Inverter needed or any alternative?

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I'm new to motor-homing
I want to use my home 4G router in the camper van. It is 240v and 24watts rated. My calculation is that it’s just 0.1amp if that’s correct. We have an Avtext TV that’s runs on the 12v system & so apart from some small led lights will not use anything else when using router to watch TV. If on electrical hookup we won’t have this as a problem but will without. I see there are very simple low cost inverters but am aware the need to be careful using an inverter & the need to take account of the total power being taken from the system and read the is to double the wattage of all power useage when choosing the power of an inverter. Hence the description above of what total power we would be using through the inverter if just watching TV. Wonder if anyone able to give advice. Thanks
 
Does your home 4G router have a power brick to supply it, or is it a direct mains input? If it's a power brick, what output volts/amps/power is it?
 
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This is the info re power supply
  • Power Supply
    Less than 24 W
    AC / DC Power Supply:
    AC: 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz / 60 Hz
    DC: 12V / 2A
 
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If that is the printing on the actual mains plug I would say it can be powered by 12V off the battery. Just source a connector to suit. Something like this may be suitable <Broken link removed> :unsure:

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This is the info re power supply
  • Power Supply
    Less than 24 W
    AC / DC Power Supply:
    AC: 100 V - 240 V, 50 Hz / 60 Hz
    DC: 12V / 2A
You have just answered your own question it will run off 12v.
Best to fit a voltage stabiliser as when your batteries are charging your 12v system can be as high as 14.7v.

These Buck Converters make a nice cheap stabiliser.
<Broken link removed>
 
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It’s then what inverter to chose. I read the one I need is called a ‘simple’ inverter. There are ones that run from the 12v lighter socket & ones with crocodile clips or similar directly from the battery. The cigarette lighter option is easier but bit worried if this will be ‘safe’ ie if watch tv for a couple of hours will this be ok? Is there anything to consider knowing the tv is also running off the same cigarette lighter socket ( would get one of those splitters).
 
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It’s then what inverter to chose. I read the one I need is called a ‘simple’ inverter. There are ones that run from the 12v lighter socket & ones with crocodile clips or similar directly from the battery. The cigarette lighter option is easier but bit worried if this will be ‘safe’ ie if watch tv for a couple of hours will this be ok? Is there anything to consider knowing the tv is also running off the same cigarette lighter socket ( would get one of those splitters).
As the information above says - You don't need an inverter.

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Hi LennyHB. Sorry - the 12v DC 2amp is the ‘out’. Be good if it ran off either with its own step down transformer. Here’s a picture of back of the PSU
 

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Would something like this not be an easier solution for you?
 
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Hi Bertiebasset. Not a very long tel cable. It’s 4G with a SIM
 
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It’s then what inverter to chose. I read the one I need is called a ‘simple’ inverter. There are ones that run from the 12v lighter socket & ones with crocodile clips or similar directly from the battery. The cigarette lighter option is easier but bit worried if this will be ‘safe’ ie if watch tv for a couple of hours will this be ok? Is there anything to consider knowing the tv is also running off the same cigarette lighter socket ( would get one of those splitters).
All you will do with an inverter is transform 12 volt to 230, then that thing in your picture will just bring it back to 12 volt.
So as been said you don't need one.
 
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Hi RubyOptics. Yes - like me you’ve gone down the travel router path. I have the Huawei E5577 with external antenna ( TS9) connectors. Still not able to get goog enough signal in weak 4G locations. This router & antenna should be much better

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Ah. Chaser. I am new to campervanning & only been out once. That was with electrical hook up. Is it that without EHU the 240 sockets in the camper are still powered by the 12v battery? Will the PSU still work if not receiving 240v supply? Didn’t think they would be & should have tried. If so - problem solved :-).
 
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Ah. Chaser. I am new to campervanning & only been out once. That was with electrical hook up. Is it that without EHU the 240 sockets in the camper are still powered by the 12v battery? Will the PSU still work if not receiving 240v supply? Didn’t think they would be & should have tried. If so - problem solved :).
Without EHU your 240v sockets will not work. The PSU you have shown pictures of will only work from a 240v source. What people are saying is that if you use an inverter you are going to be wasting a lot of power as you are converting your 12v supply up to 240v, then your PSU is then taking that 240v and converting it back to 12v again. So, rather than wasting money and power, you are being advised to look for an alternate PSU that will run directly from your 12v supply and cut out that middle "240v" part.

I am assuming that your PSU ends in a round, barrel-type plug that goes into the router? If so, consider using something like this.
 
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Without EHU your 240v sockets will not work. The PSU you have shown pictures of will only work from a 240v source. What people are saying is that if you use an inverter you are going to be wasting a lot of power as you are converting your 12v supply up to 240v, then your PSU is then taking that 240v and converting it back to 12v again. So, rather than wasting money and power, you are being advised to look for an alternate PSU that will run directly from your 12v supply and cut out that middle "240v" part.

I am assuming that your PSU ends in a round, barrel-type plug that goes into the router? If so, consider using something like this.
Except that your this supplies a voltage of between 15 and 25 volts. He needs a 2 core cable from cig socket or battery with a plug on the end thus supplying 12v as needed.
 
