Vehicle Inverters

[Goomer]

Looking to mount a inverter in my van.

2000 watts should be sufficient.

Not for continuous use, but would be handy to have on occasion to fiddle with some basic equipment in the field.

Any particular brands/types/specs to consider?

 

[Mike Draper]

go to a place called the inverter store. I'll have to get the specs on mine. I've used it to run the HOSS for an entire apartment complex. Worked great. The down side is you need to have very thick and very expensive cables from your truck battery to the inverter. They will probably cost more than inverter.

 

[dgardner]

Definitely don't skimp on the cables. As a rule of thumb, the amps drawn from the battery will be a little over 10 times the nameplate amps of your motor (or other load). So, the Hoss - which draws around 7 amps (I think) will cause the inverter to draw a little more than 70A from the battery. Running a 2000W inverter at full load would draw more than 160A from the battery. Beefy cables are a must - as is a heavy duty alternator if you use it for more than intermittent service, otherwise you will drain the battery pretty fast.

 

[Papa John]

go to a place called the inverter store. I'll have to get the specs on mine. I've used it to run the HOSS for an entire apartment complex. Worked great. The down side is you need to have very thick and very expensive cables from your truck battery to the inverter. They will probably cost more than inverter.

Or u could just use jumper cables by changing the ends. IMHO

 

[dgardner]

Careful John - you can't go by the amp rating on jumper cables. Their rating is for only a few seconds of use during cranking. Your typical "heavy duty" jumper cables that say 400A on the package are usually made with 4 gauge wire - good for only around 80A continuous load. If you ran these cables at 400A for more than a few minutes they would melt the insulation and short out.

Sure - the "industrial" jumper cables would work (1/0 or 2/0), but now your spending $300+ on them. Might as well buy the spec'd cable if your spending that much.

 

[Papa John]

Careful John - you can't go by the amp rating on jumper cables. Their rating is for only a few seconds of use during cranking. Your typical "heavy duty" jumper cables that say 400A on the package are usually made with 4 gauge wire - good for only around 80A continuous load. If you ran these cables at 400A for more than a few minutes they would melt the insulation and short out.

Sure - the "industrial" jumper cables would work (1/0 or 2/0), but now your spending $300+ on them. Might as well buy the spec'd cable if your spending that much.

??? But the cables I got with my 5000 watt invertor look the same as jumper cables-- about the same thickness/diameter. ??? And you said 400Amp!!!! Wtf!! I dont think I have that much amps coming into my 4 bedroom house!!
Please explain-- but U are MBs resident "Mad Scientist" so I admit im out gunned here.. just enlighten me please.

I bought both at Northerntool.com

 

[Jim Martin]

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-RPB825-8-Gauge-Flexible-Translucent/dp/B000K8MUWI

that right there will work..I have used it to hook up Aims 5000 watt and bigger 12 volt inverters on motor homes...and they are still working today.....
watch your connections..they will get you before the wire will...tint the wires with solder and then make sure that you solder everything with a strong bond.....

you will need a stronger out put alternator if your planning on running heavy items....and I have seen a few times where the wire supply to the alternator had to be redone....

never the less...if you take your time and do it right it is a handy dandy thing to have on your truck and comes in use.......

 

[GeneMiller]

http://www.custombatterycables.com Exact size and length plus the ends you want crimped with the correct machine.

Gene

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Welding cable.

 

[Mike Draper]

Here is the link to the one I run. http://www.theinverterstore.com/5000-watt-power-inverter.html

did I mention I run a refridgerator on mine all summer? The fridge is 30 years old and will freeze my drinks if I dont have it adjusted just right. They dont make things like they used to.

 

[dgardner]

http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-RPB825-8-Gauge-Flexible-Translucent/dp/B000K8MUWI

that right there will work..I have used it to hook up Aims 5000 watt and bigger 12 volt inverters on motor homes...and they are still working today.....
watch your connections..they will get you before the wire will...tint the wires with solder and then make sure that you solder everything with a strong bond.....

you will need a stronger out put alternator if your planning on running heavy items....and I have seen a few times where the wire supply to the alternator had to be redone....

never the less...if you take your time and do it right it is a handy dandy thing to have on your truck and comes in use.......

Jim, are you sure? The only way that wire would survive is if the 5000W inverter is never actually loaded anywhere close to 5000 watts. I know that you know the math - amps equals watts divided by volts - so for a 5000 W inverter run off a 12V battery (actually 13.8 nominal volts):

5000 / 13.8 = 362 amps!

Jim, as you know 8 gauge wire is rated to about 50A, and will realistically carry more, but not nearly that much more!

Note the installation instructions for a Xantrex 5000W inverter:

The smallest wire recommended above is 9 sizes bigger than your #8 wire. Sorry, but I feel I need to point all this out. If anyone installs a true 5000 watt inverter with 8 gauge wire - and actually loads it to anywhere near 5000 watts for more than a few seconds you will have issues.

 

[Jim Martin]

yea..I am sure....still have some on a spool on the shop...never a issue...

I use it on my trucks......

 

[GCCLee]

A Real Automotive Sound Shop would probably get a kick out of something like this. And carry your wire.

Not seen it said yet, but if you do have an issue. It will technically be construed as a Melt Down.

Think Fire truck coming to douce your rig : (

Rv's have both inverters and generators for a reason.

 

[rick imby]

So a Heavy duty alternator was mentioned. I am surprized that an automotive alternator can put out that much power. @Mike Draper Did you put in a heavy duty alternator? I am assuming your fridge is only running while you are driving your truck? Do you plug the fridge in at home?

Does this load make the truck motor idle higher?

Would this put a ton of stress on the voltage regulator on the truck?

 

[Mike Draper]

My fridge runs all day in the summer. There is a brief time when we pull up to a house that the truck turns off until the TM turns on. My truck mount is wired to the vehicle batteries. I have 1 deep cell and one regular battery. Both batteries are tied together. I dont have a heavy duty alternator, I dont even have an alternator on my TM. There is no effect on idle or anything. I run the fridge from April till October. No problems yet.

 

[dgardner]

A fridge represents a pretty small load - typically no more than 500-600 watts - the heavy current draw I mentioned is at many thousands of watts. Mike's setup sounds fine.

 

[Nate The Great]

My fridge runs all day in the summer. There is a brief time when we pull up to a house that the truck turns off until the TM turns on. My truck mount is wired to the vehicle batteries. I have 1 deep cell and one regular battery. Both batteries are tied together. I dont have a heavy duty alternator, I dont even have an alternator on my TM. There is no effect on idle or anything. I run the fridge from April till October. No problems yet.

Is a battery isolator used to tie both batteries together?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

That sure sounds like an oxymoron.

 

[GeneMiller]

I use a deep cycle also and would recommend both batteries are the same unless you are using an isolator. My inverter has a built in feature to prevent it from draining a battery. It still destroyed a regular battery so I went to the deep cycle. It been years with no problems.

Gene

 

[Mike Draper]

yes, there is an isolater

 

[dgardner]

BTW - here ya go - 10 feet of black, 10 feet of red. It's 4/0 (big!) to handle the amps, flexible, well insulated and under a hundred bucks (still need terminal ends though).

http://www.amazon.com/TEMCo-Welding-Battery-Cable-WC0340/dp/B00LIB5Y4W

 

[dgardner]

Terminals:

http://www.amazon.com/US-Forge-Welding-Cable-2-Inch/dp/B002ECF1HE

 

[Jim Martin]

if your going to use that over rated wire then use this type terminal...tint the wire and lug it down...they are much safer.......

 

[Bob Savage]

BTW - here ya go - 10 feet of black, 10 feet of red. It's 4/0 (big!) to handle the amps, flexible, well insulated and under a hundred bucks (still need terminal ends though).

http://www.amazon.com/TEMCo-Welding-Battery-Cable-WC0340/dp/B00LIB5Y4W

You only need the positive cable, the van is grounded to the negative (-) on the battery. Wherever the inverter is located, a short run of the negative cable (-) to the van body with secure connection will work.

I have a Ford van that has a high output alternator. My slide-in has it's own battery and charging system.

I ran a welding cable, as Lee mentioned, from the van battery under the hood, to a fuse block on the TM frame, where the + of each battery is connected (in parallel), to increase the total amps available for both the van and the TM.

When the van is running, both batteries are being charged. When the TM is running, both batteries are being charged.

I also have a 1500 watt inverter that I use every day when cleaning to power an APO and our LP heater circuitry. The inverter came with a positive cable (short) to connect it into the system.

 

[clean image]

Not recommended both alternators running same Battery pack same time

I run separate marine battery with 100amp on tm.

If one dies ... still have the other

Always keep common ground

 

[dgardner]

If one dies ... still have the other

Instead of tying the two batteries together full time, you could tie them through a disconnect switch. They can run separately, but you can tie them together with a twist of the wrist if one or the other is dead.

http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Battery-Disconnect-Switch-Isolator/dp/B00EBQOKEQ

 

[GeneMiller]

I won't run an inverter to ground I would go to the battery with both cables.

Gene

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Sometimes the stock ground cables and vehicle current path are a weak link.

 

[dgardner]

I wouldn't use the vehicle's ground for anything larger than a 1500W unit (about a hundred amps at full load). Mechanics are famous for leaving off bonding straps, so you have to make sure everything is in place.