Re: Inverter Advice

Many companies, including Walmart, are selling 600 - 700 watt 12 VDC to 120
VAC, modified sine wave, inverters for $50 - $75.

See this link for representative examples -
http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=inverter

You might be able to run your small coffee maker (see the wattage rating on
the device) or even a small microwave. I have a 1,000 watt unit that will
run every appliance (except the A/C) in my Class C. Because it is the
physical size of a desk dictionary, I also use it in my Suburban, hiding it
under the front seat and running an extension cord to power the phone
chargers, laptop, and anything else.

Since the 12 VDC battery current draw is directly proportional to the 120
VAC load (in other words, small 120 VAC load, small battery draw), the
inverter can also easily be used in your car to power your phones and laptop
there.

The larger watt units usually come with a lighter plug (for light power
loads) and heavy wires with battery clamps for the heavier wattage loads.

If you browse through the Harbor Freight link (above), you will see that
they also make small 60 - 100 watt units that plug directly into the lighter
socket (power port) and will power small devices with small 120 VAC power
needs. I have one of those too, but rarely use it.

I'd start with Walmart, because no matter where you are, if you have a
problem with it, you can probably return it and/or get another.

Tim




Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:445fef7d$0$15153$c3e8da3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Since our motorhome did not come with an inverter charger, I am going to
have to buy a small one for the computer and camera battery recharger.
(We don't use the rig enough to warrant $3,000 to install more batteries
and an inverter.) I had one that I bought in 1995 but it died last
summer.

Does someone have a suggestion for an inexpensive one that will work on
the laptop? I might want to use it in the Honda as well as the motorhome.
Will it take too much juice from the Honda battery? The 1995 model died in
the Honda.

We have two big solar panels on the roof of the MH and 2 sealed batteries
12V batteries.

TIA
J
--
-----------
Janet Wilder
The Road Princess
http://janetwilder.blogspot.com


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Ping Neon John Again
    ... here I'll be plugged in to shore power. ... have one in your RV already for your generator. ... I've camped with no power, I've used 12V only, running off battery ... To make the inverter automatic, you simply buy another relay and ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Holiday plans?
    ... I also have a 700 watt inverter ... overdo it with a small battery like that... ... I had a dead computer power supply and before throwing it away, ... having a redundant nonspillable enclosure for the battery... ...
    (rec.aviation.piloting)
  • Re: PING: Bob Giddings
    ... hours) this would be about a 2Ah draw on the battery. ... it came in 2 types, standard with a remote power switch and indicator lights, or power sensing, the power sensing one pulled about 300Ma apparantly, but you needed over a certian load to make it turn on the mains, a problem with some of the things i power by it, and also i have a washing machine in my motorhome and most washing machines pull some current even when turned off at the front switch ... The other differance between the 2 inverter types is the overload rating, pure sine wave units dont have much 'surge' capacity, mine is 2.5kw i believe for 3 seconds, ... worked fine whilst booncocking, but have the TV on and plug into shore power thus bringing the charger on-line, or start the engine and thus bring the alternator on line, and the battery voltage goes above 12 volts, and poof goes the power circuits in the TV. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Inverters & Laptops
    ... The fan in the inverter turns on and off as the fridge cycles...letting me know when the beer is cold. ... ALL of these little cheap inverters over the power input demand of the laptop will run the laptop just fine and charge its battery. ... Many switching power supplies are rated from 90VAC to 270VAC input at any line frequency of whatever nation you happen to plug it into, so the manufacturer can send any computer to any customer, no matter where he/she lives. ...
    (rec.boats.electronics)
  • Re: Inverter advice
    ... e.g. at 1KW the microwave consumes some 17VA of stored battery power per ... 12V microwaves which would at least avoid the inverter losses, ...
    (uk.rec.sailing)
Loading