Power Inverters
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 4
From: Mifflin, PA
Originally Posted by Commandohorn
Is 1000 watts enough to run a circular saw? Or 3/8" drill? I'm looking at a Vector for about $120. The talk about 2 alternators is scarey to me. I plan on letting the truck idle while using it, it's a PSD with 2 batts and it will be used only for short periods. Cut a few 2x4's...turn it off while I nail them up, etc. Those pure sine waves are big $$, is that REALLY necessary?
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 4
From: Mifflin, PA
Originally Posted by Bob Ayers
No, if you are pulling 100+ amps, the battery voltage will not be at 12V.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,295
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Originally Posted by argann
I did the same. I mounted mine under the center seat/console and used 12 guage to hook it up to my upfitter. Works great. I did pop it once trying to use a drill. Maybe the 7 amp drill was to much. That was my only issue.
...Rich
...Rich
840 / .85 = 988watts / 13VDC = 76A
If you were running them off an upfitter, you probably had an inverter that was <250watts. Of course it didn't work.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2005
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Likes: 2
Originally Posted by Commandohorn
Is 1000 watts enough to run a circular saw? Or 3/8" drill? I'm looking at a Vector for about $120. The talk about 2 alternators is scarey to me. I plan on letting the truck idle while using it, it's a PSD with 2 batts and it will be used only for short periods. Cut a few 2x4's...turn it off while I nail them up, etc. Those pure sine waves are big $$, is that REALLY necessary?
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,295
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by alchymist
Figure it this way - a 2KW generator is the rough equivilent to one AC wall outlet (110 Volts). A pure sine wave inverter is necessary only for sensitive electronics equipment that depend on sine wave input, such as tv, computer, dvd, etc. Stepped square or psuedosine are ok for motors, battery chargers, etc.
Also, stepped-square/square is bad for switch-mode AC-DC power adapters, commonly found in battery chargers, laptop power bricks, etc. Often, the switchers will generate lots of heat - I've seen one that actually melted the external case and messed up the carpet royally.
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 4
From: Mifflin, PA
Originally Posted by tvsjr
Wrong. Stepped square (depending on number of steps) can be very bad for motors depending on construction, especially when using truly cheap inverters that are square-wave or have one step in the output so they can be called pseudosine.
Also, stepped-square/square is bad for switch-mode AC-DC power adapters, commonly found in battery chargers, laptop power bricks, etc. Often, the switchers will generate lots of heat - I've seen one that actually melted the external case and messed up the carpet royally.
Also, stepped-square/square is bad for switch-mode AC-DC power adapters, commonly found in battery chargers, laptop power bricks, etc. Often, the switchers will generate lots of heat - I've seen one that actually melted the external case and messed up the carpet royally.
As to a switch mode power supply, this supply converts the input to dc before any transformation takes place, usually through a bridge, so almost any stepped source in the appropriate voltage range should work. Sounds like there might have been another problem with the PS that melted.
And "universal" motors, found on a lot of power tools, will run on almost anything in the appropriate voltage range.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,743
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
This is the power inverter I have mounted under my seat.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=02871475000
I
ve had it for about 4 years now and haven't had any problems. I've used it to run my laptop computer on long road trips (14-20hrs) without any damage to the computer or ac adapter. I haven't run power tools off of it more than just a couple of times so I can't really say how well it would do for that. I have to believe that as long as you get a relatively decent inverter (around $10 for every 100watts) you should be fine. All of the ones I have seen in this range are modified sine waves which will work for nearly all electronics. If you can read the manual before hand and it will tell you if you should not use it for certain items.
When working with power tools keep in mind the startup power and the continuous draw. Startup power can be more than twice as much of a draw. Inverters have two ratings the normal and peak. Peak ratings should be used to limit startup power and normal ratings for continous draw.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=02871475000
I
ve had it for about 4 years now and haven't had any problems. I've used it to run my laptop computer on long road trips (14-20hrs) without any damage to the computer or ac adapter. I haven't run power tools off of it more than just a couple of times so I can't really say how well it would do for that. I have to believe that as long as you get a relatively decent inverter (around $10 for every 100watts) you should be fine. All of the ones I have seen in this range are modified sine waves which will work for nearly all electronics. If you can read the manual before hand and it will tell you if you should not use it for certain items.
When working with power tools keep in mind the startup power and the continuous draw. Startup power can be more than twice as much of a draw. Inverters have two ratings the normal and peak. Peak ratings should be used to limit startup power and normal ratings for continous draw.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2005
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Originally Posted by alchymist
Guess I never had the bad luck of a "cheap inverter".... A true "stepped square" will have a number of steps, like 16, or 32, (binary steps, obviously), and will run the less sensitive gear just fine. I suppose some el-cheapo inverter might have a 2 step output, but haven't seen one.
As to a switch mode power supply, this supply converts the input to dc before any transformation takes place, usually through a bridge, so almost any stepped source in the appropriate voltage range should work. Sounds like there might have been another problem with the PS that melted.
And "universal" motors, found on a lot of power tools, will run on almost anything in the appropriate voltage range.
As to a switch mode power supply, this supply converts the input to dc before any transformation takes place, usually through a bridge, so almost any stepped source in the appropriate voltage range should work. Sounds like there might have been another problem with the PS that melted.
And "universal" motors, found on a lot of power tools, will run on almost anything in the appropriate voltage range.
Unfortunately, the issue is the AC-DC conversion in the switcher. It's expecting a sine wave, and when presented with something square or near-square, it gets inefficient and therefore hot.
My solution is a Samlex 600-watt pure-sine inverter along with a Honda EU2000i. Not a cheap solution, but it does work well. I'm considering the addition of an Auragen unit at some point in the future, as well.
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