Under hood inverter install? Chev 3500HD

Inverters also hate heat, and vibration is not high on their list of loves. Under the hood is a bad place for an inverter.

Engine compartment is full of heat, moisture and dirt. All of which an inverter hates.
2,000 watts really needs 4 batteries but you might squeak by with the alternator helping.
You may find a better environment in the RV or I would be putting the inverter in a tool box. The money will add up quick.

I believe Tripp Lite makes a rugged police / emergency inverter that is weather sealed, you can install it in an engine bay or other exposed area. It's pricey though!

I'm guessing you already have the dual batteries underhood? I thought it was neat that one GMC pickup I owned long ago had an empty battery box installed under the hood, to run a snow plow or something. That would have been the perfect spot for an inverter. The starting battery was tucked up into the dash, almost behind the engine. A GM engineer I spoke to claimed this was for crash test ratings... so the battery would survive a crash to continue recording data and to power the automatic OnStar crash response system.

My Ram has tons of room under the hood, easily enough for an extra alternator, battery, inverter, air compressor, you name it... but it's just a grocery getter.

What tools other than a chain saw do you wish to run?

There's something to be said for thinking about cordless (electric) tools if they'll meet your needs. You can get a car charger for most any cordless tool system pretty easily, and the cost of the inverter and wiring may be pretty similar to the tools and charger and batteries and so forth.

Home Depot sells a Ryobi 18V chain saw (along with a plethora of other 18V tools). I gather that it's really not a very good chain saw, but if all you need is the occasional branch cut out of the way it might be sufficient. Many of the other tools are pretty decent, at least taking their price point into account.

(I do agree with everyone else that mounting the inverter in the engine compartment sounds like a bad idea. It's hot and dirty and sometimes wet or damp in there, the opposite of what electronics like.)

I have a 600WATT PSW AIMS Power Inverter install under my rear seat in my truck. I already ran a 4AWG cable fused for 100AMPS back there for my Blue Sea 6-position Fuse panel and have two Ham Radio main units located here as well... Easy access to frame ground point...

I ran one 120VAC output to a panel mount behind the truck bed side panel close to the tail gate. The other 120VAC socket is available to plug into just by raising the rear seat... I actually have a short 120VAC multi head extension cord up under one of the front seats... Each 120VAC socket is rated at 300WATTS

Works out great for me... I very seldom need this much power but I like it being a pure sine wave model. Never have to worry about burning up any of electrical or electronic items...

The most it gets used is using my MR Coffee grinder brewing up my good ole fresh made bean coffee over a camp fire - then I pour this up into a coffee mug...

I picked mine up from AMAZON back in 2009. Got one for the truck and one for the POPUP TRAILER... Both still going strong... They were only $159 back then each...


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I switch mine on-off with a BLUE SEA DC switch

Roy Ken

Inverters hate dirt*, and engines get a hundred billion cubic feet of air sucked in and over them.

*Heatsinks love to go nude

Get a shop to heliarc an aluminum carrier and use a TOW TRUCK JUMPER CABLE connector to join the battery with the happy camper inverter.

Guess what? When light-fingered individuals see the connector on the connection end of the cables, they lose their lust to make off with them. Easy to install, not cheap (you need connection and cables for a diesel), and clean. Quicksilver had such a setup but there were few 24 volt rigs that needed a jump. The setup loses little purchase value over the years.

So you have an inverter with say 12' of 2/0 cable wrapped around it. Buy just the connectors and roll your own with ultra heavy duty cast copper lugs permanently bolted onto the inverter.

Under hood is bad juju.

Not under the hood. Behind the seat or maybe under the truck in a "clean dry spot"? Or maybe in a toolbox in the bed of your truck? I would think that you would want your 110 volt service in the back and the 12 volt cables wouldn't be a whole lot longer.

Behind a headlight fixture? there is usually some space between the fixture and the fender/front panel. I wouldn't be afraid to use the Anderson connectors, especially with your use requirements. That may be a better alternative since it's presumed the inverter in hand would be cooler than one mounted in the engine bay.

Behind the seat
Keep it out of the engine compartment