Inverters (1 Viewer)

[mark e]

Cant find " past threads " on subject, sorry if i've missed it !

600 watt inverter on offer again for £40, it's a good price i know. Proper price £70.

Because of the watts, can only be powered from battery, NOT cigarette socket, but does anybody agree with me that they eat batteries ? I only have one 85 amp battery.

I was going to buy one, but wanted a generator as my first big spend and did'nt want to waste £40 on it and then still go and buy a genny for about £300.

What would anybody else do ?
Only genny, or inverter and somthing else ?

Solar not reliable enough in my opinion as i want to do a bit of wildcamping over the winter months.

 

[Beachbum]

Cant find " past threads " on subject, sorry if i've missed it !

600 watt inverter on offer again for £40, it's a good price i know. Proper price £70.

Because of the watts, can only be powered from battery, NOT cigarette socket, but does anybody agree with me that they eat batteries ? I only have one 85 amp battery.

I was going to buy one, but wanted a generator as my first big spend and did'nt want to waste £40 on it and then still go and buy a genny for about £300.

What would anybody else do ?
Only genny, or inverter and somthing else ?

Solar not reliable enough in my opinion as i want to do a bit of wildcamping over the winter months.

I have a 1000w Inverter with 3x185AH leisure batteries. I run comfortably on 2x1200w solar panels as I ONLY wildcamp. In your case with a 600w Inverter a 110AH battery should be sufficent, only if you run a single item at a time. If you are on the run daily, the battery should charge up enough for your next stop. If you stay in one spot for a period of time (2 days or more) I don't think you will make it. A genny will be needed. This is from my past experiences. Other camping buddies perhaps will be able to give you more sound advice.

 

[olley]

Hi what do you intend to power with it?

Olley

 

[Xoxoc]

Mark,

What is it you are wanting to power?

If it is just an LCD TV, freeview box then 600w may be overkill. I have heard of people running TV, STB, DVD on less than 600w inverters.

Do they 'eat' batteries? Well they do use power themselves of course so this has to be factored in. Just how much they use should be detailed in the manual, so if the unit is the one at Maplins, pop along (or call them) and see what it uses.

I have an RV with a 5.5 kw genny but I have bought a 150w fanless inverter (Maplins - £15) to see if it will run my lcd TV (when I get one), my STB and my dvd player.

A genny alone may not suit your use. I won't run my genny late at night so need an inverter if we are off ehu and want to have 240v power.

HTH

Bryan

 

[mark e]

Keep your replies coming guys and girls. Just been looking and decided that i will
be getting a 150 watt inverter ( maplins £15 ) and a genny.

Only want to run a 12- 15 inch tv, and freeview box at the same time. ( or a combined unit )
Would that be okay ?

My daughter's portable DVD player, when the batteries run out and phone chargers.

Beachbum, thats one hell of a setup :thumb: Must have cost you a packet to have
all those

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[RichardnGill]

We got a 150w inverter from Maplins last time they had them on special. It powers a 15" Lcd Tv and Sky box/ Dvd player no problems and will charge the laptop and a phone.

We only have a 85ah battery as well and we have had 3 nights away with out hookup. We managed ok but only had the Tv on for a max of 2hours a night and as it was summer the lights were not on that much. If you tavell around during the day dont forget you battery will charge up giving you planty Tv time on a night even with your 85ah battery.

A bargain for £15,

Richard...

 

[Beachbum]

Keep your replies coming guys and girls. Just been looking and decided that i will
be getting a 150 watt inverter ( maplins £15 ) and a genny.

Only want to run a 12- 15 inch tv, and freeview box at the same time. ( or a combined unit )
Would that be okay ?

My daughter's portable DVD player, when the batteries run out and phone chargers.

Beachbum, thats one hell of a setup :thumb: Must have cost you a packet to have
all those

Nope. Didn't cost me a penny. Had it all in when I bought the MH in Hamburg about 3 weeks ago. Reversing camera, and a lot more. I can't remember if I gave all the spec: on Motorhomefun or Wildcamping. If you look through under the title "On the road again" you will find details of my purchase.

 

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi

If you use a 1000 Watt invertor to power a 50 Watt TV it will use almost exactly the same power as a 150 Watt invertor powering the same item.....

Having said that there are a few advantages to using a smaller unit, it avoids temptation to power everything, most 150 Invertors are fan free/fan only when needed which means quieter.

Some (but not all) combined units do not like Quasi sine wave invertors, this is to do with how the combined power supply works, but in general nearly all new units use switch mode power supplies which should be OK.

Personally, I would relegate an 85 ah battery to the bin and have at least 2X 110 Ah batteries.

 

[Jim]

Hi Mark, the 150 will be fanless which is good. I have a 600w with a single fan hidden behind the TV the fan is slightly noisy but as we only every use it to watch TV we never hear it and very rarely use it.

Always go fanless if you can. Fans do fail, and can get clogged, then things can get hot and might prove to be dangerous. To get at my inverter I have to remove the TV out of a fitted cupboard easy enough but a pig to put back! This makes it hard to check so I will be replacing it with a fanless one. Its on my 2 do list!

If you get an inverter with a fan, make sure its accessible so you can inspect it now and again, and keep the fan blades clean.

 

[Beachbum]

Nope. Didn't cost me a penny. Had it all in when I bought the MH in Hamburg about 3 weeks ago. Reversing camera, and a lot more. I can't remember if I gave all the spec: on Motorhomefun or Wildcamping. If you look through under the title "On the road again" you will find details of my purchase.

