Inverter size and brand?

[Scadwell]

Putting together first solar in van. Currently have one 100ah lifepo4 battery, two 100 watt panels, and renology rover. Need the inverter. Not running a lot to start out with; laptop, phones, max air fan, electric blanket. Would like to add panels to the system in the future if needed, maybe a fridge added later.

Is this the inverter I should get:
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-1000W...mzn1.fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3
I see there are other brands of 1000 watt pure sin wave under $200. Any recommendations on cheaper ones? Is a 1000 watt inverter a good size I could add panels to later?

Thanks for any help!!

 

[tx2sturgis]

For the 120v loads you listed, (laptop, electric blanket) you really dont need a 1000 watt inverter. A smaller one would cost less and let you put more money into another project or a device that uses 12v directly, such as a 12v car charger for a laptop.

I have one of these 700 watt Gopower units, and it runs most anything I need, short of large power tools, and for those I crank up the generator.

The GoPower unit also has a 'sleep' or 'power saver' mode, where it can be set to power down and consume almost zero standby current if there is no load connected, but it will power up when you connect or turn on a load.

https://www.amazon.com/Go-Power-GP-...mzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0

 

[maki2]

.My newer laptop has a 12v power supply. My phone is run from a usb 12v power plug in. An electric blanket will run on a little 150 watt inverter you can buy at Walmart or a truck stop or auto parts store. My old laptops that have an 110v AC power supply can also run off 150 watt inverter. I purchased a 12v power supply for my newer 12v laptop, so I did not need to run an inverter for that device. I also run an inkjet printer from my 150 watt inverter. My fridge runs on 12v, it does not need an inverter.

None of those devices I listed above require a pure sine wave inverter. My 150 watt inverter I got at a Loves truck stop cost me $39.00. I have been using it for the last 3 years of full time travel without any issue. No blown fuses, no damage to any devices. Nothing you listed requires a pure sine wave, high powered inverter.

Maxx air fans run on 12v. You do not power them with an 110v output inverter.

You can also buy 12v electric blankets. I myself do not have one although I do admit it is a very nice luxury to crawl into a preheated bed on a 40 degree night. But I have a diesel heater so I do not have that particular issue to solve. You can buy a diesel heater, fuel tank, installation supplies too and install it for less than the cost of that 1,000 watt inverter you posted about. Put your money where it counts for better comfort on cold days and nights.

 

[Scadwell]

Is there another panel you can buy that has usb and cigarette lighter outlet, and would it be wired to the charger or the battery?

 

[user 423]

Everything in my van runs on 12 volts and the only thing I use a 1000w MSW inverter for is to run
small power tools. That is very seldom.

The only thing I need a PSW inverter for is to run the charger for my battery powered drill and impact wrench. Some of the chargers for various tool makers (Dewalt,Makita,Ryobi,Craftsmen) are sensitive to MSW.

A 300w PSW is big enough to run the charger and it was $55. It's also used to power a small AA-AAA battery charger.

PS: Here's an example of the laptop 12 volt brick that I use with my Toshiba. They sell DC bricks for most laptops:

https://www.amazon.com/CHARGER-Lati...=&sprefix=pwr++12+volt+charger,aps,225&sr=8-6

 

[mpruet]

You might want to consider going 12 volt on everything. Just turning on an inverter consumes power. Get on Amazon and look up 12 volt xxx. You can find 12 volt electric blankets, laptop chargers, etc. In fact the black brick that the electrical plug for you current laptop charger is just a converter from 120 AC to 12 volt DC. seems kinda silly to take 12 volt from a battery then convert it to 120 AC and then convert back to 12 volt.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Just for reference, most laptops need around 19 volts to charge. It varies, some require a bit more, some less, but the typical wall powered (120v) laptop charger reduces and converts to about 19 volts DC at several amps. (usually around 3 to 5 amps).

A typical laptop car charger will 'dc-dc invert' the voltage from 12v DC to about 19v DC. Again, give or take depending on the particular laptop.

So, no matter how we arrive at the result, there will be voltage conversions (or inversions) involved.

The advantage of the laptop car charger is of course, compact size, and ease of use, along with somewhat better overall efficiency. But...if the OP has around 200 watts of solar power available, then typical use of the laptop (a few hours a day, maybe) will be about the same no matter how they arrive at the result.

 

[Scadwell]

If I omit the inverter and go with 12 volt, is there a panel or whatever that has the usb and cigerette plug on it that I would wire into the Rover charge controller? The charge controller doesnt have any plugs on it, just power out. Thanks for all the help so far, appreciate it!

 

[Solarcoast]

If I omit the inverter and go with 12 volt, is there a panel or whatever that has the usb and cigerette plug on it that I would wire into the Rover charge controller? The charge controller doesnt have any plugs on it, just power out. Thanks for all the help so far, appreciate it!

Best option would be to use a fuse block for your DC distribution. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Sys...lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Your charge controller output would go to the battery terminals, then another set of cables from the battery terminals to the fuse block. Your cigarette plugs, fridge, etc would then each be connected to a single slot on the fuse block, with appropriately sized fuses.

It would also be wise to have some sort of low voltage disconnect for the DC distribution so your loads don't discharge the battery too much.

An inverter usually has this built in, but for the DC stuff you can use something like a victron battery protect. You could just rely on the battery's bms but it's not a great idea as it's supposed to be the last line of defense for your battery not the first.

 

[bullfrog]

Everything in my van runs on 12 volts and the only thing I use a 1000w MSW inverter for is to run
small power tools. That is very seldom.

The only thing I need a PSW inverter for is to run the charger for my battery powered drill and impact wrench. Some of the chargers for various tool makers (Dewalt,Makita,Ryobi,Craftsmen) are sensitive to MSW.

