I have a 150w inverter and a group 27 marine battery. We can watch tv for quite a while.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
We use a 2000W inverter. Can power anything in our trailer except for the A/C. 200AH of balleborn Lithium batteries and 700W of solar. We always dry camp or boondock if we have a choice. In may case when we stay in a campground, there are full hookups and dry camping options. Almost always, the hookup sections are very close together so we skip those.
I know this is going to sound stupid but this is all new to me. I don't think we have an inverter and I don't do volts and electric etc. How would I know if we have one and if we don't are they expensive to have installed?
Unless your rig has a residential fridge, it's highly unlikely that it came with an inverter. You have to add them yourself.
If you put "adding an inverter" in the search field at the top of this page, you'll get lots of threads about it. Here's one, for example:
Best solution for boondocking.......go solar! I have 2 100w panels on the roof and I have not ran my generator in several years now (guess I should sell it). I can run tv and lights all night, hardly puts a dent in the battery power!
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2018 Ram 3500 SRW diesel 4x4 long bed Laramie
2020 Jayco Eagle HT 274CKDS
I have a 150w inverter and a group 27 marine battery. We can watch tv for quite a while.
Hmmm, I already have an independent 110 external circuit that I added to the TT. (I use it for heat in the winter) I could plug the TV into that circuit and connect it to an inverter and battery.
I know this is going to sound stupid but this is all new to me. I don't think we have an inverter and I don't do volts and electric etc. How would I know if we have one and if we don't are they expensive to have installed?
Princess a tv and even a DVD player doesn't require a lot of power. I bought an inverter from Amazon, around 300 watts as I recall, and it plugs into a 12 volt cigarette lighter type outlet. Look at the stickers on the back of the appliances and it will tell you the wattage required (1 amp = 120 watts if stated in amps.) Buy one a bit larger than required so as to not overload it.
This should be a good one:
BESTEK 300Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter Car Adapter DC 12V to AC 110V with 4.2A Dual Smart USB Ports (300W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQ4Q2L5..._paQADbCWMM4V2
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
Just don't try to draw 300w from a cigarette lighter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody
Princess a tv and even a DVD player doesn't require a lot of power. I bought an inverter from Amazon, around 300 watts as I recall, and it plugs into a 12 volt cigarette lighter type outlet. Look at the stickers on the back of the appliances and it will tell you the wattage required (1 amp = 120 watts if stated in amps.) Buy one a bit larger than required so as to not overload it.
This should be a good one:
BESTEK 300Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter Car Adapter DC 12V to AC 110V with 4.2A Dual Smart USB Ports (300W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQ4Q2L5..._paQADbCWMM4V2
Princess a tv and even a DVD player doesn't require a lot of power. I bought an inverter from Amazon, around 300 watts as I recall, and it plugs into a 12 volt cigarette lighter type outlet. Look at the stickers on the back of the appliances and it will tell you the wattage required (1 amp = 120 watts if stated in amps.) Buy one a bit larger than required so as to not overload it.
This should be a good one:
BESTEK 300Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter Car Adapter DC 12V to AC 110V with 4.2A Dual Smart USB Ports (300W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQ4Q2L5..._paQADbCWMM4V2
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this group! Y'all are amazing! Thank you!
Is the 12V outlet in our campers television cubby considered the same as a cigarette lighter? Or are you referring to a car/truck cigarette lighter?
Or, are they the same......
Rich
Yes, a 12VDC outlet in an RV is the same as a cigarette lighter. babock's point is that a 300 watt inverter will pull 25 amps (a little more, since there are losses in the inverter). Most outlets fused for only 20amps. If you increased the wiring size, you could get away with a larger fuse and pull more watts. But if it were me, for an inverter that large, I'd wire it directly and not mess with an outlet.
Yes, a 12VDC outlet in an RV is the same as a cigarette lighter. babock's point is that a 300 watt inverter will pull 25 amps (a little more, since there are losses in the inverter). Most outlets fused for only 20amps. If you increased the wiring size, you could get away with a larger fuse and pull more watts. But if it were me, for an inverter that large, I'd wire it directly and not mess with an outlet.
And many are only rated for 10A. Some only have 16 AWG wire to them so one has to check that out before drawing large currents form them.
They are correct, you do not want to attempt running a 300 amp inverter at full capacity. I recommended one built for a higher load BUT not running at capacity since it runs cooler than a 150 watt running at full capacity. I find that my tv and DVD player combined run easily on the inverter and it stays cool. Of course there is always a danger someone could try and overload it so be sure the outlet is protected by a properly sized fuse for the outlet wire size.
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
They are correct, you do not want to attempt running a 300 amp inverter at full capacity. I recommended one built for a higher load BUT not running at capacity since it runs cooler than a 150 watt running at full capacity. I find that my tv and DVD player combined run easily on the inverter and it stays cool. Of course there is always a danger someone could try and overload it so be sure the outlet is protected by a properly sized fuse for the outlet wire size.
Haha - I don't "got it" but I'm trying. So, after searching high and low within the trailer - I do not see a "lighter socket" anywhere within. Guess I'll go search the inverter threads. Sounds like an inverter can be wired directly to the batteries somehow. We do already have solar and it does a great job recharging our batteries. We literally only use the generator for the a/c and to watch the tv/dvd player. So, sounds like the inverter will solve the issues so long as we don't need the a/c. Thanks again for all your input and sorry for hijacking the thread!
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2015 Salem Hemisphere Lite 232IS
2007 Ford F-350 4x4 Diesel Super Duty
Jesus Saves!
Many trailers don't have a 12 volt outlet. Mine didn't, I had to install it. They are easy to install if anyone is comfortable with tools. I wired mine directly to the power center with 12 guage wire and a 20 amp fuse.
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
For a few dollars more you can get a REAL battery computer that will manage the amperage used and replaced constantly; giving you a REAL state of charge at any given moment.
Too bad the Bogart hasn't been updated in an eternity. No Bluetooth? Really? Large panel! The Victron BMV-712 is superior to the Bogart monitor now. The Victron also comes with everything you need right out of the box.
Is the 12V outlet in our campers television cubby considered the same as a cigarette lighter? Or are you referring to a car/truck cigarette lighter?
Or, are they the same......
Rich
In today's "Non-Smoking World" the cigarette lighter sockets are now referred to as "Power Outlets". Other than that, same thing.
Just beware. Most are fused for 15 amp at most and when you plug in a small portable inverter, that limits max output to just over 180 watts, no matter what the label says on the side of the inverter.
That should still be enough to run an LED TV and Dvd player though. Most of them today use very little current compared to old "CRT" TV's of Plasma flat screens. Running my TV and Dvd player (which is part of my Stereo) uses less than 5 amp when I watch a movie at night. I can see what current is drawn by merely checking my Victron battery monitor.
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"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
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