Inverter

[Pete Glynn]

We are hiring a narrowboat next year, an optional extra is the hire of an inverter at £25. I can buy one from Amazon for £18:49 inc shipping: -

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/power-socket-240v-...7718&sr=8-9

 

I'm thinking it's probably worth it because we go camping quite often too. I'm the first to admit that electrics are my weak point, but it seems that the higher the output in watts, the more expensive. I'm only thinking of getting one for charging mobile phones, camera batteries, AA and AAA batteries. Does anybody see any problems in buying that one from Amazon and using it on our hire boat?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Pete

Edited August 16, 2009 by Pete Glynn

[daveyboy]

Hello Peter,

 

It should be ok, but how is it powered, ie, cigarette lighter or hard wired? If its hard wired then the boat company might get the hump. If is cigarette lighter, is there one available on the boat? Also, what do you want to power in the future. Laptops and electronic equipment lusually ike a pure sinewave. Also some 'normal' equipment with step down transformers will not work with a modified sinewave usually found in the cheaper units.

Edited August 16, 2009 by daveyboy

[Pete Glynn]

Yes it's a cigarette lighter type inverter, and there is that type of socket on the boat. I'm thinking of using it in the future for charging the same things in my car when camping.

 

Pete

[daveyboy]

For that sort of money it will be a modified sinewave inverter. I have one of these on my boat. It will run my lcd tv, fridge, microwave and power tools. This is all I care about. It will not run my electric razor or 'er indoors hair straightners. Don't care about the razor (got a beard) don't care about the hair straightners either really. What I am trying to say is somethings work and somethings don't. Either way, you haven't spent much money and most things should be ok. Look at Maplins as well.

[Gibbo]

For that sort of money it will be a modified sinewave inverter. I have one of these on my boat. It will run my lcd tv, fridge, microwave

 

Well apparently, from the first post it runs from a fag lighter socket. So if yours is the same then............

 

No it won't. Don't come on our forum and make thing up. We'll all suss you out very quickly.

 

You now look stupid. Or maybe I do. But a fag lighter powered inverter will not run a microwave.

 

Gibbo

[paddy r]

no but the wire's will be nice and hot

[mrsmelly]

Yes it's a cigarette lighter type inverter, and there is that type of socket on the boat. I'm thinking of using it in the future for charging the same things in my car when camping.

 

Pete

 

Hi

 

We use these on our hire fleet it will probably be 150 watt and will do the jib u want it to but nothing else. Heed Gibbo if u plug anything bigger into it either the wiring will melt or hopefully it will trip out first.

[RLWP]

Hi

 

We use these on our hire fleet it will probably be 150 watt and will do the jib u want it to but nothing else. Heed Gibbo if u plug anything bigger into it either the wiring will melt or hopefully it will trip out first.

 

The one in the advert is 75 watts.

 

Is it not obvious that a 75 watt inverter cannot run a 750 watt microwave?

 

Richard

 

(yes, I know that a 750 watt microwave needs more than 750 watts)

[DHutch]

750watt microwave will proberbly draw 1200watts and an appaling powerfactor so more like 1500VA, call it a 2kva inverter to be safe...

 

But no, geting back to the OP's post, assuming theres somewhere to plug it in (like a decently spec'ed cigaratte lighter socket) theres no reason you should use/buy your own.

 

The one you have linked to is as mentioned 75watt which is a third of amp at 230v (about 6-8amp at 12v), this will power phone/camera chargers i would guess but little more. So i might be tempted to get a slightly larger one, which would then run a laptop and a few other bits. But maybe that just me (Maplins do a nice 300watt MSW inverter that a lot recomend and that does us very nicely indeed). [300watt needs a 30amp 12v feed, about the limit for a fag lighter skt]

 

 

Daniel

[alan_fincher]

(Maplins do a nice 300watt MSW inverter that a lot recomend and that does us very nicely indeed). [300watt needs a 30amp 12v feed, about the limit for a fag lighter skt]

Maplin say that their 300 Watt invedrer should only be used to that power if hard wired, and must be limited to 150 watts if used through a lighter socket. IIRC there is a fuse in the supplied lighter plug that would blow long before 300 watts was reached.

 

A 75 watt inverter will run very little - even a 120 watt one struggles with a large modern laptop, in our experience. Think just of phone and battery chargers, and that type of thing, I'd say.

[bottle]

If

 

I'm only thinking of getting one for charging mobile phones, camera batteries, AA and AAA batteries

 

Then why not obtain, '12v' lead for the phone, camera batteries may be a problem but many are chargeable from 12v (check camera accessories), AA and AAA chargers are also available in dual voltage 240/12.

[dor]

I've got a 150W 'coke can' inverter that runs off a cigar socket. It runs TVs, DVD players, phone chargers, laptop etc all with no problems. It did however blow up my toothbrush charger. Apparently some chargers are affected in some way by MSW and it clobbers them.

[mikevye]

We are hiring a narrowboat next year, an optional extra is the hire of an inverter at £25. I can buy one from Amazon for £18:49 inc shipping: -

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Pete

 

Never heard of this OPTION on a hire boat I'd have thought hard wire or nowt to conform with safety standards which company is it? Do they do a flushing toilet as an option or are you stuck with a casstte.

[Chris Pink]

. I'm only thinking of getting one for charging mobile phones, camera batteries, AA and AAA batteries. Does anybody see any problems in buying that one from Amazon and using it on our hire boat?

 

Fancy coming on this forum and asking an electrical question and expecting a simple answer (maybe you didn't!).

 

The answer to your question above is no, there is no problem with using the inverter you mention for the applications listed above it will do those jobs nicely.

[DHutch]

Then why not obtain, '12v' lead for the phone, camera batteries may be a problem but many are chargeable from 12v (check camera accessories), AA and AAA chargers are also available in dual voltage 240/12.

Its just hassle isnt it!

- This is what we used to do on emilyanne, which worked well when most had car chargers for the phone, or a nokia anyway!

- However no everyone has a diffrent phone, even nokias got about three charging methods, and laptops, and razors, and...

 

Maplin say that their 300 Watt invedrer should only be used to that power if hard wired, and must be limited to 150 watts if used through a lighter socket. IIRC there is a fuse in the supplied lighter plug that would blow long before 300 watts was reached.

You may well be right, ours was the 24v version, and i didnt read the instuctions, and it is hard wired into the disboard. So you could well be right.

- I guess most cars fag lighters will be fused at 20amps, so stick a 15amp fuse in it a less them not to use more than 150watt is proberbly feasable.

[Pete Glynn]

Thanks very much all for your advice.

 

Chris, I was hoping it would be a simple question for someone with electrical knowledge, I didn't think I was opening a can of worms!!

 

I've actually spotted another one @ 150 watts for about the same price, even though, as I said, I'm only going to be using it for charging batteries, it's a bit of leeway.

 

Thanks all again

 

Pete