Inverter

gypsy2600 · Veteran Member

Inverter

bratboy · Veteran Member

Dont think your dreaming but your probably going to need about 2000w inverter . just checked our toaster its 1800w . i am currently using Renogy products for both inverter ( 1000w ) and dcdc charger with built in mppt solar controller .very happy with both quality and price .

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

If an 800W inverter can not run an 800W toaster, it is not an 800W inverter.
Is it really an 800W toaster?
Cheers,
Peter

Whenarewethere · Guru

Not to forget when you run really high loads. The battery capacity will be halved.

So 220AH running a fridge you will have 220AH, but running a 2000 watt device you lose half your AH.

So use the smallest toaster of kettle you can. One could remove the element on one half of the toaster & do 1 slice at a time. That will halve the load on the batteries, but will take twice as long to do 2 pieces of toast. Your batteries will be happier.

Birko kettles are 750 watts, far better the the 2100 watt run of the mill kettles.

If you can have solar input while running high loads, that will help.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
Not to forget when you run really high loads. The battery capacity will be halved.

So 220AH running a fridge you will have 220AH, but running a 2000 watt device you lose half your AH.

That is simply not true.

Voltage sag with LA batteries will limit the time you can run that high load, but when it is switched off, the ballance of the energy is still there and can continue to run your fridge.

The energy in the battery can not be destroyed.

Cheers,

Peter

Whenarewethere · Guru

OP didn't state lithium.

Dick0 · Guru

Hi Bob,

Plan ahead. Today you want to run a 800W toaster, possibly a single slice toaster.

Tomorrow you may upgrade to a double slice toaster, or microwave or sandwich press.

Anyway, short usage appliances.

So, perhaps a 3000W rated/6000W peak inverter will cover all bases in the future.

You may upgrade your batteries to Lithium in the future if you haven't already.

I use a 3000/6000W inverter which also runs the aircon (tested so far for four hours) with no major depletion of AH's from batteries.

A good solar system will pump in the Amps that you will require.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
OP didn't state lithium.

Neither did I.

LA means Lead Acid.

Cheers,

Peter

Whenarewethere · Guru

The product data sheet for my battery.

20 hour rating is 100% capacity

10 hour - 81%

5 hour - 72%

1 hour - 50%

0.1 hour - 29%

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
The product data sheet for my battery.
20 hour rating is 100% capacity
10 hour - 81%
5 hour - 72%
1 hour - 50%
0.1 hour - 29%

That assumes that you never turn off the high load. The battery then drops in voltage. That is due to the chemical reaction in the battery not being able to keep up with the demand. If the high load is turned off, the chemical reaction will catch up and the voltage will recover and the lighter loads can then use the ballance of the battery capacity.

The original capacity of the battery is still usable. It can not be destroyed. The limitation is the rate at which it can be used.

Lithium is exactly the same except the chemical reaction can take place much faster so the voltage drop is much less and much more of the capacity can be used at much higher loads.

Cheers,

Peter

Whenarewethere · Guru

You just lose the capacity for that high draw percentage of the cycle.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
You just lose the capacity for that high draw percentage of the cycle.

You don't actually "loose" any capacity, you just can not use it at the high draw level because the voltage gets too low.

An example of the battery not keeping up is when you crank a car that won't start continuously until the battery is "flat". If you then wait a few minutes, you can crank again for a bit longer because the battery chemical reaction has caught up. It was not actually flat at all, but the voltage was too low to turn the car over.

LA batteries come in fast and slow re-combination (that is the speed of the chemical reaction) types. Fast re-combination ones are used for cranking and have more, thinner plates so the chemical reaction can be quicker. Fewer & thicker plates are generally used for deep cycle because they are more robust and last longer.

Cheers,

Peter

TimTim · Guru

gypsy2600 wrote:
I know very little about inverters apart from using a 300W running a laptop in our caravan.
Is it possible to run a 800W toaster from an inverter.
My questions are what size,type or brand inverter would you require to run this toaster.
I only have two 110 AH batteries in my caravan.
Am I dreaming.
Would really love some information.
Thank you.

Bob

-- Edited by gypsy2600 on Monday 25th of April 2022 03:38:0

Hi Bob,

Yes it is possible to run a 800 watt toaster off an inverter. There are a number of issues to consider and firstly the inverter should be located as close as possible to the batteries whilst also being able to access the inverters power socket.

Im taking a guess that your batteries are AGM and if so using approximate figures you have 110Ah to use. Do know how much power you are currently using and what size are you solar panels.

Using a 800 Watt toaster you will be using approximately 80Ah over an hour but you will not be using it for that length time. Lets say you use it for 5 minutes then you will have taken 80/12 = 6.7Ah From your battery. That is the additional power that you will need to replace with your solar panels.

If 800 watts is the largest appliance you will be using then you can use a 1000 watt inverter which gives a little leeway. Some here use Victron but i have used a Giandel for the last 3 years without issues.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/231544077381?epid=28034148026&hash=item35e91a3c45:g:kaMAAOSw0w5edJ1A

or if you want to make provisions for running larger appliances in the future but be aware of the limitations, wiring and fusing.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/252097886923?hash=item3ab2347acb:g:AgUAAOSw7hRedJX1

These have a remote switch which give the ability to turn off the inverter remotely as they use power when on standby.

Good luck

Scubadoo · Veteran Member

Go for it Bob.

Our setup.
Battery, 100$ 1000W PSW inverter and a $9 two slice 700W toaster.
The inverter has also been ulitised over the years to power e-bike, scooter, Dyson vacuum cleaner battery chargers etc. and a few power tools.
It has also charged a few fellow travelers devices.
The toaster draws about 60A from the 12V nominal battery for about 3 minutes = c3Ah.

8 years of fulltime travel and it all still survives.

gypsy2600 · Veteran Member

Thank you all for your comments.

Appreciated.

I feel really proud to be a member here.

Have asked other tech questions in the past and have found them to be positive.

Cheers

Bob