BFL13 wrote:
brulaz wrote:
Gjac wrote:
BFL13 wrote:
A "700 watt charger" probably has PF of 0.7, so that is 1000 VA for the inverter to supply.
If the charger is set to 14.8v DC and is 85% efficient (typical) output watts is 595 and at 14.8v, amps would be 40.2.
Ok so I should have divided by DC volts not AC volts. So that means with my MSW 1000 watt inverter I should be able to charge my house batteries with my 40 amp B&D charger while in route to the next campsite right?
Sounds like it should work to me. Dunno if your MSW inverter will cause problem with your charger? Sort of doubt it but I'm no expert.
My inverter is mounted just behind the truck cab on a shelf in the bed of the truck under the cap. I can see the read out from the cab thru the rear window.
It has a remote control that I can control from inside the cab. It also turns off when engine stops and the alternator stops pumping out 14.x V as battery isolator cuts it off when the V drops to 12.8V.
The 12AWG extension cord was wrapped in wire loom and split in two with a Leviton WetGuard Plug&Socket.
What is the length and gauge of the 12v wiring from "alternator" (What connection points did you choose?) to the inverter, and what route past the firewall? That is a long ways to get enough input to the inverter so it can do enough output.
Have a standard cab 2500 RAM, so shorter than most, and didn't want to go thru the firewall, nor mount the inverter in the cab (too much noise), so went from the passenger side battery (it's a diesel with two batteries), down under the cab, and back up to the shelf in the bed. Bit of a convoluted path as I didn't want to drill any holes in the sheet metal. Maybe 12-15ft each way of 6ga to the inverter.
There is V drop at max 700W loads, maybe as much as 0.7V or up to 1.0V with the isolator (?), but that's not a problem with the 220A Alternator typically putting out 14.3-14.5V. The inverter doesn't drop out until 11.5-11.8V. The fuse at the battery is 60A. I could have used bigger wire but 6awg was easily available and all I needed for now.
There's lots of juice available from this 6.7L diesel + 220A alternator, drawing 60A has no effect on anything that I can tell.
And having 1000W of PSW 120VAC available in the bed of the truck is handy for other things, like charging tools. Some guys have dual alternators (440A) with much bigger inverters installed in the bed of their trucks for HD 120VAC tools (welding machines?) and so on. They use bigger wires to the inverter of course.
