Inverters

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My travel trailer has a cigarette plug inside, so I can plug in an inverter there. Right? I've been looking at a Protek with a digital readout and have some questions. I only have one car-type battery in my trailer and two batteries under the hood on the 1/2-ton Silvarado.
Why would I want a 750W or 1000W versus a 500W which is cheaper, of course?
What do think of Protek brand or others?

 

[Knit]

Use the smallest inverter that can run whatever you are planning to plug into the inverter is the shortest answer.

But more information is needed such as:

What are you going to run with the inverter and for how long?

What size is your trailer battery?

How do you plan to charge your trailer battery?


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[Weight]

The cigy lighter type plug is not good choice for 1000W. maybe not 750W. Like asked above, need information.

 

[John61CT]

I don't trust stock ciggie ports past 5A, maybe 10A.

That's ~100W. Even then they so easily wiggle loose, even low amps can cause arcing melt plastic, just an unsafe design.

For an inverter, definitely need robust wire round trip to the source batt, use Anderson plugs if need portability.

 

[[email protected]]

I don't trust stock ciggie ports past 5A, maybe 10A.

That's ~100W. Even then they so easily wiggle loose, even low amps can cause arcing melt plastic, just an unsafe design.

For an inverter, definitely need robust wire round trip to the source batt, use Anderson plugs if need portability.

Thanks for the safety info!

 

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The cigy lighter type plug is not good choice for 1000W. maybe not 750W. Like asked above, need information.

Ok, thanks!

 

[[email protected]]

Use the smallest inverter that can run whatever you are planning to plug into the inverter is the shortest answer.

But more information is needed such as:

What are you going to run with the inverter and for how long?

What size is your trailer battery?

How do you plan to charge your trailer battery?


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Run CPAP without humidifier 8 hrs. It says "5A". Is that amps?
Charge phone and laptop -- I don't know how long it takes. I'll charge them first when driving.
Maybe use small fan if that's feasible.
I'll look up size of trailer battery. Plan to charge it when driving pickup that pulls trailer. For now I only plan to boondock one night at a time and drive the next day. I'm assuming that until I can get solar sometime in the future, that I wouldn't be able to use it without recharging the battery every day by driving or being plugged into shore power??
Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Weight]

Charging from the tow vehicle depends on the AWG of the connections. Usually not near large enough.

 

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Charging from the tow vehicle depends on the AWG of the connections. Usually not near large enough.

Thanks!

 

[[email protected]]

The main thing I need to run is my CPAP without the humidifier. Also a small fan. I will probably take one more trip in the travel trailer and will be hooked up to shore power, so this will be a moot point. Then I'm planning to stealth camp in my Honda CRV so I'm thinking of getting a small power station for being easily portable out to the sun with solar panels if I am parked in the shade.

 

[Knit]

I have found from some measurements that the three Cpap machines without humidification I have use way less energy than the labeled values. The measurements range from about 7W to 25W. This is a small load for the inverters mentioned. The smallest One is rated at 1.5A at 13V or 20W. The biggest is rated at 6.67A at 12V or 80W.

 

[John61CT]

Yes, the label is always high to be conservative.

To get actual AH per 24hrs need to measure with a coulomb counter

 

[Weight]

You can get a Kill-o-Watt meter for less than $15 or $20. I have one from Harbor Freight, also at Home Depot and Lowe's. Then you can get a true measurement of energy used, instant and over night. Test it at home on mains power, then buy your parts.

 

[AuricTech]

If you can, try to power your CPAP directly from 12VDC. It'll be much more efficient than going from DC to AC, then back to DC.

 

[B and C]

That is how I power mine and without the humidifier. The humidifier takes waaay too much juice. Got used to it after a few nights. No different than sleeping without the cpap, just the moisture in the air like you would normally have. I think most cpap maker's have a 12V option.