Inverter for camping...

[Wave]

I'm looking into getting an inverter for my trailer

Do I get a modified sine wave or pure sine wave? why?

[BushWacker]

I think Q1 should be what effective output
Watts you need/want rather than its consistancy or lack of fluctuation...
Cellphones etc 300W, Kettles 1000W,
Hairdryers etc maybe more. Many appliances rely on 220V feed thats then rectified to DC and transformed down in Volts , often to levels such as 6V, 12v 24v etc for applance inquestion ...
... so it alway seems an inefficient
and awkward route to take to power something.
Im not sure what the consistancy or lack of fluctuation of such rectified and down transformed current is but its said to be mainly relevant to finer operating electronics
eg radios etc esp if operating from direct feed and not from their own rechargeable batteries.

Normal 220v feed if probably most in demand
for hairdryersand fast-boil kettles ...
I can boil water pretty fast on a kettle braai
or even gas and got my wife a 22 v hairdryer
from tentco which she says is warm and
not hot ...

[Wave]

I would like to keep SWAMBO happy (and the rat/kid) and have 2 electric blankets to pre-heat the bed at night.
I was thinking that at least 1000W as I'm buying once, but now that you mention a hair dryer (again keeping SWAMBO happy) maybe a 1500w?

I was wanting to run my ice machine, SnoMaster say at least a 1000W inverter, but they are working on a 12v ice maker, due for release later this year, so once thats available it will be added to the never ending camping shopping list (the 220v one will be sold or retired to house use)

[Wave]

Craig, I'm gonna have to beat you! Please read my signature!

I already own a Conqueror Comfort, it has been modified (nearly) to my liking over the past 3 years of ownership, it even has a new gas geyser and shower attachment, it has 2 x deep cycle batteries (soon to be changed to high cycle as the batteries are 9 years old and finally died).
I have 110W of solar panels with regulator attached. I'm getting close to off-grid luxury camping, although we have done a few off-grid camps already, but it never hurts to keep the Mrs happy.

[Apocalypse]

I ran a 3000W Pure sine wave in my trailer.

This was because the modern laptops (apple anyway) chargers won't work with modified sine wave. that on it's own draws 87W and you need it stable.

motors are also very unhappy with modified sine wave stuff.

Cellphones and iPads draw from 5W to 20W

Hairdryer - up to 2000W

Hair Straightener is 1000W

Coffee machine - 1000W

Ice maker - as you say 1000W

Fridges are 12V anyway. Lights - either or, but should be negligible.

if you are going to do it... do ii properly. nothing like having to buy twice because you went too small to start with...

[Mad Manny]

I'm not sure this is a camping Thread....

[Apocalypse]

I'm not sure this is a camping Thread....

Manny.

the difference between 'camping' and 'being homeless' is the creature comforts.

[Quack]

Ok you want to keep Swambo happy, go to the Ferrari dealership and buy 3, that will leave you four days short for the first week, but hey she’ll be happy for 3 days...maybe, the novelty would be worn off by day 3!

Powering things like hairdryers from an inverter should never be done!

But if you insist, you would require a 4000 VA pure sine wave inverter to operate her hairbrush reliably alone, for that you would need another 8 batteries and while you’re at it pick up some more solar cells, the ones you’ve got is not enough!

Now the kettle, a quick squiz in the kitchen led me to believe you need another 2200W, that roughly equates to 2700VA and for this my guess would be a pure sine wave, more a luxury than a necessity, but alas more batteries and more panels, otherwise your second cup is going to be cold!

What else was there? Oh, the ice maker! What on heavens earth is wrong with garage ice that has been left in the freezer, either gas or 12V should do the trick!

You get my drift, if you had 9 inches, Swambo would be happy, but only for an afternoon!

Enjoy the camping, Swambo will be bitching, but she will have a good story to tell at the next tea party! And that, will make her happy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KurtG]

Geoff’s wife has his balls in a jar on the mantlepiece of their house....

[Apocalypse]

Ok you want to keep Swambo happy, go to the Ferrari dealership and buy 3, that will leave you four days short for the first week, but hey she’ll be happy for 3 days...maybe, the novelty would be worn off by day 3!

Powering things like hairdryers from an inverter should never be done!

But if you insist, you would require a 4000 VA pure sine wave inverter to operate her hairbrush reliably alone, for that you would need another 8 batteries and while you’re at it pick up some more solar cells, the ones you’ve got is not enough!

Now the kettle, a quick squiz in the kitchen led me to believe you need another 2200W, that roughly equates to 2700VA and for this my guess would be a pure sine wave, more a luxury than a necessity, but alas more batteries and more panels, otherwise your second cup is going to be cold!

What else was there? Oh, the ice maker! What on heavens earth is wrong with garage ice that has been left in the freezer, either gas or 12V should do the trick!

You get my drift, if you had 9 inches, Swambo would be happy, but only for an afternoon!

Enjoy the camping, Swambo will be bitching, but she will have a good story to tell at the next tea party! And that, will make her happy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

you also seem to prefer to pretend to be homeless rather than going camping?

none of those appliances are going to run for an excessively long period - usually with any application the problem is peak draw rather than total usage.

so - very broadly and not doing all the calls properly, just the quick version - so e.g. 2x 200Ah 12V batteries discharged to 50% will give you 12Vx200Ah=2,4kWh before the batteries are at 50% (assuming no charging)

so thats 2,4kW for a solid hour, or 1,2kW running for 2 hours etc etc.

so even the most brutal 2000W applicance will only run for (say) 6 minutes = 2000x6/60 = 0,2kWh used.

At home we have a back up system - 3kW smart invertor'charger with auto changeover. onto 2x200ah batteries. that runs 4 fridges, a upright freezer, 2 TVs with the usual playstation etc, all the lights, network and cameras, alarm, all the pumps (pool, water, underfloor heating) plus a few charging points for the usual electronics - with no solar (I'm not paying sunshine tax to the COCT) . Longest cut we've had was 12 hours (6 hours at night) - the batteries dropped to 75% in that time.

that should run a small campsite with a few solar panels quite nicely....

the reason I don't run the stove, dishwasher, washing machine, bedroom plugs etc off it is the peak draws - not the total draws.

[KurtG]

Apoc, Geoff’s balls are still in the jar. I have a pic for some strange reason:

[Apocalypse]

well. those won't power a hair dryer at all !

[Mad Manny]

Ge'Off doesn't camp, he goes Glamping.

[Wave]

Geoff’s wife has his balls in a jar on the mantlepiece of their house....

That she does, that she does Kurt

[Wave]

Ge'Off doesn't camp, he goes Glamping.

Much the same as you Manny...

I don't think there is much between our setups