INSTALLING A POWER INVERTER (Pictures)

A lot of trucks already have holes behind the driver's seat. You just pop it out. That's where my cables come through and the inverter is mounted on the side of the cabinet.

The question is whether your company allows them. If they do, they'll tell you where to run the cables or they'll install it

 

The company is PAM and I won't know until I know what they will allow/install.

I THINK it ain't much however....

 

I got turned down by PAM . They said I had to many NON preventable accidents.. Only had 2 in a 3 year period and 1 preventable . I dont understand the reasoning behind too many non preventables... But anywayz according to the recruiter PAM has APUs on all their trucks .

 

Im starting a new job . The company doesnt allow invertors to be hooked up to the truck battery . But Im planning on doing it anyway . Is there some kinda easy way to unhook and hook up before I take it into the shop ??

I also have a set of 15foot long cables . 4 gauge with the plastic rubber style fuse blocks near the end of it thats close to the battery . Everytime I run the microwave by itself the fuses tends to blow . Ive tried all different size of fuses but they keep blowing . Its a 1000 watt COBRA . Microwave puts out about 800 or 900 . I run it by itself with the truck on . Should I just go out and by new cables ?? Shortin the length ?? Get a new or different kind of fuse holder ??

 

Yes, you want to try and limit your cable to 4 ft with 6 ft maximum or you have significant voltage drop and the cable will heat up. The shorter the better your invertor will function. Then use extention cords to reach your appliances.

Wire size depends on the invertor and is included with he specs. Most will use 4 awg. The invertor hole is the same size as the wire. So if you have wire that is smaller, you have the wrong size. Some newer Cobra's have double feeds. Also even though you have a battery ground, make sure you use chassis ground on the invertor housing.

Hole penetrations should be protected with rubber gromments. Silicone works, but gromments look like you know whatcha are doing.

The soldering above was kind of cheesy. I was an electronics tech in the military and a certified solderer. The proper way is to flux and dip the wire into molten solder, rather than to solder on the invertor. This technique keeps the wire from bird caging and with the invertor set screw, you have a solid connection with no corrosion. And if you were to solder a lug on, heat the lug, install pre-soldered cable and when you touch the solder to the lug, it will fill up nice and smoothly vs a blotched up cheese ball look that you are not sure will hold.

Fires start from bad wiring jobs, so do it right and you have nothing to worry about.

 

PAM trucks do NOT all have APU!!! I have an '06 Century that not only does NOT have APU but does have VERY irritating Opti-Idle.

Go into a customer office and it seems like in 2 minutes it shuts down. Ask it to keep the truck cold or warm and it runs 1100 rpm for a while, shuts down a while, starts up again etc.

Give me a truck that just plain idles, or one that has APU! And with all the states going with no idle laws APU makes the most sense.

I'm coming to grips with the Opti, but still don't stay asleep for hours at a time.

I like that it's about 63 outside and will only go down from here on.

 

Thanks for the post! I needed this.

 

Thanks for the post!

 

Incidentally, it is recommended that your cables be kept to 3 feet or shorter in length. Also you can get the "000" jumper cables at a auto parts store.

 

While you're at it, you might as well get rid of those wet cell batteries, which are really only designed to start the truck, not power accessories. Rather, install as many AGM batteries as your box can hold. They are more expensive, but last a lot longer, and you won't have to run the trucks motor or APU nearly as much to do lower watt tasks, like running electronics or even small microwave. I have six 100amp hr Deka/MK batteries backing up my 5000 watt continuous inverter. This provides me 600 amp hours, or 60 amps for 10 hours down. On a night when I don't need the A/C, my batteries can easily power my needs without the APU popping on. Only when high wattage appliances, like when I boil water for pasta, or use the frying pan, will the APU pop on to recharge the batteries. I found that my wet cell batteries quickly died under this discharging, recharging abuse. Like good tires, good batteries are a pretty important equipment investment for a trucker. AGM batteries are also safer, since they can't spill their acid.