I recently got interested in putting in an inverter after much encouragement from my wife. Something about hair dryers and microwaves while on the hook , must be a girl thing!! At any rate, the attached site has some of the best prices that I could find and I thought I would share. Delivery was prompt and as indicated in the site, shipping is free. Be aware that there is a "slow blow" in line fuse that is necessary for hooking one of these things up that goes for around a hundred bucks so figure that in to your estimate if your interested.
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Inverters
hope you haven't already purchased the slow blow fuse. You can buy one at the local hardware for a couple of bucks.
hope you haven't already purchased the slow blow fuse. You can buy one at the local hardware for a couple of bucks.
Really?
You must have a better class of hardware store in Slidell. I looked all over hell's half acre around here including electrical supply stores trying to find one. They all looked at me like I had two heads when I asked the question. I also checked with local marine parts stores and it seemed that it was only an item to be ordered, not stocked. 300-500 amp slow blow fuses are just not that common here!
You must have a better class of hardware store in Slidell. I looked all over hell's half acre around here including electrical supply stores trying to find one. They all looked at me like I had two heads when I asked the question. I also checked with local marine parts stores and it seemed that it was only an item to be ordered, not stocked. 300-500 amp slow blow fuses are just not that common here!
check the math
I doubt any typical hardware store bought slow-blow fuse will be rated for your needs J.D. A 1000w blowdryer or equivalent power microwave rated for 120volts will draw about 10 amps at that voltage. However, at 12 volts, each would draw around 100 amps from the inverter batteries. Therefore, a safe fuse rating would be somewhere around 150 amps - not something any hardware store would stock and definitely not for a couple of bucks... I bought one and the holder on eBay recently or you could get one from a marine supplier.
I doubt any typical hardware store bought slow-blow fuse will be rated for your needs J.D. A 1000w blowdryer or equivalent power microwave rated for 120volts will draw about 10 amps at that voltage. However, at 12 volts, each would draw around 100 amps from the inverter batteries. Therefore, a safe fuse rating would be somewhere around 150 amps - not something any hardware store would stock and definitely not for a couple of bucks... I bought one and the holder on eBay recently or you could get one from a marine supplier.
Whoa Don!!
You must have mis read something. I bought a 300m amp slow blow fuse from a marine supplier for my 2000 watt inverter. It was the Gent from Slidell talking about hardware stores. I didn't mean to get into a finger pointing session or an I'm smarter than you are deal, I was just simply trying to pass on some good prices on inverters. I'm done!
You must have mis read something. I bought a 300m amp slow blow fuse from a marine supplier for my 2000 watt inverter. It was the Gent from Slidell talking about hardware stores. I didn't mean to get into a finger pointing session or an I'm smarter than you are deal, I was just simply trying to pass on some good prices on inverters. I'm done!
blow dryer??
I sort of understand the microwave (but it's a stretch)but a hair dryer???? You are on the hook.... rough it a little!!! That's part of the fun.... you don't need to bring your whole house with you.
I sort of understand the microwave (but it's a stretch)but a hair dryer???? You are on the hook.... rough it a little!!! That's part of the fun.... you don't need to bring your whole house with you.
Ken
I totally agree with you, however, you have just hit on a major "bone of contention". Try telling that to my wife. I can get along with one hand bag and a six pack for the week. Well, ok, may be a couple of cases, but, when the my "better half" comes along, you would think we were moving in for the rest of the year, and that's just for the week end. Whattayagonnado? No sweat Don, I just wanted to make sure that you knew I wasn't cutting corners with the fuse thing.
I totally agree with you, however, you have just hit on a major "bone of contention". Try telling that to my wife. I can get along with one hand bag and a six pack for the week. Well, ok, may be a couple of cases, but, when the my "better half" comes along, you would think we were moving in for the rest of the year, and that's just for the week end. Whattayagonnado? No sweat Don, I just wanted to make sure that you knew I wasn't cutting corners with the fuse thing.
