Power inverters - good bad the ugly?

I've got some truck camping dates upcoming and want to be able to boil water with a electric kettle. Is that a reasonable thing to do using a power inverter or asking too much?

 

Depends on the inverter. Do you already have on or are you looking to buy one?

 

Looking to buy. My wife's 4Runner has this ability built in, pretty nice thing to have.

 

You can buy inverters based on the output your looking to get. You'd need a pretty big one for using an electric kettle.
Here's one with an 800 watt rating for pretty cheap. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whistler-80...433620?hash=item3ad43654d4:g:q20AAOSwB09YRPoV.

 

There are a lot a cheap power inverters out there. It's not only about wattage output. Of course you want your inverter to handle the current draw for everything that is going to load it down. Things to consider: Duty cycle factor, distortion= "how "clean" is the AC volts out"??, how good is your battery. I like Bestek inverters, although Whistler, Wagan , and Cobra's are OK. It's better to pay some extra $ for something reliable. Make sure you read the mfr specs. Do a comparison between the different brands. (Think Prepping)

 

I think the inverter is the only thing I miss about my Tacoma. I have been wanting to wire one up in the tool box of my tundra though.

 

Fool proof vegan inverter:

 

ROTF!!!

 

You could do it, but there are really better ways to boil water. This is what I use.

$83 Jetboil Zip Camping Stove Cooking System, Carbon

https://www.amazon.com/Jetboil-Zip-...=UTF8&qid=1485229509&sr=1-2&keywords=jet+boil

 

Thanks but I don't think it will power my camper lol

 

Big problem is the amps inverters pull. Higher the wattage the bigger the pull on amps. In turn the alternator has to keep up with battery discharge , vehicle power and now inverter draw.

Like matluth said you run into how clean the sign wave is coming out and everything else. I could write a 3 page report for you but on Tapatalk no thanks.

If you want to use a kettle for hot water they make 12v kettles last time I checked.

 

I was thinking of a deep cycle battery with an isolation switch + inverter in my tool box..wired to the main battery? But don't know shit about distortion or clean waves. Hmmm

 

I agree with Bob and Matt. Taxing your electrical system for boiled water isn't my cup of tea (pun not intended).

 

Just so everyone is on the same page I'm not the op...just chimed in to hopes seem some info on the subject i can boil water without fancy gadgets...I'm interested in an inverter set up for a multitude of reasons...

 

2nd'ing

I have numerous Jet boils. They are far superior to electrical as far as cost, time, and consumption go. When I'm in the field I have the Jetboil Sumo, but I also bring the Optimus Crux for cooking. Both tend to last me a few days and get hot as hell.

Optimus Crux Lite with Tera Solo Cook Set

https://www.amazon.com/Optimus-Crux...F8&qid=1485232603&sr=1-13&keywords=boil+stove

I teach survival skills year round in Utah (colds as low as -10 and highs as hot as 110) and haven't gotten let down by either since my purchase.

 

MSR also makes really reliable backpacking versions if you're looking for something compact. I use the Whisperlite International for long trips backpacking.

 

We gotcha. There are certainly good reasons for an inverter. I just don't think boiling water is one of them. Right tool for the job and all that.

One thing to take with a grain of salt is advertised inverter power ratings. You can spend $100 on a so-called 2000W inverter, or $300 on a 300 watt inverter. The key here, is realistic expectations. Actually pulling 2000W from an automotive electrical system is not realistic. Pulling 2000W would equate to roughly 200 Amps of current draw assuming an inverter with ~80% efficiency and wires the size of arc welding cables. Try plugging that into your cigarette lighter!

 

I would mind something that was similar to what I had in the Tacoma I just want it hooked to deep cycle with an isolator so I can use it with out running my truck.

 

What is realistic from an automotive system?

 

I'm not sure about the Taco, but with the factory inverter option on the Tundra (2nd gen) I seem to recall it being rated at 150W. I'm guessing the Taco used the same parts. Now with a dedicated Deep-cycle battery and a very short cable run from the battery to the inverter it seems to me that 5 - 800 watts would be more than realistic.

Just plug the expected draw into this off-the-hip formula. Watts / 12 * 1.2 will give you a good ballpark as to expected current draw. So at 500 watts, you're looking at around 50 Amps. You'd want to fuse it at about +20%, so a 60A breaker would keep you safe. Also note that most inverters are rated for max draw. So don't expect to pull 500 sustained watts out of an inverter rated at 500 watts. (i.e. read the fine print)

With a stock battery/charge system, I wouldn't try pulling more than 300 watts for any length of time.

Plug your numbers into this wire size calculator to determine what size wires you should run.

 

Nice...that's the info I was hoping to get thank man.

Now let's say some jackass wanted the battery and inverter in their tool box any chance of explosion. Hypothetical of coarse

 

Thanks Bob

 

Well. as long as the hypothetical jackass had some ventilation in the toolbox, and wasn't using LiPo batteries, prolly not

 

Good to know thank you.

Oh yeah on other thing lipo batt?

 

Lithium Polymer - Think Samsung, Hover-boards, FedEx planes and other things that go boom.

 

Got it

 

You could always get this 270 A alternator to go with your inverter. I might actually get this myself.

 

Thanks y'all set me straight.

 

I'm what you call a glamperaholic
i carry a full sized stove, a full sized bbq, a fridge, on board hot water, a coffee maker and a microwave.
to power the last two i have a 3000w cobra inverter. i have double 0 gauge cable running to it and it is able to run my devices easily.