Is there an RV inverter charger that doesn't "search" for loads?

[bigfatguy]

I have a Class B, battery power is limited.

I want an inverter that is very definitely OFF unless I turn it on.

it seems, all RV oriented inverters go into a "search" mode where they check several times a second to see if something is connected... which means my microwave will never shut off, or will flicker on and off, and the thing will burn power all day long.

is there an inverter in the RV market, that can "pass through" shore power, but that is fully manual when it comes to generating 120v from the batteries?

 

[Kevin Means]

Do you know what brand inverter you have? Ours is a Magnum 2812, and if I turn it on, but leave all our A/C appliances off, the inverter will go into a standby mode to save battery power. If I turn one or more of those appliances back on, the inverter will sense that a specific power threshold has been exceeded, and it will wake up and start providing power again. That threshold is adjustable in a menu that's accessed through the remote. If I turn the inverter off at the remote, none of our A/C appliances will work.

Kev

 

[John From Detroit]

Ok, far as I know ALL inverters have an OFF/ON switch or button
When ON they have 3 modes: Standby (Manual) Automatic (Search for loads) ON (manual)
At least some have those.. Others are just OFF/ON (No standby mode or auto mode).

I know both my Xantrex inverters work that way though the one I have now seems to have an issue.. Will fix soon.

Check out the Xantres Freedom series.  THey do have an off button.. 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most inverter brands have a set-up parameter that turns on/off the Search mode.  You will probably have to read the inverter manual to be sure before buying.

Like you, I would want search mode to be disabled, so OFF is really off.

 

[bigfatguy]

Do you know what brand inverter you have? Ours is a Magnum 2812, and if I turn it on, but leave all our A/C appliances off, the inverter will go into a standby mode to save battery power. If I turn one or more of those appliances back on, the inverter will sense that a specific power threshold has been exceeded, and it will wake up and start providing power again. That threshold is adjustable in a menu that's accessed through the remote. If I turn the inverter off at the remote, none of our A/C appliances will work.

Kev

The magnum 3000 is one I was looking at... but, assuming you turn it off at the control panel, how long does it stay off without going into search mode? I hate the idea that I'll have to start "nursing" the control panel.

Most inverter brands have a set-up parameter that turns on/off the Search mode.  You will probably have to read the inverter manual to be sure before buying.

Like you, I would want search mode to be disabled, so OFF is really off.

unfortunately, turning search mode off does exactly the opposite of what one would think: it turns the inverter ON all the time.
I have, indeed, been reading manuals... if this question were easy I wouldn't have asked!

 

[Kevin Means]

I have a small 150 watt inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter, and it doesn't have an On/Off switch, but that's the only type of inverter I've ever seen that doesn't have one. I'm quite sure the Magnum 3000 operates similarly to our 2812, and can't imagine that it wouldn't have an On/Off switch. When I turn our 2812 off, it's off. No amount of load is going to turn it on again. It only searches for a load when it's in standby mode.

Kev

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

unfortunately, turning search mode off does exactly the opposite of what one would think: it turns the inverter ON all the time.

Not on any inverters that I've owned. The On/Off button still worked.    Off was still off.  Examples include Xantrex RS and RV models, and Magnum MS models. 

Search is a stand-by mode, essentially an automatic on/off switch.  If the inverter is ON, it's going to be inverting unless Search mode turns it off as it detects no-demand. They only way to avoid that is to turn it OFF.

 

[Heli_av8tor]

My Xantrex Freedom XC 2000 works as Gary and Kevin described. When it?s OFF it will not supply AC power. There will be a very small current draw to power the control circuitry. Almost no electronic device has a power switch that totally disconnects power these days.