300 W Inverters

300W MSW Inverter

A Powertech 12 V 300 W modified square wave inverter from Jaycar is fitted to the side wall of Cupboard 7, above the sink. This is used to run a small plunge mixer and whatever else needs a bit of 240 V power there. I found the Waeco 100 W can inverter I had been quite happy with simply did not have enough surge capacity to start the mixer.

The wiring is 8 AWG (actually 7 x 95/0.12 mm Jaycar WH3062). I am using the 30 A fuse block that came with the inverter, changing the wiring from the supplied 12 AWG, and fitting ring connectors to each end of the new wiring. Initially the wiring connected directly to the house battery, as shown in a photograph. (Compare the battery wiring here with later changes made.)

300W PSW Inverter

A "PS 300" 12 V 300 W pure sine wave inverter is fitted to the shelf above the table behind the driver's seat. Costing little more than a MSW inverter, this unit is from Blu Tec and is used to charge our Netbook computer when off mains electricity, and anything else in that area such as the air cooling fan.

This particular inverter consumes no current when switch off and has a fan that only runs when the unit heats up. Initial tests showed when the inverter was operating there was a large voltage drop on the wiring I had previously installed for the air cooling fan; new wiring was required.

As discussed in the Web page on 12 V rewiring, a trunk line of twin sheathed 6 AWG was run from the battery board to the Technical Cupboard and then across the van under the microwave oven to a junction on the front wall of Cupboard 1. The Inverter, Entertainment System supply, cigarette lighter socket supply and cupboard lighting wiring (8 AWG, 12 AWG, 12 AWG and 22 AWG respectively) connect to this junction and pass into the cupboard.

LINKS

• Jaycar http://www.jaycar.com.au
• eBay http://www.ebay.com.au

Inverters

300 W MSW inverter installed in cupboard 7, above the sink and stove.

The wiring to the battery as it was. The thickest wires (8 AWG) were added for the MSW inverter.

300 W PSW inverter installed on the shelf above the table.