How do I add an inverter when it doesnt have one

[fyrengineer]

I have a 2007 GS on order and expect to recieve it in late May of 2007. We are very excited. It is a Yellowstone 36' triple slide model 8357 with full body paint and we ordered it with all the extras. We live in so. calif. I noticed that this unit does not come with an inverter installed and it is not an option from the factory. It will have a front and rear TV. I don't want to always run the gen. while driving to operate things because of our great gas prices in calif at $3.25 per gallon. How hard is it to install an invertor to run front and rear tv, am I asking for a nightware to try and run all the wires etc. Do I need an invertor placed in front and rear of coach or will one do it, just have to worry about the long wires? And do I have to spend the big bucks for a true sine wave convertor or can I get away with a cheaper modified sine wave. I am very mechanically inclined and work on classic cars, so the work doesnt scare me, just the headache, lol. Please help if you can, thanks, Bart....oh I am a new member to this forum so forgive me for my ignorance!

[gsadmin]

Spend the money and get an all-in-one charger/inverter with a built in ATS (automatic transfer switch). It will replace the existing charging system, but that makes life easier in the end. The only difficulty doing that, though, is that it depends on where your batteries are located. If they are like min and are in the front of the coach, this is not the best solution (too far to go from the rear of coach to the front with 12V mega-cables that would be necessary for such a long run. That is why i left the existing charging system in place and put my inverter in the front electrical compartment. It is easier to run the live 110V wire back to the ATS under the bed than the other way around with the 12V cables. But, because my system already had an existing ATS to flip between shore and the genset, I had to cascade in a new ATS for the inverter.

On the topic of weather or not you need a true sine wave model:

My advice is get one. My first inverter was not and I had issues with one of my TVs (its flyback trans. would not charge properly) and then alos my laser printer and one of my computer power supplies did not like the mod sine wave AC. So, I switched it out and I never look back. Plus, my new one has a remote panel so I can monitor digitally the batter reserve.

There is a reason this is a spendy install if you choose not to do it yourself. If you do, you will understand what I mean :)

[zzrv]

I just added an inverter to my 2003 Ultra Supreme 33'. The converter is located at the foot of the bed. I removed the plywood over the converter and added #8 guage wire to the battery connections coming into the converter. I cut an appropriate size hole in the side of the bed box, added a shelf to hold the inverter, and hooked up the #8 wire. Works fine.