what is the best all in one inverters

[mattgeb84]

Hi I'm new to rving I wanted to build a rv van to live it my only questions are how to deal with refrigeration and more importantly what type of inverter should I get I wanted to get one of the all in one inverters that can plug into sure power to I wanted pure sine wave I want to hook up 2 or 3 100/watt solar panels with possible 3 agm batteries I mostly want to power a small freezer a laptop with external HD and possible a TV what do you guys think the best all in one inverter would be for me
Also can the inverter be wired to the generator to recharge the batteries I was thinking of getting one of the small hyndi generators with built in inverter

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The generator I was thinking of getting is theHyundai HY2000si 2200-Watt Portable Inverter Generator on amazon

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I also wanted to powerCentrifugal Clothes Portable Spin Dryer

Bonus Package Panda Small Mini Portable Compact Washer Washing Machine 5.5lbs Capacity
Also from amazon

 

[Oberneldon]

Here is a link to information on inverters. http://www.donrowe.com/power-inverter-faq-a/258.htm

I try to run as much as I can directly off 12v to minimize the losses of an inverter and it is more efficient. So my TV & TV antenna amp are 12 volt and use about 2 amps. My computer is 12v too. There are some chargers and items that must have pure sign wave. I blew out some by not having pure sign wave initially, therefore I use pure sign wave to eliminate any problems.

 

[wagoneer]

ditto 90% 12 volt I do have a modified huge inverter that came out of an older 90's RV in case. weighs like 20 pounds

 

[mattgeb84]

How do you wire the batteries off 12 volt can you wire an outlet directly off the batteries

 

[66788]

Here is a link to information on inverters. http://www.donrowe.com/power-inverter-faq-a/258.htm

I try to run as much as I can directly off 12v to minimize the losses of an inverter and it is more efficient. So my TV & TV antenna amp are 12 volt and use about 2 amps. My computer is 12v too. There are some chargers and items that must have pure sign wave. I blew out some by not having pure sign wave initially, therefore I use pure sign wave to eliminate any problems.

A lot of the Craftsman brand chargers for battery tools will blow out instantly if used with modified sine wave. Ask me how I know...

 

[akrvbob]

What you want to buy will be extremely expensive. I went a different route and instead of having an all-in-one, I bought separate components.

1)I have a Xantrex 2000 watt pure sine for things that need Pure sine and a 400 watt Cobra for things that run fine without it.
2) I have a Schumacher 30 amp Smart battery charger-Jumper to charge the battery from my Honda Genny.

Going seperate will probably be at least 1/3 of the price of an all-in-one. Plus, if it fails you are out a bunch of money and dead in the water--nothing goes in or out of the battery.

Charging the batteries is one place I want redundancy and back-ups.

But there is no one right way.

Just be sure that whatever you buy has a smart AC battery charger. The cheap ones usually don't. It will say something like Smart charger or 3-Stage charger. A dumb charger will destroy your batteries quickly. The built-in 12 volt chargers on nearly all generators are dumb, so use them for emergency use only to charge directly off the genny. Even the Hondas are dumb.
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

matt everything you listed freezer/refer, tv, and laptop are all available in 12v. more efficient to run directly and not though an invertor. like bob said those combo invertors a very expensive. highdesertranger

 

[Oberneldon]

A lot of the Craftsman brand chargers for battery tools will blow out instantly if used with modified sine wave. Ask me how I know...

I must have had the same Craftsman charger.

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How do you wire the batteries off 12 volt can you wire an outlet directly off the batteries

Yes I wire directly off the 12 volt battery although fused. I charge from the vehicle and have a smart charger for when I plug in. The key is to monitor your battery so you don't discharge to damage it. I have a volt meter tied directly to battery.

The smart charger I have charges all lead acid batteries, so I use it to also charge a backup bank of gel cells that I use when off the grid and don't run the engine.

 

[user 2252]

How do you run a 120 volt laptop off 12 volts? I understand the 12 volt refrigerator/freezer. Do you mean running the laptop off a pure sine wave inverter? or purchase another laptop that is designed for 12 volts? I don't want to buy another laptop. I'm a bit confused . I would like to run my laptop as internet, DVD movies and with a USB tuner, watch TV. I am in the planning stage to provide power off grid (did I say that right?) Basically a couple of AGM batteries, a Honda generator and eventually solar panels. Oh man, I thought I was on the right track. I would also like to be able to on occasions "plug in" to charge the AGM's and have 120 volts available.

