Date:         Tue, 5 Sep 2006 11:10:38 -0400
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: inverter lighter plug cable?
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;

Hi Dennis (or anyone else),

Would a 150 watt inverter also need to be plugged into something other than the cigarette lighter?  I've got such an inverter - priced at $50 (Canadian) at Canadian Tire, though on sale for $15 - bought in an emergency when my puny 75 watter from Walmart blew out and I needed to be able to charge my computer.  I've run it alternately on the lighter or on the socket connected to my spare battery.

It also has an annoying quirk.  It seems to read the incoming current (from the battery) and if it's not high enough it shuts itself down and stops letting current through.  It will always work when I'm driving, but if the engine is off it doesn't work unless the battery is pretty highly charged.  Very annoying, since it's always running off my second battery, and it doesn't matter if it runs down!

The brand is Eliminator, it's non-sinusoidal, has a little fan to keep itself cool - that will keep running even when it's not passing current through.

Has anyone else seen this in an inverter?



Joy

****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://www.joyhecht.net

****************************************************************

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Dennis Haynes
:::Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 10:39 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: inverter lighter plug cable?
:::
:::A 200 watt inverter needs ~20 amps. It shouldn't be plugged into the
:::factory
:::cigarette lighter socket. Get some heavy duty socket and plugs and
:::install
:::proper, (12 gauge) wire and you will be surprised how much better that
:::economy inverter will work. A good auto, Marine or RV store will have
:::what
:::you need.
:::
:::Dennis
:::