relay to switch 110 volts ac?

OK, I've searched the relay page and the forums and found nothing on the dilema I'm facing.

I am building a custom Dodge Sprinter for a customer who wants AC outlets at each seat with a master switch to kill power. I could run wire to the overhead switch I plan on using and switch 1 leg of the AC current. I'd rather not run a 110 volt wire up there and would rather use a relay near the inverter, running only a small DC wire up to the switch. Can I use a 12 source for switching, and run 1 leg of the AC power through the relay? Is this a crazy and stupid idea or is there an easier way to do this? Thanks

that is the way i would do it.

Sorry for all the ignorant questions that are about to be asked but I dont know a whole lot about 12v.  I am going to hardwire a 12v to 115v inverter.  It is 1250 watts constant and 3000 watt peak.   I am thinking that I will either need to use 8 or 4 gauge wire for this install.

I was wondering if I can wire the switch via a relay.  How would I run 8 or 4 gauge out of a relay?  If so can someone post a diagram.  

If I install a realy will it cut all the power and stop any battery drain? Or would I have to install an inline battery disconnect?

I am also planning on installing a 12v circut breaker.  I was told 1 amp for every 10 watts so I figured I would use a 300 amp breaker.  Is this correct.

All comments are welcome I just want to do this right so that I dont burn up a $45,000 truck.  I would appreciate as much input as possible or refferences to reading material on this subject.  Thank you ahead of time.

Aaron

8 gauge would be sufficiant. you will wire up a switch to beak continuity on the wire so it wont drain battery. i would wire it up so you can only power the inverter when you start the car. since if you are powering a large current drawing device

85 - 12v from ignition switched. you can fine on in the kick panel usually radio fuse will work

thats all you need, if you were to use a 300amp breaker, i dont even know what draws that much.

As mentioned above, by others, it may be more convenient to just remotely wire the inverter's on/off switch. 4 or 8 gauge is going to require a big f'in relay to handle that current - the on-off switch will probably be 2 small wires which connect when on - easy as pie to extend them to anywhere on the car and mount your own switch.  This is what I've done on my on-site install wagon which has a wall outlet and small rocker switch mounted easily accessible(the inverter is mounted in the spare tire well so I'd have to remove everything in the cargo area to get to it).

Ohm's Law says divide Power(Watts) by Voltage to get Current. Therefore you're looking at 105 amps constant/250 peak without the engine running.  Provided you aren't using fast blow fuses/breakers, the constant power current should be sufficient as a fuse/breaker value; it's not going to be drawing peak power for more than milliseconds.

You can prob. get away with a fuse instead of a breaker unless your customer habitually will be drawing the max power from the inverter. 

All you need to know to not burn the truck up is this: mount the fuse/circuit breaker for your main power wire as close to the battery as possible. 

As far as current draw after the car is off and the owner has left it...that's kinda tough.  As long as the inverter's switched OFF it won't draw significant amounts of current. If it's ON, even with nothing plugged in, it can kill a battery in a day or two.  You may want to use a relay on the switch wires powered by ignition so that the key has to be on for the inverter to work.

chris,

I think that i am going to be going with a relay on the switch.  Now I dont have any idea on how to wire the relay but I am going to take a shot at it let me know if I am wrong.

85 12v switched power

86 ground (where from?)

76 One wire from switch on inverter

30 Other wire from switch on inveter

Thank you agian for all the help.