What can run on an inverter and for how long?

I watch lots of KZbin videos where people ask if they can run one thing or another run on an inverter, so I thought I would make a video about what you can run and how much power it will actually use. There are alot of variables in inverters regarding size, voltage, and battery banks, but I try to keep it pretty basic.

[@aeservices6574]

IS THERE ANY WAY i COULD GET A COPY OF THAT SPREADSHEET? iF SO YOU COULD EMAIL OR POST IT SOMEWHERE i COULD ACCESS. i WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT

[@FernbarkFrist]

I don’t have it any more, my apologies.

[@MrWally2600]

Watch video take a snapshot

[@willson7360]

/woosh

[@i13lade]

Take a fuckin’ screenshot you fuckin’ BOOMER

[@willson7360]

@@i13lade haha thats gold lol

[@PeacefulKnight]

Thank you so much for the break down! I'm wanting to get an inverter to charge my 18v cordless batteries and also be able to run a 19" portable monitor and gaming system in between customer appointments. This was a huge help in understanding expected battery life.

[@haroldwarren1318]

thank you,you have been only person i have found really breaks it down.very useful keep up good work

[@davesdiversions8078]

Lots of great information. Thanks for the video.

[@random4969]

BIGGGGG HELP this rough guide is INVALUABLE thanks mate :)

[@wehmeyer875]

Thanks it helps me a lot thanks 👍 I live in South Africa

[@TonyGingrich]

Very good video! I think the only thing I would add is the fact that many 120V appliances will actually consume more power from a square-wave source than from a sine. This is due to the electro-mechanical inductive principles exploited from the current. In short, for appliances using induction motors, you can actually safely off (I'm guessing) at least 5% of the inverter's exchange.

[@JohnDrivesAnything]

I was showing my friend my van videos and you were in the recommended videos on my Vizio in van video LOL

[@FernbarkFrist]

That is funny. It always cracks me up too, when I see YT recommend I watch my own videos.

[@dmitrishapovalov]

thanks for this!! it helps, really appreciated

[@FernbarkFrist]

Thanks for watching.

[@SilentDeath002]

I hear ya buddy. I guess your best input time will be from 11:00 to about 1:00. if you get a chance find a few regular panels to add into the mix and see how the input might change, I was in total over cast conditions all day, and those panels still went into absorb then float for most of the day, I was really impressed so far. still wiring in the sub panel before I fire up the inverter, if you hear a really loud BOOM! it wasn't me lol

[@nef003]

Excellent.. we’ll explained and easy to follow. Thanks!

[@rfamilyadventure5057]

Thanks This helped me figure out what I need. For emergency power

[@FernbarkFrist]

Great! Thanks for watching.

[@engr.ediyoakpanesen7260]

Great video. Absolutely helpful

[@FernbarkFrist]

Glad it was helpful!

[@andrewpm8900]

Really cool list. Would be nice to see the list with the efficiency of the inverter taken into account.

[@FernbarkFrist]

All inverters are different. That would be a tough list.

[@junkmale1365]

Do you consider the efficiency of the series configurations for 24v and 48v to outweigh the failsafe of parallel in 12v? Example, in 12v where all batteries are parallel, if one battery becomes inoperable you lose that batt's ah but you can still operate normally otherwise. Conversely, when they are all in series and one battery fails, your system is down until a replacement is made. You could have a 12v to 110/120v inverter on hand and do a quick reconfiguration of your bank in this case I suppose. Just seems more inconvenient than only replacing the bad battery in the parallel configuration. Your thoughts? I know you could do a series-parallel setup with the 24v and 48v systems that would have the same failsafe as the all parallel 12v system but that would require double the batteries = $$.

[@wallenbergphoto]

Thank u for this video :)

[@MyVantasticLifeVoyage]

This really helped Me! I’m installing a small off grid 12 v solar system in my house just for emergency back up until power is restored. I have a 3000 wt inverter. My question has always been. Ok so how long will it take an inverter to run my battery down or keep power going? No one seems to answer that question, so I was glad to see you made this video.

[@FernbarkFrist]

Glad to have helped. Once you get used to the math, it is pretty easy.

[@ivandelgado160]

Your info is great!! thanks

[@JOHNNY-pr9kv]

GREAT video!An example...60ah - 12v HIGH cicle battery for starting car ,and 3 more the same type in caravan treiler conected parallel...For an electric divice that consumes 1000watt in 220volt power grid , how many hours will it run? (For the 3 batteries fully charged with 2000watt inverter.)

