[C320-list] Installing an inverter

[Bill Culbertson]

Soooo... having ribbed about using 110v for microwave cooking instead of the stove, I DO have a small 140W inverter for the laptop.  It can plug into the 12v cigarette lighter socket on the navpanel.  The 140W is enough for the laptop.  Then overnight I use it to recharge the blackberry.  So absolutely I agree with the handiness of an inverter for that stuff.  I also have the Honda EU2000i generator which I take on trips.  I use that as others have said for quiet battery charging and quick hot water (as opposed to running the engine) and it's available for other 110v uses as well.  But I don't fire it up to use the laptop or charge the phone.

IMO little inverters are great, no question.  BIG Inverters get complicated quickly (heat, big DC wiring, battery drain).  If you run the BIG inverter and then run the engine to bring the battey back where it should be, you may be in the same ballpark as running the generator for the 110v in the 1st place.  And the battery cycling takes its toll on the battery.  Also with the generator, you'll never have a "battery too low to start the engine situation".  If you run the battery down that far, you can fire up the generator to recharge the battery.

I do as Orlando described - I set the generator on deck amidships aft of the wheel with exhaust pointing aft essentially under where the helm seat would be if it were installed.

 -bill




________________________________
From: Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us>
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 1:33:31 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Installing an inverter

Exactly why I don't have an inverter yet.  I haven't gotten to the point where the need is so bad to be worth the cost.  However, getting the propane tank filled is more of a pain these days.  Recharging the battery is painless.

Also, it is not just about the microwave.  I don't have a propane-powered blender or docking station for my laptop.  I could start getting 12V blenders and adaptors, but it seems worth looking into an inverter.

My Boy Scout troop leader when I was a kid had a generator so he could watch the big game while on camping trips, which always seemed stupid to me.  I do agree with you on that one.  That's also why I see no point to having a cell phone onboard, since nobody will deliver a pizza to the middle of the lake.

Bill Culbertson wrote:
> Ok I'll be the one to say it.  And I mean this as a gentle ribbing only
> 
> We use the microwave when we're at dock on shore power but we use the propane stove when AC power isn't available.  I can't think of much that the microwave can do that can't be done using the stove or oven.  
> A friend of mine was taking some middle-school boys camping and they were planning to pop popcorn.  One of the boys wondered where they'd plug in the microwave.
> 
>  -bill
>  Harmony #859
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Sent: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 12:12:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Installing an inverter
> 
> Hi Jeff,
> 
> Definitely food for thought.  We sail on a lake in Kansas, where we are really never very far from the Marina.  We like to anchor out, but we lose the electricity.  I'm not sure what that is worth to me.  Cheaper is better, in many respects.  Perhaps I'll just trail a big ol' extension cord behind me.  :-)
> 
> I'll have to check out the better inverters and the generator.  I could use that other places, as well.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dean
> 
> catalina at thehares.com wrote:
>  
>> Hi Dean,
>> 
>> 1) I'm not sure about the startup load on the microwave, but it might need
>> to be over 2kw peak.
>> 
>> 2) The modified sine wave can be done but is not a great idea for the
>> Microwave, especially if you're only running from batteries. Here's why:
>> While a microwave will function from a modified sinewave inverter, the
>> performance of the microwave will be very slow and gets even worse as the
>> battery supply voltage drops. (e.g. to boil one cup of water on a modified
>> sinewave inverter might take around 2.5 minutes while drawing around
>> 100+amps DC, compared to around 30 seconds with a pure sine wave inverter
>> also consuming 100+amps DC).  As your batteries voltage drops, the inverter
>> will attempt to take more and more current to keep the output RMS voltage
>> around 110+ AC.
>> 
>> You might be better off getting one of those tiny nearly silent Honda
>> portable generators like the EU2000i, putting it on the swim platform when
>> you need AC.  It's less expensive than a sine wave inverter and will solve
>> virtually all your AC needs under way.  You'll save money as well, but at
>> the cost of a slight bit of inconvenience to plug in and start the
>> generator.  Before ruling that option out, you might want to visit a dealer
>> and hear just how quiet they are.
>> 
>> 3) Yes. The closer to the batteries the better, however, you can run heavy
>> expensive cables (like what feeds the starter) and mount the inverter
>> elsewhere.  The voltage drop at 100+ amps is significant.
>> 
>> -Jeff
>> #809 
>> 
>> On Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:03:30 -0600, Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us> wrote:
>>      
>>> Hi All,
>>> 
>>> I'm thinking about installing an AC inverter to be able to run the
>>> microwave, etc. when not in the marina.  I know a number of you have
>>> done this.  I've done a little homework, but there is a reason I did not
>>> major in electrical engineering.  So, I have a few questions:
>>> 
>>> 1.  How many watts?  I figure I should have at least 1200 continuous.
>>> 2.  Are the ones with a modified sine wave good enough?  I wouldn't
>>> think the microwave would care too much.
>>> 3.  Where should it be installed?  I've read that you should install it
>>> close to the batteries, but those are on the starboard side and the
>>> microwave is on the port side.
>>> 4.  Any particular brands to avoid?
>>> 
>>> Thanks in advance,
>>> Dean Vermeire
>>> Moonstruck II (#847)
>>>          
>> 
>> 
>>      
> 
> 
> 
>