INSTALLING A POWER INVERTER (Pictures)

The wattage for every appliance will be listed on the unit. Basically electronics like cell phones and laptops use next to nothing. Things that draw a lot are things that heat, (blow dryers 1500-1800 watt) or have an electrical motor. (like the fridge) Fortunately refrigerators do not run constantly, microwaves are a ditto. If you want to run everything all at once, read the labels and add it up, and you have the wattage needed.

 

I think microwaves get guys most of the time, they think since they have a 900watt unit that it requires 900watts when in fact microwaves usually need at least an additional 200 watts added to their power size to run them. So a 900watt unit would require at least a 1100watt inverter just to run the microwave. Unless you are going crazy with a ton of things all running at the same time you should be fine with the cobra 2575 unit and they are reliable and well built, don't try to save $75 and buy some ebay unit or you'll just be buying another one in less then a year, shop around for the Cobra and you will find it a lot cheaper then the truckstops.

 

Cobra 2575 with 2500watts continious and 5000watt surge is $199 at Walmart.com

 

Strike that I just found it on Amazon for $175.73 with free shipping and you can get the remote on/off switch for $20 extra if you want to install the inverter up under the bed and then just install the on/off switch in a easy to get to place.

 

Would a breaker be installed on the NEG side or POS side? The only wiring set up I can find has two black wires, one short & the other a little longer & one red wire.
Not knowing any better I'd think the POS side would have the breaker. Just guessing..

 

For my ham radio's, I put it on both sides.

I am looking to use a slightly better inverter for my truck though.

http://www.solar-electric.com/hardwiredunits.html

But I am looking to do a bit more with mine do. I am looking to power the truck as if it's actually a house that's designed to be lived in "off-grid". These are truly some full sine wave inverters and not that crud you get in a truck stop.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...178501-otr-truck-batteries-and-inverters.html

 

I also use an inline fuse close to the battery. Yes the inverted has its own fuses but does not protect the wire going from the battery to the inverter. If that shorts you have problems.

 

I have used a key hole cutter for cutting into the floor and used a glad hand seal for the gormant never had a problem

 

It has been my experience that when a product is activated it doubles the wattage useage untill it levels out. example a 900 watt microwave draws 1800 watts when you hit the start button then levels off to 900 watts. I always look for the highiest wattage user and buy my inverter based off what it takes to start it. I learned the hard way as I would be watching tv and the compressor on my fridge would kick in tripping my inverter.

 

when your compressor kicks in, there is a "start-up" amp load that is like you say, about twice what the running amps are. Common for electric motors.

While your motors, chargers and other things can deal with a modified sine wave electrical signal coming out of most inverters, most actual electronics can't.

And that's where you need to get a true sine wave inverter. And those suckers are not cheap.


I have an 1800w Thermo-King power inverter I'll sell to whomever.....