[@junkmale1365]

Are you accounting for the fact that when identical batteries are in parallel the volts stay same but amps increase for each battery added and when you connect them in series the volts increase but the amps available stay same no matter how many batteries you add. Simply connecting 4 12v batteries in series to get 48v will not double run time of system. Since you have a fourth of the amps you would have if they were in parallel. The only way you can significantly increase the run time is increase the size of the battery bank. While your system may decrease the amp draw, the battery arrangement required decreases the amp pool equally. So, while your arrangement may decrease the size wires needed it is not increasing the run time available. Example 4 100ah batteries in parallel = 400ah @ 12v. So a 100a draw = 4 hrs run time. If the same batteries are in series-parallel to get 24v you have 200ah and if it allows the draw to drop to 50a it still equals 4 hrs. Again, if the same batteries are in parallel for 48v you have 100ah and if it allows the draw to drop to 25a you still have 4 hrs of run time. So, unless you are adding to your bank you are only making the system run more efficiently, which may be adding a small amount of run time, but in no way are you doubling your run time just by changing the configuration of a set number of batteries. Volts and amps are on a see-saw. When one goes up, the other goes down. We have to play by the rules. Remember, things always look great on paper.

[@FernbarkFrist]

Yes. It should be obvious from the math on the spreadsheet.

[@junkmale1365]

Actually, the spreadsheet only states "Run Time with 100 amp hour battery bank". The spreadsheet does not explain whether you have four 12v 100ah batts, eight 6v 100ah, or four 12v 25ah batts (which you and I know can not produce 48v with 100ah although people new to this type of power system would not). I am not trying to be rude or disrespectful. I just think it would be good for folks new to this type of power system if it were explained a little more obviously. I know you mention briefly in your commentary that it would take a lot of batteries but I have to disagree, this fact is NOT obvious from the math to someone who does NOT already know this. The spreadsheet assumes the reader knows what must be done to keep a battery bank's amp hours at different voltage configurations. If someone were using three 8v 100ah batteries in series to get to 24v they may think they have increased their ah to 300 when they still only have 100. Your spread sheet only explains the amp usage at different voltages. Again, not trying to put you down. I thank you for sharing your knowledge with others. I have learned a lot from folks like you about other things I didn't know about. I am just trying to help you help others even more.

[@mikebenstead7600]

I agree. The OP needs to check his formulas at and upto F12:F15. If an appliance draws a constant 1000 watts and the battery is 100 Amp hours I fail to see why these numbers would not all be the same.

[@jso2332]

make a video!

[@thelionsden3323]

@@FernbarkFrist CAN YOU RUN 3 BATTERIES IN SERIES AND 4 BATTERIES IN PARAELL AND BALANCE AMPS OUT WITH VOLTS?

[@joesgrows6662]

Hi great video I'm wonding how to find out how many watt solar system I would need to run about 300 watts for 18 hours a day

[@NASANYC]

Thanks! Would you have the formulas used for this spreadsheet? I would like to make this , it’s a great sheet to help figure it out

[@FernbarkFrist]

I don't think I still have them. You can go to almost any solar power forum and get them though.

[@khenzwinter2834]

Thank you sir for this video. This is helpful.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You are welcome

[@SilentDeath002]

nice job on the spread sheet information. oh I was talking to Alan about your set up. he had to cook breakfast and will get back to me in a few. he thinks we might be getting some line loss issues thru the bottom control section of the magnum. ill get back with you on some recommended test he thinks we should try. one idea I had was to just hook the solar panels direct to the controller then to the batteries and see if the input increases. that would be a fairly easy test. anyway, ill get back to ya buddy, have a good one! SD.

[@FernbarkFrist]

SilentDeath002 Line loss might account for some of it, but I believe I have some shading issues also. The roof top air conditioner is shading one of my panels pretty good for part of the day and I have an antenna I need to take down that shades somewhat also.

[@jimmyemerson3824]

I have them on order for my Motorhomes.Be here Wednesday.

[@sharpgirlsSerious]

Excellent tutorial ❤

[@FernbarkFrist]

Glad you liked it!

[@TheKW1330]

Have a dual battery system want to power a vacuum for service truck 120volts at 11 amps using this during the day for about 1hr at most will I be ok with 2000 watt inverter or should I get battery bank

[@walterschilling4512]

Thanks for this info!

[@prittypenguin46]

Thank you it helped me understand it more

[@alfredmayes5005]

I’m living out in the DR and can use some advice in terms of the wattage and battery size needed to accomplish my goals. I want an inverter that is large enough to run 3 ceiling fans, some of the outlets, and 3 TVs (32, 43 and 55 inch). The outlets are needed because I work from home and need ability to power a 14 inch laptop and my wireless router. And also have ability to charge my smartphones. I don’t anticipate having to run the inverter all day but maybe for a few hours, hopefully. One or two of the fans can be turned off if I lose power during the day. I’d love to hear your feedback on a good size to meet my needs as well as battery size.

