Inverter help

I power my tv, dvd, laptop and charge small items with a Go Power 300w sine wave inverter. Crock pot should be fine.

I mounted the inverter behind the fuse-breaker panel. 12v connects to the main battery feed to the panel. 120v is wired into the entertainment area circuit with an automatic transfer switch. The wiring is very straight forward if you have done any home wiring before. The Go Power 300w has a provision for a remote power switch so with the touch of a button I have instant power.

GP 300w SW $172

Xantrex 15 amp switch $49

So all in maybe $250-$300 for self install.

MexicoWanderer, I have dry camped and the battery held up ok but the only thing really drawing off the battery was the refer.
I don't run too many lights and conserve as much battery power as I can. I will not run the crock-pot unless I am driving because I know small appliances draw a lot of watts.

Thanks 2oldman, I will check out these sites.

MaryEileen,

Have you dry camped yet in your new rig?

If yes, how did the battery hold up with no inverter?

I use an average of 80 kWh electricity per month and many folks use 10 times that, so it is hard to guesstimate without your participation in a Q&A session.

I can tell you that a slow cooker uses more power than you may think. 150 watts per hour for five hours is 750 watt hours. It equals the allowable discharge in one group 27 battery, but when driving this is a non issue. A few hours of television depends on the television. Some use a LOT more power than others.

How long at a stretch you camp is crucial as is how for how long a time you drive between campsites.

How many lights do you use at a time and for how long?

If you camp long enough to need a generator the charger in your rig has to jam as much as possible back into the batteries in the time you allow generator run time.

So if you can provide answers or guesses to the above questions it will be a starting point.

These posts should get you started...

Don Rowe site Inverter FAQ
Inverters by Phred
inverter thread
MSW v. pure sine
Inverters and MW thread