Flaming Inverter

[David Mellon]

The question here is, how much flame and smoke should come out of the back of my inverter? I am going on a hunch here and guessing not much. Perhaps I should purchase a new one for comparison.

What brand and size DC AC inverters do folks have? How do you feel about your choice? How do you install them, directly to one battery or to your battery switch, perhaps to a fuse panel? I know we have covered this topic a few times but I would like a fresh assessment of preferred brands.

I was lucky and suffered no damage when mine flamed out, it was a Xantrex 400. I am thinking it was way too small for any real purpose. I hope to run small power tools, perhaps a small microwave or TV-DVD, no heaters or hairdryers. I am considering the Xantrex Technologies 813-1760 XPower Plus 1,750-Watt Inverter for $195 on Amazon. I have read bad reviews of the Cobra brand but I trust this board above all other sources.

[BigNige]

1750 Watts. WOW!!

Last time I looked Watts = Volts X Amps therefore current drain of 150 Amps you wont need water ballast on account of all the batteries your gonna need.

[Retcoastie]

We use a 400W for most everything. We have run power tools with it. Now, on the boat, it mostly recharges other devices, Computer, Cell phone, DVD player, VHF radio, Spotlights, Camera battery, etc. We try to run it and do the charging when the engine is running.

We also care a 750W as backup or to run the wet/dry vac when needed.

[Kelly Hanson East]

small power tools, perhaps a small microwave or TV-DVD

David - these items typically pull 500-900 Watts depending on brand...you will be pulling 50-80 Amps from your battery to run these. You will need to locate the inverter as close to the battery as possible and use 8 AWG or possibly 6 AWG wire to connect (assuming a 3 foot run)

[Pete]

I often can't help but think that we over complicate our lives. Personally I use boating as a way to simplify things. In my mind a microwave has no place on a boat. A small single burner stove works great for heating water for what ever you want to eat. Even at home I rarely use the microwave. I boil my water on the stove. But that’s just me. Power tools? What are you doing, building birdhouses while underway? I put together a tool kit to keep on the boat. The smallest all plastic (no metal hinges) tool box I would find. In that, I have all the tools I could ever need while on the water. At times I can see where a drill would come in handy, I was going to try to find a hand crank drill for this. But that’s it. No power saws, sanders or Jig saws ect. And where some may have a w/d vac, I keep a small wisk broom with dust pan for dry and a sponge for wet. Works great. TV, I am not anti TV but for me that would be pretty far down on the list of things needed when on the water. Radio on the other hand is a must for me, luckly they are 12 volts. I do like to keep my cell phone charged so a small inverter works for that.

With that said I am considering building an office in my boat with full tower PC dual 22" inch monitors, internet, ect. So who knows.

Pete

[Hardcrab]

Some rules of thumb I've heard is to load the inverter at 50-80% of its nameplate wattage. Over doing it and going huge (1,750W???) can be a poor choice because of the current used by the inverter before any load is applied is no small potatoes in itself.
Perhaps consider some different size units to have on hand an select as required?
I am getting a 100 watt job to run my 20" TV/DVD player (55 watts) when on the hook or mooring ball.
Even the tiny 100 watter draws about .6 amps at idle, so I'm going with the battery clip deal so I don't forget to unclip it when not in use.

As others have stated, the hit to the batteries can be pretty big, much more than the engine alternator can deal with.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

We just use a small 125 watt one. It serves our needs out cruising which are mainly a few small chargers for things we don't have 12v chargers for. This summer is the first time we are using it for any real load, it is now powering the Dell monitor I installed for our new boat theater. This is a Dell 20" LCD panel. It seems to run it with no problem. When operating it through the inverter along with the 12v car stereo / DVD player my eMeter shows a load of only 6 amps. We used it for two movies during our 4 day trip last weekend, http://home.comcast.net/~duane.dunn/LogBook122.htm , and it worked great. We didn't have shore power at all during the trip.

It has a 12v style plug which just goes in a 12v receptacle I have the outlet on a separate circuit off my switch panel. This panel is on the house side of my batteries so it is running off my two 220 amp 6v golf cart batteries.

The inverter is on the port side and there is a 120v shore power outlet on that side as well not far from it. I route an extension cord from the inverter through the storage compartments to a location right next to a shore power outlet under the table on the starboard side. This let's me plug the monitor into the inverter when I need to use DC or to the shore power outlet when I have AC available. It's nice to have the outlets in pairs like this.

For anything needing more power we wait until we are at a dock on shore power or at home in the backyard on shore power. Then I have all the 120v power I need. Even then most of the tools I use in the boat are cordless and don't need to plug in anyway.

[Nautek]

A 1kva inverter generator might be more suitable to run power tools and microwave
Less chance of burning the boat to the waterline also

Allan

[Kelly Hanson East]

I am getting a 100 watt job to run my 20" TV/DVD player (55 watts) when on the hook or mooring ball.

You might want to check the input voltage on the player - I had one which had a 12VDC input and I ran it direct from the battery without doing the 12VDC (battery) >> Inverter to 120VAC >> brick (120VAC back to 12 VDC) dance..

I feel the same way about microwaves but more for the space than the power drawer. Im still in awe of guys like Duane who pack incredible amounts of stuff on their boat, Im always fighting inefficient use of space.

In 4 weeks I cruise with 5 tween-girls for a week, though, so necessity will be the mother of invention.

[Hardcrab]

Thanks for the suggestion, but the 20" TV/DVD player is 110AC only.
I did take it apart to look at the secondary side of the power transformer to simply bring in the 12dc there via a switch, but it was a multiple tap secondary with several different voltages present. Building my own power supply to match wasn't as practical as biting the bullet and doing the "dance".

[waternwaves]

5 tween-girls for a week...

Sounds like St. Peter should be notified for possible subsequent sainthood............

[tangentair]

In 4 weeks I cruise with 5 tween-girls for a week, though, so necessity will be the mother of invention.

I don't know about a mother but to quote Dirty Harry - ”A man’s got to know his limitations.” There isn't enough valium in Chicago for me to be able to take 840 tween girl hours in one dose. The Joan of Arc method sainthood comes to mind as an alternative. I though all you New England liberals were into Thoreau and Waldens Pond's quiet and back to nature life style?????

[Kelly Hanson East]

840 tween girl hours in one dose

I hadnt done that calculation....


Valium is the key, for all hands...