Anyone use their 6.2 diesel with a power inverter for camping?

[raf32]

I am thinking about buying a Harbor Freight 2K power inverter see below:
2000 Watt Continuous/4000 Watt Peak Power Inverter

I would like to use this on my M1009 while engine is idling for short periods 2 -3 hours at night. I think it would be nice to not drag my generator and I like the idea of making my M1009 even more useful. I don't plan on using 2k watts but I want to have it just in case. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Extended idle should be bumped up to near 1000RPM but should work fine.

 

[Matt65]

I have concidered doing the same. A pair of secondary deep cycles may also get you by with no engine idle. With the fuel prices behaving as they are the deep cycles may pay for themselves very quickly. Keep us posted, and share pics of your setup if you can.

 

[jdemaris]

I am thinking about buying a Harbor Freight 2K power inverter see below:
2000 Watt Continuous/4000 Watt Peak Power Inverter

I would like to use this on my M1009 while engine is idling for short periods 2 -3 hours at night. .Thanks!

You're probably asking for trouble and it probably will not work except for small loads. I've got inverters in all my trucks, but . . . with all I have separate batteries with isolators. My 86 diesel Blazer has 6000 watts worth of inverters, along with an AC refrigerator that can run 3 days, without starting the engine for a recharge.

First, it depends on what you're callling 2000 watts. It that the full-time rating or surge rating? HF sells both. I have several of the HF units that are rated 2000 watts full-time duty and 4000 watts surge. The often sell for $130 when on sale. The older ones are nice and quiet, but the ones they sell now are noisy.

If you want a better quality inverter for not much more money, buy an AIMs with a thermal-activated fan. It makes cleaner power and is quiet.

A few things to know. An inverter rated 2000 watts full-time can draw over 300 amps from your battery. If, even for a fraction of second, battery voltage drops below 11 volts, the inverter will "trip" and shut itself off.

Also note that the cheap inverters only make modified sine-wave AC power and will not run everything. They will not properly power microwave ovens, battery chargers, etc. A full wave inverter is more expensive.

If you just want an inverter hooked to your exisiting batteries, I,d stay with something rated 1000 watts full-time (2000 watts surge) or smaller. Even that can draw 150 amps and needs big cables, and must be mounted close to your batteries.

My 86 Blazer has dual deep cycle batterie just for inverter power. They are hooked to a charge relay, so when the engine is running, they charge. When not running, they are not connected to the Blazer's electrical system.

On several other trucks that I use slide-one campers with, I have a similar setup but with just one extra battery I put in the back when inverter power is needed. All of them also have charge relays. You can also use isolation diodes, but they don't work very well.

The older HF Chinese inverters has nice thermal fans that never came on. So, they are nice and quiet. The new ones they sell now are cheaper built and have hard-wired fans with no switch. They run all the time and will drive you nuts if close by.

 

[original]

I relocated my second battery, two batteries side by side on the front. A deep cycle battery was added in the back. I removed the slave cables and used them to connect the inverter, which is mounted on a plate on the drivers side. I had to relocate my ww fluid tank back to the firewall. I use this setup to remove fallen trees from the roads with a small electric chainsaw. I think the inverter is 2500W continous 5000w peak. I have run various power tools from it with no problem. I made a string of 6 cfl bulbs to run through the house when the power goes off. It runs the lights very well. I just start the truck about every 3-4 hours for about 10 minutes. I think the inverter would run for days with just lights and the truck off. Although, a solar charger would be a safe acc to add when using these inverters at camp. It's easy to forget where the power is coming from. Sorry I always make my text big. I have trouble reading that small green tihs.

 

[original]

I have a 98 blazer with the same inverter as the previous post. I added a second deep cycle battery and replaced the oem alternator (125A-150A) with a high amp alternator (300A+). DB electrical would be a good place to check. They sell all types of high amp alternators. I'm unsure whether they have one for the 6.2. This would allow the truck to carry a heavy load better at idle with no rpm increase.

 

[original]

The big question is what are you planning to run for 2-3 hours at night? Let me know, I will do a test run to see how it works before you start handing money out.

 

[jdemaris]

I am thinking about buying a Harbor Freight 2K power inverter see below:
2000 Watt Continuous/4000 Watt Peak Power Inverter

I would like to use this on my M1009 while engine is idling for short periods 2 -3 hours at night.

What exactly do you want to use the AC power on?

I've got several trucks with inverter systems, and my entire house and farm runs off of inverters. There are a lot of things to know, and . . . many cheap inverters are absolute junk.

That being said, I bought a few Harbor Freight 2000/4000 watt inverters and built two cabins - using them to run all my power tools. Zero problems and the inverters were $129 each.

If you just want enough power to watch a movie on a 21" TV off a DVD player, you can save a lot of trouble and just buy a Duracell Powerpack 600. It's a very handy unit. Has a built in 600 watt inverter, it's own 27 amp-hour battery, two 120 VAC outlets, and charges pretty quick from a 12 volt power outlet in the Blazer. You can find them around for $150. It also has plug-in jumper cables, a radio, etc.

