power inverter
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 532
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
What do you want run off of it? We use Vector 2500 watt inverters on our company trucks with no problems. The best price we have ever found was at Samsclub.com beleive it or not. You can go bigger, but the price starts going up fast. You also may want to think about a generator if you have the PTO option on your truck (it's optional on the automatic and standard on the 6 speed). Check out this link to see what I mean www.realacpower.com/products.htm with this system you can get 12,000 watts of power. I'm sure that can take care of any of your needs and probably power your house during a blackout.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 379
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From: hillsborough NJ
Thanks for that quick reply and link. I'll look into that, but it will probably be out of my price range.
BTW. I just want to run a mobile office, ie: small laptop, printer and for recharging batteries for camera and tools
BTW. I just want to run a mobile office, ie: small laptop, printer and for recharging batteries for camera and tools
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 186
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If it's a laser printer they take some power. Look at how many watts or amps it needs then convert to 12v system. ie if the back says it needs 300 watts which is about the same as 3 amps the inverter will need to supply about 3000 watts or 30 amps. Chargers, laptops and phones won't take much at all. I have a 700 watt inverter in my trailer that runs a tv, vcr, ps2, and four 8' florescent 40watt bulbs. It just drains the batteries fast (2-3 hours).
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 532
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
We have never upgraded any of the alternators in any of the work trucks some of them do have the 3000 watt inverters (3) and we have not had any problems. You should be fine. Running the 4/0 cabled called for in the directions for the 3000 watt inverter though is a real PITE.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 94
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From: tennessee
I have a 1500watt invertor from Costco in the same truck. It cost @ $80.00. I used #4 or #6 wire (cant remember) with 30amp fuse from the battery up through the cab floor. It is mounted to the back of the small flip down seat in the back seat of crew cab. I ran a short interior color matched power strip out from the bottom of the seat. It will put out about 6.5 amps (1500w= 2 outlets at 750w). It powers small 90psi air comp. in bed, laptop, DVD player, etc.
Never any power issues, EXCEPT if left turned on overnight or long periods, truck voltage is a little low, but not much as the invertor stops when the power gets a little low.
Never any power issues, EXCEPT if left turned on overnight or long periods, truck voltage is a little low, but not much as the invertor stops when the power gets a little low.
Last edited by clouden; Jan 24, 2006 at 12:32 PM.
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 532
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From: Punta Gorda, Florida
Inverters are sort of like big transformers not exactly but sort of some of the same principles apply. What you need to keep in mind power/watts used will be the same on either side of the inverter 120v/12v (watts=amps*volts). With this in mind if you have something that pulls say 360 watts this would be 3 amps on the 120v side of the inverter, but on the 12v side it would be pulling 30 amps. If you had a 3000 watt inverter you wanted to run at full power you would need to use a conducter on the 12v side that's able handle 250 amps. Most of the inverters even recommend going to an even larger size conductor handle surges. This is why as I stated in my other post that you would need to run 4/0 wire to a 3000 watt inverter to use it's full potential.