Inverter question

[ultrarunner]

The older I get the more I appreciate quiet and willing to pay for it...

I do service work for the Hospital and manage rentals... I think my truck got me the Hospital Job... it looked really good back then!

Mounted a Microwave in the truck at the same time as the inverter... also carry small Oxyacetylene bottles too...

I bought my cable from the welding shop... top quality and worth the price to me... didn't skimp on gauge but there was not a lot to buy... everything "Plumbed" with insulators and protection from exposure, chaffing, etc...

Took this picture when the truck was 10 years old...

As far as mounting the inverter... one is mounted upside down and the smaller portable one is mounted vertical... 26 years and no issues.

 

[jenkinsph]

The older I get the more I appreciate quiet and willing to pay for it...

I do service work for the Hospital and manage rentals... I think my truck got me the Hospital Job... it looked really good back then!

Mounted a Microwave in the truck at the same time as the inverter... also carry small Oxyacetylene bottles too...

I bought my cable from the welding shop... top quality and worth the price to me... didn't skimp on gauge but there was not a lot to buy... everything "Plumbed" with insulators and protection from exposure, chaffing, etc...

Took this picture when the truck was 10 years old...

As far as mounting the inverter... one is mounted upside down and the smaller portable one is mounted vertical... 26 years and no issues.

Nice truck and looks well cared for.:thumbsup:

Here are two pictures of the truck I built in 1998 these were taken about 3 or 4 years ago. The frame is powder coated and the tool boxes are Craftsman painted to match the truck cab. I had a microwave and coffee pot on mine too.

 

[jenkinsph]

Well as for looking at alternatives, I really am not worried about that, I already have the inverter. All I need are 2 more batteries and the cabling, and fittings of course.

I will also be using this to power my 40" LED TV and Sat dish, and no way will I spend $400 on a hair dryer. Yikes.

As for battery weight, I am biding my time, getting lead acid for now, but I know lithium ion's are in the future if we keep RV'ing. Prices are coming down and they weigh a fraction of lead acid batteries, plus more usable power. Currently though cost is still too high for me to consider a complete swap.

Four lead acid's and a 2K inverter will meet my needs nicely. I don't currently dry camp enough to warrant a larger investment as yet. As for generators, we have 2 but many campgrounds are shortening their run time hours, with some not starting till 9-10AM. I get that, but if we want to take a side trip the wife cannot dry her hair as she likes and won't go out with it wet. Waiting till generator hours will eat most of the morning up.

This way she can be happy and the neighbors are happy because of no generator running. That makes me happy.

For battery cables I buy tinned copper cable and fittings from Marine Wire, Boat Wiring & Marine Electrical - BestBoatWire.com
Good quality with no corrosion problems after twelve years running.

Hope your project goes well.

 

[ultrarunner]

Nice truck and looks well cared for.:thumbsup:

Here are two pictures of the truck I built in 1998 these were taken about 3 or 4 years ago. The frame is powder coated and the tool boxes are Craftsman painted to match the truck cab. I had a microwave and coffee pot on mine too.

Looks well outfitted and heavy duty...

I was the first with a heavy duty inverter around here and that was 1990.... so you beat me to it.

Amazing how prices of electronics have dropped with everything else going up...

First thing I had to do was beef up my suspension... it is a 3/4 van with an 8800 gvw and I typically run around 9400 with tools and stock on hand... can't tow anything due to lack of power but original untouched 1985 drive train except for a transmission repair when the governor went bad... the last of the carburetor V8

Would a Motor Home application be harder on a Inverter as say a Service Truck?

I'm a careful driver... have to be with the weight I have on a 3/4 series.

Vibration and exposure have not been a problem.

Some of my RV friends have 12 volt appliances like Hair Dryers... would that be a work around?

 

[jenkinsph]

Looks well outfitted and heavy duty...

I was the first with a heavy duty inverter around here and that was 1990.... so you beat me to it.

Amazing how prices of electronics have dropped with everything else going up...

First thing I had to do was beef up my suspension... it is a 3/4 van with an 8800 gvw and I typically run around 9400 with tools and stock on hand... can't tow anything due to lack of power but original untouched 1985 drive train except for a transmission repair when the governor went bad... the last of the carburetor V8

Would a Motor Home application be harder on a Inverter as say a Service Truck?

I'm a careful driver... have to be with the weight I have on a 3/4 series.