If you opt for a bigger alternator, keep in mind that some of the very big alternators make LESS power at idle speed then somesmaller ones.

You can also buy a Leece-Neville AKA Prestolite alternator that has a DC and a AC outlet - NO inverter needed.

The idea of powering an inverter with a running engine is kind of a waste. You're better off having enough battery power to do the job, and use the engine just to recharge at lower amp levels. Few alternators can handle the surges needed to run an inverter. Even if you DID have an alternator that could supply 200 amps at low speed, you'd have to have huge 00 cables with a very short run.

Alternator specs at engine idle speed:
Delco 10SI - zero to 23 amps, depending on number code (61 and 72 amp)
Delco 12SI - 30 amps (66, 78, and 94 amp models)
Delco 17SI - 23-55 amps at idle (63,108 and 124 amp models)

Also remember that cheap inverters to not make the same type of AC power you get from the electric companies. It's modified wave and will not urn certain types of equipment.

My 86 diesel Blazer has dual deep-cycle 6 volt batteries mounted under the rear bumper. One on each corner. They are hooked in series to make 12 volts and I have three inverters inside. Total of 6000 watts. Charge current comes via a low-draw, full-time-duty relay. Two inverters are cheaper modified-wave, and one is a high-end sine-wave inverter. Blazer has a 21" TV, DVD player, god size refrigerator, many fans, four radios, power outlets to run power tools, etc. Sleeps four people when needed.

 

[BobMassive]

I have a 800 watt continuous inverter by cobra. Its modified sine but that works for me. I hooked it up to a deep cycle battery I added in the back which is charged by two 30 watt microcrystalline flexible solar panels. Just another option which could likely work well in Texas. Whole rig cost me about $150 minus the battery which I already had.

 

[Iamnewatthis]

JD do you have a part number for the prestolite alternator. The guy at the parts store was clueless when i told him about it.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

Sorry I always make my text big. I have trouble reading that small green tihs.

You know you can easily increase the font on any web page using the cntrl + keystroke combination, that way we aren't blinded, and you can still read the text?

As for inverters, I've got a 800w pure sine wave wired to a separate blue top optima that is charged through a relay to the truck, and fed by a 80w solar panel.

 

[Smokingman]

I have a bright power 3500 watt on the rear wheel well hooked to the rear 24v bus.Works for odd jobs and camping.The spare tire carrier is nice for wrapping a couple cords on as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Bright-...UM/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1320446826&sr=8-13

They do make a 1500 watt 24V that is less.85 dollars or so.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Bright-...UM/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1320446826&sr=8-13

 

[dmilkman589]

wait wait wait wait guy named original... you have 24 volts running into your inverter? don't you need too have a 12v input voltage?

 

[Warthog]

wait wait wait wait guy named original... you have 24 volts running into your inverter? don't you need too have a 12v input voltage?

He has two different inverters. A 24v for his CUCV and a 12v for his 1998 truck.

 

[dmilkman589]

o ok. where do i find a 24 volt inverter?

 

[tennmogger]

One source for 24v inverters is finding an old UPS (uninterruptable power supply) that ran on 24v. These commonly get thrown out when the batteries go dead. Hook it up to your truck's 24v source instead of internal batteries. Don't plug in the 115 AV input and you have an inverter. With possibly a modification to limit charge current (to save the UPS charger) you can also make the UPS charge your 24v system when you plug in the UPS.

All this applies to 12 v UPS's too, in 12 v vehicles.


Bob
WB4ETT

 

[Dave87]

You can get 24v units from Amazon. I want one for my 1028. All I due time.

 

[ratat98]

One source for 24v inverters is finding an old UPS (uninterruptable power supply) that ran on 24v. These commonly get thrown out when the batteries go dead. Hook it up to your truck's 24v source instead of internal batteries. Don't plug in the 115 AV input and you have an inverter. With possibly a modification to limit charge current (to save the UPS charger) you can also make the UPS charge your 24v system when you plug in the UPS.

All this applies to 12 v UPS's too, in 12 v vehicles.


Bob
WB4ETT

This sounds like an explosion waiting to happen! ....I'll do it!!!

 

[wired1000]

I installed a 400 continuous / 800W peak "Power Bright" inverter, 24V, (modified sine wave) and hooked it to the radio-power cables on the passenger-side wall. I use it to run a set of computer speakers / mp3 player, and now I have the capability to charge cell phones, etc. I haven't had any problems with this setup plugged directly into the 24V system on the M1009, but then again we're not talking about a whole **** of a lot of power. It can't power tools or some other heavy-duty stuff, but then again it can do a lot of stuff and the inverter was only $35 or so on Glamazon.com

 

[SFC Deal]

I know absolutely NO-thing about electronics so bare with me. I have an Xantrex Sine Wave Inverter 1800, 1800 watts. I would like to use it in my M1009 to power a room to room moblie A/C. The A/C unit says; Rated volt; 115v- Cooling current input; 8.9A Cooling capacity; 800BTU/h HP. PSIG; 3.9MPa LP. PSIG; 1.0Pa There is a data plate that says; 120Vac 60Hz 1800W
Any & all help would be greatly appreciated.