inverter questions

AFD

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,250
Boston Harbor/Falmouth Ma
Boat Info
1997 Sundancer 290 The fat beam version
Engines
twins.
Starboard 5.0 alpha 220HP
Port 357 alpha 275hp
4HP Yamaha for Dinghy
I have a charger already but no generator and want to be able to charge a laptop use a dvd or blu ray player or use the microwave on the boat away from shore power. how hard would it be to install an inverter just for one or tow outlets ? this is out of my scope of practice but i'm just curios what is involved in the install. I like to know everything about the boat and it's systems even if "major" electrical is out of my comfort range. what type, brand and size would you recomend for my 290?

thanks
Anthony
 
Install can be simple-depending on where you want to mount it. Mine is mounted right next to my batteries and uses battery clamps to supply DC power, so it's disconnected when not in use. I run 120 volt lines to appliances then. BE SURE to over spec wattage that you'll be using. In other words, check wattage of all items you may want to run and add 50% to get inverter wattage requirements. Otherwise you'll risk overheating the inverter. Mine shuts down when it gets hot and can spike when turning back on.
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT put the inverter in the engine room.

LK
 
ok, i guess i should make this clearer. aside from finding a dedicated 12 volt blu ray player (which is impossible apparently) i would like mostly to be able to use the microwave already on the boat when away from shore power. the fridge is already 120v/12v. i am wondering if it is a nightmare to wire so it can be run by the inverter or shore power or would it be easier to find one that runs 120v/12v like the fridge?
 
I just did what you are asking on my boat at the start of the season. Beware, it can get involved, especially for those not mechanically/electrically inclined. First, for powering something like a microwave, forget the clamps. You need heavy cables clamped directly to the battery. I used 2/0 cables, and that was marginal for a 2000w inverter with an 8 foot cable run. I added a circuit breaker in the power panel, so I can now choose between shorepower/genny/inverter. Of course, forget about running the AC, or using the microwave for extended periods, unless your engine is running, but for most other devices a 2000w inverter with a good sized deep discharge battery does the job. Try to get a pure sine wave inverter. Some devices don't play nice with a modified sine wave type. The microwave in particular made some funny noises in my last boat, with a MSW inverter. Of course you can simplify the installation and simply add a receptacle or two, and not tie into the boat's A.C. system. As said, don't install it in the ER, and be sure to use a fuse on the battery cable.
 
I had a 2000W in my last boat, I ran 1/0 cables about 8' long and mounted the inverter in the port side storage nook my boat had. The cables cost almost as much as the inverter. :( - It ran the microwave but it was maxed out even though the numbers said it would be fine.

LK
 
12v DVD blu ray


http://www.amazon.com/Audiovox-AVDBR1-Blu-ray-DiscTM-Player/dp/B009CW6YZC







The size of the invertor required to run a DVD player is quite different to what you will require to run a microwave, likewise the cost and the installation requirements, cabling etc.

I just checked the specification on my Onkyo, it draws 20W.
So 20/12 =1.66A.
A 150w invertor will run that, you can even get invertors that size with cigarette plugs on them.
I am going on Australian Prices here: a GOOD 150w or even 300W invertor will cost around $200-300

Now if you want to run the microwave as well, then depends on the size of the microwave, but say 800w /12v = 66A +10% (minimum) efficiency drop = 73A current draw off the battery.

Cost for a good Pure Sine Wave, 1000W continuous, $1000plus.
This as previously mentioned is now going to heavy duty battery cable and the run needs to be as short as possible. Also now requires substantial battery supply..

To put current draw into perspective.
Most car headlights draw 55W each, tail lights 5w, Parkers 5w, so if your car lights are left on, the Wattage draw is 130w / 12V = 10.83A


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Other than a small plug in inverter to charge your laptop or cell phone, installing a larger inverter to run a microwave can get very involved. If I were you I would either pay a pro for this job (very expensive) or buy a 12v tv with built in dvd (available on Amazon for about $200) and a 12v microwave (available for around $350). The combined cost would be cheaper than the inverter install and you can take them both with you when you sell the boat.
 
I hard wired my 1500 watt inverter directly to my battery. Then I made a 10/3 cab tire extension cord that plugs into the face of the inverter.....the other end with a 30 amp plug that plugs into my shorepower receptacle on the boat...thus feeding power directly to my panel as though I was parked at my dock. Then I only turn on the breakers I want at any given time....such as receptacles to power my tv and dvd player. Works for me.
 
