Electrical 14.44 series - Where to mount inverter?

[Prydey]

Looking to add an inverter to my van. Initially I thought of keeping it all tucked away and mounting it under the dinette with the battery, keeping the cables nice and short to the battery. However I'm a bit stumped as to how to access it in a tidy way, from the other side of the van. The device I want to power, I want to have on the small cupboard near the door, which is on the opposite side of the van. Trying to think of how I can avoid having an extension cord running through the van. If I mount the inverter on the outside of the dinette seat, under the table, then at least its accessible but still need an extension cord running through the van. Of course I can run it under the mattress but getting it through the front seat without drilling big holes is a problem.

Those who have inverters, how and where have you mounted them, and how do you access them?

Thanks
Rob

 

[MDS69]

My inverter is mounted adjacent to the battery under the dinette seat. I used a 2C&E cable with a moulded 3 pin plug (think of a lead cut off your vacuum, clothes dryer or washing machine) plugged into my inverter (300W pure sine wave) and terminated the other end into a double pole double GPO flush mounted on the outside face of the seat base in the same battery compartment. I installed a shroud on the back of the GPO to prevent contact with the GPO cable terminals. My inverter supplied GPO is Coloured black to differentiate it from the traditional 240V GPO’s.
You could drill through the floor at both ends and run the cable down under the floor with appropriate mechanical protection. If you are unsure on any of this then engage an electrician.
I would take photos but some idiot put the caravan cover on back to front so the zippered access flap is on the wrong side plus I have a tarp over that and it is raining.

 

[Prydey]

My inverter is mounted adjacent to the battery under the dinette seat. I used a 2C&E cable with a moulded 3 pin plug (think of a lead cut off your vacuum, clothes dryer or washing machine) plugged into my inverter (300W pure sine wave) and terminated the other end into a double pole double GPO flush mounted on the outside face of the seat base in the same battery compartment. I installed a shroud on the back of the GPO to prevent contact with the GPO cable terminals. My inverter supplied GPO is Coloured black to differentiate it from the traditional 240V GPO’s.
You could drill through the floor at both ends and run the cable down under the floor with appropriate mechanical protection. If you are unsure on any of this then engage an electrician.
I would take photos but some idiot put the caravan cover on back to front so the zippered access flap is on the wrong side plus I have a tarp over that and it is raining.

I mentioned doing this on caravanners forum except by cutting the end off an extension cord and replacing it with a GPO. I was told it was illegal? I'm looking to mount the inverter in the same place.

 

[Drover]

What actually do you want to power with it and what sort of battery storage do you have in the rig ?

Lots of bush lawyers there, its actually illegal to change the plug if its damaged on an extension lead as well as a blown 240v fuse... I would go the way @MDS69 mentioned, depending on what size things are you could run a dedicated 6B&S cable under the floor from battery up inside a cupboard and mount your invertor there, even fit an anderson on the 12v invertor cable and one on the 6B&S, that would cover the cable size difference and ensure no loss of power.....

 

[Prydey]

I'd like to mount it near the battery to keep cables short and minimise cables running through cupboards.

Looking to run a 2-3000w inverter for 1600w coffee machine. I'll be able to get a better idea once I have the van and work out where space is available and the size of the spaces available.

We have a booking for Anzac weekend but it's a powered site so the water pump is the top priority.