Bought a cheap 375 watt inverter to charge the laptop and drill/driver when needed. Tripp-Lite Uses a lighter socket for power.I'm thinking of installing a permanent inverter, noticed the Morningstar 300 Watt requires 6awg or better to hook it up and a 100A fuse on the input.Just curious but if I have a 10A fuse on the lighter socket, am I correct in assuming the most I'll ever get out of the Tripp-Lite is more like 120 watts minus inverter loss?

You may have issues trying to charge cordless tools with that MSW inverter. I wouldn't even try it. If the draw from the inverter exceeds 10 amps the fuse will eventually blow. Those cigar lighter ports should only be used for low draw devices like USB chargers and such. You can have a good inverter and portability without using the cig outlet. Configure the inverter wiring with a pair of good connectors like Anderson Powerpoles.

Padlin wrote:Just curious but if I have a 10A fuse on the lighter socket, am I correct in assuming the most I'll ever get out of the Tripp-Lite is more like 120 watts minus inverter loss?YES, you are correct.

GoPower 300W is a good pure sine wave and under $200 on Amazon. Recently installed one one my trailer and works well.

Padlin wrote:I'm thinking of installing a permanent inverter, noticed the Morningstar 300 Watt requires 6awg or better to hook it up and a 100A fuse on the input.:h Curious as to why a 100 amp fuse would be recommended when a 50 amp would be the correct size for a peak surge of 600 watts which this inverter is apparently rated for. I recently installed a 1000 watt sine wave inverter and used an 80 amp fuse which for the purposes I intend to use it for is quite sufficient.

Check out the AIMS 600WATT PSW INVERTER on AMAZON. Was $149 a few years back...Permanent installed close to the batteryThis is the one I use...

Cheap Portable Inverter | Good Sam Community

Naio
Explorer II
Jul 01, 2015
My $50 harbor freight MSW really does sound like a jet engine. Luckily the fan only comes on when it's about to shut down from overheating ;).

But I think I'd like a nice quiet one if I buy a PSW.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jul 01, 2015
My inside fans make more noise than my inverters
I never hear my inverters, they are in the electrical bay under the bedroom
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jun 30, 2015
Naio wrote:
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
For the life of me I went back to the OP and read it word-for-word and could not find the word "noise" or even "fan".?¿?

But us lurkers who also need new inverters are interested in the fan noise aspect :).

That's why I threw that aspect of inverters out there. Many look good on paper but sound like a jet engine running constantly.

There's a reason Inverter "A" is $49.00 and Inverter "B" is $149.00, both 300 watts. Learn the differences and you have a better chance of being happy.
Padlin
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Vixen21 wrote:
Padlin wrote:

The Morningstar 300 can be had for about $200.

Where can the Morningstar be bought for $200?
Thanks

Try Google.

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MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Stand Off a swatch of soft foam two inches above the inverter plus place the inverter on rubber feet. This really chops the whir of a fan.
N-Trouble
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
SkiSmuggs wrote:
SCVJeff wrote:
RJsfishin wrote:
Quote:
I'm thinking of installing a permanent inverter,
----------------------------------------------
Whats the difference tween a permanent inverter and a portable one ?
Bolts

That pretty well sums it up. :)

That and powering off 12v sig lighter vs hard wiring to a battery bank.

As far as fan noise my GoPOwer 300W is very quiet but I have it installed in a storage area on my trailer so fan noise wouldn't really be an issue even if it was on the loud side. I'm not sure where people are installing that fan noise is such an issue. Best to install the inverter close to your battery bank which is typically out of the way.
Vixen21
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Padlin wrote:

The Morningstar 300 can be had for about $200.

Where can the Morningstar be bought for $200?
Thanks
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Oooooooo fan draw. Shall I use the regular fan or the one that makes my sparse hair stand out on end? The big mommy draws three watts -one fourth of one amp. That'll suck a battery bank down to look like a raisin in no time...

If fan noise bothers you - don't ever come to Mexico. The dawn's early light vocal war between the roosters and the dogs is only interrupted by the Klang - klang - klang of church bells call to mass. If a person is quiet everyone thinks they are sick or dead.
brulaz
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
westend wrote:
You may have issues trying to charge cordless tools with that MSW inverter. I wouldn't even try it.
...

Have heard this too. Some, not all, cordless chargers require almost pure sine wave to work right. A lot of people on the Ford forums are unhappy with the MSW inverters in their trucks for this reason.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
RJsfishin wrote:
Quote:
I'm thinking of installing a permanent inverter,
----------------------------------------------
Whats the difference tween a permanent inverter and a portable one ?

A serious reply, presuming that's what you're actually looking for ... ;)

Usually when one is talking about a "portable" inverter they're referring to simply plugging it's input cable into a 12 vdc cigarette lighter style receptacle. However, that circuit will be limited to a maximum draw of ~ 8 to perhaps 10 amps or ~ 100 watts so using even a 300 watt inverter is rather pointless as it can't draw anywhere near it's full load anyway. Wiring an inverter "permanently" by connecting it directly to the trailer battery using short, heavy gauge cables will solve this and allow the inverter to produce it's full rated output.