1500w inverter on TV - use/application ideas?

[z.saw]

Just wondering if anyone with a built in Inverter on their vehicle and normal 120v plugs use them while camping. Wondering if there are some great uses for it while boondocking.

You have to start the vehicle for it to work would be one downside.

 

[BikeNFish]

I have a built in Inverter but it is minimal. Only good for charging phones and such.

I believe it is only good up to 10 amps (basically the same as the cigarette lighter). So that would make it a 120watt Inverter.

 

[PopUpSteve]

What are you looking to power?

 

[kitphantom]

My truck has USB & "cigarette lighter" outlets, as well as a couple of 110 outlets. Since it has the USBs for phone charging and powering my MP3 player, we've only used the 100 outlet once in 5 years. We used it to power my friend's nebulizer as we started out on the road, since she realized as we were getting ready to leave that she needed it. I didn't have the trailer with me that trip, when we have the rear-view video monitor in place, powered by one of the cigarette outlets, it would be difficult to use the 110 outlet.
For dry camping, which we still mostly do, we have pretty good power sources for the way we camp, since we're used to dry camping. (We started tent camping in 1990.)

 

[Sjm9911]

I use mine in the truck for a small pankake compresser. So that goes with me on longer trips. I can air up tubes, kyacks and tires. Other then that, i use it to plus in my electric ac/dc cooler when traveling.

 

[1380ken]

Things that are quick because the truck is running. Maybe an electric leaf blower or an inflator for air mattresses and floats. A small microwave, a coffee maker.

 

[PopUpSteve]

One thing you may want to consider, if you are using your tow vehicle to power items while boondocking, you bay end up with a dead battery. Some vehicles have their power-ports (cigarette lighter 12v replica) on even with the engine off. So, if you plug something in and forget, you may have a dead battery when you go to leave. Better to put the load on the camper. Or better let, get a Solar Battery like a Jackery.

 

[Sjm9911]

Dont think the microwave or cofee make will work. On mine the larger compressers blow the fuse. So, chargers are ok. Nothing high draw will work.

 

[J Starsky]

I did plug small tvs and dvd in for kiddos as we travelled - minivan days. Nothing fancy was used.
I know in the mid-2000s, I ran a tube TV off one in my suburban...
Just keep it scaled down small and don't rely on it as your food storage power. Maybe an electric kettle to boil water would be alright. I always used fire or campstove for coffee. Past that, 1500w isn't much.

 

[Hilldweller]

My Power Wagon had a plug and we used it once to make popcorn with a hot-air popper at Cataloochee Campground.

 

[NMroamer]

Just wondering if anyone with a built in Inverter on their vehicle and normal 120v plugs use them while camping. Wondering if there are some great uses for it while boondocking.

You have to start the vehicle for it to work would be one downside.

What vehicle do you have? The one on my Tacoma is only 400 watts and not practical for anything above a light bulb.

 

[Sjm9911]

What vehicle do you have? The one on my Tacoma is only 400 watts and not practical for anything above a light bulb.

This! Exactly. Chargers and low voltage stuff. Anything bigger and it will not work.

 

[Patrick w]

I use mine in the truck for a small pankake compresser. So that goes with me on longer trips. I can air up tubes, kyacks and tires. Other then that, i use it to plus in my electric ac/dc cooler when traveling.

I do the same, but I am not bringing a pancake compressor! I use a Ryobi dual air pump. One side is high volume low pressure, the other side is low volume high pressure. I use it for the inflatable mattresses.

 

[tfischer]

Our van which is our TV has an outlet. We use it once in a great while but not often. Phones are better charged with DC USB converters/outlets. My kids used to bring the Nintendo Switch base along (which requires 120V) and use the rear-seat entertainment screens to play on. But other than that I can't remember using the outlet all that much.

 

[Sjm9911]

Oh, I also charge the electric scooters when driving. Other then that , yea, not real useful at that wattage. I had to buy the mini pankake compresser , a normal one wouldnt work.

 

[z.saw]

It’s a Toyota Highlander that has a 1500w Inverter and regular wall plugs as part of the limited package. Was hoping there would be some great application for them that I hadn’t thought of lol

 

[Sjm9911]

1500w is a lot. Most dont have that ability. So you could do more.

 

[z.saw]

1500w is a lot. Most dont have that ability. So you could do more.

I was hoping so, but unfortunately can’t think of anything too amazing so far! I guess it could be used as a power station by turning on the TV and running an extension cord to power some stuff around the campsite if I needed to. Or charge some devices if I had a solar setup but it was a few cloudy days in a row or something… that’s about all I can come up with

 

[jmkay1]

i have no idea if it would work, but the biggest use I can think of is to hook a 3 way battery charger to charge the camper battery.

 

[Patrick w]

I was hoping so, but unfortunately can’t think of anything too amazing so far! I guess it could be used as a power station by turning on the TV and running an extension cord to power some stuff around the campsite if I needed to. Or charge some devices if I had a solar setup but it was a few cloudy days in a row or something… that’s about all I can come up with

1500 is enough to run a 75a dc charger for the camper batteries. It's also enough for a coffee maker, microwave, and wired chain saw.

1500 is the sweet spot. Most corded items can be run. But in the highlander I think it requires the vehicle to be on. I might be wrong.

For that reason it's probably ideal to consider what you could use for shorter durations. Microwaves and coffee makers come to mind.

You could run an ac unit... But I wouldn't want to idle my car for 8 hours.