Upgrading 400W inverter possible?

[Sembazuru]

When trying to decide between pulling directly from the 12V (including clamping directly on the battery) vs using the 120V inverter for a target wattage, remember that the inverter has some losses. For example (choosing numbers to simplify the math), f you are pulling 120W from the inverter it's out put is 1A. But because of losses in the inverter you are putting more than 10A (for 12V) into the inverter. I.e. you are pulling more than 120W from the battery so the battery's charge won't last as long as pulling the same target wattage directly from the battery. I don't know what the efficiency of the inverter in the Mav is, and the picture of the inverter, above, doesn't mention it, but I would expect lower than 90%. (Though I chuckled at the "SCRAP IF DROPPED" on the inverter's label.)

Back to the thread's topic, I remember doing the math (but I don't remember exact numbers) and you should be able to run a 3D printer off the outlet. Depending on the printer you may need to make sure you don't heat up the nozzle until the bed is fully heated...

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[wax87]

Question, can I use the inverter to power a electric pressure washer that draws 13 amps?

No, The factory inverter is only 3.3 amps

 

[Moby]

So I did not look at all the post ,but I did do some real world testing for my application. So I had read that you should not plug a compressor fridge into the 400 W . What I am doing is ,I plug the 110 volt charger for my Bluetti EB70 into the 400 W. Then I plug the 12 Volt compressor fridge into the EB70 . IT has pass through charging capability. The input into the EB70 is 187 watts , the fridge when running is drawing 47 watts . This works for me . It also means that it would charge The EB when flat in a little over 3 hours . I could also be charging a phone computer and other stuff at the same time. It will serve my purpose . Thanks

 

[Grand Nat.]

Does any body here know what the maximum amp rating at the receptacle is in the bed? A 4.5 AMP small air compressor trips to breaker. My smaller compressor works and uses a little under 1.5 amps.

 

[Sembazuru]

Does any body here know what the maximum amp rating at the receptacle is in the bed? A 4.5 AMP small air compressor trips to breaker. My smaller compressor works and uses a little under 1.5 amps.

If you mean the 120VAC outlet in the bed, it is 400W. To get amperage from known wattage and voltage, divide the wattage by the voltage. 400W/120V=3.33A.

Moving the formula around, if you have a known voltage and amperage, you can figure out the wattage. So for your smaller compressor, 120V*1.5A=180W. 180 is less than 400 so that's why that compressor works. But for the bigger one, 120V*4.5A=540W. 540 is greater than 400 so that's why the inverter goes into shutdown.

 

[Grand Nat.]

If you mean the 120VAC outlet in the bed, it is 400W. To get amperage from known wattage and voltage, divide the wattage by the voltage. 400W/120V=3.33A.

Moving the formula around, if you have a known voltage and amperage, you can figure out the wattage. So for your smaller compressor, 120V*1.5A=180W. 180 is less than 400 so that's why that compressor works. But for the bigger one, 120V*4.5A=540W. 540 is greater than 400 so that's why the inverter goes into shutdown.

Thanks for that info. I think I might have read that in my automotive encyclopedia about 45 years ago thanks for refreshing my memory. LOL You are right on the money with that one. While I was looking at small compressors I was looking for a Watt rating but most of them just listed the voltage and amp rating I didn't think of using any formula to find the correct information I needed. I think I might have found a unit that might work. It's rated a 2.8. It's close and the only way is to try it. Hopefully the compressor will complete its cycle without tripping the breaker.

 

[NJBob]

Laptop. That's useful.

Small TV. Useful to some people; not to me. Don't need a TV while camping.

Electric blanket? Nah, compact down comforter or sleeping bag.

Freezer? no
Refrigerator? yes, but I think rugged ones are typically 12V anyway.

Maybe TV when tailgating at a game. Really not to much.

 

[NJBob]

Your math is off by a factor of ten. 5A at 12V = 60W. 10A = 120W. The stock inverter is fused for 60A, likely to accommodate the 400W nominal having some margin for startup surge although the manual doesn't explicitly specify how much.

People seem to be forgetting the 12 V has to be upped to 120. Wattage is always the same minus losses. So for 1200 watts you need 100 amps. 12 x 100=1200 you need that to get 10 amps at 120. 10 x 120=1200.

 

[weston_111]

Honestly the biggest appeal for me on the inverter was being able to charge my OneWheel off of it.

Fellow onewheeler here. I just added a 2000w inverter under the back seat. I use the outlet on the bed to slowly charge my battery bank power station. Between those 2 I can charge 5 VESC boards at once on trail days. I have the hybrid so it makes the inverter a much more viable option.

 

[Grand Nat.]

I went with a high powered sine inverter with a separate storage battery in the bed with a charging unit (Battery Maintainer) that plugs into the Ford inverter outlet so it charges while I drive with out interference of the vehicles main charging system.

 

[DavidLs]

Hi thank you for posting this. I have a 2K inverter and am in the process of installing it. Any Issues? Have you ran a outlet to the bed. Can I get a pic of the battery cover. Did you have to make cuts in it? I never thought of flipping the inverter over.

 

[Sembazuru]

Fellow onewheeler here. I just added a 2000w inverter under the back seat. I use the outlet on the bed to slowly charge my battery bank power station. Between those 2 I can charge 5 VESC boards at once on trail days. I have the hybrid so it makes the inverter a much more viable option.

Clever use of the FITS anchor points as support for your inverter.

 

[DavidLs]

Fellow onewheeler here. I just added a 2000w inverter under the back seat. I use the outlet on the bed to slowly charge my battery bank power station. Between those 2 I can charge 5 VESC boards at once on trail days. I have the hybrid so it makes the inverter a much more viable option.

What brand Inverter Did you use? Did You run a Plug to the Bed Cubby Panel?

 

[weston_111]

What brand Inverter Did you use? Did You run a Plug to the Bed Cubby Panel?

This one is a renogy inverter. I have not run additional outlets to the bed yet, but I have ideas about doing that eventually and putting the remote control panel (switch) mounted back there as well. It will be a while. I just got my Elevate ts rails and bak x4s tonneau cover installed today. Next step is a bed rack and a tent mounted on it. This won't happen quickly, but it's my plan over the next year or two

 

[MakinDoForNow]

OK GUYS. Inverter covered in past in several threads. One tested his 120 plug and said the 400 watt modified sine wave inverter appears to be a "SPLIT PHASE" inverter. This means it operates like a 240 volt circuit like you have at home with two legs of 120 volts each. They do not need the common (white wire) to operate at the 240 combined voltage. In the same way the 120 volt output of the inverter operates with two legs of 60 volts each which add together to get the 120v. He tested the inverter output to ground of the "hot" and the "common" sides of the receptacle and found each at 60v. (Split phase). (Since truck is on rubber tires there is no such thing as "true ground").
SEE THREAD "Inverter Weirdnes" (yes weirdness with only one s).

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