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Date:         Sat, 3 Dec 2005 15:47:18 +0000
Reply-To:     Robert Rountree <syncro87@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Rountree <syncro87@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Inverter at Radio Shack
Comments: cc: jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Joy,

A 750 watt inverter is actually small (less than half a normal household outlet).

A small boat or airplane (both weight and space sensitive) would normally have bigger inverters. I have a new Large laptop w/DVD-R, Firewire, super bright wide HD screen and JBL pro sound built in.. my old 14" Toshiba Satellite laptop would run fine on my smaller 175watt inverter, so would a 30 inch long 40watt florescent stick light, Canon DV video camera, Nikon niCad battery charger, Cell phone etc. one at a time... My problem now is I got a bad so called 300watt inverter. 300 Watts is what it says on the case in big letters, flipped over on the back, in very small print it says... Max 240watts.. but my computer's power brick says 120 watts in 18pt type on the back, and this cheap CDN tire inverter overloads on it, even connected directly to the battery terminals... My suggestion is to read the fine print closely... and don't expect to plug in just anything that would go in a normal wall outlet.... which is 15amps @120vac or over 1500watts... without an inverter and battery source that matches the load, it will not work correctly...READ your load and don't exceed your inverter's FULL time limits (not just short start-up load limit). The better inverters will sound an alarm when overloaded, the cheaper ones will just smoke a fuse or breaker, or worst yet, silently under supply your load.

as for what you call a huge inverter.... and why people need them, some folks use small airconditioners, microwaves, TV/VCR/DVDs

I personally don't carry around loads like that.

but in my case I do sometimes use a 10lb Battery belt that is for a professional film camera. Plus large tripod and accessories.

But sure smaller is better... and the whole world would be a better place if we could actually get people to DO that. But I'm just singing to the choir here.... we are into smaller, or this would be the Giant65ftRV.com list.

RR

>>Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 21:31:34 -0500 From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU> Subject: Re: Inverter at Radio Shack

I'm baffled by these inverter/laptop tales.....snip... I use it for my laptop or occasionally my coffee grinder........or once in a while a fan or a lamp or my radio. One thing at a time. I've never had any trouble with having enough power..........I'm baffled as to why folks need these huge inverters for laptops!


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