One point
if you are installing an inverter charger, some of them will automatically switch the ac side when you plug them into the dock. My advice is to wire at least one 120 volt outlet which is not switched that way just in case the unit breaks. It happened to me once and I had to rewire the ac to get ac in the boat at the dock. I have seen the big 300 amp fuses at hardware stores here so it is worth a try.
if you are installing an inverter charger, some of them will automatically switch the ac side when you plug them into the dock. My advice is to wire at least one 120 volt outlet which is not switched that way just in case the unit breaks. It happened to me once and I had to rewire the ac to get ac in the boat at the dock. I have seen the big 300 amp fuses at hardware stores here so it is worth a try.
I just gotta tell you
how we spend a week on Bietzpadlin. Forty pounds of ice keeps cold for a week, a fifty watt inverter will power an eight inch fan, and a three burner stove cooks all of our food. Water is heated on the stove and stored in 1 gallon thermos jugs for hot water on demand. the wine locker is always replenished before eack trip and what ever cold beverages go into the icebox. And that's it!
how we spend a week on Bietzpadlin. Forty pounds of ice keeps cold for a week, a fifty watt inverter will power an eight inch fan, and a three burner stove cooks all of our food. Water is heated on the stove and stored in 1 gallon thermos jugs for hot water on demand. the wine locker is always replenished before eack trip and what ever cold beverages go into the icebox. And that's it!
Ross
a three burner!! Man thats living large. PS, what my dear wife wants/needs she gets, no complaining from me. She does all the food planning, prep etc, lets me haul her up the mast to fix some thing she doesn't care a whit about, and I am still madly in love after a ton of years. Pretty good driver too. Oh yeh, you know its time to reef when you are told it is time to reef.
a three burner!! Man thats living large. PS, what my dear wife wants/needs she gets, no complaining from me. She does all the food planning, prep etc, lets me haul her up the mast to fix some thing she doesn't care a whit about, and I am still madly in love after a ton of years. Pretty good driver too. Oh yeh, you know its time to reef when you are told it is time to reef.
Manufacturer Recommendations
All you need is an inline fuse block with a 200 to 300 fuse. West Marine has the block for $25.79 and your choice of fuse for $9.49. Yes the inverter manufacturers, recommended a class T fuse block as they claim that their fast response time help protect the electronics of the inverter itself. The reason for their recommendation is not for fire prevention wich would be my main concern. My rule of thumb would be if you install a $2,000 to $3,000 inverter perhaps it would be wise to spend $100 for a T fuse to protect it, but if your inverter is in the $200 to $300 range a $100 fuse would be unwarranted. We run a 1200 watt Marine Vector which we got for $139 4 gage cable with a 200 AMP fuse and it provides the power to meet our requirements. (No hair Dryers) If it is damaged I'll throw it away and buy a new one.
All you need is an inline fuse block with a 200 to 300 fuse. West Marine has the block for $25.79 and your choice of fuse for $9.49. Yes the inverter manufacturers, recommended a class T fuse block as they claim that their fast response time help protect the electronics of the inverter itself. The reason for their recommendation is not for fire prevention wich would be my main concern. My rule of thumb would be if you install a $2,000 to $3,000 inverter perhaps it would be wise to spend $100 for a T fuse to protect it, but if your inverter is in the $200 to $300 range a $100 fuse would be unwarranted. We run a 1200 watt Marine Vector which we got for $139 4 gage cable with a 200 AMP fuse and it provides the power to meet our requirements. (No hair Dryers) If it is damaged I'll throw it away and buy a new one.
One thing about fuses.
A one hundred amp fuse protects nothing that is electronic inside the inverter. What you are protecting is your boat from a dead short. Inverter supply cables are huge and if shorted, will have the mass of rebar and be hotter than a toaster element. Result? You'll be swimming but your boat won't be.
A one hundred amp fuse protects nothing that is electronic inside the inverter. What you are protecting is your boat from a dead short. Inverter supply cables are huge and if shorted, will have the mass of rebar and be hotter than a toaster element. Result? You'll be swimming but your boat won't be.
