Inverter capacity?
I try not to ask questions which have been repeatedly discussed but sometimes the right answer is hard to find with the search function..... I am thinking of installing an inverter but am not sure ...
Forum Discussion
As others have noted, your battery capacity is at least as important as the inverter size. If you have or can borrow a monitor such as a Kill A Watt, use it to determine the typical wattage you use per day over a week or so. Use that figure to determine how much battery you need. Generally, you don't want to draw the batteries down below 50%, and you will need to convert the wattage used to amp hours to see what you need.
As to the inverter, you are going to need something at least 20% larger, and preferably 50% than the microwave rating, and a pure sine wave inverter since some microwaves are unhappy with modified sine wave inverters. Best guess without making actual measurements is you will be looking at a 2.5KW to 3KW inverter and at least a pair of 12V deep cycle batteries. You may find it more efficient to use a small inverter to power the TV - generally, the larger the inverter, the higher the efficiency losses.
Of course you also need a way to put the energy used back into the batteries, either a lot of solar, a generator, or hitting a campground with hookups every couple of days.
As to the inverter, you are going to need something at least 20% larger, and preferably 50% than the microwave rating, and a pure sine wave inverter since some microwaves are unhappy with modified sine wave inverters. Best guess without making actual measurements is you will be looking at a 2.5KW to 3KW inverter and at least a pair of 12V deep cycle batteries. You may find it more efficient to use a small inverter to power the TV - generally, the larger the inverter, the higher the efficiency losses.
Of course you also need a way to put the energy used back into the batteries, either a lot of solar, a generator, or hitting a campground with hookups every couple of days.
