I recon a 600w unit would do what I would want (certainly no more than 1000w). I understand it depends on what I want to run on it. To be honest I'm just imagining a laptop, I don't want to have mega watts so I can "weld" with it (joke by the way), I just want the ability to use 240v for low wattage gear on the battery if needed.
Now my question is this - " am I better off having a hard wired inverter setup to a suitable power socket in the caravan, or would a portable inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter style socket cut it"
I understand the principles of an inverter, but I suspect the second option might draw too much current through wiring that may not be heavy enough for that use.
What ya recon?
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MN Triton auto diesel 4x4 & 20' 6" Kokoda Tribute II XL Platinum
I'm no expert, but I've connected mine to the batteries and it came with a remote on/off switch. So I've got a power lead connected to the inverter and I just plug in an appliance and switch the inverter on when required. Got one big enuf to run my Nespresso coffee maker or the microwave.
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Glen
A diesel Nissan Pathfinder towing a Coromal Element 542.
I have a 300w PSI and it was plugged into a cig lighter socket in the van or a outside one but for some reason a protector light kept coming on after a while and would cut off. In my limited wisdom decided it was voltage loss in thin cable so wired up a Anderson plug directly to the battery with heavier cable then made a heavier cable to go on Inverter with a Anderson plug. All works well now. If I need to replace Inverter I will get a 600w probably.
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DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
We have 600 pure sine wave inverter, purchased form Repco, and it works really well, laptops, phones, hair trimmer, has even run the drill for very short time. We also can use it for the media player to watch movies - really, anything that doesn't have an element like toasters, kettles etc., can be used on this quite satisfactorily. Used heavy gauge wire to connect to battery.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
One question people, what kind of battery are you wired up to? Would I need a different/bigger battery other than the normal car one? Don't want to flatten my battery. Great information, thanks, had been wondering how to go about running a computer and dvd player without causing any trouble with the electrical system in the van.
I hook mine up to the van batteries June and usually only use when they are charging. Keep in mind that when you use a Inverter that they use up the power very quickly so just be aware of that.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I hook mine up to the van batteries June and usually only use when they are charging. Keep in mind that when you use a Inverter that they use up the power very quickly so just be aware of that.
G'day Doug. as you can tell I know next to nothing about the electrical workings of a car etc. Should have said 'campervan' instead of van as I have a Toyota campervan that I am getting ready to take to the road in. When I plug the GPS into the cigarette lighter the cig. lighter gets very hot and that could not be a good thing. The battery, as you probably know, is under the floor behind the drivers seat, so I'm trying to figure out how a converter can be connected to it and if I need to get a bigger battery so as to hold more charge. I realize the cables would have to be heavier also.
Be prepared for more questions, I've got plenty of them!
As a matter of interest, daughter lives in Kelso, could be up there soon and will pick your brains...... cheerio, June C.
Suggest you search for inverter in search box above,, there are 5 good threads with 91 responses with some very good info from some very respected posters.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
G'day Doug. as you can tell I know next to nothing about the electrical workings of a car etc. Should have said 'campervan' instead of van as I have a Toyota campervan that I am getting ready to take to the road in. When I plug the GPS into the cigarette lighter the cig. lighter gets very hot and that could not be a good thing. The battery, as you probably know, is under the floor behind the drivers seat, so I'm trying to figure out how a converter can be connected to it and if I need to get a bigger battery so as to hold more charge. I realize the cables would have to be heavier also.
Be prepared for more questions, I've got plenty of them!
As a matter of interest, daughter lives in Kelso, could be up there soon and will pick your brains...... cheerio, June C.
Hi June,
There are some other good suggestions so follow up on them.
However I can only suggest that you be careful about only using the Camper van main battery for other power use. It can and will leave you with a flat battery UNLESS you are extremely careful. See about fitting in another battery in the hole down there. There is a bit of room. OR at least carry a jump starter of good size for flat battery starting. However using it on the main battery under the floor is a pain !!!
There are lots of ways to setup a second battery for occasional use. I have an automatic relay which switches the second battery to charge when the engine starts. Also a row of LED lights to tell me how much voltage is in both batteries. You know when to quit using it for the night just by looking at how many lights are left Easy and no skill required !
If you only want to charge laptops and phones etc, 600watts is too big. 250 would do.
We changed everything to 12v charging, laptop used to suck up so much power at 240v, adapter from Jaycar for the laptop plugs into the cig-lighter socket near the dining table. Fitted 4 2amp USB lighter sockets for camera's, & all the "I" stuff, but have a 2000w 24v inverter hard wired direct to the battery's for the inverter air-conditioning & toaster, nothing makes toast as well as an electric toaster. Inverter gets turned on only when we need 240v then turned off again as it is a HUGE power user, has its own battery's so if forgotten & flattened it wont affect anything else.
-- Edited by The Doo crew on Sunday 14th of June 2015 08:46:28 AM
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Thank you Kendo for asking the question re: inverter setup, it was something I was puzzled about myself and the answers were so informative, now I have a good idea which way to go. Sincere thanks to everyone who took the trouble to explain the workings and set up, in every-day language, I did understand what was said.
Most inverters will have a low voltage cut out (usually around 11.5 v) so it is impossible for them to flatten your house battery. Also a PSW inverter is normally considerably more expensive than a MSW that will run 90% of appliances anyway , such as TVs, CPAP machines, fans, charge phones etc. To calculate the approximate current drain, just divide the wattage of the appliance by 10 (to allow for losses), so at 600watts you will be dragging approx. 60 amps from your battery which is an awful lot more current than I'd like to see out of a cigarette lighter socket through 15 amp flex. Hard wired with 6mm cable, maybe.
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Best regards,
Chris
Licensed Electrician, Electronics, Gaming & Computer Technician. Now retired and loving it!
I know I have blood at least cos the pressure is high, bugga. 
Nearly as bad as KFT 
Easy and no skill required !
