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Old 12-16-2022, 08:34 AM   #2
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
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We should start by getting the terminology straight, to make the discussion more meaningful.

Start with this. 120VAC is known as House Power or Plug-in Power, since it is found in your house. It is also known as Shore Power, a term borrowed from the boating community, and it is what you find on a campground power post. On the other hand, 12VDC is also known as Vehicle Power or Battery Power, since it is what is found in your vehicle and in the TM. Your solar panels generate 12VDC (nominally).

The TM has a device called a "converter". This device "converts" 120VAC house power into 12 VDC battery power, which is used to charge the TM battery, and run all of the 12-volt devices in the TM. Whenever you are boondocking, there is no 120VAC power available, so the converter sits idle.

There is also a device called an "inverter", which works in the other direction, changing 12VDC battery power into 120VAC house power. This is what you are looking for - you need a small amount of house power available to charge cell phones and so forth. Sadly, the TM does not have an inverter.

In order to get the small amount of house power that you need, you have two choices. One of them is something like the EcoFlow portable power source that you mention. It is basically a small suitcase that contains its own battery, plus a small inverter. This is a good solution for your needs, but has two shortcomings. The first is that because of the small battery and the small inverter, it can make only a limited amount of house power. The second is that its internal battery will quickly become discharged, and need to be recharged. EDIT - The EcoFlow's internal battery can be recharged in the car using a cigarette-lighter outlet. (I don't think TMs have a cigarette lighter outlet any more.) This is kind of a pain, but not a fatal problem. Of course, if you do it too many times without firing up the car's motor, the car battery will be discharged - not a good outcome.

Your second choice is to buy a stand-alone inverter. These change the TM's battery power to house power. Their first advantage is that they use the TM's battery power, which is basically unlimited since you have that nice big solar array. The second advantage is that inverters come in a whole range of power levels. You can choose a small one that will power a few cell phone chargers, cost only a few bucks, and be easy to connect. Or you can get one with a very large capability that will power a microwave, cost a few hundred bucks, and be a challenge to hook up. Or any size in between.

Questions? Ask away. You can also use the Forum's Search tool to read LOTS of advice and experiences from TM owners. Inverters are a popular topic.

Bill
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