Power inverter and chainsaw? (4 Viewers)

[katit]

Ok, just looking for practical advice. I do have electric chainsaw. Just some regular $50 chainsaw from big box store.

I do need ability to cut up some wood on side of a road for camp fire, etc. Truck usually will be next to the place where I cut, so extension cord is not a problem.

I was going to buy something like Echo ES-310 for $200+tax but I will get very little use around home and it just kills me to have it for 2-3 times I camp.

OTOH - I see 2000W converters for $120sh which I can add to the truck (always useful) and use my existing saw.

Will stock alternator/battery work fine with 2000W inverter?
Is 2000W inverter enough for chainsaw?

 

[Eighteen11R]

You are going to find buying an Inverter is very handy... I used to be able to run a small pancake compressor with my unit. I always left my engine running while doing so for piece of mind...

 

[e9999]

remember that when you start an electric motor you may have a draw much higher than the normal rated power. You'd want to plan for that for your inverter sizing or you can fry stuff.

 

[dogdaysindurham]

I wish they made more cordless chainsaws available here stateside.

I inherited into the Bosch family of cordless tools, so I can only dream.

For smaller pieces of wood, I love my cordless reciprocal saw.

 

[dogdaysindurham]

Try to get get a pure sine wave inverter, I have an Eaton one. Made in taiwan I think but is very well made.

https://www.waytekwire.com/images/items/1250W_Interter_GFCI-Protected_80147_f.png

For your chainsaw, do you know what the load wattage or current draw it has?

 

[katit]

I got this one today. Numbers look OK. Saw probably 9-12amp

Is car alternator going to handle this?

 

[e9999]

if your saw uses 150W or less when running, a decent 2000W inverter should be able to handle the peak draw at startup, I would think. The alternator doesn't care whether it's a 100W or 2000W inverter, it only has to handle the battery draw when the load is put on the battery, which I can't imagine should be a problem, especially with the battery as a buffer. So, seems to me that you should be OK with the above. But of course that depends on the quality of the inverter ( I don't know the brand). As an aside, note that a 2000W inverter is rather oversized for the typical leads you'd find on a 12V system, they would have to be able to handle over 150A to max out the inverter, which would require hefty battery or winch-type cables, not normal accessory cables, but that's OK if you don't use it with skinny cables and heavy loads.

 

[katit]

Cable they suggested/allowed is 2awg 6ft. Which brought me to another question. Where do I mount this thing (big) and how do I route those cables?

Just bought Echo chain saw and called it done.
Maybe inverter is a good idea, but not this time

 

[Prairie Swamp]

Just another point of view - before I would have a cheap electric chainsaw and a cheap inverter - I would have one of these for camp/trail work.

Quiet, light, safe and alcohol powered (in my case.) But once again that's me. My FJ Cruiser has an AC outlet on board and I haven't plugged a thing into it for 6 years. Not that it would run a chainsaw it's max 400 watts I believe.

 

[BMThiker]

@Prairie Swamp
My Silky-Gomboy folder is a workhorse. This 240mm is one of the best pruning blades. Easily works through a 4" branch. Super tough Japanese steel.
Occupies one of my door pockets at all times.

 

[e9999]

yep. A Silky saw is in a class of its own. You'll probably have sawn through a 6" log faster with one of those than you can start a gas chainsaw or connect an electric one...

 

[Prairie Swamp]

And you're not constrained by the length of the extension cord.