Want a 2000watt one wud that b big enough to power a microwave and . Wot is the best way to wire them in thanks
I think you would need one a bit bigger than that to allow for any surge that may occur on startup.
A 2000w 24v to 230v inverter with maximum load would have a current consumption of around 181amps This can only be wired direct to the battery with very thick cable.
"How much power do inverters use?
To calculate an approximation of what power the inverter may use, first find the power (wattage) rating of the appliance that will be used with the inverter and divide this wattage by eleven. So a small TV taking 100W (watts at 240vac) will be taking approximately 9 amps an hour off the battery.
Running an inverter will discharge the batteries overtime, but most inverters have battery over discharge protection. Once your battery drops to a certain point the inverter will sound an alarm or shutdown to let the user know battery power is getting low.
It is important to remember that to get the best performance from an inverter a good battery source is needed.
Most inverters draw a continuous current when they are switched on, even when nothing is connected to the output. This residual standby current could be around 0.3-1A or more depending on the size of the inverter. This may not sound like a lot, but if the inverter is left switched on for 24 hours and has a standby current of 1Ah then it could drain 24Amps from the batteries so it is important to switch the inverter off when not in use to preserve battery life."
I run an 800watt microwave off a 2000watt inverter , does the job perfectly 
I leave the inverter on 24 hours , am out tramping during the week and run my fridge off it as well (24 Hrs)
On a Volvo fh is wired to a point top right , under the 'bonnet ’ .
Got mine from www.batmanuk.com , a tad over £200 next day delivery and not chinese rubbish either !
Cheers mike
All you need to do is check the wattage of the appliance you intend to use, you will need an inverter about 150 watts above the rating of that appliance. Our drivers fit 1000w inverters and run microwaves on them with no problems. You must wire them directly to the batterys though.
Martin:
A 2000w 24v to 230v inverter with maximum load would have a current consumption of around 181amps This can only be wired direct to the battery with very thick cable."How much power do inverters use?
To calculate an approximation of what power the inverter may use, first find the power (wattage) rating of the appliance that will be used with the inverter and divide this wattage by eleven. So a small TV taking 100W (watts at 240vac) will be taking approximately 9 amps an hour off the battery.
Running an inverter will discharge the batteries overtime, but most inverters have battery over discharge protection. Once your battery drops to a certain point the inverter will sound an alarm or shutdown to let the user know battery power is getting low.
It is important to remember that to get the best performance from an inverter a good battery source is needed.
Most inverters draw a continuous current when they are switched on, even when nothing is connected to the output. This residual standby current could be around 0.3-1A or more depending on the size of the inverter. This may not sound like a lot, but if the inverter is left switched on for 24 hours and has a standby current of 1Ah then it could drain 24Amps from the batteries so it is important to switch the inverter off when not in use to preserve battery life."
Are you sure about your calculations there Martin…I would have thought a 2000w inverter would draw around 83 amps,using the calculation 2000 divided by 24 (watts divided by volts=amps)…cable to withstand 181 amps would be quite a size I’d have thought.
Can I ask you about dividing the wattage by eleven to get the current draw? I’m not saying your wrong but I’ve just always understood the formulae to be watts/volts=amps(current draw)…ampsxvolts=watts…watts/amps=volts.
If I’m wrong I’d like to know for my own sake,ta.
ShropsBri:
Martin:
A 2000w 24v to 230v inverter with maximum load would have a current consumption of around 181amps This can only be wired direct to the battery with very thick cable."How much power do inverters use?
To calculate an approximation of what power the inverter may use, first find the power (wattage) rating of the appliance that will be used with the inverter and divide this wattage by eleven. So a small TV taking 100W (watts at 240vac) will be taking approximately 9 amps an hour off the battery.
Running an inverter will discharge the batteries overtime, but most inverters have battery over discharge protection. Once your battery drops to a certain point the inverter will sound an alarm or shutdown to let the user know battery power is getting low.
