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techntrek 
Admin Group - pHp 
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
 Calendar Event: newbie inverter questionPosted: 18 Nov 2015 at 6:18pm |
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A benefit to that Suresine is it is the only inverter I know of that doesn't have or need a cooling fan. So no way to foul up the fan with road grime/dust over time, or for bugs to get in and set up webs/nests, etc.
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Rockin the Pod
Groupie 
Joined: 18 Oct 2015 Location: Southeast Utah Online Status: Offline Posts: 51 |
Posted: 18 Nov 2015 at 9:18pm |
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Thank you all for your replies! You all have given me a lot to think about. I have been pricing 12v tv's and they aren't that cheap. I would like to be able to charge other devices and probably will end up with an inverter eventually. I guess one thought that comes to mind is running my generator at a more neighbor friendly time to charge my batteries and then use the tv to watch movies and stuff without bothering people.
I have a two 12v battery setup in my 180 HRE. I use a vent free propane unit that doesn't need electricity so the only real need for ac power is to make coffee and run the microwave once in a while. I'm sure I will need to fire up the generator to run the microwave no matter what and if I need to run the air conditioner. Thanks again for all of the info and if anyone has more to add, please feel free.
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2016 180 HRE
2014 Tacoma Taylor 210 CSE Bose L1 Model II 2008 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic |
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Guests
Guest Group 
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Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 3:50am |
That is how I approach the situation. This is what I purchased & where: inverter I have used it for 3 or 4 seasons and it has performed well. While rarely needed for other than the television, it is nice to have 120vac available - if I do need it (without starting the generator). It does have a fan but, when the ambient temperature is cool to moderate, it rarely comes on. When it does, it is reasonably quiet. Being oversized for my 55 watt TV, it just isn't breaking a sweat. I have not put it on an oscilloscope to confirm how "clean" it is but, everything that I have plugged into it "likes" it. For the Ham radio operators among us, it is a bit RF noisy on the 40 meter band. There are better ones out there but, price vs. what you get, I think it a good value. No regrets. I mounted mine in my wardrobe closet, just under the TV, and ran a dedicated circuit - overkill but, what the heck. It should be fine running a small tv using the cigarette lighter plug. 
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JandL
Senior Member 
Joined: 29 Mar 2014 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 364 |
Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 9:55am |
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Most inverters I have seen take about 11 amps of DC from the battery to make 1 amp of AC. So efficiently is not the best. The TV we have is a NAXA NTD-1552 (new model NTD-1553, $160 at Amazon) runs on DC or AC, draws 3 amps at 12 volts, it also has a DVD player built in.
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JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
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Plantguy
Senior Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2015 Location: Calistoga, Ca Online Status: Offline Posts: 102 |
Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 12:08pm |
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I camped next to a cat 3 RV . The guy was running a generator/inverter combi. The db's were very low. Put a insulated box around it with a exhaust vent and you have a way to keep your batteries charged, use the wall plugs and tv and the air conditioner and not bother the neighbors. Now, I haven't trailer camped very much and I think some camp areas don't allow generators...please correct me if I am wrong.
My main problem right now is a bent axle on my new 179. The process to get it fixed is frustrating. I've driven a similar sized trailer for over 20 years and have never had an axle bend. Now, I have to take it to a dealer, have them inspect it and get part numbers. Send the information to the axle manufacturer and get their approval ( or not) of warranty. Then the axle has to be shipped to the dealer and installed. We have only 2 dealers where I live, one I don't like their attitude and the other is always either busy or their tech on vacation. I even drove to Dallas, Oregon and had it checked by the factory. They could do nothing. As they say on NFL Today, "come on man!" I consider this very poor service by a Warren Buffet company!
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Life is too important to be taken seriously!i
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp 
Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 5:11pm |
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You took your trailer to the Oregon factory, with an obvious issue, and they did nothing?
PLEASE don't take this wrong, but I am a little shocked to hear that.. While I have not been to that factory, I have been to the Indiana facility, and am damn sure if an owner rolled in with an issue, they would do their best to correct it. Honest. Wanna see pictures of them doing body work on Furpod, right in the factory lot? |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 8:47pm |
The big difference in amps isn't a function of efficiency. 1 amp at 120 volts is equal in power to 10 amps at 12 volts. Converting to watts shows this. 1 amp X 120 volts = 120 watts. 10 amps X 12 volts = 120 watts. You'll seen an extra amp or two on the DC side for the internal draw to run the inverter itself plus the efficiency loss.
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp
Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 19 Nov 2015 at 9:50pm |
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Ohm's Law.. not just a good idea.. but the LAW!!
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062 |
Posted: 20 Nov 2015 at 7:12pm |
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Its the law!
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JandL
Senior Member
Joined: 29 Mar 2014 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 364 |
Posted: 22 Nov 2015 at 10:40pm |
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What I should have said is an inverter may not be the best way to get AC not that their “efficiently is not the best”.
My TV when I am running it off the battery takes 3 amps of DC, if I run it on AC it draws 1.8 amps out of the wall socket. So if I was to run this TV plugged into an inverter it would take 19.8 amps of DC from the battery to make 1.8 amps of AC. From Xantrex Inverter, Technical Note 512-0098-01-01 DC Load As a rule of thumb, in a 12-volt system it takes 11 amps of DC power to generate 1 amp of AC power. If the process of energy conversion were 100% efficient, the ratio would still be about 10 to 1. Since 12 volts is being stepped up by a factor of 10 to 120 volts, the current ratio is also 10 to 1. But the inverter is about 90% efficient, so that is why the 11 to 1 ratio is used as a guideline. |
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JandL
2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
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newbie inverter question - Event Date: 15 Nov 2015