DC-AC Power Inverters

J.C.

J.C.

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Apr 18, 2005
Location
Greensboro, NC
Anyone using an inverter to run anything on their tow rig for camping or work? Just wondering how they work, what wattage is useable, what you use them to run, what brand, etc.
 
I've got a 1000w constant radio shack model hardwired under the middle seat in my tow rig. So far it only charges phones, a nintendo, and a drill but it's done well with all of those. There are a couple sites online that will tell you what you can/can't run. It's usually the startup load that will get you.
 
I have a 400watt inverter in my work van, use it to power battery chargers for my grease gun, impact and a light wand.


I HAVE used it to run a 1/2" drill, it didn't like it and I ended up blowing a 15amp fuse for the circut it was powered from (go figure) It was an act of desperation. the drill would only run with the trigger pulled all the way, would not run as a variable speed. All of which I pretty much expected.

A larger inverter would have probably worked better, but the speed issue would have been the same.

I have found some battery chargers don't like inverters, as many inverters don't supply a true sine wave power flow. but a modified square wave, some circutry can't handle it.

I want to add a 1200watt inverter and a second battery and isolator to the van, but I need to figure out the charging system on the Sprinter first. Fawkin Mercedies does some weird shit.
 
blkvoodoo is correct. There are 2 types of inverters, quasi-sine and pure-sine. Most of your cheaper coleman-type are most likely going to be quasi-sine, or square-wave inverters. not all tools can be run off of this, specifically the more sensitive type of measuring tools and such. Most hand tools are ok with square-wave. Another way to check is if your power cord for your tool has one of those little boxes in it (like a laptop computer), then you should be good to go. At work, I have run anything from 800 watts up to a 3600 watt inverter. The best brand industrial inverter on the market right now is Dimensions Unlimited, but you will pay for it too. Just to give you a size perspective, a 3600 watt inverter has a base of about 18" x 15" and weighs roughly 70-80 lbs.
 
Kinda what I was looking for Blkvoodoo, thanks. Unless you really want to spend the bucks you get a modified sine wave unit! I guess there is no way to really tell until you buy it, hook it up and try to run your drill, whatever. I'm looking at something 1500-2000w with a 1000w start up, around $200 to run a 3/8 drill, sabre saw, small fan, light, etc, not all at the same time :)
 
I have a cheep 1000w in my work truck I use to run a 4.5 inch grinder and charge batts for my drill, cell phone, and laptop. Seems to work good. If all you need to do is charge cell phones or run a laptop the ones that plug into the 12v lighter plug seem to work fine for that.
 
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