power inverter help

[basstender10.6]

I have big plans for the new boat I am buying. I want to buy a power inverter to run some boat lights and a radio. I looked at a four hundred watt inverter and I really don't know what I need to suit my needs.... can someone assist me?

 

[redbug]

you want to run 120 volt lights and radio on the boat?
it will be a big drain on the battery
why not go with 12 volt radio and lights?

 

[spotco2]

It all depends on what kind of radio and lights you are wanting to run. I know that halogen work lights will not kick on with less than 2500 watts.

Why not just run everything 12 volt? There's nothing on a small boat that will not run on 12 volts.

Give us some details on what you are wanting to do and we can help you figure out what you need to do it with.

 

[basstender10.6]

Sorry for the lack of info... It got annoying trying on a touch screen. I will have 2 marine batteries, one deep cycle and one interstate cranking. I plan on running a 400 watt and a 750 watt inverter to run some docking lights off the t top a stereo, a phone charger and some other small items. I really dont want to go through the hassle of wiring the whole boat (a big 16' center console) And I like being able to unplug items and move them to another boat.

 

[redbug]

it is gonna kill the batteries but good luck

 

[muskiemike12]

You can do it. I run a 800 watt inverter in my fish house to run a tv/dvd and I get about 20 hours of run time from a deep cycle battery.

 

[basstender10.6]

Pep boys is having a sale today on a Peak 400 watt inverter for $10. I guess I will buy it try it out and if I like the results I will up grade to an 800 watt inverter or something around that to run in the boat.

 

[spotco2]

Don't use those cheap invertors for charging batteries or you will kill the battery. The only ones that you can safely use to charge batteries is a pure sine wave.

If you want to see what watt invertor you need, just look at the power usage of the item you will be plugging in and add the numbers.

Personally I would not want to use AC voltage that close to water.

Post a link to the lights you are wanting to use. If they are incandescent bulbs you will be ok running 1, maybe 2 with a 400 watt. If they are halogen or florescent 400 will probably not turn them on.

 

[basstender10.6]

Don't use those cheap invertors for charging batteries or you will kill the battery. The only ones that you can safely use to charge batteries is a pure sine wave.

If you want to see what watt invertor you need, just look at the power usage of the item you will be plugging in and add the numbers.

Personally I would not want to use AC voltage that close to water.

Post a link to the lights you are wanting to use. If they are incandescent bulbs you will be ok running 1, maybe 2 with a 400 watt. If they are halogen or florescent 400 will probably not turn them on.

Thanks. I think I am just going to buy some Led lights that run on AA batteries and West marine has a 3 million candlela spotlight that Has alligator clips so I can run it directly to a battery