Which small inverter?

Sinister · Feb 1, 2020

The inverters we have in the trucks are set to turn off after two hours. Ive never asked why because I’m sure the answer would illicit a response that would get me in trouble. So, sometimes in the winter we have extended shut downs for weather and such, and I’ve decided I need another small inverter. I currently have the red Bestek one you’ll see on Amazon and it’s popping fuses when I plug it in so it’s going in the garbage when I get home.

I’ve had the small Cobra one before and it’s decent except the wire leads break and you have to squish new connectors on. I’ve never had the Energizer one.

The Energizer one?

Energizer 500 Watt Power Inverter 12V DC to AC Plus 4 x 2.4A USB Charging Ports Total 9.6A https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZT87MX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KurnEbWW42ECZ

Or the Cobra one?

Cobra CPI490 400W Power Inverter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9S8G8I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ftrnEb1AVB1FW

Shreck · Feb 1, 2020

Sinister said:
The inverters we have in the trucks are set to turn off after two hours. Ive never asked why because I’m sure the answer would illicit a response that would get me in trouble. So, sometimes in the winter we have extended shut downs for weather and such, and I’ve decided I need another small inverter. I currently have the red Bestek one you’ll see on Amazon and it’s popping fuses when I plug it in so it’s going in the garbage when I get home.

I’ve had the small Cobra one before and it’s decent except the wire leads break and you have to squish new connectors on. I’ve never had the Energizer one.

The Energizer one?

Energizer 500 Watt Power Inverter 12V DC to AC Plus 4 x 2.4A USB Charging Ports Total 9.6A https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZT87MX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KurnEbWW42ECZ

Or the Cobra one?

Cobra CPI490 400W Power Inverter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S9S8G8I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ftrnEb1AVB1FW

I never understood the two hour deal either

Chasein70 · Feb 1, 2020

The only experience I have is with the Cobra. I thought they were cheap and would break so I bought two. It was still working 10 years later when I gave up trucking and sold the other on Ebay.

Sinister · Feb 1, 2020

Vote in the poll.

mndriver · Feb 1, 2020

Sinister said:
Vote in the poll.

No

Uncle Birchy · Feb 12, 2020

Sinister said:
The inverters we have in the trucks are set to turn off after two hours. Ive never asked why because I’m sure the answer would illicit a response that would get me in trouble. So, sometimes in the winter we have extended shut downs for weather and such, and I’ve decided I need another small inverter. I currently have the red Bestek one you’ll see on Amazon and it’s popping fuses when I plug it in so it’s going in the garbage when I get home.

I’ve had the small Cobra one before and it’s decent except the wire leads break and you have to squish new connectors on. I’ve never had the Energizer one.

The Energizer one?

Energizer 500 Watt Power Inverter 12V DC to AC Plus 4 x 2.4A USB Charging Ports Total 9.6A https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZT87MX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KurnEbWW42ECZ

Or the Cobra one?

Cobra CPI490 400W Power Inverter Amazon.com: Cobra CPI490 400W Power Inverter: Automotive

What kind do I need to run a Microwave..

Chasein70 · Feb 12, 2020

Uncle Birchy said:
What kind do I need to run a Microwave..

Keep in mind, a 1,500 watt microwave doesn't mean it can run off a 1,500 watt inverter. That's cooking watts, not running watts.

Uncle Birchy · Feb 12, 2020

Chasein70 said:
Keep in mind, a 1,500 watt microwave doesn't mean it can run off a 1,500 watt inverter. That's cooking watts, not running watts.

This truck has a little fridge built into sleeper but no microwave ...

For now I got Dashboard Cooking but in the Summer Heat ain't gonna be running my defroster vents full blast when it's 95 and HUMID

Chasein70 · Feb 12, 2020

I would say get a small microwave and maybe a 2,000 watt inverter and run the truck every time you use it.

Duck · Feb 12, 2020

Chasein70 said:
I would say get a small microwave and maybe a 2,000 watt inverter and run the truck every time you use it.

We weren't allowed anything bigger than 1000 watts, so I got a 600 watt nuke box and it worked.

It took forever to heat anything though. Like 3-4 minutes to heat up a glass of water for instant coffee.

ironpony · Feb 12, 2020

I've had good luck with the Power Drive brand. It's a modified sine wave output. It has lugs with a hole drilled through for output terminals... a much better arrangement than say the wire clamps on the Cobra product.

The rule of thumb I always used to size these products was just take your highest expected amperage draw, then buy an inverter that will handle twice that. It covers that inevitable load size creepage, and will prevent problems from startup surges when you turn a load on.

Sinister · Feb 12, 2020

Also, past a certain size, these things can no longer be plugged into a power outlet on the cab. They have to be wired direct.

Duck · Feb 12, 2020

Sinister said:
Also, past a certain size, these things can no longer be plugged into a power outlet on the cab. They have to be wired direct.

I'd hard wire anything bigger than 450 watts.

ironpony · Feb 12, 2020

Sinister said:
Also, past a certain size, these things can no longer be plugged into a power outlet on the cab. They have to be wired direct.

Anything that goes in a cigarette lighter outlet won't have enough capacity to be useful. Better to rig jumper cables from the jump start posts while you're parked.

Sinister · Feb 12, 2020

ironpony said:
Anything that goes in a cigarette lighter outlet won't have enough capacity to be useful. Better to rig jumper cables from the jump start posts while you're parked.

Not quite. As I’ve said at the beginning of the tread, the big inverter Walmart has in the trucks is on a 2 hour timer for some reason.

but the little 400 watt ones I started this thread about plug in to the power outlets and can run my laptop.

The title of the thread is “Which Small Inverter.”

ironpony · Feb 12, 2020

Sinister said:
but the little 400 watt ones I started this thread about plug in to the power outlets and can run my laptop.

That's what I thought too.

Duck · Feb 12, 2020

ironpony said:
That's what I thought too.

Yeah I thought that too.

Something about running a laptop off a 400 watt inverter plugged into a 12v cigarette lighter type socket in a truck every day for 4 years led me to think it was possible to do so.

How stupid of me.

Thanks for letting us know it's not actually possible to do that.

ironpony · Feb 12, 2020

Duck said:
Yeah I thought that too.

Something about running a laptop off a 400 watt inverter plugged into a 12v cigarette lighter type socket in a truck every day for 4 years led me to think it was possible to do so.

How stupid of me.

Thanks for letting us know it's not actually possible to do that.

It doesn't work very well.

Duck · Feb 12, 2020

ironpony said:
It doesn't work very well.

The laptop I had would pull 90 watts from the outlet, using my "kill-a-watt" meter.

The draw from an inverter will be more than the draw of what's plugged into it of course. But I'm only talking about 90 watts.

I probably could have run that off a 3000 watt inverter plugged into a cigarette lighter.

The load matters more than the size of the inverter.

Sinister · Feb 12, 2020

ironpony said:
It doesn't work very well.

It works just fine. I’ve also done it for years.

Which small inverter?

Which Small Inverter?

Energizer 500 Watt

Cobra 400 Watt

Other (List it below)

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