[@FernbarkFrist]

There are far too many variables for me to even guess. You will have to do the math yourself with the equipment on hand to calculate it correctly.

[@SilentDeath002]

I understand about that shading problem. what size wire did you run from your connectors to the combiner box? I used 10awg and it seems to work ok. since we have similar systems it will be great to compare notes and findings. hang in there buddy, things will work out.

[@FernbarkFrist]

SilentDeath002 I had used 10 awg as well, since that is the same size as the wire that comes from the panel. I have since put in 6 awg, but have not seen any improvement in wattage. I also expect since my panels are flat and not angled towards the sun, that is also an inefficiency. It all adds up (subtracts down?).

[@scottdowler8316]

I have an 19 inch energy star LED TV that I want to run in case of a power outage during the hurricane. I have a 1000w 24v inverter with two 75ah 12 v batteries wired in series to make 24v. My watt meter tells me that the TV pulls 20w. How long can I run this TV? The batteries and inverter came out of an emergency lighting system that I have, I didn't purchase these items specifically for this but figured I could use it if needed it since I already have them. I figure a 1000w inverter maybe overkill but that's all I have.

[@kimberlystanley2529]

I'm glad I came across your site, just the man I want to ask this question.. trying to run my full size refrigerator full time for a couple of months until I get some electrical work done later this summer. Can't pull my big refrigerator out from the back wall because it's extremely heavy so I can't even bulge it..and since I have no electricity in my home period...I want to buy a 5000 watt inverter, battery, and charge controller along with big terminal wires that you're talking about. Tell me what to do please because I've been reading this and that and I'm just sooo confused...sooo confused!! 😭 So you're my only hope that I have left, I want an inverter with that amount of wattage because I may want to run other things. Tell me about how much wattage I need in solar panels, battery bank..like 200 ah batteries or whatever it takes to run something around the clock until I charge it back up with solar panels. Please help me. I'm also considering buying a more modern money and energy saving refrigerator, but I want to talk to you first.

[@FernbarkFrist]

This is an interesting problem. My full sized fridge averages between 1.5 and 2 kilowatt hours per day. You will need enough solar input to fill that need, plus whatever else you want to run. There are a ton of variables to take into account. I would suggest going to the Arizona Wind and Solar forum, it is very likely some one has asked a similar question that you could get some guidance from. If this is not going to be a full time solution, I would consider looking into something like the Eco-flow Delta series, or one of the big units from Bluetti. It would be an all in one solution, and you would just have to hook the panels to them.

[@ryanbeard1119]

Would you say that running anytype of an inverter from a running vehicles 12 volt battery, will expend the battery life drastically?

[@jma8352]

thanks! so im setting up 4 6v golf cart batteries in series to get 24volt with 5 100 watt solar panelsdose that sound right? im thinking for power tools short run time. i know if i double the storage it would be better but most of the expense

[@FernbarkFrist]

The higher voltage will be better because you will have less amp draw, but you still will not get much run time depending on the tools you are operating ( say a compressor or a big saw)

[@opb7749]

Good video. Question, can I put 13,500 btu portable AC unit in my rv bedroom and not also run the generator since Iam driving and running my rv engine to maintain the battery power? Possible? Please advice...

[@FernbarkFrist]

It is not a practical solution.

[@amey24xxx33]

Can you please put the spreadsheet Link Here so people can kind of calculate their amps ?... Thanks you very much.

[@tiktokbbyy3825]

Xbox one x and a 90 inch tv what watt do you suggest and how long would I be able to my Xbox

[@1GREATDANE]

Straight Away I went 24 Volt on My Van and Bunkhouse Systems and 48 Volts on The Main Lodge & Home here. And Saved more in wire and fuses than Inverter Costs and Peace of Mind in Battery Storage and Capacity

[@FernbarkFrist]

Smart

[@orion2009md]

Can i use a dc 12v power from a transformer to an inverter for my refrigerator 220v?

[@eno242ducasse4]

Good morning, very interesting video. I have a freezer who pull220w 3x12w bulb =36w, 1tv 48w 1 fan 60w total 364watts. If i have a 500w inverter what size of battery bank i need to run them for 6 to 7 hour before the sun come back to recharge the batterys please.