 

[Oberneldon]

How do you run a 120 volt laptop off 12 volts? I understand the 12 volt refrigerator/freezer. Do you mean running the laptop off a pure sine wave inverter? or purchase another laptop that is designed for 12 volts? I don't want to buy another laptop. I'm a bit confused . I would like to run my laptop as internet, DVD movies and with a USB tuner, watch TV. I am in the planning stage to provide power off grid (did I say that right?) Basically a couple of AGM batteries, a Honda generator and eventually solar panels. Oh man, I thought I was on the right track. I would also like to be able to on occasions "plug in" to charge the AGM's and have 120 volts available.

I have a Panasonic laptop & bought the aftermarket 12 volt power supply. Check the Internet to see if an aftermarket 12 volt supply is available for laptop. If not you can use inverter, it just takes more watts for the same result.

AGM batteries are good. My 120 volt charger works on them too as they are lead acid. You just need a good charger/maintainer for when on the grid & yes you can set up to charge them from solar or generator through the charger/maintainer like on the grid.

You just need to ensure you don't go too low on the battery voltage so you damage the batteries.

 

[christine]

For most computers these days you can get a 12 volt charger for it on Amazon for less than $30. Computers are actually low voltage appliances. The brick that's attached to the power cord that comes with the laptop--that actually converts 120 volts AC to the voltage that your computer needs (anywhere from 15-24 volts DC). If you look at the tiny print on the power brick, the "Output" number will tell you what voltage your computer runs on.

 

[LeeRevell]

Found a car charger for my Toshiba C55 Satellite that costs $19.90. Amazon Prime tends to ship PDQ, so may have it Friday.

 

[flailer]

First know that I'm a total noob here. And as such I don't know up from down.......

Isn't there anyone here that has need for a DC/DC converter? Say 12Vdc step-up to 24Vdc? I just don't know :huh: :huh: :huh:

What are we talking? $10? And for use with multiple devices no less!! Ya-sure: regulator / controller would be required so that expensive electronics wouldn't get FRIED & Fire risks. (TI bq2056 IC for Li-ion charge, example)

I just bring this question into this thread as the whole inverter "demand" seems crazy to me.

Just what in the heck are peoples using 110Vac for? To run that 110Vac device off of 12Vdc system?? What? (more stupid looks from flailer) :huh: :huh: :huh:

What am I missing? I see little to no point
(in having a generator for that matter either)

What are we doing?? Converting 110Vac back to DC again? WASTEFUL use of power is the first thing that comes to mind. The second is all the clutter in a small space. Then cost of materials; then quality of product, then quality (purity) of the output.

I say throw out the need for generators, inverters, clutter, (did I say that clutter pisses me off), cost, & mess.

I'm running a Ref, Freezer, Stove (LP), then a computer (internet, movies, games), a cell phone, dc lighting, & very rarely a heater. 2 gel batteries, 1 solar panel, plug into 110Vac once a week at most.

Again, what am I missing? The ONLY thing that comes to mind is Air Conditioning, and GOOD LUCK running AC off that.

p.s. (yes 12Vdc chargers for both computer & celluar)

 

[Oberneldon]

I work from my RV and need to run a printer so I can print - sign - scan and send documents. I have my computer on 12 volts, but making a dc to dc converter for the printer is not practical for the limited time I use it, but need to have 120 ac for it. I also have battery operated tools that have 120 ac chargers that I must charge from time to time. I have a 400 watt pure sign wave for them. There are just some small devices that need 120 ac and I charge them as I drive from one place to another so I don't have to run the engine just for that purpose.

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

Check out Goal Zero's power packs and "solar generators." (Quotes because I think the use of generator is misleading)

They are all in one units, but with compromises... Not the largest inverters, can't handle oodles of solar power, but they are far more compact than having many separate devices and all the wiring to go with them. They are quite spendy, though.

We decided to go with a Yeti1250 and chain a second group27 AGM to it. We have 270 watts of solar, which is just above the maximum it can handle. So far, it was a good choice for us. Saves space in our tiny van.

http://www.goalzero.com/power-packs

 

[flailer]

Thanks for the answers you guys. :exclamation:

I'm starting to get a bit of a handle on this... particularly after reading Handy Bob's blog. Yes: It appears my solar system should be delivering a lot more options (power) to me than it is. (I'll totally have to test it, but guessing at this point i'd say that the controller voltage is far to low, so the batteries have never got a good charge)

That said (i.e. dumb questions I asked) ~
I have been wanting to make toast (Real. Crunchy. Toast) to go with soft boiled or over medium eggs. So an electric toaster would require an inverter (or so this noobie believes)

Spanks again

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

Thanks for the answers you guys. :exclamation:

I'm starting to get a bit of a handle on this... particularly after reading Handy Bob's blog. Yes: It appears my solar system should be delivering a lot more options (power) to me than it is. (I'll totally have to test it, but guessing at this point i'd say that the controller voltage is far to low, so the batteries have never got a good charge)

That said (i.e. dumb questions I asked) ~
I have been wanting to make toast (Real. Crunchy. Toast) to go with soft boiled or over medium eggs. So an electric toaster would require an inverter (or so this noobie believes)

Spanks again

Yes, for a toaster or toaster oven you will need an inverter... a very large inverter, and depending on how long you let it run, a fairly large bank of batteries to power it.

