set of jumper cables and connect it on demand.


Or just hook up to a trickle charger when you're parked for the night.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

*Isolator vs Combiner*

So after I learned what an isolator was I started looking for one. Several places said that an isolator wasn't what I should get. They said because of a .7V voltage drop across the isolator the batteries wouldn't receive a full charge and would never get "topped off".

So they suggested a "Combiner". It does mostly the same thing as the isolator but without the voltage drop. It keeps the batteries isolated when discharging and when it senses a charge it "combines" them. So one battery won't drain the other when in use and not charging, but both will charge when the alt. is putting out.

Some call the combiner an automatic charging relay.

So I think I am going to order a "combiner" for my setup. 
This is supposed to be one of the better ones.


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## hotwire480 (Jan 10, 2015)

I'm building my new work van and plan on a 5kw inverter. I'm installing 2 batteries with a isolator/soleniod to separate the 2 batteries from the factory battery. With an isolator you can run the 2 batteries that run the inverter dead and still have the factory battery fully charged to start the van. After the engine is started the isolator engages and charges the 2 batteries that run the inverter as I drive.


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