Second Chance Gemini 3400

I felt the need to be able to run small AC appliances using battery power would
come up. I wanted to be able to plug in my notebook computer, phone charger, etc
while sailing or anchored out. I purchased a 700 watt DC inverter and hard wired it
into the electrical panel.

I installed the inverter in the electrical room / basement / port aft berth just above the
drawer. I wired the 12V input directly to the house batteries which are 2 batteries wired
in parallel. I wired the output to a pair of double throw, double pole switches, rated at
10 amps. I wired the other side of the switch to the 120vac bus and the common side of
the switch to the input of the starboard and port AC breakers. These switches were mounted
just to the right of the starboard and port ac breakers on the AC panel. Ground was tied to
common ground. The second side of the switch was to switch the neutral leg respectively.
This allowed me to select where these outlets got their power from, either from the main AC
bus or the inverter. By wiring it into the main bus, it also meant that you did not have to drag
extension cords around the boat to use it. I also mounted a surge strip above the generator
that is on the inverter only for use in the electrical room.

Update 2010 - 700 Watts was nice but not enough to actuall run much. With the addition of the
Wind Generator and 500AH battery bank, a 3000 watt inverter replaced the 700 watt inverter.
There does seem to be an issue when the inverter is turned on using too much power.
I may seek a more effecient inverter if it becomes and issue.

I also wired the Dometic fridge into the inverter via a switch on the 120VAC bus.

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