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Installing an inverter


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10 hours ago, WotEver said:
  11 hours ago, system 4-50 said:
  • ok:
  • turn off isolator
  • Cover the pos terms with insul tape - no risk
  • Disconnect the negs - no risk
  • Cover the negs with insul tape - no risk
  • Uncover the pos terms and disconnect - no risk
  • Cover the pos terms with insul tape - no risk
  • and rest

quoted: See the bit in bold? It’s wrong. There’s a HUGE risk on some boats. Always disconnect pos first (carefully, with an insulated spanner). 

Hmm. It seems that "turn off isolator" is wrong. What it should say is "isolate positive term from all loads" as "turn off isolator" can leave all permanently attached circuits still live. Which brings me back to disconnecting stuff from the positive term with the neg term and hull "active", defeating the attempt to devise a foolproof process completely.
 
Sorry for introducing distractions for the OP! 
 

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I probably did not make it clear in my replay that when I said "disconnect the pos from the battery end" I meant the supply lead to the inverter. My thinking was that I acknowledge the possibility of damage when disconnecting negative battery terminals first but also acknowledge on many boats disconnecting the positive first can easily lead to all sorts of problems related to creating a short to metalwork.  I do not like the idea of a live positive lead from the inverter waving about so disconnecting it from the other and by the fuse or wherever minimises that danger yet avoids complications related to battery disconnection.

IF Wotever had inserted "Ensure ALL electrical equipment on the boat is turned off, then double check" before the "disconnect the battery positive" I think his advice would be fine, as indeed is for probably the vast majority of boats.

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Well for an inverter replace it’s actually very easy and doesn’t involve the battery at all. Simply disconnect the pos connection at the megafuse. You don’t even need to worry about the neg wire. 

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47 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Well for an inverter replace it’s actually very easy and doesn’t involve the battery at all. Simply disconnect the pos connection at the megafuse. You don’t even need to worry about the neg wire. 

But the OP said he would also be swapping his battery bank at the same time,  hence all the posts about how best to do it safely. 

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16 hours ago, cuthound said:

You cannot isolate batteries fully, isolate a battery at the isolator and put a spanner across the terminals of either the battery or a 2 volt cell if you don't belive me.

Ah, I see what your saying, CH. I meant, of course, that you can isolate the batteries from the services they supply so you can work on those in safety. I absolutely agree your point about the danger of shorting out the battery terminals - or anywhere downstream - that was what my reference to YouTube was about. 

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1 hour ago, WotEver said:

Well for an inverter replace it’s actually very easy and doesn’t involve the battery at all. Simply disconnect the pos connection at the megafuse. You don’t even need to worry about the neg wire. 

Yep, this is exactly how my boat is currently with the Combi removed awaiting it's replacement inverter.  In the meantime, it gives me a handy connection point for my portable charger too.

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1 hour ago, cuthound said:

But the OP said he would also be swapping his battery bank at the same time,  hence all the posts about how best to do it safely. 

Yes I know. I was responding to Tony B’s post. 

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