Inverter charger recommendations

[Lucky Dog]

I am interested in what everyone is using for a inverter/charger. We will be using our e35Ii mostly weekends from a dock and weeks(?) at a time away from electrical during the summer. I have purchased a simple 600watt rotary dial (no led timer/clock) microwave, 4 cup percolator and small simple toaster. All the lighting is led, no tv or big stereo system. Looking at XANTREX PROSINE 1000 GFCI 12V TRUE SINEWAVE INVERTER. To much? Wrong brand? What are you using or would recommend?
ml

 

[Stu Jackson]

Far be it from me to tell you how to prepare your breakfast :0, but I would do two things immediately: diss the toaster and the electric percolator. Buy a folding metal camping toaster that you place over the stove (or just burn the toast on the burners straightaway! :nerd, and use a thermos with Melita filters for coffee or use a French Press, or a regular percolator. I am sure that if you did a search on coffee on ANY boating forum, you'd find thousands of discussions just like this, and it has nothing to do with the quality of the coffee. You really don't have to take all your home appliances with you when you go on your boat, nor do you have to miss quality coffee.

Then you can size your inverter to your microwave and be done with it. 1000w Inverter sounds real good for a 600W microwave. Our microwave works just fine with a modified sine wave inverter if you want to save some $$. You also didn't mention how you're wiring it: into the ship's AC system or just use an extension cord.

Good luck, you're not the first to ask this question. You could do some searching on "inverter sizing" and probably find more posts, here and on other boating forums.

Xantrex has a very poor reputation these days. Try Mastervolt for an inverter.

 

[Frank Langer]

The only reason we wish we had a 2,000 watt inverter rather than our 1,000 watt is to enable my wife to use a hair blower (about 1600 watts) for a few minutes. She is very good about adapting to the boat, but has drawn a line on needing to blow dry her hair. :0

I don't think our 1,000 watt charger/inverter would like that, though maybe I'm being too cautious.

Frank

 

[sailingjazz]

Just a thought

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...6&r=view&cvsfa=2586&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3333353936

 

[lnill]

I am interested in what everyone is using for a inverter/charger. We will be using our e35Ii mostly weekends from a dock and weeks(?) at a time away from electrical during the summer. I have purchased a simple 600watt rotary dial (no led timer/clock) microwave, 4 cup percolator and small simple toaster. All the lighting is led, no tv or big stereo system. Looking at XANTREX PROSINE 1000 GFCI 12V TRUE SINEWAVE INVERTER. To much? Wrong brand? What are you using or would recommend?
ml

I bought this exact inverter last year along with transfer switch. We are on a mooring and never hook to shore power. Do have an up sized alternator. I use k cups for coffee. Expensive but convenient and a good cup of coffee. Make toast right on the stove. The inverter works great for our needs and price is good from Amazon.
Lee

 

[adam]

Do you have any real need for a true sine wave inverter?

For the past year, I've been making coffee in a coffee maker, blending drinks, charging the laptop, etc. with a Bestek inverter I bought off of amazon for 1/10 of the price of the inverter you're looking at.

 

[Frank Langer]

Thanks, SailingJazz. That 12 volt hair dryer looks like just what she'll need!
Frank

 

[tenders]

I've found the large Harbor Freight inverters to be very good values. I have a 2000 watt model in the boat (and a large 100-amp alternator on the Atomic Four, although I doubt it ever pumps out more than half its rated amperage), and a 3000 watt model in my garage which is set up to be connected to a car with jumper cables so it can power a lot of the house through a bypass breaker panel in the garage.

I don't think I'd power a lot of sensitive electronics from this stuff, but for tools, heating elements, vacuum cleaners, and pretty much every device charger I've run across, it's been great.

 

[Lucky Dog]

Sine wave is for a safe laptop charging and some future electronics. Reliably, capability, and size are most important.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Our 1998 Freedom 15 combined inverter / charger is a modified sine wave unit and we have been powering our laptop for 3 years and rechargeable battery chargers for much longer with no problems.