Inverter when at shore power

[Sabre30PAK]

Hello, My recently purchased sailboat has a Xantrex Freedom 1000 watt inverter. While I was doing one of the personal inspections before purchase the seller's broker was trying to be helpful and was describing the electrical panel. We were at dock and plugged into shore power. He said that while at the dock you should leave the breaker marked inverter, in the off position. And the AC outlets will be powered from the shore power bypassing the inverter. However, I have found that the only way to get the AC outlets "hot" is to have the Inverter's breaker switch in the on position. Shore power or no shore power. There are two breakers that are marked AC outlets, those I put in the ON position when I want to use the outlets but they have no power, they do not become "hot" unless the Inverter breaker is in the ON position. This is my first boat with an inverter, is this typical? Based on what the seller's broker was saying I was led to understand that the inverter breaker should always be off when plugged into shore power.
Thanks.

[smac999]

you have to know how it's wired. as it can be done differently. but normally an inverter breaker always needs to be on. because it's sending the pass through power.

you need to know if it's an inverter input or inverter output breaker.

if it's an inverter / charger it defiantly needs to be left on, otherwise the charger won't work. (assuming it's an inverter input breaker.)


the inverter should be shut off on the inverter panel while on shore power.

[Pelagic]

Brokers quite often get technically confused so don't treat as gospel.

If your AC panel DOES NOT have a mechanical lockout function that prevents you from turning on both Shore power breaker and Invertor breaker at same time... that means that shore power is wired via the invertor

[Sabre30PAK]

Smac999, There is a separate panel breaker labeled charger. So, I don't believe the Inverter breaker needs to always be in the ON position in order to get the batteries charged from shore power.

Your last sentence, "the inverter should be shut off on the inverter panel while on shore power" is exactly what the broker mentioned. But, back to my original statement, the only way to get the AC outlets "hot" is by throwing that breaker (the inverter) to the ON position.

[Sabre30PAK]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Brokers quite often get technically confused so don't treat as gospel.

If your AC panel DOES NOT have a mechanical lockout function that prevents you from turning on both Shore power breaker and Invertor breaker at same time... that means that shore power is wired via the invertor

There is no lockout. It doesn't make sense to me that if you are sitting on the boat while connected to shore power, you have to turn OFF shore power in order to use the AC outlets (Turn OFF shore power, then turn ON the inverter)?

[Pelagic]

I don't know the features of your Invertor, but some of the more sophisticated ones like my Victron Multi can be usef as a "shore power management device"
They clean up and supplement poor and weak shore power by combining shore power with your inverted house bank.

You then set the limits of when to bypass shore power.

Personally, I don't like that level of automation when plugged in so mine is wired "Either-Or" and on shore power, I select "Charger Only" for the combined Invertor/Charger

[Pelagic]

One simple test is to have shore power on, charger off... energize your outlets the way you have tested .

Put your biggest AC load on and test shore cable with an Amp meter or monitor pedestal meter to confirm where the power is coming from

[smac999]

Originally Posted by Sabre30PAK

Your last sentence, "the inverter should be shut off on the inverter panel while on shore power" is exactly what the broker mentioned. But, back to my original statement, the only way to get the AC outlets "hot" is by throwing that breaker (the inverter) to the ON position.

Look for a small 2" inverter control panel with a button. Not a breaker on the panel.

Probably like this

https://www.amazon.ca/Xantrex-808-9001-PROwatt-Remote-Switch/dp/B002W87JNO?th=1&psc=1&source=googleshopping&locale =en-CA&tag=googcana-20&ref=pd_sl_dlcsbk419_e