DC Inverters

[Larry]

Do the DC inverters work to run microwave, TV and refrigerators?
When I am parked, I have access to shore power and my 2500 watt generator. However, when running down the highway I would like to be able to keep the refrigerator running. Also, when in a truck stop or rest area, can I depend on the inverter to operate the 110v accessories?

 

[tr]

Yes. The inverter will run 110 appliances, I see no problem with it on going down the road, I leave my on all the time. I run microwave, tv and smaller items off of it.

 

[tr]

PS. One item of concern is that you get an inverter with enough watts/amps to power what ever you want to run (stopped or moving).
A TV draws very little, micro wave draws an enormous amount depending on the wattage of the unit, (I would suggest no larger than a 600 watt), as for fridge the actual running of the fridge does not draw a lot but the start up of the motor is almost double. Hope this helps.

 

[Christyrose]

I would be so lost with out our inverter. We have a 1900 watt inverter. Our tv and microwave are are plugged in. Our small fridge is hooked up to our main batteries/with a switch to turn off when not in use or we are going to shut down. The 1900 watt inverter is over kill but it was in the truck already. A 1000 watt inverter is standard use. This will allow you to use a plug in cooler or small fridge, microwave and tv.

Watch for sales, you might find inverters cheaper at walmart then at truck stop.

 

[Weave]

Beware of cheapo inverters- They can damage delicate equipment such as computers and printers. I highly recommend Statpower inverters. Worth the little bit of extra bucks.

 

[Eight Ball]

Yes inverters are great for running all your appliances but NEVER use an inverter to recharge a cell phone or any rechargeable battery as the the battery being charged will be damaged and eventually destroyed.

 

[guest]

I agree 100% with what Weave said, DON'T get a cheapie. We have a Trip Lite 2000 watt (4000 watt peak) unit. Looking back, I think we could have got one size smaller, but this unit does do the job well. It runs the nuke, frig and coffee pot fine. We also use it to charge our NexTel phone and notebook computer with no problems. We also speced a third battery.

 

[airman]

Concerning the need for electrical power, has anyone heard of IdleAire? Their Web Site is www.IdleAire.com. They mention providing 110V.

 

[Bearcat]

I have been surfing the web for 2 weeks for a resonable cost for a 2000 watt inverter. Check out alfenterprises.com . Good price on cobra inverters. Those cheapos on ebay I wouldn't trust. You get what you pay for. Myself, I'll pay a little extra for peace of mind.
Randy

 

[geo]

people are not given genset a fair shot, i have had one for over 6
year's now and have been saving $600.oo a month on fuel by running
genset. on 1st truck in 4 year's saved 12,000. dollars in fuel and
4,000 dollar in maintaince cost, 250 hours on engine is same as running down the road 10,000 miles .when i traded in the truck on
a new western star rec'd extra money for leaving the genset on the truck
also in 6900 hours on the truck engine only 227 hours were for idling
the truck motor and had over 5900 hours on genset and that would
whave been over 12,000 hours on the engine so you will get
your money back and some and have 110 and 12 volts at same time
keep truck ready to roll and be warm and cool when weather changes

 

[Bearcat]

Hey Geo, how are you running your refrigerater while driving down the road? A gen set would be nice to have if I had 7 grand to spend. But times are tight so this is the next best thing to use. As far as idling, unless its 30 degrees or less, I use my electric blanket which doesn't drain my battery. This kind plugs into the cigarette lighter. With more truckstops adding the shore power setups, I would hate to spend big money on a genset to find out it being band in a few years. The new rigmaster that just came out (MP6), which only heats the cab, is supposed to be out and a little cheaper than the full system. Haven't found out how much they want for it though.
Randy

 

[Lawrence]

Hello Randy,

Here is a helpful IDLE CALCULATER that might give some more information:
http://proheat.expeditersonline.com/idle_calculator.htm

Thanks,
Lawrence

 

[Weave]