[@brenth4618]

I am needing to keep my motorcyle battery maintained. the storage building I keep at doesnt have electric. If I have a 500w power inverter with only hooked to it is a 1.25amp battery tender plus charger and maintainer how long will it last??

[@mdasey1]

Makes sense, now I know what inverter to buy, but what I really want to know is if I can use a 350cca l&g battery as a power source to run a Keurig for 4 hrs.?

[@FernbarkFrist]

Depends on how many cups you are making in that time. But I would guess it would not last for too long.

[@dennisrobbins657]

Fantastic video thanks

[@FernbarkFrist]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@montanathreehunna]

Hey bro you seem like you really know your stuff. And even you breaking it down is confusing me lol. If I got a 3000w inverter 12v converts 120v ac, would that run off a jetta battery for a 2800w alphasonik speaker? I know an amp and sub setup would be better but I already have the speaker for work

[@FernbarkFrist]

You would have to see how much surge that speaker has. It probably would, but it is going to drain your battery pretty quickly.

[@vamboroolz1612]

Some people are going to be disappointed with the reality of these outcomes but for me and my 12volt/ 2000w continuous system, they work. I only need my inverter for short periods of time, maybe 5 minutes at 1000-1300w maximum. Any more than that and I would have went for a 24volt system. Guess it all depends what you are using it for.

[@boostv8chevy457]

Hi Fernbark Frist Great info. i have one more question. The 4 times 100 amp batt. and the 13500BTU works 4.4 hr. Means the battery will drain complely? What will be draining. Only the amps or the voltage too? so the volt will go to zero?Or only the amp will be draining?. i like to know when you have to stop draining the battery for a normal caqr battery not to damage. Acid battery. if its gell type its deffrence i must understand.

[@FernbarkFrist]

The battery voltage will drop as you pull amps from the battery. Depending on your inverter, most have a low voltage sensor that will turn the inverter off before completely draining the battery. Your battery will still be pretty shot at that point. You do not want to make a habit of that. I very much recommend you never try to run an A/C on batteries unless you have a huge system, which you probably won't if you are using it on a camper. I ran mine and got high amp and high temp alarms on the inverter. If you really want to learn more, I recommend going to a solar power forum and read the new user threads where this is all explained in detail.

[@jimmyemerson3824]

What size pure sine inverter will I need for a Directv HR-24 receiver, and a Winegard G2 plus antenna? Can you recommend a brand that is pretty silent? Thanks

[@FernbarkFrist]

They are all pretty quiet. The bigger ones might have a little fan noise (about the same as a computer). I would need to know all the power requirements of your gear you want to run to tell you what size to get. The whole purpose of this video was to show you how to figure it out yourself.

[@omarebrahim3984]

Thanks for video. Spreadie can be figured out. 300W. Power=VA, so DC Amps is 300W/12V=25A DC. With 100Ah bank its 100Ah/25A=4Hours. If interest, can do a spreadie for above showing 12V, 24V and 48V.

[@omarmramadan3942]

Hello everyone , i have a a 600w inverter planing to switch on my 20 inch tv and my xbox 360 or ps3 . maybe charge my phone too , what 12v battery do u suggest me to use and how many amp should it be ? Thanks you

[@MrLdvo]

great job thanks a lot!

[@FernbarkFrist]

Glad it helped!

[@paulscussel140]

Thanks for the informative video, would you be willing to share your spreadsheet for private use please?

[@FernbarkFrist]

I am not even sure if I have it any more. If you go to solar forums or places that sell solar panels, they will frequently have similar spreadsheets you can use.

[@ralfymercedphotography1212]

Hi , Thank you for this informative video. I would like to run a large printer and laptop on a 2000 watt pure sine inverter. The following information is fir the printer : Power DevicePower supply ‑ internal Power Consumption Operational19 Watt Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep2.3 Watt Power Consumption Stand by 2.3 Watt. With a laptop how much time can i run it on a car battery ? Or shpuld o get a deep cycle battery ? If i go with another inverter with less wattage what would be the minimum to run the printer and laptop for 8 hours ?

[@TheXmenfan23]

240WH / 19W = 12.63 hrs, so at least that long at 19 watts.

[@milro5011]

May I ask the for the formula you entered in Excel to calculate the items listed? I'd like to do the same to figure out my setup for 2 ppl using small appliances,etc thanks in advance!

[@FernbarkFrist]

It's pretty much just watts=volts * amps I wrote this at least two years ago. Not even sure I still have the spread sheet. IF you go to any website selling solar gear, they will have a similar spread sheet ready for you to use. I think Arizona Wind and Solar has a pretty good one.

