Inverter question

[handirifle]

I am also thinking cushioned mounts for it as well. Yes that section of I5 is HORRIBLE. I guess Gov Jerry doesn't have to drive on it. Then again maybe he does and thats why he's so screwed up.

 

[sandman2234]

Bigger is better. How about a unit that will both charge batteries and convert battery power to AC

Mine does that along with having a bar slide meter to tell how much power is available. Kind of neat, but also about what would be expected when a battery manufacturer builds an inverter. The drawback (and probably why they don't make it now) is it was expensive when it was purchased. It sold for $600 back in early 2001.
David from jax

 

[jenkinsph]

With so much focus on the power needs of a hair dryer I would recommend checking out new products. Prices vary widely for hair dryers and some are better than others. Dyson has one that is $400 which find is a lot to pay but may need less power to run. Point is you may find it is cheaper to get a different hair dryer which uses less power to operate. I recommend looking at the entire picture, to make the best decisions.

Sitting here with a large bald spot on my head with thinning hair, hair dryers are not a concern of mine.

I used a Xantrex prosine 2000w inverter charger with a 100 amp charger output on my prior service truck that worked very well for me. I don't remember what it cost but it was a pure sine wave output and recharging the batteries was fast. For most uses including a hair dryer a cheaper modified sine wave model with 40 amp charger built in for about $500 might be a good choice.

I have looked into the use of inverter/chargers extensively to reduce generator runtime. I found that the weight of the batteries, cost of replacement and physical size was too much for mobile use. A quiet generator set was a much more practical solution along with a small inverter for satellite and tv. Currently I use a 12v flat screen tv in my camper and don't need the inverter at all. In the cooler months I use a single Honda 2000is which weighs 46lbs. (less than a deep cycle battery). In the hottest months where AC is needed I use a Honda 3000is which with outboard fuel tank weighs in about 180lbs. That is still a lot less weight than setting up an inverter with batteries.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mine does that along with having a bar slide meter to tell how much power is available. Kind of neat, but also about what would be expected when a battery manufacturer builds an inverter. The drawback (and probably why they don't make it now) is it was expensive when it was purchased. It sold for $600 back in early 2001.
David from jax

Paid over $1000 for mine in 1990... with no charger.

One thing I quickly leaned is it would shutoff when I used my skill saw or air compressor...

Called the manufacturer and was told said it was because of the load going from "Sleep" mode.

The fix was to keep a small load on it so it would not go into sleep mode...

I kept a 40W lightbulb plugged when I had high amp tools to run.

 

[ultrarunner]

With so much focus on the power needs of a hair dryer I would recommend checking out new products. Prices vary widely for hair dryers and some are better than others. Dyson has one that is $400 which find is a lot to pay but may need less power to run. Point is you may find it is cheaper to get a different hair dryer which uses less power to operate. I recommend looking at the entire picture, to make the best decisions.

Sitting here with a large bald spot on my head with thinning hair, hair dryers are not a concern of mine.

I used a Xantrex prosine 2000w inverter charger with a 100 amp charger output on my prior service truck that worked very well for me. I don't remember what it cost but it was a pure sine wave output and recharging the batteries was fast. For most uses including a hair dryer a cheaper modified sine wave model with 40 amp charger built in for about $500 might be a good choice.

I have looked into the use of inverter/chargers extensively to reduce generator runtime. I found that the weight of the batteries, cost of replacement and physical size was too much for mobile use. A quiet generator set was a much more practical solution along with a small inverter for satellite and tv. Currently I use a 12v flat screen tv in my camper and don't need the inverter at all. In the cooler months I use a single Honda 2000is which weighs 46lbs. (less than a deep cycle battery). In the hottest months where AC is needed I use a Honda 3000is which with outboard fuel tank weighs in about 180lbs. That is still a lot less weight than setting up an inverter with batteries.

PhotoCom back in the 90's marketed a generator "Extender"

It was a battery with inverter on a small hand truck coupled with a 800W whisper quiet Honda generator... the idea was the battery provided the surge and it was shown running a refrigerator in one picture and a well pump in another...

 

[jenkinsph]

PhotoCom back in the 90's marketed a generator "Extender"

It was a battery with inverter on a small hand truck coupled with a 800W whisper quiet Honda generator... the idea was the battery provided the surge and it was shown running a refrigerator in one picture and a well pump in another...

The new model inverters can do this from Xantrex, helping with starting loads among others. In some applications this can be very helpful.

JMO though that batteries at present are still very heavy and expensive for their storage capabilities. The upside is no noise and easy access to power.

 

[ultrarunner]

I needed power for my service van and did not want a noisy generator just to run a drill or pipe threader...

The inverter proved to be the ticket although expensive back in 1990.... still have the van and still using it so cost per year/month has all worked out.

My little Honda 1000 was a real trouper too... it was enough to run my Spartan Sewer Cable machine... thing is I used the inverter so much and not the generator I started having problems when California reformulated gasoline... would not run last time I tried...

I also changed my stock alternator to the highest amperage single pulley... and added a battery idolator and Deep Cycle second battery...

If need be I also added a 100% duty rated solenoid so I can combine both batteries at the touch of switch... this helps for long use and I can also start the engine...

As a side note it let me start the truck when a courtesy light was left on... hit the switch and used the deep cycle to start.

 

[handirifle]

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.

 

[JPRambo]

I don't have power at my N. Georgia property Yet. When I am there (usually 10 days at a time) I charge the camper batteries with jumper cables from the truck for 10 - 15 minutes. But I also have a couple of solar panel for those sunny days.

 

[jenkinsph]

I needed power for my service van and did not want a noisy generator just to run a drill or pipe threader...

The inverter proved to be the ticket although expensive back in 1990.... still have the van and still using it so cost per year/month has all worked out.

My little Honda 1000 was a real trouper too... it was enough to run my Spartan Sewer Cable machine... thing is I used the inverter so much and not the generator I started having problems when California reformulated gasoline... would not run last time I tried...

I also changed my stock alternator to the highest amperage single pulley... and added a battery idolator and Deep Cycle second battery...

If need be I also added a 100% duty rated solenoid so I can combine both batteries at the touch of switch... this helps for long use and I can also start the engine...

As a side note it let me start the truck when a courtesy light was left on... hit the switch and used the deep cycle to start.

Your use sounds very similar to mine. When I built my service truck back in 1998 I put a Miller Trailblazer gas welder on it with an Ingersoll Rand T30 compressor. I also had an 800w inverter with three group 29 deep cycle batteries and mounted a 30 amp charger with 120v plug mounted in the side of the body. Pull in the carport when I got home and plugged in the cord to charge over night. This powered a small fridge and provided power for a laser printer/fax/copier, Compaq computer and credit card machine. For that time having the ability to have internet and fax line in the truck with a separate cell phone was pretty slick. I could print a proposal while sitting in the customers driveway and hand it to them before I left the site. That really helped my business a lot. But I found the welder to be so loud that it made it difficult to hear the Marco sewer machine cable when turning in the pipes. So about 2003 I removed the welder and bought an Onan quiet diesel generator which made it easy to hear the cable in the pipe. On a couple of occasions I did use the Honda 2000 to run the sewer machines which worked very well.

Retired from the plumbing business I just traded the sewer machines for new tool boxes I need for my other service truck. Put the Onan on this truck and will put the welder and air compressor on a "welding trailer" easy to grab if I need them for a field repair. At one time I had over thirty batteries to keep up with in the various vehicles. Thankfully I am down to about ten now. Hopefully I learned something about generators and batteries in mobile applications, QUIET generators come to mind.