DC to AC converter WINNER - see post 41

[AngieM2]

Hi folks - we now have radiofish contributing one DC to AC converter for one of our lucky members.

I get to decide the rules of this "contest/drawing" so here they are:

1. You need to post how you could use it, now or in the relatively near future to enter.

2. If you post ideas of use, you can say not to be in the drawing, or you can assign to someone else (as some did with the pressure canner).

And Pete - you can enter and assign to someone else, but since you won the canner, I'm going to take you out of this drawing to give someone else a chance.

Basically - give us some ideas of how to use this equipment. So others may get ideas and maybe progress on their more off grid or back up grid status.

This will run from now until Tuesday evening - this will give the weekend and the week members a chance.

radiofish will drop by and answer questions, and when the name is drawn he can send directly to winner, or we can work out it going through me if needed.

Here are photos:

Specs:


















Radiofish and I hope this helps someone out.

[mpillow]

Nice! I loaned mine out to someone and never got it back so I'd love to be entered!

I have used them to keep broilers cool in our non-electric barn by hooking it onto the car battery and plugging in a fan...we used them at our cabin in the woods before electric was installed for lighting...candles and oil lamps in summer with little children was too hot and dangerous!
You can use it to charge a cell phone if you only have the AC charger....

For short lived outages running your car for power with this inverter is much easier than a noisy generator...

Thanks Radiofish for offering this to all of us...and thanks Angie for running things around here!

[Roadking]

Radiofish and Angie, thank you both for all the info and the contest as well.
I often dabble in alternative energy and use 12 volt lighting in the garage. For household use, I have 2 little 150watt inverters simply to keep the lights on for the boys if we lose power and I don't feel like running the genny at night.
Been working on a larger setup for the TV/VCR in the event of power loss and the boys need the rare comfort of watching TV (we don't watch much and the boys are quite good at entertaining themselves); Currently working on a small homemade wind turbine using; An old IH 12v generator, 8' pole tower (I know, hight means might, but this is simply to keep a small bank charged) and a bicycle wheel type rotor system. If the weather ever gets springy enough, I might actually get the chance to finish and assemble it and post some pics.
I have been running seperate wiring for using the genny for the vitals, i.e. furnace, well, sump pump and fridge/freezer. Playing with 12 volt for the less vital/creature comforts.
Someday, I'l advance to PV, but as of now, my biggest solar project has been a few thermosyphon solar space heaters.
Thanks for the oppurtunity. and as before...for all the great advice and conversations!
Good luck to all.
Matt

[Txsteader]

It would be ideal for running fans, a radio, even to charge a cell phone during power outages. It could be hooked to small solar panels or the car's battery. You never realize how much difference a little fan can make until you've done without for 3 weeks.....in August, after a hurricane.

Would love to be entered in the drawing. And thanks to Radiofish for such a generous offer!

[radiofish]

Well folks - this is a N.O.S. (New Old Stock) never used 12 VDC to 110 VAC power inverter similar to what is seen in Harbor Freight. I obtained it from my the estate of my neighbor's father (a fellow Marine)..

As far as I know, the 1st time it came out of the package was when I tested it to ensure that it worked, and to take the photos.. I hooked it up to my 240 Amp Hour - 13.8 VDC battery bank (consisting of 3 seperate 80 amp hour batteries hooked in parallel), and it powered up and ran a 100 watts incandescent light bulb.. Since I do not have a 'TRUE RMS (Root Means Square) Watt Meter', I was not able to verify the exact power output in AC Voltage..

Since this is a "Modified Wave Form" instead of a true "Pure Sine Wave" inverter, I would hesitate to use this with recharging the batteries used for hand held power tools, and other very sensitive electronic components. Yet it would work well for powering/ recharging a cell phone, laptop computer, lamps for lighting, a fan, or as I did in the past with my other Inverters, running a 3/8" corded drill on a short extension cord away from commercial power.

I got away from needing to use an inverter, by setting up as much of my ham radio equipment and accessories to use 12 VDC directly, right off the industrial lead acid batteries. Since the digital TV conversion in 2009, I did loose the use of my older 12 VDC small 5 inch B&W portable TV. There was no where to hook up one of those digital conversion boxes, to that TV.. I do have the DC power cords for my cell phone and my laptop computer. That way I don't have to convert 12 VDC to 110 VAC, then change 110 VAC back to a lower DC voltage - which is a very inefficent way to do things..

Any questions, feel free to post them here or to PM me, and I'll answer them ASAP.. This inverter comes with just the 'alligator' battery clips and short cables for attaching it to a battery - no cigarette plug connector is included.