[@milro5011]

Fernbark Frist Great feedback, Thank you! :)

[@thelionsden3323]

@@milro5011 ACCEPT THE FEEDBACK . WILL YOU PLEASE BRING UP NOT ACCEPTING FEEDBACK IN EVALUATIONS PLEASE SIR. LOL GOOD

[@thelionsden3323]

@@FernbarkFrist I AM A DUMBASS. I AM NEW AND IS GETTING A 24 FOOT CAMPER TRAILER NO VEHICLE THOUGH. HOW MICH IS IT FOR ME TO BUY A START UP KIT? I REPEAT. I AM A DUMBASS. I WANT MY TRAILER OFF GRID. IT HAS CENTRAL AIR. THAT I KNOW OF . SO I ASK YOU TO PLEAS3 HELP THIS DUMBASS BECOME A SMARTASS. I THANK YOU

[@myklesingh8253]

What power inverter do I need for a 4500 car amp at home

[@steveinaz78]

Any way you can send me that Excel spreadsheet you use on load caluations . Thanks

[@FernbarkFrist]

Sorry, I can't. but most solar power forums have a similar one that you can download and use.

[@Pipita79]

This is awesome! Can you send the spread sheet pleaseeeeeeeee

[@WallStreet749]

Is this chart based on running one 12V battery only? because every thing seems like it just doubles after that. 48v running two12v batteries and 48v running four 12v batteries. If this is the case what is the reason for someone to buy a 24v inverter or a 48v inverter when really all it amounts to is just more batteries.

[@FernbarkFrist]

Higher voltage allows the use of thinner wires, which are cheaper and easier to run.

[@jeffclarkofclarklesparkle3103]

Haha...i just had a funny idea. You can use your xbox as a space heater 😝 but my first idea was that this combined with other things that can extend the energy usage and create less loss. If you were using this in an off grid type application. There's a space heater design that takes very little energy to heat using a big bolt, a bunch or washers and nuts to cover the whole length. And 2 terra cotta pots with holes in the bottom. You assemble the pots inside one another with the bolt and nuts holding them together and put washers and bolts over the remaining threaded rod. They used candles to heat a room in their video, but a small heating coil could be used off battery power.

[@FernbarkFrist]

Those don't actually work. I have tried them.

[@kaustubhdhamale4321]

What will be charging amp for 5kva ups 192dc

[@anthonymarino4260]

thanks for sharing

[@FernbarkFrist]

You are quite welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@hoosierdaddy9377]

Just got a 2000 watt converter, planning on hooking my projector up to it while camping. Would my battery be drained after one movie?

[@FernbarkFrist]

Depends on the battery, how long you run the projector, and how much power the projector uses, and how much power the inverter uses to convert the battery power to AC power.

[@bonnierussell7824]

I don't know what kind of inverter my camper has. I just got it, and it is older. Class c 96 jaco eagle. Are we stuck with the inverter it has or can it be upgraded? I just want to know what it is capable of running.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You sure can upgrade it. It only takes money.

[@Anna-dn3bi]

ok im wondering about Australian power 240 v how do i know if i can run something eg laptop or a blender on my inverter ( 200 watt 12 volt ) or do i need a higher watt inverter ?

[@FernbarkFrist]

Your electrical items will have the current they use (or sometimes the watts) stamped somewhere on the unit. You have to look at that and decide if your inverter is big enough. 200 watts is not big enough for a blender. Many blender start at 900 watts, and have a really big surge into the 1500-1800 range. I would get at least a 2000 watt unit to run a blender.

[@ZPDSurvival]

Thank You.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You're welcome

[@jackmeltri3893]

Can U please share this excel file ? Thank u so much for the video

[@mandorodriguez2245]

What setup would you suggest if I need to use 400 watts for 12 hours a day?

[@FernbarkFrist]

You have to decide what voltage you are going to run and then do the math to make sure you have enough batteries to operate your load for that amount of time.

[@misspaula73]

Hi I’m wanting to run a 240 volt pressure pump and a light when there is a blackout will a 100amph lead acid battery run the pump with a 300 watt inverter or will I need 200amph

[@FernbarkFrist]

You will need an inverter that puts out 240 volts.

[@TruthInFacts]

i have low wattage needs so at the moment i have a duracell 400 w peak inverter . i wanted some extra amp hours so i was thinking about using another battery and run it parallel. its 400 watts peak but will the extra amperage hurt my inverter?

[@FernbarkFrist]

no

[@christophermendonca7969]

So i want to run a 500 watt a/c from a 12volt inverter so that is 50amps being pulled from my battery so to cover the use would 500watts worth of panels work?