Vibration and exposure have not been a problem.

Some of my RV friends have 12 volt appliances like Hair Dryers... would that be a work around?

I don't think vibration that exists in most road vehicles is a problem for inverters and electronics in general. My service truck is rated for 19,000 lbs. yet rides fairly smooth, haven't had any issues with vibration in any of my electronics so far. Even the Topcon electronics on my 4520 seem to hold up well but that is newly installed and will have to see how that works out.

As far as 12 volt appliances go I think it depends on how good the design is and how high the production is whether these items are a better solution. I have found that low voltage led lighting, camper refrigerators, low voltage electronics are good choices. Some of the more obscure or low production items such as 12v coffee pots do not work as well as the 120vac models. Have not tried the 12v hair dryers so don't know but since it would be a high current device if it has any guts I would be suspicious to start with.

When I use to build dental and medical clinics in rural locations with no facilities nearby I started researching generators, inverters and batteries. One of the first things I had to do was provide electricity for the jobsite. Then get the electrical service built up and running along with the other utilities. Some of these locations were 60 miles from a gas station and 150 miles from a good supply house. I quickly found that getting the septic tank and sewer lines in place was the most important. Then rush to get water and electricity available asap. Dry camping with employees isn't fun, just amazes me how soft some people are. While the jobs were good I gave up on them after a few years because of employee issues.

Fast forward to today you can dry camp with hvac, sat tv and internet almost everywhere, not what I would call primitive by any means. A truck camper with 70 gallons of fresh water, large holding tanks and a Honda generator can be quite comfortable imo.

Back to the original issue of supplying ac power for mobile applications. I found that it was far easier to use the generators that operated around 58 dbA sound level as these were so quiet that no one ever seems to complain. Most of the state parks I use for camping and boating have rv hookups, the primitive sites seem to have more distance between sites and this is where I use a generator. Anyone shopping for a generator needs to compare the noise levels in person before purchasing one. For consumer use I find the Honda 3000 inverter generator with 58 dbA sound level hard to beat and super quiet. Less noise than the hair dryer cranked up for sure.

Using a hair dryer with a rating of 1850 watts will load a 12 volt inverter down to about 200 amp load ballpark. With four batteries at 50 amp load each you can get it done. But with 250 lbs. of batteries that need to fit in an rv it would not be my choice. To each his own though if that is what the OP needs to keep happy then go for it.

 

[ultrarunner]

The 12volt hair dryers are a little anemic for sure... but they do work.

They also make portable curling irons that require no electricity... wonder if the same exists for hair dryers?

 

[jenkinsph]

A short ride on a motorcycle should do it.

 

[handirifle]

A short ride on a motorcycle should do it.

At least YOURS is the most fun suggestion. I realize there is a down side to all this (weight) but it is livable. I have 2 in there now, so only adding 2 more. I have considered just 2 batteries, at first, and may well try it, but I don't think the 2 I have would last long.

I am also strongly considering adding boxes to the rear bumper to put generators in and that would offset the pin weight a little bit.

 

[handirifle]

jenkensph
One of the CG's specifically San Simeon, in CA where we fish, is state run, dry camping only and THEY PATROL REGURLARLY and tell you to shut it down if the generator is on too early or late. It does not matter if it's a quiet one or not.

My whole point is when we want to get up and out before generator hours begin, then she cannot use it. I have no desire to even consider a $400 blow dryer especially considering the short life span those things have.

I am not the least bit concerned if it suits anyone elses idea of camping, roughing it, or what ever you want to call it. If I had the money I would be driving a 45ft diesel pusher, but I don't, so I will make this as much like home as possible. My "roughing it" days are over. I roll my mobile condo where I want and that suits me just fine. Based on the number of sat dishes I see when out "camping" I am far from alone in that respect. I live very rural and sometime there are calamities at home and it's good to be able to see what is going on and if it affects me. We also have certain shows we like to watch too. My choice.

 

[ultrarunner]

I love threads like this as an opportunity to apply technology to solve problems...

The TBN Brain Trust runs deep and learn something everyday here.

Never heard the phrase Dry Camping until this thread...

Been fortunate to make two cross country National Park Motor Home trips... saw a lot of the country I would not have otherwise... certainly a lifestyle I would like to try again... maybe a modern Charles Karalt who started crisscrossing the United States 50 years ago this week in a Motor Home now on Display at the Henry Ford.