Does anyone know how much energy is wasted using an inverter?

I've been searching for energy efficient LEDS and appliances. I'd like to put an efficient 40" LED tv in the salon. There is a Samsung that max draw is 55w but it's 120v. I think tying it into an inverter is going to waste a lot of energy. Am I wrong?
 
Does anyone know how much energy is wasted using an inverter?

I've been searching for energy efficient LEDS and appliances. I'd like to put an efficient 40" LED tv in the salon. There is a Samsung that max draw is 55w but it's 120v. I think tying it into an inverter is going to waste a lot of energy. Am I wrong?

I think I have answered this about 3 times in the last fortnight......

Tv is 55w so divide the power use age of the the appliance/s -Watts
By the battery supply voltage - I presume your boat is 12V
This gives you the current (Amps) draw of your batteries by the invertor.
The final bit add a percentage factor on for voltage drop, and efficiency of the invertor, the good invertors that we sell are 90% efficient, so you work with a 10-15% factor.

So.
55w / 12v = 4.8 + say 10% (.48) = 5.28 A

That is the same as leaving One Headlamp running on your car.

On a good, well charged deep cycle battery, won't be an issue, an 80W solar panel would keep up with it in the middle of the day.

Make sure you buy a Pure Sine Wave Invertor. Smallest Invertors are generally 150W so you are not fitting a large unit and as surge draw on that is roughly twice (300w) your wiring to the battery is reasonably easy and light.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
ok, my intention was to run a 12volt t.v. but could not find a 12volt blu ray player. blu ray players do not come built into 12 volt t.v.'s as far as i can find and we have started to only buy/redbox blu ray's so why bother buying a t.v. with a dvd player when i don't use them? my main plan was to run the blu ray player but obviously i wouldn't run one now knowing how much energy the inverter would require to run during an entire movie or two. My main concern was the microwave and being able to re heat something at night without starting up a grill. the inerter/microwave would be used for only as long as it takes to use the microwave...2 minutes or so max. I have no generator or A/C so the draw would be large but only very short term.

Old vet, I would love to see that set up but i'm wondering where i could route the cable from the batteries to inverter to shore power ...do you have any pictures?
 
Boat Guy, look into the specs of the T.V. usually they are actually 12 volts and use an inline converter in the plug or along the wire to convert from 120 volts to 12 volts. I don't know about ones as large as 40" but most smaller ones are actually 12 volt units
 
Boat Guy, look into the specs of the T.V. usually they are actually 12 volts and use an inline converter in the plug or along the wire to convert from 120 volts to 12 volts. I don't know about ones as large as 40" but most smaller ones are actually 12 volt units

Yep. I think you are correct for the smaller ones. I've seen a Samsung 20ish TV with a 14v brick that would prob. work 12 v. But, the bigger ones not so sure. I figured they had transformers inside. Though I called this guy to ask him about it. He seemed to know a lot about these TVs and he said the screens are powered by AC. http://www.shopjimmy.com/contact .... So I could check again, but it's not looking good.
 
Install can be simple-depending on where you want to mount it. Mine is mounted right next to my batteries and uses battery clamps to supply DC power, so it's disconnected when not in use. I run 120 volt lines to appliances then. BE SURE to over spec wattage that you'll be using. In other words, check wattage of all items you may want to run and add 50% to get inverter wattage requirements. Otherwise you'll risk overheating the inverter. Mine shuts down when it gets hot and can spike when turning back on.

If this is one of these inverters that clamps onto your batteries, please remove it. If your inverter is in your engine room, please remove it. Portable inverters should not be used on a boat except maybe the tiny ones that plug into the 12v accessory outlet to charge a phone or something. I am saying that what you are using on your boat is not safe.
 
"Old vet, I would love to see that set up but i'm wondering where i could route the cable from the batteries to inverter to shore power ...do you have any pictures?" No......sorry....I don't have any pics. However.....on my boat.....I have a storage locker on the port side in my aft cabin. I installed the inverter in there and ran my cables to the battery through a hole I drilled through the bulkhead to the engine compartment where my batteries are. The long cord I made stays plugged in to the front of the inverter and is simply run through my aft cabin (concealed as best I could) over to the starboard side where much of my wiring runs forward.......inside another storage locker on that side....and forward to a side storage area beside my helm seat. It lies in that storage "pocket" along side the edge of my helm seat.......when I need it....I simply pull it out of there....route it out over the side window...and down to my shore power plug outside. Hope you can visualize that. Best I can tell you. :huh:
 

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