I was thinking of installing a stainless steel cigarette lighter socket for use with a standard (cheap) DC inverter. Has anybody tried that? Is there any reason not to go that route?
Inverter question
- Thread starter Stephen OBrien
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175 Watt Inverter
I have the very cheap 175 watt West Marine portable inverter. I plug into the plastic cigarette lighter socket at my nav station. It recharges my cell phone, my Dust Buster vacuum and my hand held VHF no problem. It did not like my girl-friend's vibrator. Seems it requires about 3000 watts.
I have the very cheap 175 watt West Marine portable inverter. I plug into the plastic cigarette lighter socket at my nav station. It recharges my cell phone, my Dust Buster vacuum and my hand held VHF no problem. It did not like my girl-friend's vibrator. Seems it requires about 3000 watts.
OK if you don't need much power
I bought a 175W inverter which plugs into the cigarette lighter to run small battery rechargers, and my DVD player so I can watch DVDs (the TV I use runs on 12V, but doesn't have a DVD player). Works fine, as long as your wattage needs are small; small battery chargers, laptops, etc.
I bought a 175W inverter which plugs into the cigarette lighter to run small battery rechargers, and my DVD player so I can watch DVDs (the TV I use runs on 12V, but doesn't have a DVD player). Works fine, as long as your wattage needs are small; small battery chargers, laptops, etc.
Coffee Grinder
I used to have a plug-in 40w inverter from Radio Shack. We used to use it to run a coffee grinder for our coffee - until it died. Now we use regular grind on the boat.
I used to have a plug-in 40w inverter from Radio Shack. We used to use it to run a coffee grinder for our coffee - until it died. Now we use regular grind on the boat.
Syphen
I have used one for quite some time now, and they work great. Here are a couple of tips. Always get one bigger than you think that you may need, they don't cost very much more, and sometimes you may want to run two small devices on it, and you will be able to do that if you don't get a really small one. Mine is a 700 watt peak/ 350 watt inverter, only cost about $40 or so. I could have gotten the next size up for only about another $15 or $20, but this one is pretty good, I can run a 19'TV on it. One other tip, is that for most things that you will run, the main draw will be right at startup, when you first turn it on. Sometimes, it beeps and will not start the device up, but if I start the engine to provide the additional amps, once the device is running, I can turn off the engine and the battery will sustain it with no problem.
I have used one for quite some time now, and they work great. Here are a couple of tips. Always get one bigger than you think that you may need, they don't cost very much more, and sometimes you may want to run two small devices on it, and you will be able to do that if you don't get a really small one. Mine is a 700 watt peak/ 350 watt inverter, only cost about $40 or so. I could have gotten the next size up for only about another $15 or $20, but this one is pretty good, I can run a 19'TV on it. One other tip, is that for most things that you will run, the main draw will be right at startup, when you first turn it on. Sometimes, it beeps and will not start the device up, but if I start the engine to provide the additional amps, once the device is running, I can turn off the engine and the battery will sustain it with no problem.
My uses
I put a cig lighter socket in my fuse box. I run a 175w inverter off it. My main useage is for my CPAP machine (night breathing machin). It works fine for that. When we had it in our Chrysler 22, it would run for two days off of one battery without charging. Once it gets below 9 volts, it alarms and shuts off.
I put a cig lighter socket in my fuse box. I run a 175w inverter off it. My main useage is for my CPAP machine (night breathing machin). It works fine for that. When we had it in our Chrysler 22, it would run for two days off of one battery without charging. Once it gets below 9 volts, it alarms and shuts off.
12 v cigarette lighter socket rating
Cigarette lighter socket/plugs are generally rated as 10 amps max., which translates to a dc power rating of 120 watts for the inverter. Since inverters are about 90% efficient, this translates to an ac load of about 110 watts. It is possible, of course, to run above this rating, but I would be careful doing it.
Cigarette lighter socket/plugs are generally rated as 10 amps max., which translates to a dc power rating of 120 watts for the inverter. Since inverters are about 90% efficient, this translates to an ac load of about 110 watts. It is possible, of course, to run above this rating, but I would be careful doing it.
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