Lee, have you got an anderson connection behind your cab for operating the trailer tail lift? I run my 600w one off mine. Bought an anderson connection off ebay for 6 quid. Simple bit of soldering using cables off an old set of jump leads. As the cab (MAN XXL) is my full time drive I drilled a hole in the bottom of the left hand outside locker and fed the cabling up under my bunk. I have fitted a pull apart sausage connection behind the cab so it will just come apart if someone tilts the cab without checking.
I got a 300W which runs the Laptop various chargers etc and I run it off the ciggie socket on the Merc as there aren’t any Hella Plugs…never had a problem,I’ve got a 20amp fuse on the inverter cable too.,I leave it running all night as well sometimes and (touch wood)have never had a flat battery.
The only problem Ive ever had with Plugs melting and run down batteries is when I had my 12V Cool box in my MAN,never had a problem in my Scanny or Merc with anything electrical.
I’ve just put that down to MANs being ■■■■. 
A 300W will run most things i.e Laptop,TV,DVD etc its only when you want to run microwaves,ovens,toasters etc that you’d need something a lot bigger.
Bilgepump:
Lee, have you got an anderson connection behind your cab for operating the trailer tail lift? I run my 600w one off mine. Bought an anderson connection off ebay for 6 quid. Simple bit of soldering using cables off an old set of jump leads. As the cab (MAN XXL) is my full time drive I drilled a hole in the bottom of the left hand outside locker and fed the cabling up under my bunk. I have fitted a pull apart sausage connection behind the cab so it will just come apart if someone tilts the cab without checking.
we have on the unit but not on the rigids we run (obviously), at the moment i have decided to buy it and then either use the ciggie lighter and get myself down to Aldi and buy a couple of packs of the £1 fuse packs (if they have any left) or even halfrauds or get the ‘L’s’ at workj to knock me an extension cable together for the battery.
i will also have a natter with the boss on friday and see what he suggests (or if i can plant the seed that it would be a good idea to get all the wagons fitted with them)
thanks for all the advice people.
much appreciated
I kept my first post specific to the question.
But I agree with the others that for running a laptop and a few chargers the cigarette socket should be sufficient, and a 300W inverter rather than a 600W. Most laptops draw about 75watts, phone charger is only 2-3watts so you should easily be able to run it off a 300W. To keep safe just check the amp fuse on your cigarette socket, check the voltage/current draw of all your items connected to the inverter and make sure they don’t exceed it, all devices are labelled with their power draw.
Voltage x current (in amps) = power (in watts)
so a 5v phone charger running at 450milliamps is only drawing about 2.5watts.
A 24v socket in the truck with a 10amp fuse in it can supply 240watts, thought as inverters aren’t immensely efficient you’d probably blow fuses when you start loading it with devices drawing about 220watts.
Kiowan,
i have just had a word with the lads at work and they will make me a cable up (all soldered and sealed so no shorting out) but will also put a little bit of armoured surround on it (for where it goes through the sunroof/window). all its going to cost me is a bag of tea bags and some biscuits.
i will try it off the ciggie lighter and see where we go from there. if it works at least i will have a cable for when the ciggie lighter melts or just blows everytime!
i have just had a thought, planted by bilge pump, i wonder if they could put an anderson connection (both male and female to connect the cable when the anderson connection is not needed) in the cable so if i am in the artic i can just plug it in and away i go until i need the tail lift, and on the rigid stick it on the battery! I can get all teh parts for a total of about £15 so might go shopping later!
cheers for all the pointers it has certainly broadened my knowledge of what is needed and how to rig it