In-built Inverter?

[Lou3.6]

Per the manual both the console and bed outlet share the single 400w inverter. For the cost of the option you are well on your way to a 1000w inverter.

Yea what he said . . . and don't plan on running your toaster oven or microwave out there on the trail ! Well not until you get the full sine wave 2000 watt version like you see on some better RV's !

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[eternus]

My main takeaway at this point is that the only thing worth getting from the factory is the Max Tow, the 7" Radio, the Convenience Package (or Cold Weather) and perhaps the Aux Switch. (At least for those on the Sport S path.) I suppose I'll need to build out a spreadsheet with where to buy the better stuff and at what price now.

I did go looking for forum posts out there about "what to do with the outlet in your truck bed" and its a split between "it's too weak to do anything, just looks good on a build sheet" and "I use it every weekend for my camping/yardwork/fishing activity." In short, it's a neat feature to have... but not as game-changing as I had in my head. I think it'd be cool... but thought I needed it to put a fridge in the bed of my truck. Too weak for that.

 

[WXman]

Soooo..... the inverter is on the drivers side, under the steering wheel. Not hard to get to - but not directly replaceable without more brain power than I currently possess. Both LIN and CAN buses are involved. No use messing with that.

The easier thing is to put in a new one, somewhere else. I need to let that idea roll around in my head for a bit...

Yep, compared to the 2018 JL I was leasing, the under-dash area of this JT looks like a NASA control room. I almost couldn't even find the gateway security plugs to tap into for my Tazer programmer. It's a little un-nerving that they put all that electronic stuff under the dash on the driver side. If there's ever a fire under there, it'll be time to literally bail out or die.

But like someone said, Jeep never intended for this inverter to serve as a household power generator. This is for running lights, fans, laptop computers, air mattress pumps, etc. Things that guys would need on a job site or camp site. Not meant to run a house.

 

[Tortooga Custom Works]

But like someone said, Jeep never intended for this inverter to serve as a household power generator. This is for running lights, fans, laptop computers, air mattress pumps, etc. Things that guys would need on a job site or camp site. Not meant to run a house.

Totally agree with this and it makes sense. Too much to consider if they tried to make that inverter bigger, especially since most people will really just give it light use. For the more advanced users, we can go ahead and install something better.

 

[TheITGuy]

You'd be better off with a small gas or propane generator, if only for the fact that they're much more efficient at generating electricity than a truck engine. To add a 1k or 2k watt inverter, you'd need to upgrade the alternator and put in larger 75 or 100 amp-hour deep-cycle marine/RV batteries with a charging controller. Otherwise a 1k watt inverter will fully deplete the JT's stock battery in a little over 6 hours.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

The little Honda 1kw gasoline generators are very quiet and very frugal; 50dB and .6gph at peak. I can’t recommend them enough having put a few with sump pumps through some horrible industrial service. The EU1000i is light and compact plus very clean.

https://m.powerequipment.honda.com/generators#/generators/models/eu1000i

It’s my line of thinking that the inverter is for providing power while rolling and a genset for power once camped up with your solar rig deployed to catch all the free photons you can rolling or stopped. Now of course once it’s sleepy time you’d want to shut the genset down but how much load are you pulling really at that point anyway?

 

[Ichthus]

The real questions for me would be, Is the plug hot, or only powered with ignition? Also, as the “mind reading Ad-servers” decided to run a link for Dometic directly above this comment box for me, would the plug run a fridge freezer? If they take a start max of 1.4 amps, what’s the constant load?

 

[Tortooga Custom Works]

The real questions for me would be, Is the plug hot, or only powered with ignition? Also, as the “mind reading Ad-servers” decided to run a link for Dometic directly above this comment box for me, would the plug run a fridge freezer? If they take a start max of 1.4 amps, what’s the constant load?

From the manual page 144:
"The Power Inverter will only turn on if the ignition is in the ACC or ON/RUN position."

1.4 amps AC is not a whole lot. I would not bother with that for a fridge.

I think what you want is a 12V fridge/freezer. The vehicle's charging system can handle 12V without much issue.

EDIT: Let me also add - a fridge is exactly the kind of electrical device that you don't want to run on an inverter. You're basically throwing power away. You're better off spending a couple of extra dollars and getting a 12V fridge. You can then wire that to one of the cigarette lighter adapters - which I think can handle up to 13A DC - OR wiring as an accessory to your battery, aux switches, spod, dual battery kit, etc.