Toasters use resistive heating, which is the most power sucking appliance around. I would suggest finding a toaster/oven with the lowest wattage you can find, at the minimum, below 1000 watts.

If you have a 1000 watt toaster plugged into your inverter (which should be probably at least 1200-1500 watt output, and if this is the ONLY thing you're powering with the inverter, you will be just fine with a modified sine wave, which is much, much cheaper), while on a heat cycle, the inverter will be pulling just about 150 amps from your batteries (assuming 80% inverter efficiency)! This is a huge load. For short durations, like 5 minutes, this is quite manageable, but if you run a toaster oven for an hour to bake something, it becomes much harder to power.

For 5 minutes, you would pull a total of about 12.5 amp-hours from your batteries, which if you have 200 watts of solar in full sun, would only take about 1 hour to recharge (assuming 80% solar efficiency).

However, if you run it for 1 hour, you would pull a total of about 150 amp-hours from your batteries, which if you have 200 watts of solar in full sun, would take just a bit over ELEVEN hours to recharge (assuming 80% solar efficiency).

Keep in mind, the typical group27 deep cycle has around 100 amp-hours of capacity, and you can only safely use 50% of that, so each battery gives you 50 amp-hours... for the 1 hour long baking, at minimum you would need 3-4 group27 12volt deep cycle batteries... at which point you would want more solar, probably closer to 400 watts, which would half the recharge time.

For the record, we plan to use a small 1050 watt toaster oven to bake fish every once in a while for 10-15 minutes. We have 2 group27 batteries and 270 watts solar to do this... we are at the bare minimum of comfort and have to be careful doing it!

 

[Seraphim]

First know that I'm a total noob here. And as such I don't know up from down.......

Isn't there anyone here that has need for a DC/DC converter? Say 12Vdc step-up to 24Vdc? I just don't know :huh: :huh: :huh:

What are we talking? $10? And for use with multiple devices no less!! Ya-sure: regulator / controller would be required so that expensive electronics wouldn't get FRIED & Fire risks. (TI bq2056 IC for Li-ion charge, example)

I just bring this question into this thread as the whole inverter "demand" seems crazy to me.

Just what in the heck are peoples using 110Vac for? To run that 110Vac device off of 12Vdc system?? What? (more stupid looks from flailer) :huh: :huh: :huh:

What am I missing? I see little to no point
(in having a generator for that matter either)

What are we doing?? Converting 110Vac back to DC again? WASTEFUL use of power is the first thing that comes to mind. The second is all the clutter in a small space. Then cost of materials; then quality of product, then quality (purity) of the output.

I say throw out the need for generators, inverters, clutter, (did I say that clutter pisses me off), cost, & mess.

I'm running a Ref, Freezer, Stove (LP), then a computer (internet, movies, games), a cell phone, dc lighting, & very rarely a heater. 2 gel batteries, 1 solar panel, plug into 110Vac once a week at most.

Again, what am I missing? The ONLY thing that comes to mind is Air Conditioning, and GOOD LUCK running AC off that.

p.s. (yes 12Vdc chargers for both computer & celluar)

It depends on what a person wants, bottom line, although the environment they live in makes a large difference, I think.

We do not full time, but spend about half our year on the road. When we take off for months a time, we tend to use wilderness areas or state parks, and our camper is like a hard shelled tent. We are outside a lot, and use very little battery power - about 25 amps a day. We have no use for a genny, inverter or solar, can cook our toast over an open fire, and have little need for lights, as we can read on our iPad. Batteries get to 50% after 4 or 5 days, and we find shore power, or drive somewhere else for a couple of hours.

Someone in an urban environment can't do that, and may need to spend most of their time inside the unit. They may spend more time online as a social lifeline, and have larger power needs. They may not have the funds for an overnight stay with shore power.

So each person and their situation will differ, and have different solutions to their owed needs.

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Own - not owed lol

 

[wagoneer]

What came first the chicken or the egg? KEEPING IT SIMPLE is the best. Some people just like gadgets and have the money to spend supporting the superstructure albeit misguided IMHO. You add one item in your life every day that adds up. Yes I have an inverter!! THERE I SAID IT...well on my way to recoverY

 

[highdesertranger]

you don't need a 120v toaster for toast. search camp toaster. highdesertranger