Do you really need an AC inverter?

[rayra]

OP's seems to be a very narrow - possibly even deliberately obtuse - question. What about the 99% of the time you aren't 'trekking' somewhere?

An AC inverter is a very useful thing in a lot of other scenarios, not least of which include natural disasters, 'bugout' etc. A lot of folks don't have 12vdc adapters for their stuff. An AC inverter can help a great deal in charging laptops, and all the rest of the electronic gadgets that have infiltrated our lives.

And a particularly fresh example, just this morning. Last cool day in the weather forecast, so today I had to get busy busting turf and a lot of tree roots for laying a brick patio. Naturally, today was a scheduled power outage for my neighborhood. So I ran an extension cord to my added-in 1000W AC inverter, plugged in my 6.5A sawzall and got busy cutting tree roots until I was too beat to swing a pick anymore.
http://www.rayra.net/imageshare/Building/brickpatio20altpower.jpg

I think you can drive AC tools off an inverter a lot harder and longer and quicker, get more work done out of them faster, than some 12v equivalents. And a hell of a lot cheaper, too.

 

[vartz04]

If you happen to carry any battery powered tools not all manufacturers offer a DC powered battery charger.

Name one.

All you need is the voltage requirement, max amps and rig the connector with correct polarity. Not rocket science.

Well let me know what I need for my Bosch 18v stuff then cause they don’t make a 12v charger.


Now with all the 40v and larger cordless platforms there is little reason to use AC powered tools when traveling.

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[john61ct]

Big problem with Bosch is they keep releasing many incompatible versions even at that one 18 voltage.

Personally I'd rather use a brand that was more customer friendly about its design decisions.

But it's just volts and amps, a boost converter to match the mains charger output off 12V is super cheap and straightforward, and can easily DIY an old even broken body for the physical connection.

But yes, using an inverter is definitely the easier way.

 

[rlynch356]

To the OP.. for me the answer is No.. i try to keep everything 12v that is on the trailer and the truck.. granted i use a iPad Pro instead a laptop and carry the 12v impact charger (110v) with me but i have 2 batteries and have never needed to freeJack power from anywhere. I’m going to switch over to an air impact since I have the capacity on the truck for air tools.


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[Coachgeo]

One thing not mentioned yet.... cause I've never heard anyone do it (I plan to... wo hoooo I'll be the first) Get a grid tie inverter. Why waste all those solar panels when the rig sits at home. Am going with 1000w on my rig (solid awning will have another whole array on it as will roof and cab roof. When rig is at home.. (eventually) via the grid tie inverter it will make me back a little money. Till then a regular inverter.

Say eventually cause they are expensive as hell and money will "first" fall to other priorities. Ok, Ok... due to" eventually".. I probably won't be the first. Back to "expensive as hell".... even at that expense.... they are half the cost of a power wall (which has a limited life so you have to repurchase again.... and again..... and again etc).... so you're still ahead till battery technology gets better and price drops. Grid tying a rig was my idea... I get credit lol.... but the info above comes mostly from Sunwizard.... a friend retired from 30yrs in solar industry.

 

[john61ct]

1000W is a drop in the bucket for a house setup, take a long time to pay back that investment.