Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Inverters Question
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194090 is a reply to message #194086] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 07:02   |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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It would not hurt anything to purchase the higher capacity inverter. Inverters are inefficient, and the larger one will deliver more power at less energy wasted as heat. Extra capacity never hurts.
Tom, MS II
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194091 is a reply to message #194086] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 07:44 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Steve,
There are only three real issues with installing a larger inverter:
1 - The quiescent load (standy by) load tends to go up with larger capability.
2 - The amount of copper required on the DC end will need to be larger and therefore somewhat more difficult to fit.
3 - The supplying bank must be capable at the inverter's full load.
If you can get and read the specifications, the quiescent load difference between 1500 and 2300 may be insignificant, but you really should look.
The copper required will go from something like 2AWG to 1 or 2/0AWG and the difference in cost may not be a big issue, but big cables get very hard to bend.
Finally, if your house bank is not something close to 230Amp/hrs, it will be over the edge in just a couple of minute at maximum load.
This all supposes that you will use all of the inverter capability, but it seems that is what usually happens.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194099 is a reply to message #194096] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 09:41 |
Don A
Messages: 895
Registered: October 2008
Location: Dallas, TX
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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sort of related question.
I use a cig lighter plugin inverter to power a netbook for Streets and Trips gps. The little inline brick converts 120v to 12v, max 3amps.
Would it work to plug the netbook directly to the coach 12?
Does the power brick provide any needed filtering or spike protection?
Both the inverter and the inline power brick get pretty warm and it seems like a waste to go to 120 and back.
Thanks for knowledge and experience.
Don Adams Dallas, TX
'76 26' Glenbrook, '90 Sidekick
rebuilt by R Archer, powered by J Bounds, Koba
[IMG]http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6109/G2.jpg[/IMG]
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194101 is a reply to message #194100] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 09:59 |
Don A
Messages: 895
Registered: October 2008
Location: Dallas, TX
Karma: 0
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Thanks Dan
Making a direct plug would be easy. But I haven't found one to buy, which makes me think it is not a great idea. I sure hate the heat and the gaggle of long cords.
added
my other notebooks also are not 12v, but this one is
Don Adams Dallas, TX
'76 26' Glenbrook, '90 Sidekick
rebuilt by R Archer, powered by J Bounds, Koba
[IMG]http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6109/G2.jpg[/IMG]
[Updated on: Thu, 27 December 2012 10:00] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194103 is a reply to message #194086] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 10:37 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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try to use the factory power supplies. they do make some that have a cig. plug.
when you do have a power problem, spike or surge or something. it normally kills the adapter first. before it blows the power on the motherboard of the computer.
I deal with alot of laptops. it is pretty random what takes them out. with the exception of spilled beer. that is not good for a computer. not sure why that happens alot to construction laptops.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194106 is a reply to message #194099] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 12:46 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| Don A wrote on Thu, 27 December 2012 10:41 |
sort of related question.
I use a cig lighter plugin inverter to power a netbook for Streets and Trips gps. The little inline brick converts 120v to 12v, max 3amps.
Would it work to plug the netbook directly to the coach 12?
Does the power brick provide any needed filtering or spike protection?
Both the inverter and the inline power brick get pretty warm and it seems like a waste to go to 120 and back.
Thanks for knowledge and experience.
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Don,
For years, I had a laptop that was 12V. I made up a cord to power it from a DC mousehole. It worked fine. If the manufacturer can supply a 12V power cable, that would be my first choice. It will probably of some level of filter and/or spike trap in it. In a coach, I would also be careful to power it from the house bank and not the starting battery. To do that, you may have to add your own mousehole, but the power on the house side is always cleaner.
In my boat work, I have known of more than a few to have trouble running a netbook/notebook from the factory line power supply plugged into an inexpensive inverter. As both of those are going to be switching type power supplies, if they get in/out of sync, things can get very interesting.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194108 is a reply to message #194086] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 13:09 |
habbyguy
Messages: 896
Registered: May 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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To be sure, an inverter just to power a laptop doesn't have to be all that big or expensive (and won't draw too much current).
When I decided to put an inverter in my rig, I did the calculations and came to the conclusion:
1) I'd like to have enough power to run a hand vacuum and my microwave (about 7 amps of 120VAC).
2) I'd never have enough battery capacity for running anything bigger, which would be the roof A/C units.
3) It should be big enough to be able to run the fridge on A/C when driving.
4) There's no use in buying a bigger inverter than I need because of the potential for more "resting current" when it's just sitting there running at a small percentage of its capacity.
This all led me to buy a 1000 watt inverter from Harbor Freight (for chump change). I checked the "resting current" and it draws about 1.1 amps at 12VDC without a load. I even went so far as to put a thermal switch in the fan circuit so they didn't run until the internal heat got to about 140 degrees, but that only knocked off about 0.25 amps.
The other thing about my installation was that (because of the way my Royale is set up), the inverter is located in the left rear corner, and the house batteries in the right front. I ended up buying 25' of 1/0 "power amplifier" cable, which is VERY flexible (you could form it into a 6" radius curve without difficulty), for running from the front around all the "interesting stuff", then connected it to another 10' or so of 2/0 "regular" cable (about as flexible as PVC pipe). This wasn't a problem though, since I just poked it back through the frame holes, where the stiffness actually works to keep it out of trouble.
The other thing I had to learn was that the inverter needs to be grounded to the aluminum frame, NOT the steel chassis or the A/C neutral "ground". As a result, my inverter has no issues supplying a full 7 amps of AC power to run my vacuum, and will run my (old) microwave as well (though not at the same time). I remoted the on/off switch to my generator panel, with an obvious indicator light that makes it easy to remember to turn off the inverter before starting the generator. I also home-brewed an autoswitch that will keep the two (generator and inverter) from getting into a nasty (and expensive) fight, should I ever forget to turn off the inverter, and so I don't have to flip any breakers or heavy switches to run my inverter.
The end result was a big increase in the utility of my GMC, with an investment of around $200 (and some hours, of course).
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
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| Re: Inverters Question [message #194110 is a reply to message #194086] |
Thu, 27 December 2012 13:38 |
bwevers
Messages: 598
Registered: October 2010
Location: San Jose
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Steve,
I tried one of those "Modified Sine Wave" inverters to
power my TV. The TV made a loud buzzing noise, not good.
I replaced it with a "Pure Sine Wave" inverter.
More expensive, but better.
Regards,
Bill
Bill Wevers GMC49ers, GMC Western States
1975 Glenbrook - Manny Powerdrive, OneTon
455 F Block, G heads
San Jose
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