WEBSRFR

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good DC power inverter to be used in the car? What's the maximum watts I should get to make sure I don't overload any circuits in the car. Ideally I am looking for something that is:

+ Able to charge/power two laptops at the same time
+ Separate USB port for charging/powering a cell phone or other USB device
+ Quiet. I'd like to get the most powerful inverter available that does not require a fan to keep it cool so that it is quiet when in use.
+ A model highly rated on Amazon is always a plus

I am considering the following model (400Watts) but not sure if it would put too much of a strain on the electrical circuit and I'm not encouraged by the negative review about excessive noise.

http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-2003-6-4...945945&sr=1-82

The other unit I am considering is (200Watts):

http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EL2402-S...46087&sr=1-102

If you have an inverter that has worked well for you, please let me know. I'm sure many other forum members will find this information useful for travel and long trips. Thanks in advance!

Clinton Horn

I believe the accessory port at the rear of the armrest is 30 amps. at 12 volts I believe that is 360 watts. I have a 200 watt that I use for my laptop on occasion. I think you will be past the limit if you load a 400 watt inverter. You could always tap the battery directly. These cars are really hard on batteries. You can search battery problems here and see the list is endless. A 30 amp drain will kill the battery pretty quickly. I think headlights are 55 watts each and tail are about 12 watts.

WEBSRFR

Thanks so much for your input. I didn't realize that you multiply Amps and Volts to get watts! Sometime I should look up an electrical stuff 101 instructional video sometime.

So are you saying that I should stick to a 200Watt inverter and not risk getting a 400 watt inverter for this car? I guess the 200 watt inverter should be able to support 2 laptops...

Clinton Horn

My old Dell pulls about 1.5 amps at 120 volt which I think = 180 watts. If the newer stuff is more efficient, you may be able to squeeze the two laptops out of one source. The inverter has a loss in efficiency so your target of 400 watts is probably right, I am doubtful that you can get that much out of the lighter outlet. That may take some custom work off of the fuse block. I am not a professional on this kind of thing. Maybe an aftermarket stereo shop could help, those high end systems pull some serious current. Of course, you could utilize both outlets but that would require two inverters and kind of messy for all those cords. I BELIEVE the rear outlet has a higher ampacity than the front, maybe some one with more knowledge could confirm that. PS The inverter size is capacity and only adds slightly more current draw than is imposed, ie a 400 watt inverter with a 150 watt load draws only 150 watts plus about 10% loss for the efficiency (heat)

Polar Bear

A question regarding the rear outlet - have you been able to get it to work non-switched with the key? That for me is a drawback for using that rear outlet.