Adding Inverter for dry camping
I would like to add an additional battery (have one group 27 now), possibly a solar charging system and an inverter. I hate that the 120V outlets don't work on battery power. Seems crazy you can't...
Forum Discussion
Hi burning,
While it is true you can't do 500 watts from a standard cigarette lighter, the two in my "house" are fused at 30 amps. I routinely use a 400 watt inverter with mine. So far no fuses have blown. I use it to power my laptop, and a heating pad.
I think that one of the comparisons is the size of the capacitors in a 100 watt vs a 500 watt. That allows more head room for a surge situation.
It also depends on the inverter maker's rating system. Many times they quote the surge value rather than continuous--so a 500 watt might well only be capable of 250 watts of stead draw.
While it is true you can't do 500 watts from a standard cigarette lighter, the two in my "house" are fused at 30 amps. I routinely use a 400 watt inverter with mine. So far no fuses have blown. I use it to power my laptop, and a heating pad.
I think that one of the comparisons is the size of the capacitors in a 100 watt vs a 500 watt. That allows more head room for a surge situation.
It also depends on the inverter maker's rating system. Many times they quote the surge value rather than continuous--so a 500 watt might well only be capable of 250 watts of stead draw.
burningman wrote:Golden_HVAC wrote:
What I would recommend, and it is very simple is buy a 500 watt inveter that plugs into a cigarette lighter.
Just thought I'd point out something (I'm sure you already know this G_HVAC) about those inverters that plug into a cigarette lighter; 500 watts is impossible because you'd need over 40 amps through that cigarette lighter plug, IF the thing was 100% efficient.
You can only get tiny power from those things.
