jcsteele Posted January 27, 2018 Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 I am not all that inclined when it comes to electrical but i have just enough knowledge to be very dangerous.... Lol i know i need a pure sine wave but what size? Very largest power draw would be a small space heater, everything else would be computer, fan, etc. now i am fairly certain my truck is 24V....How do i hook it up??? should it be mounted out in the open or wire a house plug down to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkoenig24 Posted January 27, 2018 Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 Pure sine wave is only needed for electronic devices (laptop, tablet, microwave etc). A heater doesn't care. A heater WILL need a LOT of amperage and, will drain batteries quickly (as would a toaster or microwave oven). Get a good energy management system so you can accurately keep track of your power usage. If you expect to be in cold weather more than occasionally, you'd probably be better off getting a propane fired ceramic heater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcsteele Posted January 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 Ah, why i didnt think of a gas heater, im not sure! I may also put a small shore power plug in. I got to thinking about it and I only really have one assignment that will require a bob tail trip and it will be in may so hopefully it won’t be cold. But the inverter is still a highly needed thing. My wife needs her laptop and phone charger as well as a printer at all hours of the day while traveling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Schneider Posted January 27, 2018 Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 Add up the power requirements of everything you'll have on at once and get an inverter of that size or larger. You'll need 1000 - 1500 watts to run a small space heater and that's a heavy draw out of the battery. Everything else is small change. You can find the power requirements on the device itself, usually on a label along with the model and serial number. If it uses an external power brick, the information will be on it. If it lists watts, just add them up. If a device doesn't list the wattage, multiply the input voltage x the current. I'm guessing somewhere around 100 watts for the laptop, maybe 5-10 watts for the phone charger. What kind of printer? An inkjet is in the same range as the laptop, a laser printer takes considerably more power. As far as finding an inverter, google "24 VDC inverter". You'll find all sorts of choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverEasy Posted January 28, 2018 Report Share Posted January 28, 2018 Cable size is most important. These things can cause fires. Mount as close as practical to the battery source. If do not know what your DC voltage on your truck is then the install would best be done by someone with some electrical knowledge. Chet & Deb '01 Volvo 660 w/ Smart '19 Forest River Columbus 320RS 5th wheel 2022 Chev 2500HD Long Bed Retired CWO4, USN and federal service Electronics Tech/Network Engineer/Welder/Machinist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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