Just imagine the first time you plug into a campground with a receptacle
that is wired wrong. Unless that "neutral" is bonded to a ground point,
it is not a neutral. When switching between different power sources, the
switch must disconnect all ungrounded source conductors. You need a
double pole, double throw switch, (DPDT). Transfer switches for this
task are available and not that expensive. Of course, proper use of cord
an plug can accomplish the same goal.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of John Bange
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2006 11:14 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: battery-inverter-charger-battery loop

> Shouldn't I just be able to switch the hot side of the 110v circuit?
>
Just switching the hot side and leaving the neutral shared should be
fine.
When plugged into shore power the inverter hot should have no potential
to
shore neutral, and shore hot should have no potential to the inverter
neutral. I've heard about some people having weird inverter gremlins due
to
chassis ground being bonded to shore ground and inverter neutral being
(for
some reason) connected to chassis ground, but I suspect the trouble
there
was due to installer error. I've run a 1500W "mechanical inverter"
(really a
12V motor spinning a 120V generator) for years with a nothing-special
Leviton 3-way switch to switch to shore power on the hot leg.

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"