US $1,314.03
Sep 282010
Started work on my trailer today and one project is now checked off my list. Got the inverter installed and hooked up. An inverter takes the 12 volt DC voltage out your battery and converts to 110 volt AC so you can power your AC equipment. Many things on a trailer runs on 12V DC or LP gas (lights, frig, water pump and furnace) but I also have a few things I need to run on 110v AC such as the television and computer/phone chargers. I could have gotten a 12v tele and phone chargers but having an inverter just gives me more versatility.
My system is setup with two Sears Platinum group 31M AGM batteries and a Prosine 1800 watt pure sine wave inverter. The Sears Platinum batteries will give me a total of 200AH of capacity and being AGM (absorbed glass mat) means that they will not leak acid or vent explosive gasses like regular lead acid batteries can. The Prosine 1800 watt inverter is a pure sine wave inverter that can supply up to 15 amps of 110 volt AC with a surge of 45 amps.
So what does all this mean? Using a pure sine wave inverter means that it supplies power just like you get out of the wall at home. Cheaper modified sine wave inverters output very "dirty" AC and many electronics will not run properly and even burn out when used with them. While I haven't done an energy audit yet I feel the two batteries will allow me to easily go 3 days without the need to recharge the batteries.
When I get the 225 watts of solar panels installed it will help keep the batteries charged but I will still need to run the generator a few hours a day to keep the batteries topped off. All of this should keep my generator fuel usage under 1/2 gallon per day as the Yamaha 2400 generator is really good on gas.
The next project is to finish off the enclosed power vented battery box.
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