Hooking up a 750W inverter in a regular car.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by bentstrider83, Aug 21, 2016.

  1. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

    1,722
    1,641
    Dec 26, 2011
    Portales, NM
    0
    So recently I got one of those PowerHouse 750W amps from Loves with some accumulated points(still got plenty of left over!!). Anyways, I primarily got it for road trips out to bicycle group rides and to also charge up the pedal assist battery on my recumbent trike between rides.
    This thing obviously can't be hooked up to the cigarette lighter and needs a direct connection to the car battery.
    Apart from perhaps getting some longer cables to go from beneath the hood and to say, the back seat where the trike battery would be, is there anything else really needed to connect?

    Or is the simple connection to the 12v battery with alligator clips good enough?
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. ChaoSS

    ChaoSS Road Train Member

    3,338
    6,755
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    I wouldn't run the inverter while the engine is off and I wouldn't drive with it hooked up with alligator clips. Very bad idea.

    Make sure you are using very heavy cables, the longer the rub the heavier the cables need to be.
     
    bentstrider83 Thanks this.
  4. Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

    4,597
    13,469
    Apr 3, 2009
    Oklahoma City, OK
    0
    Put a fuse on the positive side at the battery. Try auto parts or stereo stores.
     
    bentstrider83 Thanks this.
  5. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    28,848
    154,275
    Jul 7, 2015
    Canuckistan
    0
    Clamp and protect the positve cable as best you can. Anytime it can move against something, it will rub. Any time I've had to run auxillary cables from a battery I've always installed a heavy protective loom over the cable. Rubberized P-clamps that fit very tightly over the loomed cable will help to prevent movement.
     
    bentstrider83 Thanks this.
  6. uncleal13

    uncleal13 Road Train Member

    3,797
    6,293
    Apr 9, 2009
    Humboldt, Sk
    0
    What are you planning to run with it. At full load this inverter will draw close to 60 amps. Your alternator may not keep up up it. But that would only be at full load. It only draws as much as it needs. Clamps could be used if you are parked and have the hood up. Otherwise I would run 4 gauge wires and at least put in a cutoff switch.
     
    bentstrider83 Thanks this.
  7. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

    1,722
    1,641
    Dec 26, 2011
    Portales, NM
    0
    I'm only looking at running a battery recharger for my ebike battery that runs at about 5amps/100v AC current. That's according to the charger specs on the site I got the entire kit from. Only other thing I could think of is just getting another 52v battery and using that for the second ride I head out to.(I pull a 100lb trailer with my recumbent trike and it allows me to keep up with the main pack!)
    As far as the inverter installation, it doesn't sound too difficult. But it's definitely sounding a whole lot more than simply plugging and go.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.