Battery charger / inverter

[NYSail]

Hello all...
so getting ready to do a few winter things and had a general question. I am considering removing my Xantrex 3000 inverter to use space as a better battery compartment that will be out of engine room. We rarely use it, however I would like to have one for basic items (not microwave, hair dryer or coffee maker). Eventually I will want to upgrade my battery charger to a 60 amp from the current 40 amp and was wondering if others have the combination charger / inverter and are they a viable option or are you loading too much into a single electrical devise.

Thanks

 

[uncledom]

Mine worked like a charm right up until it didn't and then it was a lot of money to replace. I'm not a fan of repairing items older than 10 years. It's compact and did exactly what it was supposed to do. It was a 200W Magnum, and so is the new one.

 

[Gunni]

I removed my xantrex 3000 inverter and used the space to install a 500 Ah battery bank, combining that with a 100A Mastervolt battery charger to get the kind of high charge rate my AGM’s needed. I don’t miss the inverter since I have a 5.5KV AC genset and a robust 12vdc supply strategy. If you search the forum you will find the coaching Maine Sail offered in this upgrade. If you are going to do the change make sure you get a truly smart charger with external temp sensing and plenty of bulk charge capability. I couldn’t find a true equivalent in a charger/inverter.

 

[NYSail]

Yes.... the inverter is in my opinion a waste of space for us and would be better used for a large battery bank out of the engine compartment. I am dealing with Maine Sail with the purchase of a new alternator, just wanted feedback from the group regarding the charger / inverter combo.

 

[Benny17441]

Are there any other priorities besides a microwave oven and a coffee maker? I guess a TV and perhaps a sound system but don't forget running power tools. Upgrading the batteries system is a costly endeavor as upgrading one components requires an upgrade to all the others; just make sure it is "needs" driven. I had a friend that wanted to upgrade his system to accommodate one extended trip that he makes once a year; I was finally able to convince him to instead pack a Honda 2000 generator for that trip. I would look for a way to retain the usage of an inverter.