Otherwise, whomever gets this item, will be able to continue to use an AC powered devices (there are two AC outlets on the inverter) with a continuous power consumption of less than 400 watts off of a 12 VDC battery, when they loose commercial 110 VAC power. In Angie's post, is a chart showing power consumption for several common AC powered devices. I asked Angie to post the specs since I am on dial-up, and it would have taken me quite a while to upload the scanned info to my photobucket account.


Good luck, and I hope that this gives folks some ideas on how to get around the loss of commercial AC power.

In the almost 5 years that I have been up on the hill with multiple power outages, I have had to use one of my generators (I have 2 seperate Honda EM-650s, a 1,500 watts, and a 4 Kilo Watts generators) only once - due to an outage that exceeding 24 hours. That was to run only my fridge and chest freezer, to prevent food spoilage.

[crispin]

Since I already own one I do not feel it would be right to enter.

However I just used mine on Thursday. My DSO and I went camping for the first time this year and I brought it so I can inflate our really comfy AeroBed air bed. The areobed has a 110 volt plug on it so I just plug it into the inverter and fill up.
I also used it to inflate one of the tires on the trailer I brought as I have a small 110 volt compressor. It works great for camping.

[Trixters_muse]

Hurricane season for us starts in June, we are already double checking preps and getting ready early. We have a small, inexpensive generator I would like to upgrade but for now it runs the freezer and a fan to keep my very asthmatic son out of crisis.

I would use the inverter to power a fan, keep the cell phone charged and to run DS's nebulizer. It would be great for those who use some type of medical equipment that requires electricity so that the inverter can be dedicated solely to that item.

Thank you for such a great opportunity Radiofish.

Please enter me

[marinemomtatt]

My son and I have been looking into an Inverter for my husband....and I have to admit we would like one for the whole family to use.
My husband is a work-a-holic, by 8am on his days off he's complaining that he's bored, today is no different, he's outside with his battery powered Sawsall cutting up Oak branches. A month ago we lost power due to a downed tree a couple miles from here, DH was out until after dark with his power tools and lantern cutting boards for our new roof over the aluminum mansion. If it hadn't been for his batteries dying he would have been out there well into the night...~lol~...
He needs an inverter...we need for him to have an inverter.
A bored DH makes for a very aggravated DW and DS.
(we should have purchased one for DH's b-day, instead we got him insulation for the storage building, AC/DC lantern and .44 mag ammo)
I would like to be in the drawing...for my DH...and his many battery powered tools.

[marinemomtatt]

Well now I see that Radiofish advises against using the inverter for powered tools...THANKS for passing that on! Good grief I'd hate to be responsible for trashing my guys tools.
I'm sure we could find other uses...keep laptops charged! The night power was out we used DS's laptop to watch an episode of NCIS. His battery was good for 1 hour 40 mins.
NCIS by the light of two oil lamps was real nice.

[Usingmyrights]

I would use it on my jon boat to power some LED/CFL spot lights for fishing at night.

[radiofish]

Marinemomtatt - The use for charging batteries for power tools, is something that I had learned from another poster here - whom is way more into alternate energy usage than I am.. My electronics schooling/ background is in communications and circuit design. So that is why I posted that info..

During my latest power outage this last week, I did not have to fire up any of the other generators. I used my 12 VDC system to supply communications, lighting, and entertainment.. I keep a small float charger on the batteries/ along with 50 watts of flexible solar panels - to keep them charged as close to 13.8 VDC as possible.

I picked up off of Ebay a while back - a 12 VDC VCR and small 5" LCD screen VHS tape player. From the days before vehicles came with the flip down DVD players, to keep the kids busy. So I was able to watch a tape/ movie that evening.. Most of my recorded videos are on VHS tapes and not DVDs..

For lighting, I have salvaged several automobile sockets and bulbs I found at an auto junk yard.. Add a switch and a fuse, and instant lights. I also have a few of the 12 VDC portable auto trouble shooting lights, bought from Ebay also @ around $5.00 dollars each. They put out an amazing amount of light, with a low current draw..

Oh, I wanted to remind folks, that if using a 12 VDC power source - it is best to add fuse protection if at all possible as close to the battery as you can.. It could prevent damage to the equipment, or possibly starting an accidental fire due to a short circuit!

I see Angie did not post pics of the actual item.. So after about an hour of uploading on dial-up here are a few pics - this is the actual item..

[marinemomtatt]

Thanks Radiofish.
We have a solar trickle charger for our mobile aluminum mansion, only maintains the charge for one battery at a time.
Thanks for the Fuse protection tip. (we are demolishing a weezy camper, I now know what else to salvage from it)

[homebody]

If it could be used to power a crockpot (big one) to keep food hot at a farmers market (no electric available) that would be great.

