Hi, we recently purchased a slide on camper that has solar power and a deep cycle battery. We are wanting to purchase a 1500w pure sine inverter so we can run some appliances. Hoping to run a bar fridge, electric kettle, 800w microwave, laptop etc (not at the same time though!!). Just wondering if the 1500w will be suitable. Any advise please? TIA
Welcome to the gang Timliz, enjoy here and out in the playground. I don't think 1500w will run kettle or Micro but I could be wrong. No problem with the laptop as I run mine through a 300w. Just be aware a Inverter will run down your battery very quickly. I use my Inverter during daylight only. I have a 300w for most things I do that are not 12v and also have a 1500w if needed, that doesn't see the light of day much though.
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Hi, we recently purchased a slide on camper that has solar power and a deep cycle battery. We are wanting to purchase a 1500w pure sine inverter so we can run some appliances. Hoping to run a bar fridge, electric kettle, 800w microwave, laptop etc (not at the same time though!!). Just wondering if the 1500w will be suitable. Any advise please? TIA
Timliz hi and welcome.
I don't have any trade advice with letters after my name.
I went down this path not long back for my caravan with 340 watts of solar and 210 amps of battery, the max I was looking for was about 500 watts and had my eye on a 600 watt inverter from a spare parts place, then learnt for a few dollars more I could have a thousand watt. My wife said you always buy on the lean side buy the bigger one. It will handle everything I have in the caravan and will not over tax my solar/battery system, the 1000 watt runs cool, has a fan and is not over big. We actually don't use it very much but it there if I need it.
The 1500 will run the micro wave, it will also use a lot of battery to do so, so the only time I would run the mirco wave oven is when the sun is out to restore your battery, give the electric kettle a miss that will certainly use up the battery, pure swine is good to recharge the laptop but try to do that also when the sun is out to recharge your usage in your battery.
We have over 400 watt solar and plenty of battery . Anything over 800 -1000 watt is going to flatten batteries real fast . If you used inverter for cooking or even boiling the jug ? You MAY not have enough battery storage to last over night for fridge . Why we use either gas or start generator. If your not plugged into outside 240v .. TVs, fridge , freezers are ok . But big power consumption is best with straight 240v. The amps and cables required from 12v / DC to 240v is very high . Unless you have expensive batteries. Gel or lead acid have a hard time in this situation.
Hi, we recently purchased a slide on camper that has solar power and a deep cycle battery. We are wanting to purchase a 1500w pure sine inverter so we can run some appliances. Hoping to run a bar fridge, electric kettle, 800w microwave, laptop etc (not at the same time though!!). Just wondering if the 1500w will be suitable. Any advise please? TIA
Hi Timliz
I suggest you look at the Techicies Corner and the Solar Power sub section. If you read a bit on those you might find some useful answers.
But to the direct answer. The biggest continuous power user is the fridge because it goes 24/7 and will do that whether the sun shines or not. The inverter will run that OK but how much power will it use over the whole day, is the question. The electric kettle is a short term user but probably too high for the inverter. Also the microwave. Check the input wattage on the name plates for both these. Better still actually measure the power used. The microwave uses more power than that 800W output power as they are not very efficient.
Inverters vary as to the power they use while not actually doing any work. Some use a lot more than others. So check the standby power as that is just wasted and uses up the battery. It is usually suggested you do a summary of the items you want to use and their power and length of use, and your battery capacity, and your solar power. Then see if they match with an allowance for poor condition. Do not forget your alternator can charge the batteries while you drive also.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Wednesday 20th of March 2019 06:09:56 AM
Our van appliances all run on 240v through a 1300w inverter. Thats fridge, microwave (not used much) toaster, kettle, induction cooker, air con and a few more. Some of the bigger items get turned off (fridge) when others are being used, sometimes we forget and the inverter trips then resets itself. Sometime's I wish it was a bigger one but we are happy with it otherwise. Choose your appliances carefully and you can do it. Actually we use a 240v birko jug to boil water for drinks, our hot water system is from 240v or 12v, we don't have any gas at all.
If you only have 1 battery I would forget about using the microwave or an electric kettle, you will flatten your battery too quickly and probably kill it before long. Buy a kettle to use on the stove and keep the microwave for when you are in a powered site.
We are currently using a birko kettle at home, it is the only one we can find that is all stainless. There are 700 watts. They don't have an off switch so you need to turn it off but they have the usual safety cut off if it boils dry.
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