My wife and I are ordering and buying a new Class A motorhome; a 33-foot, gasoline powered RV with a 7000-watt generator and a 50-amp shore power service. The RV comes with a 300-watt inverter as standard equipment. Do we need to or would it be wise to purchase the optional 2000-watt inverter as factory installed by the manufacturer in place of the 300-watt inverter? We probably won't do much dry-camping/boon-docking at first. Please give us some sound advice, this is our first motorhome. We plan to travel America and not stay in any area more than a week.
Marion, (e-mail only)
Marion, (e-mail only)
Marion, I’ve always said you can never have too much power when it comes to AC or DC in any RV. Even though you do not plan on boon-docking often, I would still get the larger inverter just in case. However, if cost is a main contention, then I may opt out and stay with the 300-watt inverter. You can always upgrade later, albeit at a higher labor cost. But realize 300 watts will not power much. I carry a 400-watt inverter in my vehicle as an emergency back-up just for my laptop and a few peripherals. Plus if you sell or trade at a later date, the 2000-watt unit adds value to the rig. Also keep in mind that most campgrounds restrict the use of generators after certain hours. If you become accustomed to using 120-volt AC appliances late in the evening or at night, you’re stuck without the larger inverter. And some models, such as the Xantrex RS2000 comes equipped with some nice features such as networking with other systems in the RV.