I saw a setup like this with a light in a lid of plastic container containing baby chicks (at same FM)

Please enter my name in the drawing. Thank you.

[manygoatsnmore]

I could see using it to keep the laptop on for the purpose of being able to watch movies or listen to music/books on tape (right now my internet access is tied to the grid), to run a small fan, or ....would it handle a coffeepot? I can always use the aluminum camp percolator, but if I could use the drip auto, I would.

I'd absolutely love to be in this drawing. I've been looking at possibilities for alternative power supplies, and this would help fill a niche. Thanks to RadioFish and Angie for this...fun!

[radiofish]

Homebody - I just checked the electrical specs on the metal plate attached to the bottom of my Proctor-Silex Crock Pot. It has a power consumption of 225 watts (per hour) which equates to 225 watts / 13.8 VDC for a power consumption of 16.3 Amp Hours - per hour.. So you would get a running time out of a standard 80 Amp Hours battery of not quite 5 hours, with the crock pot on high heat...

MGM - in looking at the chart that comes with the Inverter - a coffee machine is rated at 600 watts per hour. So this Inverter would not handle one of those critters. This would run a laptop computer, external modem, and a small fan..

To let you folks in on a well kept secret - if you don't currently have a 12VDC large capacity battery, there is a way to obtain them cheaply... If you have a medical supply store that sells/ services electric wheelchairs near you, they do replace those batteries on a regular basis.

My local medical supply store occasionally has 12VDC 'Gel-Cell' (not the liquid lead acid based batteries) batteries for free. They will even put a 'load tester' on them, to check their current capacity of holding a charge.. If you were to go in and inquire politely, you may be sent home with several serviceable batteries. This is a way to start a 12VDC energy storage system, without having to spend $80 to $100+ dollars per storage battery. My 12VDC industrial lead acid batteries are getting towards the end of their service life (after almost 7 years), so I may be bringing home some of those 'Gel-Cells' sometime soon.

[marinemomtatt]

I knew this was going to be a good thread with lots of helpful information. Medical supply store huh?!
"Oh, love of my life, hey, while you're out do you mind making a stop for me?"...~lol~...

[cnichols]

My DH and I have several inverters in our semi-truck. Ranging from 100 watt to 1000 watt's. I admit, since we put in the 1000 watt inverter we don't use the smaller one much at all!

We use the 1k watt inverter for our coffee pot, television and charging this laptop as well as charging the cordless power tools we keep with us (although I see Radiofish has recommended against this, we do it and, to date, have had no problems).

We use the 400 watt inverter for charging the other laptop and running a LCD monitor for the laptop which is used to run our Truck Routing GPS program.

It's fairly simple to determine if your "appliance" can run off of the 400 watt inverter simply by looking at the "information plate" on the appliance. Some outright tell you the wattage required. Some only tell you the amps. For instance, my printer says "0.5 amps" and since the US runs on 110 voltage you take your amps x your voltage and get your wattage. 110 x .5 = 55 watts per hour.

My DH finally got our tiny "wind generator" hooked up and working. It's not something that produces large amounts of power, but hooked to our small bank of used batteries we have laying around, it trickle charges them over time. He was so excited when he was able to hook up a small inverter and run the radio outside using no "pay for it" electric. Like a kid in a candy shop, lol!

For those of us who are addicted to electrical power, an inverter is a great thing to have around. Not just for "grid down" situations, but for any situation where you may have a battery but not a "plug".

p.s. I don't want to be entered, just sharing our experiences with inverters.

[Kathyhere]

Sign me up Angie. I live on the Gulf Coast and after living through serveral hurricanes and the outage afterwards it would really be nice to have a powersource so we could run ata the very least a fan. Thanks raidofish for making it available.

[jamala]

I would love to have one of these. Thanks so much for making it available.
Hurricane season is upon us and I would love to have one to charge the cell phones/computers/ DH's emergency fire radios or to run a small fan. It would also be great for my crock pot. I cook all the time in the crock pot and when we are without power I could continue that with this device.

[demeter]

We gave ours away to a friend for his raggedy little camper he was living in. The old camper is really awful, and the electrical was just a mess. We had a new inverter, (I am slowly buying solar stuff a piece at a time) and it just didn't seem right to let it sit when he needed it. A nice man, with rotten luck and bad health issues.
I love the idea of using the automobile sockets and bulbs. Please throw my name in the pot, and thank you Radiofish.

Demeter