Another wiring question

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I'm putting together plans for a wheelhouse I'll be putting together this spring. I'm not anywhere near an electrician, but I'll be fine once I get an understanding as to how I'm going to do this.

I plan to have 2 batteries. The first one will be to operate the 12 volt systems in the house. I will run the pos/neg off the battery to a fuse block, and then wire the different systems on their own fuses. This one is fairly simple. I think...

For the 2nd battery, this will operate the 110 volt systems (TV, DVD, Satellite Receiver) in the house, which is basically outlets (no lights). I will have 4 or 5 of them through the house. So I will have a battery, wired to an inverter. Should I run the inverter to a breaker/fuse box? And should the batteries be hooked parallel?

My other concern has to do with charging the batteries with a generator, as well as running the 110v systems. How do I wire so that I don't have to unhook the batteries, inverter, etc.

I'm sure this is very, very basic...I'm just having a tough time wrapping my brain around this.

[eyebjim]

I would not hook them up in parallel unless you want the inverter to drain your battery for the dc lights. The best way to do it is to use a 2 bank 10 amp on board boat charger. This will charge both batteries without removing them and you don’t have to hook them in parallel. The charger stays in the fish house and you just hook up an extension cord when you need to charge. Its great if you run dead on a long outing and have a generator you can just hook up to that and charge/use it while on the ice.

[sparkydm]

first things first you need to verify the power usage of your tv and other equipment. once you have done that you can get an inverter that will handle the load. you may want to get one with more capacity than you need in case you want to add something else later and also because it is better to not push the inverter to it's limit.(you don't want the inverter's internal circuit breaker to kick off during the big game ) as far as the circuit breaker box goes, i would do it if it were me simply because i'm an electrician. but do you need it? probably not. use an on board type charger like eyebjim said. a battery condition gauge would be a good idea also. this is because the inverter will shut down if battery voltage drops below a certain level(the inverter can't put out full voltage anymore). by watching the battery gauge, you will know when it's time to fire up the generator. about paralleling batteries, i would try to get by not doing that to start with. but if your 110 volt stuff drains your battery too quickly, you can always parrallel them later. if you do parrallel them make sure the batteries are identical. i hope i haven't fried your brain with all this. good luck!

[eyebjim]

If you do have problems with the inverter battery running down you may want a third battery to parallel with the inverter battery (like sparkydm said the identical battery) so the lights dont go out cause you watched to much tv. If you parallel the inverter battery with the dc lights battery all of your chickens are in one basket.

[matt_bewley]

What I have works great. I have one battery and it runs my lights, radio, cig plugs for phone charging and an aireator. I also have a 12v to 110v power inverter that runs my tv and gaming system, and then i have a 110v to 12v power inverter that plugs into my generator and that runs my lights and radio if the battery is about dead and with the extra power that the inverter puts out it backfeeds the battery to charge it. sounds complicated but its really not.