....one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?


Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:00:27 -0400, HK wrote:

...one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?


Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

Well, seeing as how your killfile is as honest as you are, here you go:

http://tinyurl.com/2m9asj
--
John H

"John H." wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:00:27 -0400, HK wrote:

...one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?


Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

Well, seeing as how your killfile is as honest as you are, here you go:

http://tinyurl.com/2m9asj
--
John H

He won't shop there ;) but I bought a 200W continuous / 400W peak inverter
at Wal-Mart for about $25 a year ago. Plugs into the cigarette lighter
receptacle. Works fine for running and charging the laptop while traveling
in the truck. Has 2 outlets, so could also charge the phone and GRS radios
on the trip to Alaska at the same time. As to an FM radio. For less than a
$100 you can buy a nice FM/AM/CD radio.

He won't shop there ;) but I bought a 200W continuous / 400W peak
inverter
at Wal-Mart for about $25 a year ago.

Plugs into the cigarette lighter
receptacle.

Which no doubt isn't rated to handle that much draw.

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:25:09 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

He won't shop there ;) but I bought a 200W continuous / 400W peak
inverter
at Wal-Mart for about $25 a year ago.

Plugs into the cigarette lighter
receptacle.

Which no doubt isn't rated to handle that much draw.

Check your fuse and you'll probably find that your average cigarette
lighter is at least 15 amps, maybe 20. If it's 20, you should have no
problem with a 200w continuous/400w peak load. 15 is probably not
enough since that's 204 watts at 13.6 volts but you have to take into
account inverter inefficiency so it's probably drawing more than 15
amps to supply the 200 watts.

But no one says you have to actually use that much out of it. And if
you use too much, you'll just blow the fuse so you know for next time.

Now the problem comes when people replace the OEM fuse rating with a
higher one to keep it from blowing.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:25:09 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

He won't shop there ;) but I bought a 200W continuous / 400W peak
inverter
at Wal-Mart for about $25 a year ago.

Plugs into the cigarette lighter
receptacle.

Which no doubt isn't rated to handle that much draw.

Check your fuse and you'll probably find that your average cigarette
lighter is at least 15 amps, maybe 20. If it's 20, you should have no
problem with a 200w continuous/400w peak load. 15 is probably not
enough since that's 204 watts at 13.6 volts but you have to take into
account inverter inefficiency so it's probably drawing more than 15
amps to supply the 200 watts.

But no one says you have to actually use that much out of it. And if
you use too much, you'll just blow the fuse so you know for next time.

Now the problem comes when people replace the OEM fuse rating with a
higher one to keep it from blowing.

Steve

Most are 20 amps and never blew a fuse in the car for the lighter, but have
turned on the red light signifying overload in the inverter.

On Jul 25, 10:00?am, HK wrote:
...one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?

Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

Harry,

I spent about $100 on an inverter at West Marine several years ago.

I spent a lot more on the two 6-volt batteries I installed in a
dedicated bank than on the inverter itself.

My experience with the inverter has been very good. I use it to run my
laptop when writing stories etc on the boat. We used it to power
holiday lights during the winter boat parades. We have used it to run
our
portable color TV and VCR to watch movies while on the hook.

We probably only use the inverter 25-30 hours per year, as the rest of
the time we're not running anything at anchor or we're on shore power.
We really don't have any need for AC current when underway.

Our inverter has a set of cooling fins and includes a fan. The fan can
be slightly noisy, but that's the only negative aspect of that
inverter. If you don't need to run huge AC loads and don't need the
converter (charger) functions, your $100 budget should just about get
you by.

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jul 25, 10:00?am, HK wrote:
...one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?

Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

Harry,

I spent about $100 on an inverter at West Marine several years ago.

I spent a lot more on the two 6-volt batteries I installed in a
dedicated bank than on the inverter itself.

My experience with the inverter has been very good. I use it to run my
laptop when writing stories etc on the boat. We used it to power
holiday lights during the winter boat parades. We have used it to run
our
portable color TV and VCR to watch movies while on the hook.

We probably only use the inverter 25-30 hours per year, as the rest of
the time we're not running anything at anchor or we're on shore power.
We really don't have any need for AC current when underway.

Our inverter has a set of cooling fins and includes a fan. The fan can
be slightly noisy, but that's the only negative aspect of that
inverter. If you don't need to run huge AC loads and don't need the
converter (charger) functions, your $100 budget should just about get
you by.





Thanks. I was thinking of a small unit from West Marine. Did you buy a
West-branded unit or something else? My AC loads will consist of an IPOD
boom box (low current draw), my laptop (rarely), and perhaps a cell
phone or camera battery charger. That kind of stuff.

On Jul 25, 11:33?am, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jul 25, 10:00?am, HK wrote:
...one I can install in a compartment in the center console of my new
boat and hardwire direct to one of the batteries. I'm not looking for a
lot of power...enough to run a laptop, a small "boombox" type FM radio,
et cetera. Clean power is important, but not current draw. I'd like
something that isn't going to corrode out on me in a season. It won't be
directly exposed to the elements.

Under $100.

Suggestions?

Oh...if you are in my killfile, don't waste your time responding. I
won't see it.

Harry,

I spent about $100 on an inverter at West Marine several years ago.

I spent a lot more on the two 6-volt batteries I installed in a
dedicated bank than on the inverter itself.

My experience with the inverter has been very good. I use it to run my
laptop when writing stories etc on the boat. We used it to power
holiday lights during the winter boat parades. We have used it to run
our
portable color TV and VCR to watch movies while on the hook.

We probably only use the inverter 25-30 hours per year, as the rest of
the time we're not running anything at anchor or we're on shore power.
We really don't have any need for AC current when underway.

Our inverter has a set of cooling fins and includes a fan. The fan can
be slightly noisy, but that's the only negative aspect of that
inverter. If you don't need to run huge AC loads and don't need the
converter (charger) functions, your $100 budget should just about get
you by.

Thanks. I was thinking of a small unit from West Marine. Did you buy a
West-branded unit or something else? My AC loads will consist of an IPOD
boom box (low current draw), my laptop (rarely), and perhaps a cell
phone or camera battery charger. That kind of stuff.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Without running over to the marina to check for sure, I'm almost
certain it was a West Marine branded item. I suppose if I'd had any
problem with it I would have paid more attention to the brand. :-)

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:36:36 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

Thanks. I was thinking of a small unit from West Marine. Did you buy a
West-branded unit or something else? My AC loads will consist of an IPOD
boom box (low current draw), my laptop (rarely), and perhaps a cell
phone or camera battery charger. That kind of stuff.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Without running over to the marina to check for sure, I'm almost
certain it was a West Marine branded item. I suppose if I'd had any
problem with it I would have paid more attention to the brand. :-)

I have several of the small West Marine inverters and they work just
fine for the type of devices that Harry mentions. There is really no
need to hard wire them either since the loads are small enough you can
power it via a lighter plug adapter.