time to add a battery system, could use input please

[Scott H]

My electrical system has been centered around a Xantrex HF1000 for the last couple of years. Works great! Shore power, when hooked up, flows through the unit (so, yes, your dorm fridge will work fine when plugged in). At the same time it is charging your battery (multi level/"smart" charger with a remote LED monitor). No need for a converter. Your 12V just runs off of the charging battery. Does the charger kick in to high gear when you're using 12V stuff to compensate for the power going out? Don't know, I just know it works. As others have said: inverted power is inefficient, better to use the 12V if you can, but now you have options. As a result, unless you get a MUCH bigger battery bank, your fridge is just dry storage unless you're plugged in to shore power. My system has 2 6V batteries and a 130W solar panel, the only time I plug in is when she's parked in the carport for winter storage. I second the "12V side of life" it was my bible when designing my system.