AC inverter, 120V plugs, 12V plugs installed (1 Viewer)

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Hayes

Hayes

Joined
May 7, 2005
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Location
South Jordan, UT
I added an AC inverter as well as 3-prong grounded AC plugs to my '93 FZJ80. I also took the opportunity to add a few extra 12V cig lighter plugs.

I mounted a 1000W Vector modified sine wave AC inverter in the forward compartment of my cargo box.

The compartment is here:
Inverter%20in%20here.jpg


Inverter.jpg



The inverter specifies 2-gauge (!!) cable to connect to the battery. Needless to say, running two lengths of #2 cable from the cargo area to the battery was not simple, but it DID fit in the DS door-jam channel and through the firewall grommet.

From there I ran a couple lengths of heavy duty AC cord from the inverter to the center console and shifter console. I wired the cords to two separate covered AC plugs--one on the back of the center console, and one on the PS of the shifter console.

The cig-lighter plugs are West Marine-brand with a water-tight cover.

Console%20rear.jpg


Console%20passenger.jpg


I also tapped into the on/off switch on the inverter, and ran it to a toggle switch in the dash.


Hayes
 
sseaman said:
looks nice, what about heat from the inverter?
Click to expand...


Good question.

There is a cutout where the power cables enter the cargo box. This is right in front of the inverter fan, and leads to the cab.

If the airspace in the box and venting from the cutout aren't enough, I'll drill some additional vent holes.

Hayes
 
Your set up is very clean and just what I want to do. Would you consider this a difficult job for the electronicaly challenged?

Also, I couldn't find the coverd plugs you used on that site, can you direct me?

B
 
Where did you purchase the 110 recepticle, I was looking at the link in your discription and couldn't find it??
 
Bluedog & tucsonlx,
The outlet is on that site somewhere, I couldn't find it either (I'll look at my receipt and figure it out, sorry).

SOCALfJ,
No breaker, but the inverter itself is fused. It's probably not a bad idea to add another fuse, though.
 
Hayes,

This is way cool!

Do you have dual batteries? What is the realistic capability of a 1000w inverter? Does the engine need to be running to make use of this capability?

I have been thinking about this kind of set-up since I bought my 80.
 
I think 750 watts is the minimum for a coffee maker (my minimum need :D ). Strong electric heaters need at least 1500 watts continuos. Power tools generally need at least 1500 watts continuosly, if not more. Peak power needs to be about double of continous power needs to initially start many power tools. After initial start up the continuos rating becomes important.

Computers and some stereo equipment generally need true sine wavepower vs a mod sine wave and cost about twice as much for equal power ratings.
 
Very nice Hayes. Clean work as always.

By any chance have you looked into high current DC connectors to plug in things like extra inverters, compressors, and umm.. margarita makers?

I'm doing some wiring myself right now, and was going to use trolling motor plugs and recepticles, since they're the highest rated mounted recepticle I could find (40 amps?) Have you seen anything better?
 
jamisobe said:
I think 750 watts is the minimum for a coffee maker (my minimum need :D ). Strong electric heaters need at least 1500 watts continuos. Power tools generally need at least 1500 watts continuosly, if not more. Peak power needs to be about double of continous power needs to initially start many power tools. After initial start up the continuos rating becomes important.

Computers and some stereo equipment generally need true sine wavepower vs a mod sine wave and cost about twice as much for equal power ratings.
Click to expand...

Most coffee machines (and esperesso makers :) ) need at least 1100 watts, usually 1300-1500 watts.

Laptop computers with their own AC-DC power supplies usually run fine on the modified sine-wave inverters.

I've ran a microwave from my 1.1k inverter before, but it's one of those rare, low-power, no-clock, 700 cooking watts microwaves.
 
97 FZJ80 said:
Most coffee machines (and esperesso makers :) ) need at least 1100 watts, usually 1300-1500 watts.

Laptop computers with their own AC-DC power supplies usually run fine on the modified sine-wave inverters.

I've ran a microwave from my 1.1k inverter before, but it's one of those rare, low-power, no-clock, 700 cooking watts microwaves.
Click to expand...

Cool. Its good to know that I should be safe with any coffee maker.

I have been thinking about buying a small high powered microwave.

Good to know about the computer power supplies though I have read that there are sometimes problems with doing this.
 
SOCALFJ said:
Did you install a breaker of any type between that long lead from the battery to the inverter?
Click to expand...

I used a high-amp inline breaker from a car stereo store, meant to be used with 1000W car stereo amplifiers. I got heavy gauge wiring from them too, although I'm sure I could have found cheaper elsewhere.

Preparing now for a 6-week trip from South Florida to interior Alaska, so the wife wants a power source for the laptop, blender, small fridge, etc. Anyone with thoughts about a good true-sine 1.5k or more inverter? Extra battery under the (future) drawer compartment in back sounds like a good idea, and would like to have a gauge to tell how much power is left...
 
jamisobe said:
Good to know about the computer power supplies though I have read that there are sometimes problems with doing this.
Click to expand...

I've run my IBM T40 work laptop on my cheap-o Sam's club inverter for a coupla dozen hours with seemingly no ill effects. 'course the whole stupid thing crashed this week, but due to other issues...
 
Hayes nice job! Has heat ever been an issue with the inverter?

Inverter/micro I ran a Coleman 800/1600 cheap-o on my boat for a couple years (100hr+)and I found the digital micro would not work. The 1/2 sec voltage drop on start up would mess with the electronics. I used a 700w analog on a straight multi battery set up and never had an issue.
 
Very nice work Hayes! Great inspiration for what I want to do.

If you have any, I am interested in seeing some shots of the actual wire terminations.
 
Nice install :)


Are you running a relay to the ignition switch?


I was too chicken$h!t to trust myself (or anyone else using it) to remember to shut mine off, so I wired up a couple of relays under the dash just to be safe....


It's just a little 400watter mounted under the driver's seat, but I didn't want to take any chances being stranded with a dead battery :eek:
 
Hayes said:
Good question.

There is a cutout where the power cables enter the cargo box. This is right in front of the inverter fan, and leads to the cab.

If the airspace in the box and venting from the cutout aren't enough, I'll drill some additional vent holes.

Hayes
Click to expand...

Very nice job, and I really like your drawer setup.

If you ever find the temps in that little space creeping up you can wire in a small electronic fan from Radio Shack to kick on when you start up the inverter to exhaust hot air from that space threw a vent

They work very well, I used to use them for audio amplifiers and never had a heat issue.
 
Nice install. Way practical!
 
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