The short answer: Rich Solar's 12V NOVA inverters come in three families. The NOVA PURE is a plain inverter with outlets on the front: plug in what you want to run. The NOVA SWITCH adds a built-in transfer switch, so it can be wired into the RV's AC system and hand over automatically between shore power and battery. The NOVA SUPERCHARGER adds a battery charger on top, so the same box charges your lithium battery from shore power or a generator. Pick the family by how it will be wired, then pick 2K or 3K by your load and your battery.
The 12V NOVA lineup
| Model | Continuous / surge | Transfer switch | Battery charger | Peak efficiency | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOVA PURE 1K | 1,000W / 2,000W | No | No | >88% | 5.3 lb |
| NOVA PURE 2K | 2,000W / 4,000W | No | No | >88% | 10.1 lb |
| NOVA PURE 3K | 3,000W / 6,000W | No | No | >88% | 12.1 lb |
| NOVA SWITCH 2K | 2,000W / 4,000W (5 s) | Yes, under 20 ms, 30A relay | No | 91% | 15.9 lb |
| NOVA SWITCH 3K | 3,000W / 6,000W (5 s) | Yes, under 20 ms, 30A relay | No | 91% | 17.6 lb |
| NOVA SUPERCHARGER 2K | 2,000W / 4,000W (5 s) | Yes, under 20 ms | 5 to 80A, selectable | 91% | 16.5 lb |
| NOVA SUPERCHARGER 3K | 3,000W / 6,000W (5 s) | Yes, under 20 ms | 5 to 150A, selectable | 91% | 18.5 lb |
All are pure sine wave, 120V AC output, for 12V deep-cycle or lithium (BMS) batteries. Figures are Rich Solar's, from the product pages we list.
NOVA PURE: plug-in power
The NOVA PURE models have three 120V AC outlets and a 5V 2.1A USB port on the unit, a thermally controlled fan, an included remote, and Rich Solar quotes total harmonic distortion under 3%. They are ETL listed to UL 458. Use one when you want AC at a specific spot: a TV, a laptop station, a blender on the counter. They don't connect to the RV's shore power, so when you plug in at a campground the inverter simply sits idle and the RV's own outlets run from the pedestal as normal.
The 24V NOVA PURE MAX 2K and PURE MAX 3K are the same idea for a 24V battery bank, and the 3K is the inverter in Rich Solar's 1200W and 1600W complete kits.
NOVA SWITCH: whole-coach outlets without a separate transfer switch
The SWITCH takes an AC input from shore power or a generator. When AC is present, it passes it through to your outlets; when AC drops, it switches to the battery in under 20 ms. That is what lets you power a subpanel of RV outlets from the battery without a separate automatic transfer switch. Rich Solar lists a 30A transfer relay, selectable 108, 110 or 120V output, an ignition input so it can switch on with the vehicle, an adjustable low-voltage shutdown between 10.5 and 12.8V, and RS232/RS485 communication. It does not charge the battery, so you still need a converter, a charger or solar to refill it.
NOVA SUPERCHARGER: inverter and charger in one
Like the SWITCH, the SUPERCHARGER passes shore or generator power through and switches to the battery in under 20 ms. It also charges the battery whenever that AC power is connected, at a selectable 5 to 80A (2K) or 5 to 150A (3K). Rich Solar's Power Share feature adjusts the charging current to the AC loads that are running, which keeps the combined draw on the pedestal or generator down. It lists LiFePO4 (with BMS), AGM and deep-cycle support, a marine-grade, ABYC compliant housing and UL 458. If your RV's original converter is not lithium-ready, a SUPERCHARGER can take over that job. Choose the charge current to suit your battery: Rich Solar's ALPHA 1 and ALPHA 2 accept up to 100A of charge current.
Match the inverter to the battery
This is the step most people skip. At full load, Rich Solar rates the NOVA SWITCH 2K at 192A from the battery and the SWITCH 3K at 288A. The same rule of thumb (AC watts ÷ 12 ÷ 0.9) gives about 185A and 280A for the PURE models. Compare that with the continuous discharge ratings of the Rich Solar batteries:
| Battery | Max continuous discharge | Supports about |
|---|---|---|
| ALPHA 1, ALPHA 1 PRO, ALPHA 1 LITE, ALPHA 2, ALPHA 2 PRO | 100A | 1,000W of AC load |
| ALPHA 2 LITE, ALPHA 3 PRO, ALPHA 3 MINI, ALPHA 6 MINI | 200A | 2,000W |
| ALPHA 3, ALPHA 3 LITE | 300A | 3,000W |
Two batteries in parallel share the current. So a 2K inverter run near full power wants a 200A battery or two 100A batteries; a 3K wants a 300A battery, or two 200A batteries. Rich Solar's complete 200W to 800W kits ship one ALPHA 1 or ALPHA 2 with a 2K or 3K NOVA PURE, so with those kits plan around about 1,000W of AC load until you add a battery. Our ALPHA battery comparison lists every rating.
2K or 3K?
Add up what will run at the same time, then add 20 to 30% headroom. A microwave, coffee maker or hair dryer on its own usually lands in 2K territory. Running a microwave while something else is on, or an induction cooktop, points to 3K. Check the appliance label for input watts, since a microwave's cooking watts are lower than what it draws. Our inverter sizing guide walks through the load list. Bigger is not free: a 3K needs heavier battery cable and a larger fuse, and Rich Solar offers 2/0 and 4/0 battery cable sets for exactly this.
Going bigger: hybrid inverters
For a 24V system, the NOVA MAX 3K is an all-in-one: a 3,000W inverter with a built-in 80A MPPT solar controller (up to 3,000W of panels, 250V open-circuit limit) and an AC charger. For a cabin or home on 48V, the NOVA 6548 and the NOVA 12K split-phase hybrid pair with Rich Solar's ALPHA 5 PRO server rack batteries. Those are system designs rather than RV upgrades; ask us to size one.
FAQ
Which NOVA comes with a remote?
The NOVA PURE models include one. For the SWITCH and SUPERCHARGER, Rich Solar sells a wired flush-mount remote and a remote with LCD and Bluetooth.
Can a NOVA run my RV air conditioner?
Running a rooftop AC from batteries takes a large battery bank and a large inverter, and it drains the bank quickly. For most RVers, air conditioning stays on shore power or a generator. If you want to try, compare the AC's running and start-up watts with the inverter's continuous and surge ratings, and the inverter's full-load current with the battery's rating.
Is a NOVA a modified sine wave inverter?
No. Every NOVA model we carry is pure sine wave.
Where do they ship from?
From our warehouse in Upland, California, to the lower 48 states only. Building the whole system? Start with What size Rich Solar kit does my RV need?