Power invertor problem while gaming...

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by Dsant201, May 22, 2018.

  1. Dsant201

    Dsant201 Bobtail Member

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    May 22, 2018
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    Hoping somebody can help me out on a subject im not too intelligent on. I have a 2015 freightliner Cascadia and I'm trying To play PS4 for in it on my off time. I have a 15" TV that runs of a 12V-10a no problem. So far I've went through 2 power inverters and had the fuses blow on me while running the PS4. I have a power drive 300W and a Cobra 400W. The only thing I ran off them was the PS4 because the TV had its own Car charger connection. But I connected the power inverters in to the 12v-20a connection outlet and the fuses blew. please help
     
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  3. Trucking in Tennessee

    Trucking in Tennessee Road Train Member

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    You simply don't have enough voltage to run what's plugged in. A 12v connection doesn't carry large gauge wire. You dont have an inverter to wire in?
     
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  4. uncleal13

    uncleal13 Road Train Member

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    Most you can draw from a cigarette lighter type connection is 150 Watts.
    Those three and four hundred watt inverters usually come with alligator clips to wire direct to the battery for heavier loads.
    The PS4 can peak at nearly 150 Watts, but the inverter is probably only 80% efficient so you may be drawing 180 Watts or so from the truck.
     
    rabbiporkchop Thanks this.
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    You are pulling too much off too small of a inverter or two.

    The fuses are there for your protection.

    You should not be gaming, you should be sleeping getting rested for the next load.

    You need to install at least a 2000 watt continuous inverter that has a peak of 3500. And the dealer will need to install that custom to that tractor AT YOUR EXPENSE. Your engine needs to be running when you are pulling on that inverter or your batteries will get dead fast. Dead batteries very expensive. If you are a company driver you need to have approval from your company from the shop boss on up. That way if the thing catches fire and burns down everything you can show that yes it's a authorized install at your expense.

    The small inverters that go into cig lighers, we had a 300 watter that drive a laptop at most or charged cell phones. They draw next to nothing with the exception of the Coppermine Pentium III CPU inside that laptop which had a max TDW of about 110 watts equal to a light bulb in terms of wattage and temperature at a very small voltage loading.

    That inverter lasted 10 years beyond trucking until it finally burned up and had to be disposed of. (After it cooled for hours in a bucket of cold water.)

    You are lucky it's only fuses burning up. You would experience a overcurrent heating your wires to those lighters in your cab which will burn off insulation and then light a tractor fire if it touches anything else that will burn also.
     
  6. Dsant201

    Dsant201 Bobtail Member

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    May 22, 2018
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    Thank you guys for the replys. Unfortunately i can not directly i wire the truck because its a company vehicle.
     
  7. Dsant201

    Dsant201 Bobtail Member

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    May 22, 2018
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    But ive seen videos on youtube of ppl running their ps4s just fine off cigerette lighters. Im just trying to understand why i cant
     
  8. rabbiporkchop

    rabbiporkchop Road Train Member

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    Without wiring a larger inverter directly to the batteries, you won't fix the problem. I'd go work for another company.
     
  9. TruckerPete1990

    TruckerPete1990 Road Train Member

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    Buy a real inverter. A 1500 watt will do just fine Amazon sells pure sinwave for 200
     
  10. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    They were not running PS4's "just fine" off of a cig lighter inverter. This is a burnt truck waiting to happen.

    But still to tax these inverters at 110% for extended periods, they would require at least a 4-battery truck, or for the truck to be idling while drawing this power.

    Look for better carrier options as soon as you can. Companies that supply APU's, 1500 watt inverters, fridges, and even TV's and satellite receivers are becoming more common place today. Don't settle for crap employers if you're living in the truck most of the month. They're making money, don't settle for one who treats their employees like garbage.
     
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