8.95 300A fuse holder
Here is a fuse holder for you. The company is good to deal with. (not affiliated) Check your local "Thumper" audio shop for the fuse.
Here is a fuse holder for you. The company is good to deal with. (not affiliated) Check your local "Thumper" audio shop for the fuse.
Seperate Battery
J.B. I've been told that a seperate house battery may be required to run an inverter of this size. I too had a 2000watt inverter installed on our boat. We moor in a harbor that does not have slips, so we have no shore power. We are always using the inverter: the LCD flat panel T.V. is biggest user, along with the kids playstation. Not to mention the 12cup coffee maker. (We tried the 12v and did not find one that worked very well) I'm a big fan of: if your going to be spending time on board you may as well make it as comfortable as possible for everybody. Does anybody have any comments/suggestions on a seperate battery for running the inverter alone?
J.B. I've been told that a seperate house battery may be required to run an inverter of this size. I too had a 2000watt inverter installed on our boat. We moor in a harbor that does not have slips, so we have no shore power. We are always using the inverter: the LCD flat panel T.V. is biggest user, along with the kids playstation. Not to mention the 12cup coffee maker. (We tried the 12v and did not find one that worked very well) I'm a big fan of: if your going to be spending time on board you may as well make it as comfortable as possible for everybody. Does anybody have any comments/suggestions on a seperate battery for running the inverter alone?
Separate batteries for inverters?
Sailor Tim In general, separate batteries for anything on board is not a good idea (other than stating batteries). It's almost always better to maximize the size of the house bank and connect all uses to the house bank. The reason is that the larger the house bank with any given load the longer the batteries will last. Separating any load to a separate battery usually means that the separate battery is being drained more anyway, which is counterproductive to minimizing bank drain percentage. It also complicates wiring for service and charging. The general exception is usually a windlass, where the heavier wiring to the bow usually gets folks to opt for a separate battery up forward. Stu
Sailor Tim In general, separate batteries for anything on board is not a good idea (other than stating batteries). It's almost always better to maximize the size of the house bank and connect all uses to the house bank. The reason is that the larger the house bank with any given load the longer the batteries will last. Separating any load to a separate battery usually means that the separate battery is being drained more anyway, which is counterproductive to minimizing bank drain percentage. It also complicates wiring for service and charging. The general exception is usually a windlass, where the heavier wiring to the bow usually gets folks to opt for a separate battery up forward. Stu
Ditto Stu
Hey Tim: I've pretty much got the same opinion as Stu on this one. This thing that I have is not for continous operation anyway, just when AC is necessary and then switched off. I have 315 amps of house batteries and an isolated cranking battery. If you tried to have a dedicated battery to every system that you could have going, it would be a mess trying to manage and keep charged. I also have a 55 watt solar panel to help keep the house batteries tuned up. About the only thing that I have under continous operation when away from the dock is my refrigerator and it draws about 4.5 amps per hour.
Hey Tim: I've pretty much got the same opinion as Stu on this one. This thing that I have is not for continous operation anyway, just when AC is necessary and then switched off. I have 315 amps of house batteries and an isolated cranking battery. If you tried to have a dedicated battery to every system that you could have going, it would be a mess trying to manage and keep charged. I also have a 55 watt solar panel to help keep the house batteries tuned up. About the only thing that I have under continous operation when away from the dock is my refrigerator and it draws about 4.5 amps per hour.
Fuse question
pardon the ignorance, but what rating fuse should I put on the + line running from 250 Ah house bank to a 1000w inverter? Thank you for your help (I just bought this Xantrex inverter yesterday and haven't installed it yet) Cheers _/)
pardon the ignorance, but what rating fuse should I put on the + line running from 250 Ah house bank to a 1000w inverter? Thank you for your help (I just bought this Xantrex inverter yesterday and haven't installed it yet) Cheers _/)
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