Inverter Install

[Outback_Joe]

Keep in mind your 2 gauge primary wire is rated at 115A, and a 2,000W inverter can draw nearly 200A at full load.
Did you fuse your primary wire at 115A?

Kevin

I am confused by the voltage and wire sizes that you are giving in your comment.

If pulling 2000W at 12 volts that would require #1 AWG Primary wire.
If delivering 2000 watts at 115 volts #14 AWG or to be more than safe #12 would be more than what's needed.

The inverter cut sheet attached above states that #1/0 AWG should be fine which is what it calcs out at. And on the 115V side for a short run like his #12 will be more than enough. Not trying to step on any toes here just making sure that we are on almost the same page.

Sponsored

 

[OldSarge]

I believe that’s a modified sine wave inverter rather than a pure sine wave inverter. Be aware a modified sine wave inverter can damage some appliances.
I went with a 4000w psw inverter so I could really power everything in my campsite. Power source is a 300 ah LiPo4 battery in the Packout

Here’s a pic before I mounted the inverter in the bed.

 

[Kevin_D]

I am confused by the voltage and wire sizes that you are giving in your comment.

If pulling 2000W at 12 volts that would require #1 AWG Primary wire.
If delivering 2000 watts at 115 volts #14 AWG or to be more than safe #12 would be more than what's needed.

The inverter cut sheet attached above states that #1/0 AWG should be fine which is what it calcs out at. And on the 115V side for a short run like his #12 will be more than enough. Not trying to step on any toes here just making sure that we are on almost the same page.

I didn't mention voltage.
The Primary Wire is the input to the inverter, in this case, 12V (nominal.)
For 2 kW at 12V, and considering no inverter is 100% efficient, you're looking at nearly 200A on the primary side, so a 2/0 wire is recommended.

And typically a 14-gauge wire at 120VAC is only rated at 15A. For up to 20A 12 gauge wire is specified. Is this overkill? Possibly. But I wouldn't want to run 14 ga. wire on a 20A circuit and find my truck (or worse my house) up in flames because an underrated wire overheated and caught fire.

Kevin

 

[OldSarge]

I didn't mention voltage.
The Primary Wire is the input to the inverter, in this case, 12V (nominal.)
For 2 kW at 12V, and considering no inverter is 100% efficient, you're looking at nearly 200A on the primary side, so a 2/0 wire is recommended.

And typically a 14-gauge wire at 120VAC is only rated at 15A. For up to 20A 12 gauge wire is specified. Is this overkill? Possibly. But I wouldn't want to run 14 ga. wire on a 20A circuit and find my truck (or worse my house) up in flames because an underrated wire overheated and caught fire.

Kevin

This is good advice. Simple thing to do when in doubt is to reference one of the many wiring gauge charts available online. One other aspect to consider is the length of the wire run.

Here's an example chart:
https://www.offroaders.com/technical/12-volt-wiring-tech-gauge-to-amps/#google_vignette

For example, I have a 40A DC to DC Renogy charger in the bed of my JT to charge my batteries. That run is about 12', so you could see that chart says 8ga wire is recommended. I ran 4ga so that I could have headroom to to add more accessories back there as well.

Its also important to be wary of wire purchased on Amazon. Make sure it is pure copper. Those gauge charts are assuming copper wire. If it looks cheap, it could be copper clad aluminum, CCA. I would not use CCA in my vehicle.

 

[ecidiego]

I’ll be the first to admit it, I got a bit carried away. Surely I will find more uses for it.

Vitamix. Frozen margaritas. 1640w blenders.

 

[Jteakus]

A little late but as promised, pics from a mission successful trip to Hot Springs Off Road Park.

 

[Jteakus]

Action shots

 

[MPMB]

Vitamix. Frozen margaritas. 1640w blenders.

We live in exciting times.

When I was a kid, we'd go to our friend's place on one of the Puget Sound islands. Big gathering of families. Kids would sleep in the tri-fold ratcheting plastic loungers on the deck. The parents would be out on the beach at the bon fire doing what parents do. My dad brought his 200' extension cord so they could blend margaritas on the beach. My mom fell over one of the logs with the blender, but like a pro, didn't spill anything.

We'll never know the struggle our parents had.

Speaking of coffee, my wife has a re-chargable shot-maker (similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/WACACO-Nanop...fos.17d9e15d-4e43-4581-b373-0e5c1a776d5d&th=1 )

Problem is it just makes the shot. You still need a way to heat up water/milk.

We also have a Moka Pot, which is a good compromise.
https://www.amazon.com/Primula-Stov...-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[Truck]

I know this is an old thread but what outlet in the bed did you use. I only saw glances of it in the pics and video.

 

[Jteakus]

I want to say I bought this off Amazon. Been using inverter setup every day we’ve been on vacation.

Sponsored