How do I add an Inverter to my Explorer or Traveller Canopy Power System?

Yes, you can add an inverter to your Explorer or Traveller canopy system. When adding an inverter to your system, take the following factors into consideration:

Battery Size
An inverter represents a heavy load on your electrical system and you will need an appropriate sized battery bank in order to run it. Lithium batteries excel at maintaining voltage under load, which makes them ideal for running inverters. You will need to ensure that the current draw of your inverter does not exceed the maximum allowable current draw of your batteries. More information on choosing suitable batteries for your inverter can be found here.

Cable Size and Fusing
Most inverter related problems are the direct result of running cables that are too small. Your inverter should be installed with large diameter cables close to your canopy system and battery. Cables over 1.5m can cause voltage drop and poor performance from your inverter. Your inverter negative cable will need to connect to your battery monitor shunt, so you may need to upgrade the size of your negative battery cable depending on the size of your inverter. Explorer and Traveller systems come with 35mm² battery cables, limiting to you a 1000W inverter. For larger inverters, you will need to replace the battery negative with a cable that is at least the size of your inverter cable. For more information on how to choose an appropriate cable and fuse size for your inverter, click here.

Cable Connections
If you add an inverter to your Explorer or Traveller, you will need to ensure that the cables are run correctly. You must attach your inverter negative cable to the "SYSTEM" side of the battery monitor. Your inverter negative will be the heaviest cable connected to the "SYSTEM" side of the shunt, and therefore it should be at the bottom of the post if you are stacking multiple lugs (like a pyramid or Christmas tree). Failure to connect the inverter to the "SYSTEM" side of your battery monitor will prevent accurate current measurement and will cause the state of charge reading to be incorrect. Your inverter positive cable should be fused and connected directly to the positive terminal of your battery. Examples of where to attach the inverter negative cable on Traveller and Explorer systems can be found below (Please note that your system orientation may differ from the photos).

For Explorer-01 and Traveller-01

For canopy systems with an ePRO Plus battery monitor, you need to attach the inverter negative cable to the "SYSTEM" side of the shunt. The example below shows the inverter negative cable connection point for a Left/Passenger Side Explorer-01. For an inverter larger than 1000W, the negative battery cable in this Explorer would need to be upgraded to accommodate the high current draw of a larger inverter.

For Explorer-02, Explorer-03, Traveller-02, and Traveller-03

For canopy systems with Simarine monitoring, you need to attach the inverter negative cable to the "SYSTEM" side of the SC303 or SC301 shunt. The example below shows the inverter negative cable connection point for a Right/Driver Side Explorer-03. For an inverter larger than 1000W, the negative battery cable in this Explorer would need to be upgraded to accommodate the high current draw of a larger inverter.