INVERTERS

THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOB
I know some of you right now reading this will have read in a forum or heard from a friend of

a friend, how to use hobby inverters or you have installed or had a caravan with a 

hobby inverter in it.

​

Facts are if you what to run an Inverter in your caravan, RV, vehicle or boat you HAVE

 to abide by all legislative law written in the ASNZS wiring rules, ALL THE ASNZS

rules not just part of them.

So as we can't stop people using these death devices we hope to educate you all on what is right

AND DEADLY WRONG.

 

So can you see a picture starting to form here?
Basically all hobby inverters, eBay specials, the cheap inverter from those cheap

12volt shops,  or that cheap Satellite shop selling cheap Chinese imported non-compliant

stuff instead of satellite equipment are all only good for temporary use, connected

to the battery by clamp connectors, used on a DOUBLE INSULATED appliance 

(something without an earth pin in other words), finished with then packed away,

just because it came with a permanent type of connection cables or instructions that

said otherwise, the ASNZS wiring rules state that all inverters that are to be

permanently connected have to abide by a load of installation regulations,

not what was written on a piece of paper which has been half-cocked

Translated from Chinese into English.

​

EXPLAINING 12volt to 240volt POWER INVERTERS
A power inverter, or inverter, is an electrical power converter that changes direct current

(DC) to alternating current (AC), Solid-state inverters have no moving parts and are used

in a wide range of applications, from small switching power supplies in computers, 

to large electric utility high-voltage direct current applications that transport bulk.
The inverter performs the opposite function of a rectifier. The electrical inverter is a

high-power electronic oscillator. It is so named because early mechanical AC to DC 

converters was made to work in reverse, and thus were "inverted",

to convert DC to AC power.

DANGERS OF INVERTERS
Time and time again we see caravans coming in where the customer has installed an

Inverter into the caravan, there is a power lead from the inverter and its joining into

the 240volt system of the caravan, powering the entire 240volt system of the caravan.
THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.
The caravan requires earth, this earth comes from the 15amp lead

you use to power the caravan from the plugged-in source.
If a fault occurs with either the 240volt wiring or an appliance being connected into

the 240volt wiring there are two safety features built into the wiring:

1. The earth wiring itself, the earth provides a ground potential of all metal objects

connected to the caravan's 240volt wiring, YES that means the metal cladding on the

outside of your caravan as well.

2. The RCDMCD, a residual current device cutout device stopping the flow of power

to earth should an electrocution or an earth breakdown occur, this does not work

if being powered from a standard inverter, the inverter needs to be specially wired

internally from the manufacturer to achieve this protection.

In short, an Inverter should only connect from a 12volt outlet directly to small

appliances, like a phone charger, computer, satellite TV unit or the TV itself,

anything with an earth pin on the plug should not be connected.

RULE OF THUMB - Anything with a metal body which has the 240volt power lead

connecting it directly to the powerpoint like a toaster or kettle should never be

connected to an Inverter.

240volt power kills, just because it is in a caravan, comes out of a 
generator or power inverter doesn't mean it won't kill the same as 
the 240volt power in your home.
Unlicensed electrical work risks harm to yourself and your family.

PLEASE ALWAYS USE A LICENSED CARAVAN ELECTRICIAN
ALWAYS DEMAND A 240volt CERTIFICATE, IF YOU DON'T GET ONE REPORT IT TO ENERGY SAFETY