Choosing an Inverter

[Padlin]

If I'm in the right place...

Looking for an inverter that will run a 1875w +/- hair dryer, 700w microwave (which really takes 1100w), and both sides of an electric blank, the controllers say 180w. I've been told electric blankets need PSW.

Question, if I were to install a 2000 watt inverter, would it run the hair dryer, just at a reduced heat output, or am I asking for problems? The inverter I'm looking at, Xantrex Prowatt SW2000, states a max continuous output of 1800w .

Any suggestions for reasonably priced brands other then the Xantrex Prowatt?

[Jimf1234]

This is the one I run. It will run the hair dryer or microwave with no problem. It has actually run 2 microwaves at the same time. DW was running the microwave inside and I fired up the one in the outdoor kitchen. I only noticed because the low voltage alarm was going off. The alarm goes off at 10.7 volts but doesn't shut off until it hits 10volts. This also works good with solar with a max voltage of 16.5volts. http://www.bestconverter.com/Samlex-PST-2000-12-Pure-Sine-Inverter_p_550.html#.WL-gxRiZPMU

[pnichols]

Almot wrote:
People are trying to turn their RVs into something that it's not designed for, - offgrid living. Except for very few models, RV are made for camping with full hookups - and even in this capacity they are in all respects inferior to smallest and humblest shore home.

Huuuuuhh???

We can go 4-5 days in our 24 foot Class C ... which we bought specifically to be self-contained. The most limitating provision is probably it's 45 gallon fresh water supply. 12V DC and 120V AC electrical power - with no solar on board - does not limit us. For 12V DC power we have three ways of charging our coach battery bank. For 120V AC power we have a high power source fed from the main tank and a low power source fed from a gas can we bring along.

I'm sure many, many RV'ers have drycamping setups far superior to ours.

[Ron3rd]

Padlin wrote:
Guess it's back to the drawing board, got to rethink this. Thanks for the help folks.

Most of us, but not all, use the inverters for low power stuff like TV's etc. That's really the only reason I installed an inverter; so the grandkids can watch TV after quiet time in the campground so I don't have to fire up the Honda genny. Higher wattage draw stuff takes more battery than I care to lug around or have to recharge.

[Almot]

BFL13 wrote:
When solar is available, I like to use the microwave and then get the free sunshine to restore the AH instead of using the propane stove and then having to go buy propane.

Stove is THE least propane-hungry appliance. It consumes less than fridge or furnace even if you use it for making meals 3 times a day (which you probably don't). Not that I advocate to always use stove when MW is available. Some things are more convenient to do in MW.

[Almot]

BFL13 wrote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benghazi_burner

Told ya. If living doesn't involve 110V grid or 3000W generator, full use of MW, toaster, TV, leaf blower, lawn mower and central vacuum - then it's a cave living. Or so they think.

[Almot]

road-runner wrote:
The problem is that some users incorrectly assume that the advertised wattage is an electrical spec, instead of the RF power spec that it actually is.

Yes. Note that this is how (most) users are referring to their MW - 700W micro, 1000W etc. Those who do know the difference btw AC input and RF output, report actual draw.

[BFL13]

A microwave on a MSW inverter pulls fewer amps from the battery bank than it would on a PSW inverter.

I once did the calculation that showed the longer microwave running time on MSW but lower amps made a lower AH figure than the shorter time but higher amps of doing it with PSW.

When solar is available, I like to use the microwave and then get the free sunshine to restore the AH instead of using the propane stove and then having to go buy propane.

[MrWizard]

our GE MW is 1675 input watts, 1150 cooking watts, off shore or genny

with our triplite inverter is pulls 120amps on a fully charged bank

and approx 110 amps in the morning warming up a cup of coffee

while the drip coffee maker only pulls 900+ watts aprox 65 amps

its actually more thermos carafe , but i hate to waste coffee, so we usually MW whats in the carafe one cup at a time

[2oldman]

My Dometic 1.5kw RV microwave takes 30a @ ~ 52v = 1,560 watts. Pretty close.

[GordonThree]

road-runner wrote:

One thing BFL is right about is that microwave draws more than it says on the label. They never tell you real ratings. 1000W micro will draw 1500W and 700W model will draw 1000W.

I disagree with this explanation. For example, the label on my 1250 watt cooking power microwave says it draws 12.7 amps on a 120 volt circuit. The problem is that some users incorrectly assume that the advertised wattage is an electrical spec, instead of the RF power spec that it actually is. I'd expect all of the microwaves to have a correct electrical spec on the electrical label. The owners manual specs for mine list "cooking power" as 1,250 watts and "power consumption" as 12.7 amps, 1,460 watts (which is 12.7 amps at 115 volts). They do tell you the real ratings, it's the users that mix them up.

x2 for this. Mine is even labeled Magnetron output 975 watts AC input 1250 watts, just inside the the door frame.

[SoundGuy]

SoundGuy wrote:
For those for whom a genset isn't part of the plan then surely the simpler solution would be to just forget about using high draw devices entirely when camping without shore power ... surprising as it may seem you will survive the experience. 😛

Almot wrote:
People are trying to turn their RVs into something that it's not designed for, - offgrid living. Except for very few models, RV are made for camping with full hookups - and even in this capacity they are in all respects inferior to smallest and humblest shore home.

Nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy a few comfort features when camping without shore power ... the question is whether it's worth the significantly greater investment to be able to run a 2K, 3K, etc, inverter when much of what one might want to run - toaster, coffee maker, a couple of fans, etc - can easily be accomplished with nothing larger than a 1000 watt inverter powered by just a battery or two.

Yes, one can survive and live well without a microwave and other high-current devices, and yes, installation is simpler without a big inverter.

Just my point.

crosscheck wrote:
Contrary to what is the opinion of the authors in the quotes, it is relatively easy to run a micro, toaster, hairdryer with of course, some limitations plus all of the other lower draw appliances, charge the batteries and still have power left over to run the fridge.

Not contrary at all ... the point is whether it's worth the significant increase in cost to run a high wattage inverter or whether a moderate size 1K unit will do. For some like yourselves a high wattage setup will see frequent use, for others it's totally unnecessary. That's my point, nothing more, nothing less. :R

[time2roll]

Almot wrote:
People are trying to turn their RVs into something that it's not designed for, - offgrid living. Except for very few models, RV are made for camping with full hookups - and even in this capacity they are in all respects inferior to smallest and humblest shore home.

I disagree. Not only are people trying, they are succeeding.
I see nothing inferior except interior space.

Yes it costs a few $$$. For those intent on going very low cost I try to stay away from comments.

[road-runner]

One thing BFL is right about is that microwave draws more than it says on the label. They never tell you real ratings. 1000W micro will draw 1500W and 700W model will draw 1000W.

I disagree with this explanation. For example, the label on my 1250 watt cooking power microwave says it draws 12.7 amps on a 120 volt circuit. The problem is that some users incorrectly assume that the advertised wattage is an electrical spec, instead of the RF power spec that it actually is. I'd expect all of the microwaves to have a correct electrical spec on the electrical label. The owners manual specs for mine list "cooking power" as 1,250 watts and "power consumption" as 12.7 amps, 1,460 watts (which is 12.7 amps at 115 volts). They do tell you the real ratings, it's the users that mix them up.

[2oldman]

Almot wrote:
People are trying to turn their RVs into something that it's not designed for, - offgrid living.

I do just fine.