 

[Bobzdar]

This is where dual battery systems with smart cross over and charging comes in handy.

Full disclosure the home coffee maker do any go into the field, a French press and gasoline stove do. I did however take a look at my rice cooker, 425w.

To be honest I’m not really sure what Jeep pictures we will be doing with the 400w other than phones, laptops, some power tool batteries?

Lights, air mattresses, laptop chargers etc. Basically any small electronics that don't have heating elements or large motors. I used mine camping for all of those, works well. Camp stove handles the cooking. If I need real power I bring my 3500W generator. If I need 220V, I have a 7500W generator. Yeah, they take up more room than an inverter but then I don't have to rebuild the electrical system in my Jeep to run them. Horses for courses, the 400W inverter is fine for most stuff you'd need camping. Not going to fly on a job site, but most people there don't use inverters, they bring gas generators.

 

[Ichthus]

From the manual page 144:
"The Power Inverter will only turn on if the ignition is in the ACC or ON/RUN position."

1.4 amps AC is not a whole lot. I would not bother with that for a fridge.

I think what you want is a 12V fridge/freezer. The vehicle's charging system can handle 12V without much issue.

EDIT: Let me also add - a fridge is exactly the kind of electrical device that you don't want to run on an inverter. You're basically throwing power away. You're better off spending a couple of extra dollars and getting a 12V fridge. You can then wire that to one of the cigarette lighter adapters - which I think can handle up to 13A DC - OR wiring as an accessory to your battery, aux switches, spod, dual battery kit, etc.

Well, the Dometics have both DC and AC plugs, along with built-in battery minders. I would simply much rather plug it in in the bed than take space out of the back seat.

 

[Rokon]

I was surprised to discover that the cabin 110v outlet is hot whenever the ignition is on. The bed outlet only is switched on/off with the dash button. Apparently there is no way to shut off the inverter...... I wonder how long you can listen to the radio in accessory...... there is alot powered up. May throw an amprobe on the battery lead to see how much draw there is when the ignition is on accessory.

 

[Hemi]

I was surprised to discover that the cabin 110v outlet is hot whenever the ignition is on. The bed outlet only is switched on/off with the dash button. Apparently there is no way to shut off the inverter...... I wonder how long you can listen to the radio in accessory...... there is alot powered up. May throw an amprobe on the battery lead to see how much draw there is when the ignition is on accessory.

You've got two batteries, not sure how the pull is split between them.

 

[Tortooga Custom Works]

I was surprised to discover that the cabin 110v outlet is hot whenever the ignition is on. The bed outlet only is switched on/off with the dash button. Apparently there is no way to shut off the inverter...... I wonder how long you can listen to the radio in accessory...... there is alot powered up. May throw an amprobe on the battery lead to see how much draw there is when the ignition is on accessory.

What's nice is you have to put it in ACC, so you are making the conscious decision to drain your cranking battery
It is a 70Ah battery, so you probably could get a good number of minutes before it goes dead.

 

[Tortooga Custom Works]

You've got two batteries, not sure how the pull is split between them.

The second battery is only for when the vehicle enters ESS. One important thing to note, there are A LOT of threads on other forums of folks whose jeep would not start because the ESS battery was dead, or other funny weird things.

 

[Bobzdar]

I was surprised to discover that the cabin 110v outlet is hot whenever the ignition is on. The bed outlet only is switched on/off with the dash button. Apparently there is no way to shut off the inverter...... I wonder how long you can listen to the radio in accessory...... there is alot powered up. May throw an amprobe on the battery lead to see how much draw there is when the ignition is on accessory.

Bed outlet only works if ACC is on, even with the cab switch enabled (it has to be enabled for it to work). ACC stays on for around 15-20 minutes if you leave the Jeep. I used to to inflate air mattress and run LED lights in my tent while camping, lights shut off after 15-20 minutes, which was actually perfect in that instance as I was about to go outside and shut it off. I was hoping you could turn it on via remote start, but no go, that just starts the engine and doesn't power ACC.

I'm going to have to figure out how to switch it so the dash button makes it always on, it's a lot less useful if it needs to switched with the ignition and I don't really want to leave the keys in an almost $60k vehicle.

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