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Except that your this supplies a voltage of between 15 and 25 volts. He needs a 2 core cable from cig socket or battery with a plug on the end thus supplying 12v as needed.
You're absolutely right. In my haste to reply to OP I've linked the wrong unit. Thanks for the correction!
 
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This is our 4g router running off 12v it is sold as vehicle or home so home runs off 240v avenue to 12v dc where vehicle it just runs off 12v direct.
D1B8C27A-2D09-4F6E-9CB3-2F8DD674C41A.jpeg

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All you have got to do, but don't say I told you, is cut the end off the wire that goes into your transformer, split them apart and connect to a battery.
But obviously you have to know which is + and -
 
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Hi bertiebasset & RubyOptics. I see you are both thinking this through. Seems it’s a waster to have an inverter to step up 12v to 240v & then plug in the PSU than steps it down… Bit worried about suggestetion to use the cut off wires. Ruby I can see was on the right track. Is there not something similar to Ruby’s suggestion ( see her eBay link). Something with a barrel plug end that runs 12v straight through & only needs small 2amp output. I will google but if anyone has something they know about. Surely I can’t be the 1st person to want to do this?
 
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Here's my take on this. The 4G router requires '12V'. It's probably expecting 11.5 to 12.5V, and anything outside that can cause a problem.

A '12V' supply in the motorhome can be anything from 11.0 to 14.8V, and possibly up to 60V on a bad day. Automotive devices are designed to withstand this variation. I don't think your home 4G router is.

I think you need a 12V voltage stabiliser, that increases or decreases the voltage as necessary to maintain a steady 12.0V. Something like this will do it - if it has the correct plug on the router end.
Amazon product ASIN B008DCORUG
Some further information that might be of use.
A 'boost' converter steps voltage up, not down. Useful for example for a 19V laptop from a '12V' supply.
A 'buck' converter steps voltage down, not up. Useful for example for a 5V USB socket from a '12V' supply.
A 'voltage stabiliser' or 'buck-boost' converter steps voltage up or down, as required.

If you want to run a 12V device from an 11 to 15V variable supply, you need a voltage stabiliser.
 
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I would buy a new router designed to run off DC. My Teltonika 955 can run off 9 to 30 volts DC. The 955 is probably a bit of overkill as it's dual sim and does GPS as well - but there are cheaper models available. Much easier to install than an inverter and probably considerably cheaper too.
 
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The reason no-one is advising using an inverter is that a large inverter has a constant background drain, that will be a sizeable fraction of your 24 watt power requirement. It'll probably use nearly 40 watts to power the router. It's surprising how a constant 24-hour drain can flatten a leisure battery.

If you end up using an inverter, best to get a small 150 watt or even 100 watt, just for the router, and make sure it's a Pure Sine Wave type, not Modified or Quasi sine wave. With a small inverter the drain will probably be OK. But I'd prefer to run from a 12V stabiliser if you can find the right one.

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Look at a Netgear M1. Powered by USB C but with a battery for many hours operation. TS9 connectors for external good LTE signal strength.
 
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Thanks for all replies. Autorouter has just what I was looking for & couldn’t find so thanks. SallyLillian - yes looked at the nighthawk M1 but the Huwawei B818 is up several steps & I don’t need the ‘travel’ ( pocket size) of the M1 but still thinking it through. Do you have the M1 & if so how do you find it ?
 
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I have had the M1 for nearly 3 years. It is an excellent unit. Top left in the pic, with the dead Octopus behind my control panel.
20210830_153848.jpg


I run 2 routers, the M1 for 4g and a small TPlink travel router. The TP is connected to a Ubiquiti Bullet for site WiFi. The M1 has an antenna on the roof fitted on a diamond motorised mount.
The M1 is a robust powerful unit it has many features and runs 24/7 in my van providing remote access to my Victron kit when I am not on board. The only downside is it does not have an OpenVPN server.
 
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Here's my take on this. The 4G router requires '12V'. It's probably expecting 11.5 to 12.5V, and anything outside that can cause a problem.

A '12V' supply in the motorhome can be anything from 11.0 to 14.8V, and possibly up to 60V on a bad day. Automotive devices are designed to withstand this variation. I don't think your home 4G router is.

I think you need a 12V voltage stabiliser, that increases or decreases the voltage as necessary to maintain a steady 12.0V. Something like this will do it - if it has the correct plug on the router end.
Amazon product ASIN B008DCORUG
Some further information that might be of use.
A 'boost' converter steps voltage up, not down. Useful for example for a 19V laptop from a '12V' supply.
A 'buck' converter steps voltage down, not up. Useful for example for a 5V USB socket from a '12V' supply.
A 'voltage stabiliser' or 'buck-boost' converter steps voltage up or down, as required.

If you want to run a 12V device from an 11 to 15V variable supply, you need a voltage stabiliser.
The product linked on Amazon would be perfect for what I need, except that I need 19V output for my laptop, and it needs 2.37A. Is there something else that would do that does anyone know?
 
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