How many amps does my inverter provide

Since the surge of the 600W model is 1200W, a 7Amp inline fuse to protect the 18 ga. wire is a hands off approach to not overloading the wire.

If you are just wanting POWER STATIONS these panel would be ideal... They connect directly to your Batteries and can be mounted almost anywhere. I would get one with an ON-SWITCH as if you have a digital readout the panel may be very bright being left on 24/7.... These are very inexpensive panels and can be mounted either horizontal or vertical... Most of these panel kits come with wiring cables etc... Check out on AMAZON for 12VDC USB SOCKET PANELS...


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Using a POWER INVERTER for something like this will most likely get you in an discharged battery situation.

Roy Ken

Gotta love when landyacht replies!! Learned a ton from you dude.

Another case of the inverter not being required to do the task at hand.

Anytime one can bypass the requirement of having to use the inverter it will likely save both money, and battery power.

I recommend skipping the Ciggy plug whenever possible too, It is a horrible, contemptible, highly resistive electrical connection, that gets worse with age and the more current it is asked to pass. I've had one of the supposedly 'better' ciggy plug and mating receptacle buzz audibly when using a PWM dimmer on some leds, and could stop the whine/buzz simply by changing the pressure on the plug, but as soon as I let off it came back.

There are USB receptacles designed to fit the same space as a ciggy plug 12v receptacle, This one shows Amps( @5vdc) as well as voltage reaching the plug.

https://www.amazon.com/Charger-ADSDIA-Aluminum-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B07PN5YZX3/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=12v+usb+source&qid=1585102971&sr=8-5

Shop around, that was just the first hit that looked like the product I have in mind and have employed on a friend's rig.

I've installed a few of these in a friends vw bus and they do recharge his Kid's ipads at a high rate. The voltmeter and ammeter display is kind of a novelty, and is difficult to see when there are two usb cords installed in it. These do have a very small parasitic draw when they are not charging anything, somewhere under 0.01amps. Use a switch in line, or be able to pull the fuse easily, for storage mode.

The inverter is wasteful when powering 5vDC USB ports or a 19.5vDC laptop. One can get dc to dc 'car adapters' for their specific laptop for about 25$ or less, and save 5 to 15 watts of energy over using the inverter powering the provided AC/DC power brick.

150 watt DC boost converters can be had for about 2$, if one has some DIY skills.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-150W-DC-DC-Boost-Converter-10-32V-to-12-35V-6A-Step-Up-Power-Supply-Module/184185581266?hash=item2ae250eed2:g:8qgAAOSwMdZbgRHx

Inverters are a necessary evil, but in my opinion, should always be the last resort, not the go to solution for everything household on battery power.

opnspaces wrote:
Thanks all, I figured I was good but wanted to be sure. The inverter is only going to be powered by an ignition positive source to power a few phone chargers so I'm not too concerned about draining the battery. But it is good to know about the limitations.

Why use a 12V to 120V inverter to go to 5V USB to charge a phone?

You can go direct from 12V to 5V with one of these..



$10 for a 2.4A two USB port cig port charger..

HERE

2.4A will handle pretty much any phone or Tablet with ease.

Save the inverter for much heavier 120V loads..

I have a 400w volt cube.

Just did a quick cell phone test.
Using 120AC charger: 0.83a
Using the USB output: 0.50a

opnspaces wrote:
Thanks all, I figured I was good but wanted to be sure. The inverter is only going to be powered by an ignition positive source to power a few phone chargers so I'm not too concerned about draining the battery. But it is good to know about the limitations.

It is always a good idea to do some local dry runs to be sure you not getting into trouble being caught off guard...

I do back yard runs and I also am within 25 miles of a nice camp ground... Can run to Lowes or WALMART to pick up things haha...

Roy Ken

opnspaces wrote:
Thanks all, I figured I was good but wanted to be sure. The inverter is only going to be powered by an ignition positive source to power a few phone chargers so I'm not too concerned about draining the battery. But it is good to know about the limitations.

All of our recent phones use a USB cord which can be plugged into a 12V DC to USB adapter. A LOT cheaper and more efficient than using an inverter.

Ok, Nothing wrong with your math and yes an 18 Ga cord can handle that.

Quick look at the specs I would find a different one. The 1a USB output is very very low.

About a year ago I went with a "cube". Can find the model later.

It's got dual 2.4a USB outputs that work with the inverter turned off. So no fan noise.

Also more efficient going from 12v DC to 5v DC. Instead of 12v DC to 120AC back down to 5vDC.