Power Inverters

[RamTruckMan]

I was thinking of installing a power inverter on my tractor. I know 1 horsepower is equivalent to 750 Watts. Does that mean a 2000 watt power inverter would run a 2 horsepower electric motor? Do these inverters work?

 

[TBAR]

Here is a link that might help.

http://www.genpropower.com/pto.htm


TBAR

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I looked at this same thing a while back. Several people on this board who know a lot more about electricity than I do ganged up on me, beat me about the head with a stick, and convinced me that doing it would over tax my electrical system and require me to upgrade my alternator and battery and I'd probably be better off simply running several hundred feet of extention cords . . .

Check out this thread about inverters on tractors:
DC to AC inverters on a Tractor

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Will a 2000w inverter run a 2hp motor? The simple answer is yes it will run a 2hp motor. The problem will be the starting power (if it is an induction motor). The starting surge can easily go 2.5 time running. That makes the starting power for a 2 hp motor in the 3750watt range.

Now comes the beet about the head part. A 2000w inverter will pull (if it 100% effecient) almost 200 amps from the charging system. A high output unit in your pickup will burnup at those current levels. The punny one in the tractor wouldn't stand a chance.

For the price of upgrading your alt and buying the inverter you could buy a nice gas powered 5000w unit and have more flexability.

 

[RamTruckMan]

You answered exactly what I had on my mind. That is why I asked. Guess I will pitch that crazy idea.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

You can use a 400 to 600w inverter and run drills and resipracating saws, or charge the batterys on corless devices.

 

[fivestring]

Hows your head???? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gotrocks]

Hey, Charlie, I can use some advice on inverters.
I would like one to run my laptop computer on trips. I have just come from a store where we hooked one up and my voltage checker only show high 80s low 90s on voltage. This is with no load except the voltage meter.
I have always been told low voltage will burn a motor. And also told not to plug my computer into low voltage.

I would really appreciate your input regarding the above comments.

Thanks not only to Charlie but to all who can offer advice on this subject.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Rather than using an Inverter on your trip, you might want to go to Radio Shack and look for a unit called an iGO Juice. iGO is the manufacturer, JUICE is the power unit. Mine came with different power adapters to run virtually every brand of computer on the market. It will plug into a standard wall outlet in your hotel room and it also comes with a "cigarette lighter adapter" to plug into your car or under the seat of an airplane. It is specifically designed to power computers so there must be some sort of conditioner in it, plus some sort of inverter. It is small, easily packs for travel, and I think it cost me about $120 (buy my memory is fading so it might be a little more or little less). The thing I liked about it was that my computer manufacturer recommended it, and even sells it on their online store, so it must be good?!?

 

[LandscapeMan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hey, Charlie, I can use some advice on inverters.
I would like one to run my laptop computer on trips. I have just come from a store where we hooked one up and my voltage checker only show high 80s low 90s on voltage. This is with no load except the voltage meter.
I have always been told low voltage will burn a motor. And also told not to plug my computer into low voltage.

I run my laptop on a cheap 300 watt inverter in my pickup truck. Went coast to coast never missed a beat. Laptop will run fine on a inverter.
Charlie

I would really appreciate your input regarding the above comments.

Thanks not only to Charlie but to all who can offer advice on this subject.
)</font>