[@FernbarkFrist]

You will need many more panels. They never work at 100% efficiency and you also have to account for the surge when the unit starts.

[@chevyxrz]

What inverter can I use for an electric fan heater on the bottom in says 1500 watts if I'm correct

[@FernbarkFrist]

You will need an inverter that can produce 1500 watts or greater.

[@chevyxrz]

@@FernbarkFrist thanks for the info

[@netook8]

Battery bank: Series=double the voltage. Parallel= double the amperage(amp hours). Lets take what I got, two systems, one isn't ready as I need more batts. single #8D size 200AH 12V(currently in use until I get the rest and then moved to a different location). #2 is, will start at 2X #27 size batts. If I wire is series I will get 24V at 100AH. If I wire in parallel I get 12V at 200AH. However wiring in series allows for greater solar charging of 800W instead of 400W on my MPPT controller

[@FernbarkFrist]

Weird. It should be the same wattage input. The amps and volts will be different, but the wattage should be the same.

[@netook8]

@@FernbarkFrist Its the max wattage input, not the actual. A 30 amp controller will take up to 400W at 12V or 800W at 24V. Panel would be 400W regardless. Output amperage to a 24V battery would instead be around 15 amps.

[@cobraAH1]

sir, I have 1500w inverter, however my total loads is only 102w all Led ligths all over the house lightings, now i am concern to the battery consumption, will this affect the battery consume or I have to purchase the lower wattage which is 500w inverter to save battery power?

[@FernbarkFrist]

The inverter will draw power. You will have to look at each inverter to see what it's no load draw is. They will all be a little different. Usually the rated draw is pretty close, but assume it will be up to ten watts more than what they claim.

[@sunnysmarket]

I have I ford f350 I need to plug it in power in winter time it hard to start . I was thinking to have in Inverter, Dsr Proseries, PIF-2000, for the heater for a 15 min before start it . Have some one answer my question please

[@FernbarkFrist]

I seriously have no idea what your question is or I would try to answer it.

[@sunnysmarket]

My truck need to plug it in power i can't start it in the morning. I was thinking to get a power inverters so I can hook it up to my truck batteries and connect the engine heater to it. So I got to run up to 3000 watt. For only 10 minutes the batteries losing its charge so this thing it doesn't work. I was thinking to find another idea to connect the heater I make the engine warm and then maybe I can start my truck

[@denisfortier9716]

my car block heater is obviously less than 1500 watts because it run on a standard AC extension cord. It never blew the fuse so we will suppose it is 1000 watt of power to simplify the math. 1000 watt x 10min/60min= 166 watt-hours, most AGM battery are on the order of 100 amp-hour x 12 volts= 1200 watt-hour and you can use only 50%= 600 watt hours so your house battery OR start battery if your start battery is AGM, can easily give away 166 watt hour to heat your engine and will be only 166 / 1200 depleted, this correspond to 14% so it leave you with 86% full charge ( i am not familiar with using standard cranking start battery for this application because they are not deep cycle, only marine are deep cycle. Standard batteries are for start only and this is why small Honda Civic batteries don't last many years, they are routinely overloaded. So you can do it and the next time you will buy an AGM or marine deep cycle) and i can bet your truck will start, but you will have to travel enough to recharge it, not just a little trip to the neighbour store. The good new is that you block heater is a purely resistive load so this is perfect for a very cheap modified sinus wave inverter we can find everywhere like in Canadian Tire in my town. You have to buy a unit with at least 1500 watt of power so your 2000 watt device is perfect and you have a margin of security, these device can become very hot and you don't want that. If you can, it is better to have them mounted vertically for the heat dissipation by natural convection. We see many you-tuber burning their inverter and having to change it, one was in the ocean when they burn it if i remember correctly. Modern inverter have one or two tiny computer fan so make sure your inverter is installed in a well ventilated place, if not you will do like many you-tuber, who burn their expensive Danfoss 12 volt compressor because of not enough ventilation.

[@tractorboy31]

Omar nissan. What is your motor. What temp does it go down to. Maybe get an inverter generator. My 97 7.3 started just fine this winter in mi which got to minus 20 ish

[@davidallen7404]

I need help, I have a 100 watt grape panel system with a 100 amp hour battery from Amazon. How long can I run a 120 watt inverter. Without draining it below 50 %. The battery charges to 13.2 volts and reads at 100 % but when I plug in the 120 watt inverter it drop to 12.7 and 72% in only a few minutes. How long should it run for is my battery defective? Thanks

[@FernbarkFrist]

Batteries without a load on them read higher voltage than they do as soon as you put a load on, so a drop in voltage is normal. Take your battery to an auto parts place and ask them to test it if you want to make sure it is not defective.

