Mounting an invertor

[badmix]

Need ideas on where to mount a small 450watt invertor in a stock interior truck with no carpet (LIne X'd interior).

Also, should it be wired directly to the battery with a buss fuse setup?

 

[Fordum]

Make sure it has lots of airflow, and if it mounts metal to metal, make sure its mounted to some thick stuff to draw off heat.
Also, its going to draw current as long as its hooked to the battery, so you need a way to disconnect it when not in use.

And, since its going to draw somewhere around 40 amps at full load, it will need a heavy power lead.
Which means it needs to be fused close to the battery. You do not want a piece of wire that thick to short out without a fuse between it and the battery.

If it does not have an internal disconnect, then you need to add a solenoid in the power lead.
I have seen some that did not draw much current when there was no load, but most of them drew some.

 

[badmix]

Ok, thanks. Im mounting the inverter to the back of the center console and running battery wire up the center of the truck, out the firewall and to the battery. I was going to connect the ground to the frame itself. Ill have a Buss fuse about a foot away from the battery.

Still working on the disconnect, not sure what to use. suggestions? (pics help)

 

[ktmoutfront]

Mine has an off switch. Zero draw when off.

 

[badmix]

Yea mine has an on and off switch, I know there are inverters that are constantly on, this is just a normal 350watt type.

 

[Fordum]

If the switch kills the battery draw, then you are fine. Some inverters only kill the output.
The manual may say.
What make and model is yours?

Otherwise, a heavy duty relay in line after the fuse is the way to go.

 

[badmix]

Its just a cheap discount auto 350watt/700watt inverter

 

[clandr1]

I mounted mine to the floor under the driver's seat, with the outlets facing to the side of the truck. I had to use some spacers to lift it high enough so the outlets cleared the bottom of the seat frame. I wired 8ga wire directly to the battery, so I'll need to see about wiring an inline off switch.

 

[cyclic]

Hey badmix, you go by die-tryin on arfcom?

Only thing I recommend is making sure you mount it high enough that you can still hose out that interior. For power kill you can use one of these..........

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...t-breaker/_/N-2690?itemIdentifier=413357_0_0_

Mount it where you can reach it inside, but run from a good ANL style fuse near the battery.

 

[badmix]

Hey badmix, you go by die-tryin on arfcom?

Only thing I recommend is making sure you mount it high enough that you can still hose out that interior. For power kill you can use one of these..........

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...t-breaker/_/N-2690?itemIdentifier=413357_0_0_

Mount it where you can reach it inside, but run from a good ANL style fuse near the battery.

Yea thats me, Die-Tryin on arfcom, mainly hang in the survival forums.

 

[cyclic]

Don't I know it, I use the same name there. :-)

Loved the blazer pics there, actually inspired me to get my own square body slow build going. I'm still running a 99 GMT400 Tahoe, but as soon as I can get it to daily driver status I'll be rocking the 88 Suburban.

 

[dyeager535]

Thinking about mounting an inverter in mine at some point.

I would think wiring the inverter on/off switch such that it comes on with the key in run (and accessory too perhaps) would be the most beneficial, but that's because I don't trust that the switch will never get flipped accidentally, or get left on.

You could also use a relay on the battery feed to the inverter, also ignition hot, and leave the switch in place, if you wanted to be able to turn it off while the truck is running. That IMO is more complex/expensive than it needs to be, however my inverter the fan runs constantly when its on, so it adds noise whether being used or not.