A 300w PSW is big enough to run the charger and it was $55. It's also used to power a small AA-AAA battery charger.

PS: Here's an example of the laptop 12 volt brick that I use with my Toshiba. They sell DC bricks for most laptops:

https://www.amazon.com/CHARGER-Lati...=&sprefix=pwr++12+volt+charger,aps,225&sr=8-6

You can get vehicle chargers for most higher voltage tool batteries.

 

[FlipperFla]

Check out Don Rowe Inverters. Great tech/sales line. They also make cables you will need depending what size you get. I have a Kisae 2K PSW for over ten years with no issues. I think they sell them at Home Depot also. IMO Magnum probably makes the best but$$$$. I have also had 2-3 Xanterx inverters in the past pre Pure Sine Wave days also with no issues. I would also purchase a unit that would run at a 50% load or under over a smaller unit running @ full load plus have room to expand down the road.

 

[LargeMarge]

Putting together first solar...one 100ah... Need the inverter... running...laptop, phones, max air fan, electric blanket...

I see there are other brands of 1000 watt pure sin[e] wave under $200. Any recommendations on cheaper...

.
a)
We use (antique at this late date) Schrader 750-Watt square-wave inverters.
We carry three in the Dodge, another four in the rig.
We acquired them from Brooks Cut-Rate Auto Parts in Glenwood, Oregon, local-owned family-operated by the Brooks folks for about eight decades.
.
I doubt we paid more than us$45 each.
.
.
b)
We have some semi-retired Sears&Roebucks 'Diehard' 750-Watt inverters, but the on/off switches failed.
We liked their changeable display with incoming dc voltage, outgoing ac, and probably something else to fiddle with.
.
I seem to remember they were about us$39 each.
.
Irregardless of type or style, we like the on/off capability, because of the parasitic draw.
While 'ON', the inverters pull a certain amount from the battery while idle, irregardless of operating any 120vac equipment.
With the switch in the 'OFF' position, the inverter pulls less.
Allegedly.
.
.
c)
We wired a 8-guage from/to the battery with a 30-amp circuit-breaker to a dedicated *stout* power-outlet (cig lighter type).
We acquired the components from ACME, a local-owned family-operated electronics store in Eugene, Oregon.
.
.
An aside:
All of these businesses are shuttered.
And yesterday was the last day for Eugene land-mark gathering-spot Cycle Parts, the independent motorcycle shop we called our 'second home' for decades.

 

[afblangley]

I see there are other brands of 1000 watt pure sin wave under $200. Any recommendations on cheaper ones?

I was shopping for a 1000W inverter a few months ago. I searched Amazon for ones that had lots of reviews and found Ampeak 1200, Renogy 1000, and Kinverch 1000 each had more than a thousand reviews. I chose the Ampeak because it had digital screen. I would not recommend it. The fan is loud and the included cable melted from the load (which never exceeded 900W). I ended up returning it and buying a Renogy. The fan is so quiet I don't know its on and the cable is much thicker. It also includes a remote on/off switch. It has performed flawlessly for my application (using the starter battery to charge a power station).

 

[hugemoth]

I've been using a Renogy 1000 sine wave inverter for a couple years 24/7 with no problems. The oldest inverter I have is a Xantrex 1000 modified sine wave from about 1993. Indestructible.

 

[FlipperFla]

Square wave inverters are really bad for electronics, motors and compressors will run hot. A square wave is missing the top and bottom third of a sine wave. A sine wave is what you get from an outlet in your house. A 60hz sine wave. The note is so low you can’t hear it, maybe your dog can but humans can’t. Think of it as a clean note from a jazz guitar compared to a guitar with a fuzz box pedal. A fuzz pedal just does the same thing cuts the top and bottom off of a note, chord. Square wave inverters are cheaper because they cannot produce a true sine wave.
IMO I wouldn’t weight Amazon reviews on purchasing an Inverter. Funny, everybody seems to be an expert when it comes to electronics. 99% are clueless. I would look for an unbiased reviews in a unsponsored Google search..
Magnum, Xantrex, Kisae, Renogy are a few I would consider.

 

[Scadwell]

Renology has their 700 watt inverter on sale for $125, seems like a decent deal. I am going to wire up a panel for 12volt also. Really appreciate all the comments. Any suggestions on where to run my solar panel wires into my van? Assuming drill a hole somewhere, roof or side. Thanks!

 

[FlipperFla]

Renology has their 700 watt inverter on sale for $125, seems like a decent deal. I am going to wire up a panel for 12volt also. Really appreciate all the comments. Any suggestions on where to run my solar panel wires into my van? Assuming drill a hole somewhere, roof or side. Thanks!

Good choice. Check out Blue Sea Systems web site they have the chart for the gauge wire you will need when you measure the length of your run and the current draw for the inverter and panel. They have really nice panels and hardware, fuses, lugs, all sorts of stuff. Great tech support. Good luck with your project. Where safety glasses when dealing with the high amp connections.

 

[tx2sturgis]

You'll be happy with the Renogy 700, I have one of those also, and it does not have the 'sleep' mode but it does come with the little remote switch. Mine is over a year old with intermittent use here, and it works fine.

 

[hugemoth]

I find the remote switch quite useful because my charge controller often briefly exceeds 16 volts which causes the inverter to beep loudly then shut down. The Renogy comes with a very long cord.

 

[frater secessus]

Need the inverter. Not running a lot to start out with; laptop, phones, max air fan, electric blanket

The maxxair runs on 12vdc. I run the rest of the listed items off a 300w PSW inverter (AIMS).

renology rover... Renology has their 700 watt inverter on sale for $125

There is no L in Renogy, btw.