those with company trucks and 400w inverters

Discussion in 'Swift' started by AZS, Feb 19, 2011.

  1. dieselgrl

    dieselgrl Light Load Member

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    Jan 11, 2011
    Salt Lake City, Utah
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    The truck has a 12v cut off protection switch when it works properly. Thankfully, mine does, and kills all power to the sleeper when the truck thinks voltage to start is getting critical (the only thing I miss about the opti idle trucks...the battery protection mode!). I leave my cooler plugged in 24/7 except when I'm playing a temporary game of swap the power cord (I have one less outlet than most Swift trucks...two less than the Volvos due to my smaller sleeper). The inverter is only plugged in when I'm using it. I've left it plugged in occasionally, but with the switch off. I've found it's extended the life of my little inverter...we're going on six years together now.

    There's no need to leave a tv or a laptop plugged in constantly. The cooler is really the only device in most trucks that have to plugged in all the time.
     
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  3. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    Must be a new truck thing.

    My rookie year was in a 1997 Freightliner.
     
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  4. rocknroll nik

    rocknroll nik High Risk Load Member

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    04 T-600

    and yeah I think it is a newer truck deal Medic
     
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  5. schmud0811

    schmud0811 Medium Load Member

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    Phoenix,AZ
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    i unplug mine when im done with it. Mines a 400 watt. i just use it for a laptop
     
  6. AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

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    Do you use a 12v splitter?
     
  7. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    The very first truck for 3 weeks was a 1995 Freightliner, then they gave me the 97.

    Times were different back then. Rarely got my logs checked. Most of the time, you cruised right through the scales no problem.
     
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  8. rocknroll nik

    rocknroll nik High Risk Load Member

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    we can only wish they were that easy going again:biggrin_2557:
     
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  9. dieselgrl

    dieselgrl Light Load Member

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    Jan 11, 2011
    Salt Lake City, Utah
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    I had one, but my old one fried...I suspect one of my 12v appliances was drawing a little too much current and started to overheat. (I'm suspicious of the coffee pot sharing the outlet with my cooler.) Noticed it was getting warm right before the darn truck fuse blew.

    I never split any outlet other than the front - and never use the inverter on any outlet other than the front one. The truck sleepers are not wired as heavy in the back, and you can actually cause damage running higher voltage devices from the back. The heaviest gauge wire in these new trucks is on that very front outlet. It's also the only outlet I'll use when using a 12v appliance designed to heat something. The coffee pot isn't so bad, but the lunchbox ovens draw quite a bit, and I keep the truck idling for those even more so than my tv on the inverter.
     
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  10. schmud0811

    schmud0811 Medium Load Member

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    didn't know about the wiring....i only use the front plug because i rest my laptop on the steering wheel
     
  11. AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

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    Good to know, I got a three way in the back (lol) but it just has the cooler and my cell phone charger.
     
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