I am going to install an upright freezer in the washer/drier space in my fifth. I plan on installing an inverter and two or four 6volt batteries to power it in between plugins.  My question is this. Is it better to run the 12 volt power a distance or the 110? There is space to mount the batteries and the freezer and a small fridge for cold beer and wine in the closet which is next to where the manufactuer mounted the converter to charge the batteries. Also will  I need a second converter or just a switch?

 What do you think?

 Hacker

35' Challenger and a Duramax Dually

The cabling between your batteries and the inverter will need to be kept as short as possible in order to minimize voltage loss regardless of conductor size.  Use the AC wiring for distribution of power over longer distances.

You should NOT have flooded batteries inside the closet with your new freezer, inverter, etc. For that matter you should NOT have them inside the living area of your trailer, period.  Sorry to be harsh but this is a major safety issue!

The batteries need to be sealed off from the living space and vented downward and outward to prevent the buildup of explosive gases during the charging process.  The only exception to this rule would be the substantially more expensive AGM (asborbed glass mat) or gel batteries which are sealed and relatively safe from outgassing but even then you must be very careful if they aren't charged with a high tech charger designed specifically for these alternative technologies.

Inverter installations are rather complicated to do correctly due to wire sizing, fusing, and other safety requirements.  If you aren't familiar with this kind of modification please consult a qualified professional for help …

Well if as you say “It is a sealed and vented enclosure” then arguably it's not inside the living area of the trailer … this sounds like you've done all the right things and the net result is that it's no different than the battery compartments/drawers found in many higher-end fivers or motorhomes.

I guess the point is that if you're going to install a high power inverter then you need to understand the requirements in terms wiring, ventilation, breakers, fuses, etc.  They're just not something for the typical weekend warrior to fool with …

Another thing to recognize is that an inverter/charger is a great item but it is not to be connected to a battery system that has a converter connected. If you have  SEPERATE DC system then your only common connection will the the negative /ground. The charging systems will not work together. Unless you have an outstanding charging system the inverter charger is the way to go! Thats MY HONEST OPINION