[@damackay75]

I think something is a wrong in the spreadsheet. Peukert's Law results in higher voltage inverters allowing somewhat longer run times because lead acid batteries will provide more amp-hours if you pull the amps more slowly (e.g. drawing 20 amps constantly versus drawing 80 amps constantly). However, your spreadsheet suggests that the total power available will double going from 12v to 24v, and will double again from 24v to 48v. I doubt Peukert's Law will result in such a dramatic difference. I have batteries designed to allow rapid discharge. If I draw down my batteries to 50% in 1 hour I'll get about 1.7 times as much power compared to drawing them down to 50% in 15 minutes. This ratio would compare to drawing down batteries with a 12v versus a 48v inverter to power the same load on the 120/240v side. Going with 48v is a big improvement to my total available power from the batteries but it doesn't quite *double* the power, and it certainly doesn't quadruple the power as shown in your spreadsheet. I believe the difference in my total power available would be less dramatic if I compared drawing the batteries down over a period of 5 hours versus 10 hours, or 10 hours vs 20 hours.

[@FernbarkFrist]

The reality is that most people have 12v inverters, and some have 24v. Hardly anyone has 48. If you are serious about solar and inverters, you are probably already familiar with the math needed and are willing to invest in a battery bank to support 48v operation. Most people are not.

[@chiwasxilitla415]

I have 2000 wats power converter and i want to plug my microwave sobwhat type of cable can i use. Do you think i can use the red cables from a stereo sustem or stronger ones

[@FernbarkFrist]

Google "wire size chart". Use that to determine the wire size.

[@eagle1532]

Sure speaker wires would be perfect, infact you can try using a telephone extension cable, smaller the wire, the better. Maybe you can also try 2 drinking straws

[@foodstampz]

Lol

[@chodkowski01]

Opened my eyes. I have an EGO 56v power station and a 12v 100ah battery with solar. They both used power differently. I guess the ego must have a 48v inverter which explains why I get a decent runtime.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You should get the same run time if the batteries are the same chemistry and have the same Watt hours. Also keep in mind that the Ego batteries are LiPo and can drain down 80% and probably your solar set up has lead acid, and that you probably only drain down about 30-50% of the batteries capacity which shortens the amount of run time.

[@morningglory3681]

How much to run a sewing machine and lights?

[@wickam003]

Attempting to build a portable gaming set up running an xbox and tv would a computer monitor be better then a tv wattage wise and what kind of inverter would I need to make it happen I've seem a few guys on here run there games and monitors through there cigarette lighters Is that possible or are they tricking the camera

[@FernbarkFrist]

Unless you custom wired the cig lighter, you can not pull that much power without smoking the wiring going to the socket or more likely popping a fuse.

[@fatboyinskinnyjeans]

Excuse me ignorance I know this complicates the issue but do you have to take account of starting wattage how long does that run for when you're running at AC before it switches back to running wattage

[@FernbarkFrist]

The starting wattage (or surge) takes only a fraction of a second, and won't really factor into the how long your batteries will last, but it does factor into which size inverter you will need.

[@neomatrix2722]

Hi do you have the spreadsheet xlns file so that I can put this into my spreadsheet thank you or point me to the website where I can get this file either way thank you for sharing

[@FernbarkFrist]

No, sorry

[@billydee4022]

man,not to sound ungrateful for these kind of videos,but when i click on a video that can break down the info im looking for,i kinda want to get the info that im looking for and not the products that you're using.i know that different products have different ratings.more or less,try using just the numbers(ex. this particular watts can sustain this approx.amps.).at least that works better for me.straight and to the point.

[@FernbarkFrist]

Just learn the math and you can answer your own question. I show the math in the video, and then you can apply it to your own devices. I show the products I have as examples of how you can figure out what you need using your devices.

[@deejayvash4970]

I have a cooker with the Rating 120v / 60Hz and 750w Please how many VA Inverter can I use to power it for 8hours

[@FernbarkFrist]

It isn't the inverter, it is your batteries you need to worry about. If you want to power it for 8 hours, you need 6000 watt hours of usable capacity.

[@elchache21]

Can I run a 13500btu ac while vehicle is running? I have ford transit hd350 power stroke with two batteries, i have a 6000watt continues inverter 12000 peak from power bright

[@FernbarkFrist]

Depends on how many amps your alternator is generating. My 13.5K ac used close to 400 amps on start up. It didn't last long, but that is a big pull of power.

[@MichaelBrown-xb6pp]

6 years late but thanks. very helpful.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You're welcome!

