Power inverter/Outlet install

[littleblackxj]

You can do it, but it's a pita to say the least. I've done it with a buddy of mine's jeep it it was basically a nightmare. To run it under the seat you have to cut out the entire floarboard under the jeep, make a frame for the amp rack and somehow enclose it. Basically cardboard and a plasma torch will become your best friend. It took us about two weekends to complete and it still gives us problems. The problem is the floors are pressed for strength, so when you cut them out you loose some integrity. As you flex it stressed the new battery rack and causes some nice stress cracks. What we had to do is take some 6" wide 1/8" metal, but it into 1/2" strips, cut bung holes, and weld it to the floor. The reason for cutting it into strips is so it can better accomadate the curvature of the floors.

O btw, here's how I did my inverter.


I just stuck the inverter behind the panel. I have it running off an duralast blue top that I mounted in a battery box on the floor of the rear driver side seat. Works great I have a battery isolator in between the two batteries so I can drain the secondary battery and still start my jeep

[Braindead]

Yeah that might be a better way to do it. But the small things first like getting the new engine running and keeping it cool and happy so I can charge the batts.

[littleblackxj]

Yeah, also the problem i'm seeing with running 3 batteries is the amount of draw those things will do when they are dead. Your stock alt, iirc, can only do about 90amps and when you connect the secondary batteries to the main one via the battery isolator, it will kill your electrical. Idk if that's what will happen, but i'm sure it will be rough on it.

[smithtango171]

get yourself a mean green 220amp alternator then

[86rokee]

Originally Posted by 5-90

Amps = Watts/Volts.

Amps = 1000/120

Amps = 8-1/3

Ohm's Law and Watt's Law both come in very handy!

NB: Most inverters do not like "pure inductive" loads - like electric motors and such. If your inverter starts making funny noises, or your electric motor doesn't run quite right, plug in a small light as well - the resistive load will help knock the noise out of the inverter circuit. I found this out while working at an outdoor shooting range - I'd have my truck backed up to the line in summer, with a fan going and the liftgate open. Found out about the "inductive load" thing, put a Peltier module on the fan (resistive load) to help cool the air going through it, and win-win!

i think its probably been done where some one has run a alternator without a rectifier to get a more stable a/c source. alts produce a/c but they rectify it to d/c. like you said inverters dont like motors and inductive stuff because the a/c they produce is more of a digital square wave at 60 cycles not sine wavelike true a/c.
i bought a 400 watter for $20 had it a about a year still havent installed it. wont power up anything i cant live without,cant think of a good place for it. and it does a have a cig lighter plug kit