Here's my 2 cents. I run solo and have not had a big need for a genset. If I were to buy one I'd get a Rigmaster, but it would be a luxury, something teams can afford.
I liked that little calculator- fun but it's just numbers and not "the real scoop." If gensets were the greatest things in the world every tractor you saw in the truckstop would have one, but they don't. Biggest reason is you are adding on a complex system to purchase outright, plus essentially what amounts to an additional little truck to maintain. And when it doesn't work, it's a hell of a novel paperweight. Plus once on the truck, you are going to have to do some explaining if you decide to take it off- they are designed to be permanent.
I idle a lot in the summer heat. This idling does not change my oil change interval, and as my engine has over 600k unrebuilt miles on it so I doubt it has shortened its life much. I wouldn't care if it blew up tomorrow as it owes me nothing. It might cost more in fuel, but it is one less thing to maintain without any added complexity.
In the winter I rarely idle, only in extreme cold. My -30 degree hunting sleeping bag works great, and I just use one of those ceramic 12 volt plug-in heaters to warm up the sleeper when needed.
This sort of climate control setup should be ample for the solo expediter.
-Weave-

 

[Larry]

Thanks for all the info on inverters etc. I also have decided against the Genset and others. If power is required, I will throw in my 2500 watt Honda generator. The ceramic heater works great, and can also clear frost off of inside of truck windows.

Sleeping bags are something that you have to get use to. I chose to line the bottom of the bunk with reflective emergency blanket. Then use a closed cell foam mattress and sleep between the sheets and layer on a high quality comforter. Haven't needed to run the engine, but it has not been that cold this winter.

An infra red thermometer can be used to find all of the cold spots in the sleeper and then line them with insulation, i.e. the side storage boxes and windows. The silver lined bubble wrap works just fine. Also keeps heat out in summer as well as makes the sleeper dark in the day.

I would suggest carrying a coleman infrared heater w/propane
cannister (and/or a large candle in a coffee can) for emergencies.
I also installed a carbon monoxide and smoke detector in the sleeper.

 

[Lawrence]

Larry,

Here is another option to the sleeping bag -

http://www.expeditersonline.com/images/bunkwarmer.gif

Here is the shameless sales promotion.....
Enjoy a comfortable night's sleep anywhere you stop with a 12-volt bed/bunk warmer. The warming pad goes on the mattress underneath you (heat rises), plugs into the lighter socket of your truck or the electric outlets of your home, & pre-warms the bed/bunk.

In trucks it eliminates engine noise and fumes. All bunk warmers come with temperature control. GREAT for Trucks AND Vans, or RV's.

[link:www.expeditersonline.com/cgi-bin/shop/shop.cgi?action=viewcategory&maincategory=7&category=7&orderid=|Buy A Bunk Warmer!]

Here is the technical info:

Volts: 115 Rated Watts: 54 Max Amps: .47
At the very least, a extra deep cycle marine battery would be helpful, but not necessary....right Weave?


Lawrence
Expediters Online.Com

 

[Larry]

My truck has 3 12v batteries in series. I have been concerned about anything that will be draining the batteries all night. That's one reason why I'm hesitant about installing a 110v refrigerator. Any experience out there???

By the way, you need to be careful about using the cigarette lighter for running various 12v equipment. The wiring to the cigarette lighter is often a thiner gauge than that used for plugging in accessories. You could cause the wiring to overheat.

 

[Lawrence]

Larry,

Have you considered using a heavy duty Battery Isolator?
This would allow you to utilize the power of a battery ('s)
without draining your cranking battery. When your engine is running
the isolator would allow the "source" battery to be re-charged.

>My truck has 3 12v batteries in series. I have been
>concerned about anything that will be draining the batteries
>all night. That's one reason why I'm hesitant about
>installing a 110v refrigerator.

Lawrence
Expediters Online.Com

 

[Weave]

The switched deep cycle battery thing has been working great for the very few I know who use it. It's a great idea I have meant to implement but haven't had a chance to. Larry's 3 batteries, like mine are cabled in a parallel circuit, not series.
Better than the (again) sort of complex deep cycle battery wiring thing, just buy good batteries- I recommend Interstate- I can shut down with my 3 and watch TV for a few hours, and fire up the mini-heater and a 12V 8" fan and run them as long as I want. My antique Cummins will still crank and fire right up even in the coldest weather. This is stuff for die-hard military oriented cheapo solos- not for teams. Teams-- buy a rigmaster to boil your crab legs and caviar!
--Weave-- God I know I'm in for some teams to bash me here!