Club 80-90 Forums

i am currently in the process of buying an invertor for my van. Just wondered obviously what the sensible power output would be to run a TV and a couple of lights.

Also is a leisure battery advised for running an inverter, or will there be any problems with running an inverter off my cruisin battery???

Hi Devs

You need to check the TV to make sure you get the correct invertor. Should be a sticker on the back with the details.

Your cruisin battery will run the invertor as good as a leisure battery but if you use your main battery there is a good chance you will end up stranded when the invertor flattens you battery.

At least when you flatten your leisure battery you can still drive your van.

Kev

this was what i was worried about, last thing i want is to be stranded somewhere with a flat battery, i think for the cost of an additional battery and wiring i will make a leisure battery rig

Just bought a 150W inverter from Maplins, they are currently on 'special' at 15 quid:
see http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... 2&DOY=30m5
My 'Back of envelope' (I'm not a smoker) calculations make this sort of load more than leaving the headlights/tailights on, I'm guessing my slightly aged starter battery wouldn't last too long. The inverter does cut out when the voltage drops too low, but this is around 10Volts - unlikely to start the van at this voltage, I would have thought. The inverter says it can power small TV's, but I think a second/leisure battery is a smart way to go with this set up.

I run my big invertor of the pair of leisure batts, I have wired a 50 amp Anderson plug to the batts and have the corresponding plug on my invertor, with suitable cables (heavy), have run an electric toaster off it no problem.(550W I believe)

That highlights a problem with invertors. 550w is only about 2 amps at mains voltage - pretty insignificant - but is nearly 50 amps at 12v and after invertor losses could well be over 50 Amps. If you intend to run something much more than 500w you are going to need BIG cables (and lots of AHrs in your battery)

Things like TVs and lamps are much lighter loads but are you sure you can't run them from 12v in the first place?

Not a problem as such, just a fact of life. Use the correct rated stuff and you should be OK, like you said though, will soon eat your LB`s using loadsa amps at once. OK for toast though (no grill in a Westy )

OK problem was the wrong word.

So many people overlook the fact that bigger inverters need bigger wires and bigger batteries. I keep seeing posts by people wanting big inverters expecting them to run from the cigarette lighter.

mmmmmm proper toast.

Why not by a 12v LCD tv, you see them advertised for caraveans etc?