The largest thing I want to run would be my Electolux vacuum occasionally, to clean the interior of the cab

Why not just use an extension cord from your garage to clean it? Then you wouldnt have to go with such a high wattage (and hide such a large) unit.

 

^that's what I've been doing...except I don't have a garage, so I have to run a long extension from the living room to the street. I just figured if I am dropping in an inverter, might as well get one to handle this, just to make it easier. I'd probably keep the truck cleaner if I didn't have to mess with it.

But also, in a worse case scenario sucha s a grid failure, I'd like to have the capabilty of keeping as many of my colleagues charged up as possible. Our NY bureau and HQ had a mini-drill of this sort when they had that black out a couple years back, as well as our west coast people during the San Francisco quake in 1988, and of couse our Katrina coverage was challenging as well. I could potentially travel anywhere in the country on a big story.

 

is it ok to be running such a large wattage inverter nova?

 

also, i would probably go with the vector or coleman, but i like the xantrex cause of the remote switch.

 

is it ok to be running such a large wattage inverter nova?

Think so...thats what they are designed for. If I run the vaccum it will only be for a few minutes so I think the heavy duty battery from the tow package should be fine for that. Otherwise I am just powering a laptop and maybe a battery charger.

In an extreme situation mentioned above, it would probably require a dedicated deep cycle battery, which I will get down the road a bit...to spread out the costs...

 

nova, why not use one of those cordless vacuum cleaners? all they do is suck ya know? :lol:

then you can simply use a low watt inverter to power your laptop etc. less drain on your taco battery and your wallet.

dewalt has an 18V model (and there should be better ones)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000JKI8CS/ref=dp_image_0/103-0181846-5093478?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi

 

also, i would probably go with the vector or coleman, but i like the xantrex cause of the remote switch.

x2

I especially like the Xantrex for the remote switch. I could see wiring it up to a different switch and putting it one of the slots on the dash. If fact...I think I might do that myself

 

Sony...I am thinking the same thing...

1. The Xantrex for the features

2. The 2500 watt AIMS (the very first unit of my OP) for power and price...

Thunder, I have a Shark cordless, and before that two B&D's, and I can tell you they all suck. They have no power, the batteries fail immediatley, and over the last five years, I get about 30 seconds of crappy suck before they whimper out and die...

My truck deserves better...:loove:

 

Sony...I am thinking the same thing...

1. The Xantrex for the features

2. The 2500 watt AIMS (the very first unit of my OP) for power and price...

Thunder, I have a Shark cordless, and before that two B&D's, and I can tell you they all suck. They have no power, the batteries fail immediatley, and over the last five years, I get about 30 seconds of crappy suck before they whimper out and die...

My truck deserves better...:loove:

In my opinion I would go with the most wattage that you are willing to pay for so you will not be limited. Just remember whatever amperage your equipment calls for multiply it by 120 and that is what the wattage calls for. You should allow for current surge. 2500/120=20.8 amps which is pretty good.

 

I'm not a genius or know to much electrical besides what i've done, but shouldn't you keep an eye on the continuous since thats what it'll mostly run all the time. Also, why not install another battery????? If you aren't planning to install a CAI, or bigger air filter, there's plenty of room by it to add another battery.

 

In my opinion I would go with the most wattage that you are willing to pay for so you will not be limited. Just remember whatever amperage your equipment calls for multiply it by 120 and that is what the wattage calls for. You should allow for current surge. 2500/120=20.8 amps which is pretty good.

He doesn't need that much power from his description. He only needs power to power one vacuum for cleaning his truck and then 8 or 9 laptops and battery chargers when he is doing his news stuff in a power outage or in a remote area. 1500 watts is plenty for that, my own personal laptop (Which is an average size for a laptop) only draws 70 watts when charging so the power requirements are very small. Theoretically he could run 20 of my laptops off a 1500 watt inverter. So the 1750 plus would be the best choice in my eyes the only problem I could see is the fact that it is Modified Sine and even though it's better then just sine...some computers could still be fussy and not like it heh. It's rare but it could happen. The only thing a larger inverter will do is drain the battery faster because the larger inverter you get, the less efficent they become and the more electricity is lost in the conversion.

 

Where you gonna mount that thing Nova? Under the seat, or somewhere more accessible?

 

I would go with the AIMS or Xantrex. They make good inverters, supposedly.

 

We have a smaller Xantrex and it works flawlessly. It has lasted in 110 degree temps in the desert and powerd my labtop without any surges. If you are goign to be using it for ANY electronics, then the Sine wave technology is a MUST!

 

He doesn't need that much power from his description. He only needs power to power one vacuum for cleaning his truck and then 8 or 9 laptops and battery chargers when he is doing his news stuff in a power outage or in a remote area. 1500 watts is plenty for that, my own personal laptop (Which is an average size for a laptop) only draws 70 watts when charging so the power requirements are very small. Theoretically he could run 20 of my laptops off a 1500 watt inverter. So the 1750 plus would be the best choice in my eyes the only problem I could see is the fact that it is Modified Sine and even though it's better then just sine...some computers could still be fussy and not like it heh. It's rare but it could happen. The only thing a larger inverter will do is drain the battery faster because the larger inverter you get, the less efficent they become and the more electricity is lost in the conversion.

Good point about the battery drainage, Sony :thumbup:

 

Well...I don't think the battery drainage would be an issue when nothing is plugged in right?

Also, I do plan to get a dedicated battery a bit down the road...have to spread the costs out...

I am still undecided, but I've shelved it until tonight, since one of them goes off sale on the 18th.

I will probably go for the Xantrex 1500/1750 watt...I think that is a reasonable medium and looks like a quality product...

 

cool, keep us posted nova. wanna see how it goes.

 

Well...I don't think the battery drainage would be an issue when nothing is plugged in right?

Also, I do plan to get a dedicated battery a bit down the road...have to spread the costs out...

I am still undecided, but I've shelved it until tonight, since one of them goes off sale on the 18th.

I will probably go for the Xantrex 1500/1750 watt...I think that is a reasonable medium and looks like a quality product...

Yea batt drainage shouldn't be a problem as long as you keep the inverter turned off. But on the Xantrex there is a warning that the inverter does slowly drain the battery if left on.

 

I'm going ot get the Xantrex but didn't realize the remote switch is an extra $20.00. Looks like a pretty simple wired ricker switch. Should I get it or make my own cheaper...?

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/xpower_1750.html

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/switch.html

(also, says sale ends Monday so I am assuming I can still get the sale price tomorrow (Monday) and still be able to ask them about the remote switch to make sure it doens't have some kind of special proprietary connection...)

 

well personally I would get the switch...take it apart, reverse engineer it and use the cable that came with it to wire up my own rocker switch from here http://www.4x4mods.com/

It's only $20 right? Thats my view on it.

 

nova, i thkn your should make your own. it is not hard and only involves two wires.