Advice needed installing an Inverter Charger Go Power IC-3000??

I?m hoping to get some practical advice from someone who has installed an inverter/converter all in one unit in their RV.  I need to clarify some installation issues and find out if there are any RV specific issues I might run into.

The Go Power IC-3000, a 3000 watt Inverter/charger/50Amp transfer switch all-in-one, seems to be the way to go for a 50Amp trailer over the Xantrex and Magnum inverter/chargers as I didn't see a similar one for 12V systems and a 50Amp RV.  The price seems to much cheaper for the IC-3000 but I'm not sure the remote is advanced as its competitors. I have seen another product line about 1/2 this cost but never heard of it.  Because of the built-in 50Amp transfer switch, the IC-3000 should be relatively easy to install using the existing electrical distribution center (electrical sub-panel not needed).

I have two (2) Group-8D 12V batteries wired in parallel in the front bay so there should be ample current supply.  The electrical panel and charger are located behind the pass-thru storage about 4 feet away although, the panel is about 6ft high.

From my understanding, the IC-3000 (has 2 x 120V legs) is wired in line with the 50Amp AC shore power cable to the AC electrical panel and then wired directly to  the 12V battery.  I would need to install a larger wire gauge (maybe 1/0) to handle the DC amps pulled from the battery, a large amperage cut-off switch, and a fuse rated to the max wire amperage. Of course the existing battery charger would be removed from the RV.

Issues:
1) The existing battery connection to the electrical panel stay as is to supply dc power throughout the coach.
2) I need to compute the current draw from the batteries for a 3000W (or 4800W Surge) to size the wire, fuse, and cutoff switch.
3) Does the hard wired surge protector (Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C) goes before the IC-3000 or after (between the IC-3000 & electrical panel). I'm hoping before, so I can use the EMS as a junction box for the AC Cable to connect the additional 50Amp power cable for the longer run to the IC-3000 to be mounted in the front bay.
4) My last issue is connecting the neutral to the RV ground (earth ground). I believe this should be done on the AC out side of the IC-3000 (between the IC-3000 & electrical panel).

So, does this make sense?  Would a Magnum or Xantrex product be better? Are there other issues I need to look out for? Any advice selecting the wire, etc would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

Hi Aaron, welcome to The RV Forum!

Page 20 of the IC-3000 manual gives recommended wire sizing and maximum distances between the inverter and batteries along with the required fuse sizes.  2/0 cable allows 5 ft. of round trip cable between the batteries and the inverter, 4/0 cable allows up to 10 ft. round trip.

The surge suppressor should go between the incoming shore power and the inverter, so it can protect the inverter along with the rest of the rig's electronics from incoming voltage surges.

Neutral and ground are NOT tied together in an RV because it is a subpanel when it's connected to the park's electrical system.  The only place they are bonded is at the park's main power panel.

However, you do need a neutral to ground bond at a seperate power source, i.e. the inverter when it is running.

Fortunately, the IC-3000's transfer switch does this automatically, bonding neutral to ground when the inverter is on line and properly removing the bond  when it's passing through shore power.  There's no need for a second neutral to ground bond on the inverter output.

Be sure to include the recommended high current fuse and disconnect in the positive battery line, also on Page 20 of the manual.

In case you don't have the IC-3000 manual, here's a link to download it:

Go Power IC-3000 Manual

Well with 3k Watts perhaps it can do things the 2K units can not (like an air conditioner)

$1400+ on amazon. Looks like a good unit.

Even though it has a 50 amp transfer switch I would still install it just like my Prosine 2000 watt unit

Main panel--30 amp branch breaker--10ga (or 8) wire--Inverter--More wire--Sub panel
The sub panel is a 2nd breaker box, in my case located Behind the primary

You "Transfer" selected circuits to the sub panel
In my case. TV/Electronics (All of 'em) GFCI chai9n (Ki9tchen, bath, patio over the dining room table)
and Microwave..  That really is easier than messing with 50 amp cables.

Also,,, I found my "engine charging" is not fast enough to run the fridge on Electric via the inverter.. I'd not want to think about how long 500+ Amp Hours of batteries woudl last powering one 13.5 amp air conditioenr (about 20 minutes if I"m lucky) so  I rather like the sub panel does not feed anything I don't want eating inverter power.

OK, That makes sense.  I will have very short wire runs but I'll go with the larger wire to ensure it handles the rated surge current. 

Good to know about the Neutral and ground. I didn't see that info in the manual about the transfer switch.

Thanks for all of your help.

Hey, I have the Old IC-2000 installed. All I had to do was take the wire from the panel going to the xfer switch and wire that in to the inverter. Then just had to run a 5ft cable from the inverter to the xfer swictch. Easy as pie.