Hi Mark, found the post and pasted it on here for you to look through.

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[sammclouis]

hi mark e,mines a 500w inverter...the fan doesnt bother me and never has..but that depends on you really!
i charge my phones,lappy and watch tv & sky through it and its worked great...although it wouldnt work my hair straighteners...it blew the fuse!!! GUTTED!!
sammx

 

[mark e]

Hi

If you use a 1000 Watt invertor to power a 50 Watt TV it will use almost exactly the same power as a 150 Watt invertor powering the same item......

I find this quote to be a bit overwhelming, are you sure ?

So if i was to be watching a 150 watt television and buy the 600 watt inverter for £40, i would be able to power more appliances , if i want to, and it will drain the leisure battery the same rate as if i was using a 150 watt inverter to power the tv.

If thats the case i'll buy the 600 watt one.
You'll be please to know i will be buying a multimeter and a double socket cigarette adaptor the same time from maplins, handy to keep in the van.

 

[sammclouis]

I find this quote to be a bit overwhelming, are you sure ?

So if i was to be watching a 150 watt television and buy the 600 watt inverter for £40, i would be able to power more appliances , if i want to, and it will drain the leisure battery the same rate as if i was using a 150 watt inverter to power the tv.

If thats the case i'll buy the 600 watt one.
You'll be please to know i will be buying a multimeter and a double socket cigarette adaptor the same time from maplins, handy to keep in the van.

hi mark e...i think george means that if you use just 50 watts on either it'll use roughly the same...not if you use more appliances on the higer output inverter as then it'll obviously use more...hope this helps...and me personally?id go for the 600watt inverter..but thats just personal choice...samm

 

[Papa Smurf]

Noob question again....

Can you have serveral inverters and use them at the same time?

I hope to be able to run my PC in the van, and that needs _ahem_ more than average watts (743 when maxxed out).

I suspect we will ned to run other stuff at the same time, so advice welcomed please...

 

[GeorgeTelford]

Yes, you can run more than one invertor at the same time (not to run the same item....)

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[pappajohn]

I find this quote to be a bit overwhelming, are you sure ?

So if i was to be watching a 150 watt television and buy the 600 watt inverter for £40, i would be able to power more appliances , if i want to, and it will drain the leisure battery the same rate as if i was using a 150 watt inverter to power the tv.

If thats the case i'll buy the 600 watt one.
You'll be please to know i will be buying a multimeter and a double socket cigarette adaptor the same time from maplins, handy to keep in the van.

hi mark.
if you plan on using the double cig socket to run the invertor you are in for a shock!!!!!
my 600w invertor has 16mmsq feed cables. about the size of good quality jumpleads.bearing in mind at full power it will draw 50ah from your battery.
this size invertor can ONLY be powered direct from your battery.

 

[mark e]

no i'll buy one anyway ( the double socket ) so i can run sat nav and charge my phone and dvd player, not run the invertewr through it.

 

[wildcamper]

Hi Mark e,
In our last van we had 600w invertor, we had an extension lead with 4 plugs. We charged phones, kids games etc through this.
We've just bought a 1000w for the new van but think this might be too much after reading replys, but I thought it better to have too much power rather than not enough, for the odd occasion Dawn uses the hairdryer or iron (both 600w).
We've also got a honda 500w suitcase genny, which has travelled the country with us for the last 7yrs and has never been used, we have only used an invertor for the last year and wouldn't be without it, I find it much more convienient, no messing just switch on and your away (especially when wild camping)

 

[mark e]

Wildcamper, but what batteries have you got on board with you ?
I only have one 85ah on mine.

 

[wildcamper]

Wildcamper, but what batteries have you got on board with you ?
I only have one 85ah on mine.

Hi Mark e,
In the last van we had an 85ah which lasted 2 days wildcamping, thats with waterpump, tv, lights etc running off 12volt.
this van has an 85ah but we're thinking off uping to a 110ah.
But we usually wild camp and are moving every day so the batteries always getting charged.

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[mark e]

That's not bad going. When we wild camp for a night, we took 2, 5 litre water bottles with us. Did'nt use the waterpump, and manually tipped some water down the toilet. No problem with lighting although i only had one on, and others when needed. We watched the dvd player through the cab cigarette lighter socket.

Regarding genny's, i love them. Although i've never had one, but the cost now is bongers. i still cant bring myself to oart with £500 approx for a solar system though. Not reliable enough IMO.

 

[wildcamper]

Hi Mark e,
Is the reason you use water bottles because you don't trust your battery or your tank??

 

[mark e]

No everything works. But i can't be arsed to fill the tank up with water, as i have winterised it allready. And im used to camping in a tent and never had luxeries like i have know. So for the odd 2 nights away ill be doing this routine.

According to George T, my batteries and charghing system is working better than average, with 13 volts holding in my leisure battery and charghing off the running engine at 13.9 volts.

 

[wildcamper]

ha, i take it the other 20 willbuy your invertor

 

[mark e]

Update;

Been to maplins today, sod the expence, i've bought a 150 watt inverter, for low power equipment, and a 600 watt for the more demanding appliances. 2 mulitimeters for £5.99. Saved £15 on the small one, £30 on the big one and 1 free multimeter. Total savings = £51 :thumb: