power inverter advice

CDLROOKIE, I'd take his advice.

You may not think you can afford it right now, but in the end it may save you hundreds.



That said, I've been using stock truck stop inverters for several years with no ill effects.
I power my laptop and chargers.
I have had to replace a computer power supply once. I don't know if it had anything to do with the inverter used to charge it.
It cost me around $70, so I figure I'm ahead if the 'better' inverter would have cost me an extra $100 or more.

 

Depends on your company swift Schneider werner all these companies do not want them hooked up to the batteries if they catch it you could be fired happened to a grad buddy at Schneider. he was dumb he had a apu and inverter already on the truck former driver on that truck needed a cpap machine.

 

Yes, with Swift I can't have an inverter connected directly to the batteries.
Still, I've had little problem using a plug-in.

I did have to replace one power supply for a computer a couple years back. I don't know if the inverter was at fault, but it was still cheaper to replace the power supply than investing in a more expensive inverter setup.

And I'm good with the plug-in Cobra that I'm using.
I have a Coleman cooler, which is the next best thing to a real fridge.
I power my computer and some other charging devices with the inverter, and I have little need for more power.

 

I have a question for HaulingCars:
The truck I drive has a company installed APU/Inverter. The inverter is 1500 watts. This has been a dependable setup on thousands of trucks over several years. I don't have the brand or model of the inverter handy but can get that info if it is important.

I bought me a slick little Whirlpool Spacesaver microwave because it looks awesome and fits in the TV compartment of a Volvo like they were made for each other. It has .5 cubic foot capacity and rated at 700 watts. That part was important to me because I have successfully used a 700 watt microwave with this setup, including the older microwave I have, which will operate in the current truck.

But the new Whirlpool, which performs wonderfully with household current, doesn't heat in the truck. It lights up, the turntable turns, it goes through the motions, but no heat. Even with APU and engine off, there is no drop on the inverter voltage indicator like I would expect when I turn on the oven. That sound isn't there either when one kicks in.

I even took it back home and tried it again and it does fine plugged in the wall. I then took it back to the truck and tried it without an extension cord to eliminate the possibility of voltage drop, but to no avail.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Richard

 

You can buy one of the cheaper "modified Sine" inverters at any truckstop, or buy a "pure sine" inverter like I did from an online store like Amazon. There are so many models and configurations. It's mind boggling sometimes and it depends on how much you want to spend.
The "pure sine" models are a bit more expensive but work better with some appliances. My brand of inverter is made by Go Power, built like a tank and I connected it directly to the batteries with as thicker cable I could find. I also installed a fuse in the red cable. it's rated at 1500 watts.
Works great and I think you will find it won't run the batteries down. Just make sure your batteries are in excellent condition.
In my experience I think that todays appliances like fridges and microwaves don't seem to use as much power as they did in the early years, so a 3000 watt inverter is more than enough to power everything.
Good luck.

 

A 700 watt microwave does not mean it takes 700 watts to run. It means it cooks with 700 watts. Usually a 700 watt microwave takes 1,400 watts to run. That's why it runs at home and not on your inverter.

 

Well I'll be. I sure didn't know that, but the other 700 I have works fine.

 

Probably more efficient. The more money you spend on anything usually gets you a more efficient product. You need to look at the specs to really know. A Mr. Coffee will take more then 2,500 watts when the hot plate and water heater come on at the same time.

 

Don't bother with a large inverter. Most alternators can only support at best a 1200 Watt inverter running at full output (and they won't do it at idle speeds either). Any more than that, and you'll be draining your batteries even with the engine running. Not to mention you'll really be putting a lot of stress on your alternator. Most fridges will start and run with a 1000 Watt inverter.

When I was OTR, I had a cheap 2000 Watt inverter. The only reason that I got one that large was because it was on sale for $80. If I ever go back OTR, I will probably get a 1000 Watt pure sine wave inverter. Many laptop and phone chargers will trip the output protection on the cheap inverters and shut them down. Most microwaves will NOT run properly on a cheap inverter, if they run at all. That's not a problem with the pure sine wave inverters - but they are a bit more expensive.

For the loads that require more power (microwave, Keurig, toaster oven, etc.) I had a Honda EU2000i generator (mine was $400 used, new for just under $1000) mounted on a bracket on the frame behind the sleeper. I wasn't making coffee, using the toaster oven or the microwave while driving, so I'd just hop out and fire up the generator when I needed it.

Since I was living in the truck, a quality fridge was important to me as it seems to be to you also. I bought one that's designed to be used in off-road vehicles and runs off either a 12V supply or 120V. Almost $1000, but well worth the spend if you're living on the road. I could leave it plugged in and running for 3 days straight during home time with the truck parked, and it never drained the battery. Keeps a constant regulated temperature that you set on the front panel. I got the largest size that would fit in the truck where I wanted it. Here's a link to the manufacturer's site:

http://store.arbusa.com/Fridges-C11.aspx

So keep the inverter small, and make sure it's a pure sine wave inverter. Run your high power draws from a generator. And get a fridge designed for efficient, low power, mobile use.