Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/93724
MOBILEOFFICE By Tim Walton Power Plays W hether traveling cross-country or to a local jobsite, I'm always looking for a place to plug in my 110V electronic devices like small coolers, microwaves, laptops, printers and battery chargers. Contractors of all trades working in the fi eld know fi nding places to plug in such accessories can be scarce. That's where power inverters are a real benefi t for the mobile offi ce. An inverter works like a battery charger in reverse: It converts the pickup's DC battery power to household (AC) current, which allows you to operate AC-powered devices in your vehicle. Power inverters are such a handy feature that many of the newer pickups now feature 115V AC outlets in the dash and behind the cen- ter console. But these small (150W) inverters may not be stout enough to handle your business and recreation needs. So plugging in to an aftermarket inverter that can provide up to ten times that power is the next step. GETTING ENOUGH POWER Choosing an inverter involves fi nding one that can supply the watts required to run the accessories, getting the right kind of power, and selecting the features you want to see in your power supply. First, select an inverter that has enough "continuous" output to give you some electrical headroom to accommodate future power needs. Check each of your accessories' product labels or manuals for actual wattage numbers. Tally the numbers and plug in an extra 100 watts for good measure. Some inverters are designed to plug in to the 12V outlets in your pickup. Their power, in terms of watts, available from such plug-in inverters is limited by: 1) the capacity of the inverter; 2) the wiring behind the pickup's 12V power point; and 3) the fuse in this part of the pickup's power system. The higher-output inverters are usually hard-wired directly to the pickup's battery. Wiring kits are available from suppliers such as Go Power Electric (gpelectric.com) and Power inverters (powerinverters.org) that include proper gauge wiring, a fuse block and tie downs to mount the inverter in a permanent location inside the cab. Under-seat locations are ideal as they are both out of the way and 18 PROPICKUP April 2012 power loads. This unit can power lights and TVs, phone chargers and camera chargers. Go Power's GP-300 Modifi ed Sine Wave inverter is an easy solution for small DVD players, cellular phone chargers and much more. allow enough of an air gap surrounding the unit to provide suffi cient cooling when the inverter is hard at work. THE CORRECT SINE There are two types of sine waves that an inverter can output: Modifi ed Sine Wave or Pure (or true) Sine Wave. These names stem from the diff erence in how the energy waves look in an oscilloscope, a tool used to graph varying voltage signals. Modifi ed Sine Wave is a common output produced by basic inverters and is fi ne for many tools and other products powered by 110V/120V AC. But for the mobile offi ce needs a Pure Sine Wave inverter, which is very similar to the power from the grid, is the one you need to ensure laptops, high-end audio equipment and battery chargers for cordless tools function properly. A Pure Sine Wave inverter can be signifi cantly more expensive than a Modifi ed Sine Wave model, however if your device requires it, it's the only way to go. Note: Not all electrical accessories can run off an inverter. Makita, for example, says you can't use any type of inverter (Pure or Modifi ed) to charge batteries for their cordless tools. So again, look into the require- ments for the specifi c devices you wish to power with an inverter. VALUABLE FEATURES If the inverter you are considering doesn't have enough outlets, a split- ter won't help. You'll need a bigger unit. In addition to more AC outlets on a higher-output inverter, look for auxiliary power ports such as USB ports or an iPod quick-charge interface adaptor. If power used from an inverter involves possible exposure to water, it should be equipped with a GFCI outlet to instantly protect against a ground fault. Inverters with digital readouts are also nice because they can pro- vide you with information about the remaining voltage in the battery supply power; inform you of the current usage of the inverter, which allows you to monitor the rate of battery drain; and even alert you it's wave ovens (1,000 watts or less), coff eemakers, laptops, TV sets, video games, CD players, Cobra's CPI 1575 1,500 Watt Power Inverter unit is ideal for appliances such as micro-