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will a mobile power inverter


Trigger Mike

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I bought a 3 in 1 160 watt mobile power inverter, if the power went out and I plugged it into my cigarette lighter in my car and ran the engine would it be able to power my full size refrigerator? I'd likely run one of htose thick orange extension cords out to it.

 

WOuld one also power a standing freezer in another car?

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Here is a link to a wattage use chart. The most critical number (starting or running) is the whichever one is higher. Also this is a short list you can find others online. The short answer to your specific question is no.

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http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/popups/watt_usage.html

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Here is a link to a wattage use chart. The most critical number (starting or running) is the whichever one is higher. Also this is a short list you can find others online. The short answer to your specific question is no.

.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/popups/watt_usage.html

that sure is informative. how about this link then, based on the chart you sent it should be good for running a refrigerator from the car and is cheaper than a generator, plus it makes my generator mobile to take it to the gas station for more gas. since I have 3 cars plus a relatives car here I could run it off their car, until the gas goes down and then attach it to one of mine, by then the power should be back up.

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4424792

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I looked at the Whistler inverter link you provided and saw where they even had a 2500 watt....interesting. Lets look at this from an amp basis.

 

Power (watts) = Volts X Amps

 

The link for the power usage shows a refrigerator has a starting watts of 2200 and a running watts of 700.

 

So lets look at the amps required from your car to run your refrigerator (assuming you have the 2500 watt inverter...that sells for $400 BTW)

 

Starting load in amps required by your car at 12 volts

2200 / 12 = 183 amps at 12 volts

 

Running load in amps required by your car at 12 volts

700 / 12 = 58 amps at 12 volts.

 

Now consider the size of the alternator on your vehicle engine. Most cars have alternators rated at 50-70 amperes. Assuming you had a 70 amp alternator the refrigerator would require almost the maximum rating of your alternator. Also, you would have to connect your power inverter directly to your battery since your cigarette lighter fuse rating would be about 25 amps at best. This 58 amps running load would be required for the whole time you are running the refrigerator.

 

While that is interesting you wouldn't even get the refrigerator compressor started with a starting load of 183 amps. And...even if you were lucky enough to get the compressor started in the refrigerator the voltage would be pretty low. And...you'll also find that the voltage regulator on your vehicle would not be steady state enough to run the electronics in your refrigerator if your refrigerator is of recent vintage.

 

So....I would not pay $400 for a power inverter that I would have to mount permanently under the hood of my vehicle on the oft chance that you might need it in a power outage. And even if you did have such an installation you would not be able to run as much as you are hoping for.

 

Those 2500 watt inverters have their place...mostly in RVs or trucks that may have a camper installed on it. The alternator has to be large enough to run such an inverter and these large alternators are more typically installed in vehicles with larger engines than those found in most cars.

 

And...one more thing to think about....most inverters generate a square wave, not a sine wave alternating current (AC). Some electronics and motors (compressors) don't work well with a square wave AC source.

 

Kajun

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BTW, you better find out if that inverter produces a true sine wave(sine is what comes into your house).

Most of them don't, they give you a square wave that can wreck stuff PDQ.

Honda gennys will use less gas than your car, they produce a sine wave.

Best bang-for-your-buck w/3 yr. warranty.

http://www.wisesales.com/eu2000i-companion-package-honda-generator.html

I have these and they are just great, IMNSHO.

LG

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Running load in amps required by your car at 12 volts

700 / 12 = 58 amps at 12 volts.

 

Don't think so.....most cars don't even have a 50 amp alt. on them.

Your run'n load is way high for any passenger car, BTW.

Where did you pull those load/run specs?

LG

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I bought a 3 in 1 160 watt mobile power inverter, if the power went out and I plugged it into my cigarette lighter in my car and ran the engine would it be able to power my full size refrigerator? I'd likely run one of htose thick orange extension cords out to it.

 

WOuld one also power a standing freezer in another car?

TM...if you are shooting at Cherokee Cowboy match this weekend look me up...I'll be there. I'll answer any questions you have about it.

 

Kajun

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