[@johnpapa8681]

I tried to run my washing machine on my 9200 watt generator. It wouldn't work, unless I turned on the dryer at the same time and put an electric heater on the leg opposite the washing machine. My question is, will a fluctuating load damage an inverter? The washing machine motor starts and stops every few seconds.

[@anthonyg.4761]

Would a inverter run off of your car run a well pump sporadically in a SHTF situation?

[@FernbarkFrist]

Since I have no idea what the load for a well pump is, I cannot answer that question.

[@daniels9025]

i have a dumb question but, i have tried to search for an answer without luck. So i hope u might give your opinion. I will keep it simple.. We will use the 450 Watt AirCon in your video. The AirCom uses 450W and roughly 41amp and will roughly run 2.4 hours on a 100 Amp hour battery bank. My question is if a Vehicle is started and running and charging the 100 amp battery bank how long would it last? or would The cars alternator be able to keep up with the draw? The alternator is roughly a 100 amp Alternator..

[@FernbarkFrist]

I would not try to run AC on the car alternator. Depending on the chemistry of your batteries, you will won't get 2.4 hours of use either. You don't want to fully drain them down.

[@vincentrodriguez3260]

Should i start my car's engine before using an inverter through the cigarette lighter? Or should i just put the key on ignition? Thank you.

[@FernbarkFrist]

A lot depends on the inverter. Most likely the wire going to your cig lighter is very small and will trigger the voltage sensor on the inverter, turning the inverter off.

[@mikebenstead7600]

Some "12v" appliances, like my coffee maker, wonlt work without the motor running. I guess it probably requires something like 13.5 volts; just as you cannot charge a battery to 12 volts with a 12 volt battery.

[@japreet_kah]

Nice guy.

[@roylewis9094]

so how can i run a 1000w grow light for 12 hours at a time?

[@mareck6946]

assuming 230Volts - with a safe minimum of 650 Ah batteries at 24v (and if you want to be battery friendly double that) and 2000 Watts of solar panels.

[@JoseGarcia-px9xj]

how you monitor you battery, so when get 70% of capacity the inverter is disconnected

[@FernbarkFrist]

You buy a fancy enough inverter that allows you to set the voltage for when you want the inverter to disconnect.

[@sellC1964]

You should add in a factor of 80% efficiency (multiple calculated DC amps by 1.2)

[@FernbarkFrist]

Shoot, most of the people watching this can't do Watts = Volts x Amps, an efficiency correction would really throw them.

[@TwoGunz2008]

And the fact that most will kill their batteries in a few charges by not sticking with the discharge rule, again depends on what batteries the user chooses.

[@atye04]

Xbox 360 and a small TV... Stealth camping toyota echo. Single battery and a 1000 watt inverter might do it? 30" led TV. Maybe a laptop for job apps..

[@c.cherry9616]

I have a 32" monitor and my Xbox one going to a 750w

[@manmid8246]

I have motor and compressor appliances with total load of 1000 Watts ? Should my inverter sizing be 300% i.e 3000 watts and also over-estimation for safety by 130% or 1.3 = 3900 Watts necessary ?

[@FernbarkFrist]

You have to put a meter on the appliance and measure what the start up power is. then you will know what you need.

[@manmid8246]

@@FernbarkFrist talking about inverter sizing as regards load

[@FernbarkFrist]

You have to take into account the starting of the appliance. My main fridge says it uses 400 watts, but it takes 1300 watts for one second to get it started.

[@marlinpruett8343]

For get the soler panels you need some 6 volt batterys In my motorhome i have 6 -6volt batterys more amps using 6 volt batterys. and you will need about 600 watts of solor. this will do most every thing, tv,led lights, refrg . this will run a small house but no ac, no elect heat. 2000 or 3000 watt inverter/ charger. volts x watts = amps

[@FernbarkFrist]

First, your math is wrong. Volts x Amps = Watts And I have been using Trojan GC6 batteries for years. Also, now that LiPo batteries are cheaper, they are the standard for batteries. I will never buy another 6v battery again.

[@peterjanagulto843]

Can i use 4kw inverter for daily consumption of elec.not for emergency backup for less than 4kw load.maybe 20hrs/day.

[@FernbarkFrist]

You can, but you need a pretty good battery bank and many solar panels.

[@peterjanagulto843]

But im planning to use dynamo motor

[@glendooer6211]

I got a cordless extension lead and now lost it.

[@richardlove4287]

That’s also known as a drill-less cord.

[@bearchow1929]

Anything if the inverter is big enough. And until the battery is drained or source is removed.