It is important to remember that to get the best performance from an inverter a good battery source is needed.
Most inverters draw a continuous current when they are switched on, even when nothing is connected to the output. This residual standby current could be around 0.3-1A or more depending on the size of the inverter. This may not sound like a lot, but if the inverter is left switched on for 24 hours and has a standby current of 1Ah then it could drain 24Amps from the batteries so it is important to switch the inverter off when not in use to preserve battery life."
Are you sure about your calculations there Martin…I would have thought a 2000w inverter would draw around 83 amps,using the calculation 2000 divided by 24 (watts divided by volts=amps)…cable to withstand 181 amps would be quite a size I’d have thought.
Can I ask you about dividing the wattage by eleven to get the current draw? I’m not saying your wrong but I’ve just always understood the formulae to be watts/volts=amps(current draw)…ampsxvolts=watts…watts/amps=volts.
If I’m wrong I’d like to know for my own sake,ta.
Your calculation using ohms law assumes that the device will be 100% efficient. An inverter will never be 100% efficient, that’s why it gets hot and needs a heatsink and cooling fan.
The calculation I quoted was taken from a manufacturers website. http://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/khxc/gbu0-display/faq.html#29
You can buy caravan microwaves that are very low wattage which would work perfectly well.
jessicas dad:
You can buy caravan microwaves that are very low wattage which would work perfectly well.
You can indeed, but I suspect the OP has acquired the inverter/microwave already, maybe they`ve even bought it off a mate
I use a cheap Argos microwave with a 1500 watt inverter, had them both since 2009 no problem.
The only thing with a Volvo is that if you have the engine or ignition switch on it will throw up a brake failure warning, but clears after switching off.
bowserman
funny you should say about the brake warning .Mine has only done that since volvo moved the power feed from the stud under the bonnet to the main fuse board it never did it before that
Do people wire there microwave straight to the batteries or through inverter? And do you have the engine on before/during/after use ?
Smoggie89:
Do people wire there microwave straight to the batteries or through inverter? And do you have the engine on before/during/after use ?
24v special truck microwave could go straight to the batteries, need to be fused, but they’re typically more expensive than an inverter and a domestic 230v microwave plus you can plug in whatever to the inverter.
Own Account Driver:
Smoggie89:
Do people wire there microwave straight to the batteries or through inverter? And do you have the engine on before/during/after use ?24v special truck microwave could go straight to the batteries, need to be fused, but they’re typically more expensive than an inverter and a domestic 230v microwave plus you can plug in whatever to the inverter.
I thought buying/using an inverter was simple but there is abut to do, wire correctly, correct leads, put an inline fuse in some lol I just want a plug and play
Thanks Martin and Baz,a couple of very good links there.
Just as an aside,I’ve just bought a ring 2100w 24v from maplins for £300 for the very purpose of putting a microwave in a TGX.
I’m going to get Autolec in Telford to fit it methinks seeing as it’s a lease motor and all so shall let people know the cable specs etc when done.
Cheers bri
I power a 700w microwave with a 1500w without any problem, or half our fleet runs the microwave on 1500w inverters without any problem
- with the size you can route the connections from the bodybuilder connections and don’t need to do the extra work of taking it all the way from the batteries.
I do run the engine while it’s in use since otherwise you would need to charge the batteries for many hours because of the big power use from the microwave.
Icee:
I power a 700w microwave with a 1500w without any problem, or half our fleet runs the microwave on 1500w inverters without any problem
- with the size you can route the connections from the bodybuilder connections and don’t need to do the extra work of taking it all the way from the batteries.
I do run the engine while it’s in use since otherwise you would need to charge the batteries for many hours because of the big power use from the microwave.
What do you mean bodybuilder? And I’ve heard not to run truck whilst In use as the different power going through is not good ? I’m no good with electrics so don’t know
When I worked for spanky on here I had a microwave fitted and he said to always run the engine when using the microwave.