Larry's discussion has some very good information. I have a couple of
questions:
1) Why are you running refrigeration through an inverter?
2) Why, with the choices available today, are you running a TV through
an inverter?

I have a (one) 1,000 watt inverter for my 110 volt stuff, and just about
the only thing I run is the microwave oven.

Marine refrigeration is either dual power (110/12) or cold plate (engine
driven), lcd tvs are 12 volt (4 amp draw)

If you are running 110 volt appliances you are not being very efficient.

Opinions, please.
Jim

wrote:

I'm trying to learn about inverters, and how to put a
system together. I want to use it pretty much just
for my refrigerator (about 800W), and my TV/VCR
etc. It seems like it would be cheaper to get two
less powerful inverters, than one powerful one.
So far getting two of the 1200W for $120 each at:

http://store.worldstart.com/customer...=16468&cat=307

seems like the best deal for me. That would leave
me plenty of head room--especially on the TV
circuit--for including other things. Does anyone
know of a better deal?

How do I figure what size batteries to use? Should
I keep the batteries separate for each inverter, or
is it better to connect two or more batteries and go
from there? If so, how to connect the batteries
together, and then how to go from there to the
inverters?

I'm lead to believe that any inverters I can afford
would produce a square wave instead of a sine
wave. How to know what influence that would
have on my TV's performance? The TV works
great using the Generac 4000W generator I'm
using now. Can I expect it to be different using
the inverter?

Thanks for any help!

because he's a power boater and don't know these things

On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 20:20:43 GMT, Jim wrote:

Larry's discussion has some very good information. I have a couple of
questions:
1) Why are you running refrigeration through an inverter?
2) Why, with the choices available today, are you running a TV through
an inverter?

I have a (one) 1,000 watt inverter for my 110 volt stuff, and just about
the only thing I run is the microwave oven.

Marine refrigeration is either dual power (110/12) or cold plate (engine
driven), lcd tvs are 12 volt (4 amp draw)

If you are running 110 volt appliances you are not being very efficient.

Opinions, please.
Jim

wrote:

I'm trying to learn about inverters, and how to put a
system together. I want to use it pretty much just
for my refrigerator (about 800W), and my TV/VCR
etc. It seems like it would be cheaper to get two
less powerful inverters, than one powerful one.
So far getting two of the 1200W for $120 each at:

http://store.worldstart.com/customer...=16468&cat=307

seems like the best deal for me. That would leave
me plenty of head room--especially on the TV
circuit--for including other things. Does anyone
know of a better deal?

How do I figure what size batteries to use? Should
I keep the batteries separate for each inverter, or
is it better to connect two or more batteries and go
from there? If so, how to connect the batteries
together, and then how to go from there to the
inverters?

I'm lead to believe that any inverters I can afford
would produce a square wave instead of a sine
wave. How to know what influence that would
have on my TV's performance? The TV works
great using the Generac 4000W generator I'm
using now. Can I expect it to be different using
the inverter?

Thanks for any help!

Jim wrote in message link.net...
Larry's discussion has some very good information. I have a couple of
questions:
1) Why are you running refrigeration through an inverter?
2) Why, with the choices available today, are you running a TV through
an inverter?

I have a (one) 1,000 watt inverter for my 110 volt stuff, and just about
the only thing I run is the microwave oven.

Marine refrigeration is either dual power (110/12) or cold plate (engine
driven), lcd tvs are 12 volt (4 amp draw)

If you are running 110 volt appliances you are not being very efficient.

Opinions, please.
Jim
The answer is very simple. I use the inverter because I am using all
standard, cheap household applienaces, like a household TV, VCR,
Microwave, Toaster, Coffeemaker, Power tools ( drill, saw, soldering
iron). I expected these appliances to last maybe a year, but so far
they have been lasting 3 years with no sign of corrosion. BTW My Boat
is in San Francisco Bay and it is perfectly dry.
I also have a normal apartment size fridge which I run on shore power.
I can put the stuff in the evening before, fill up the freezer
compartment and then it keeps cold for most of the weekend. I don't
use the fridge with the inverter since the drain on the batteries is
too great and I don't use the microwave for anything but heating
something. For cooking I have a propane 2 burner stoven and oven.
Rolf


wrote:

I'm trying to learn about inverters, and how to put a
system together. I want to use it pretty much just
for my refrigerator (about 800W), and my TV/VCR
etc. It seems like it would be cheaper to get two
less powerful inverters, than one powerful one.
So far getting two of the 1200W for $120 each at:

http://store.worldstart.com/customer...=16468&cat=307

seems like the best deal for me. That would leave
me plenty of head room--especially on the TV
circuit--for including other things. Does anyone
know of a better deal?

How do I figure what size batteries to use? Should
I keep the batteries separate for each inverter, or
is it better to connect two or more batteries and go
from there? If so, how to connect the batteries
together, and then how to go from there to the
inverters?

I'm lead to believe that any inverters I can afford
would produce a square wave instead of a sine
wave. How to know what influence that would
have on my TV's performance? The TV works
great using the Generac 4000W generator I'm
using now. Can I expect it to be different using
the inverter?

Thanks for any help!

"Jim" wrote in message
ink.net...


Larry's discussion has some very good information. I have a couple of
questions:
1) Why are you running refrigeration through an inverter?

Well, one reason is that you can buy a small household refrigerator for
about $200 and the same sized 12 volt refrigertor will cost you about $1200.
There are reasons that the 12 volt refrigerator is better, such as automatic
switching to 110 and likely to have greater efficiency, but I know that a
lot of people prefer to go the household route just because of the cost.

2) Why, with the choices available today, are you running a TV through
an inverter?

What choices? There are a lot of 9" TVs that run off of 12 volts, and I have
seen a couple of 13", but if you want a 25" TV it is going to be 110 volts.

Rod

LCD tvs are 12 volt. I have a Sharp 20 inch in my salon that
runs off the cabin light circuit. I haven't checked the larger ones,
but I'll bet they are the same.

15" draws 4 amps, 20" uses 4.5, at 12 volts.


Rod McInnis wrote:

2) Why, with the choices available today, are you running a TV through
an inverter?


What choices? There are a lot of 9" TVs that run off of 12 volts, and I have
seen a couple of 13", but if you want a 25" TV it is going to be 110 volts.

Rod