Inverter Danger

[GrahamM376]

We've been having a lot of trouble with power outages in the yard, it was off all weekend. This morning, one of the yard employees isolated the supply to one section and the rest then had power OK. When he started investigating the isolated section, it was still live - some idiot had an inverter running without any isolation to his shore power deck socket and that's likely what had been causing the main RCD to trip.

Shore power and inverter should be switched so they can't both feed the circuit at the same time. If not, when the inverter is running, the shore power socket is live and could be fatal if fingers stuck in - think children or inquisitive crew.

 

[cpedw]

Shore power and inverter should be switched so they can't both feed the circuit at the same time.

You're quite right (nearly wrote dead right!). But is there a simple, cheap and readily available way to achieve that switching? And if so, how come it's not well known?

Or even a costly but practicable way?

Dererk

 

[RichardS]

You're quite right (nearly wrote dead right!). But is there a simple, cheap and readily available way to achieve that switching? And if so, how come it's not well known?

Or even a costly but practicable way?

Dererk

Presumably a simple SPDT switch could be labelled Shore / Inverter?

Richard

 

[lpdsn]

Presumably a simple SPDT switch could be labelled Shore / Inverter?

Richard

I think I'd want a DPDT if I had an inverter.

 

[GrahamM376]

Very simple job, install one of these before the on board rcd. Gives choice of inverter, shore power or off. Same in operation as those well loved battery switches but without "both". I have the 2 pole 20 amp one - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROTARY-S...hash=item3f74ca4571:m:mavyZfwh9-1QdrUYOhUvPmw

 

[pvb]

But is there a simple, cheap and readily available way to achieve that switching? And if so, how come it's not well known?

Many decent inverters include an automatic changeover switch as a safeguard.

 

[GrahamM376]

I think I'd want a DPDT if I had an inverter.

Yes. With single pole, if the shore power is reversed with poor installation or 50/50 chance with 2 pin plugs, there could still be live unswitched wire.

 

[RichardS]

I think I'd want a DPDT if I had an inverter.

OK. I would have thought that it was just a matter of switching between one 240V source or the other but I've not given it a lot of thought.

Richard

 

[GrahamM376]

Most decent inverters include an automatic changeover switch as a safeguard.

Not most, most just have one or two output sockets and an on/off switch. The Sterling and other makes I've had have no changeover switch.

 

[pvb]

Not most, most just have one or two output sockets and an on/off switch. The Sterling and other makes I've had have no changeover switch.

OK, to satisfy you I've changed my post to read "many".

Edit: Oh, and I did mention "decent" inverters, I wasn't thinking of eBay specials. A number of modern Sterling inverters have an auto switch.

 

[lpdsn]

OK. I would have thought that it was just a matter of switching between one 240V source or the other but I've not given it a lot of thought.

Richard

I was thinking of switching both live & neutral and not just the live.

 

[RichardS]

I was thinking of switching both live & neutral and not just the live.

Yes, that makes perfect sense.

Richard