Inverter Question

[Thegeneral]

I tried searching, but no luck....

Anyway, I have a 1000W inverter....when I hook it up to my battery, and plug in my 725W Elec. Foreman grill, it will not run it, unless the vehicle is running. Is this normal??

When I turn off the vehicle, the inverter beeps and wont power the load.

 

[wrcsixeight]

You are expecting too much from one battery.

If you shorten and fatten the wires from battery to inverter, it will help keep the voltage drop to a minimum.

It is likely that even with your hot engine running at idle speed, your hot alternator cannot keep up with that load, and you are still depleting your battery.

Cook with propane

 

[Thegeneral]

I think I am going to! I did the math, and I think I will only ever use that 1000Watt inverter for lights etc.

I do have dual batteries in the jeep though....but I hear yah.

Not sure if my math is correct, but something quick and dirty (Rounded up to 800 watts):

Amps = Watts / ( Volts * PowerFactor)

800 / (120 * 0.5) = 13.33333 Amps (AC)

I also learned that inverters unless they are a pure sine wave inverter (those cost much more than the canadian tire ones) they have about a 30% inefficiency....

so really....(13.3333 amps * 130%) = 17.33333 amps

So thats like......173 amps DC

My alternator on the Jeep I believe (I'd have to check) is rated @ 140 amps


I'd rather cook on propane now that I understand all this stuff. (At least I think I understand)

 

[Sirocco]

:xxrotflma

mains power grill!?!

 

[wrcsixeight]

Your 140 amp alternator could only produce that while still cold at very high rpm's, and not for very long, and not over the OEM wiring. When it is hot, at idle speed 35 amps would be more likely, and probably much less.

And the MSW inverters seem to have higher efficiency ratings than the true sine wave, in general. And those are about 85 to 94%.

 

[Thegeneral]

lol......

I am a n00b when it comes to all this sttuff.....

The thing I have is the older model of this:
http://www.georgeforemancooking.com/p-50-champ-grill.aspx

anyway, I am not even going to think about running it on the batterys....I'd rather not risk having dead batteries.

I have my fridge running on my aux. battery, I might add a few other things to it, but for cooking, I think i'll stick with wood / propane. :chef: