(Part 2) Best power inverters according to redditors

Ok!

So it's a late 2018 (December) Ender 3 Pro. I got it from Mech Solutions. They have been super helpful with some warranty stuff. (Magnetic bed delaminated and heat break/throat tube was broken.) https://www.mechestore.com/collections/ender-3-pro

Galactic Empire gears here:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3422334 (I remixed this one!)
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3005278

The braided cable stuff is from Amazon, here: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071WF5NTN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought three sizes, 1/4", 1/2", and 3/4". I hated the Pi camera cable, luckily it fits perfectly in the 1/2" stuff. I found uses for all three sizes in different locations. The 1/4" looks cool on the bowden tube. I used heat shrink (or electrical tape) at the ends.

Hotend cooler is Hero Me with a velocity stack (stack purely for my own entertainment)
Hero Me: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3182917 - I used the stock 4010 blower version in the end. I was going to do the dual 5015 mod but the two Amazon fans I got were both defective.
Fan is a Noctua 4020 - from here: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071W93333/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
** tech note - I added a 12v system running in parallel with the OEM 24v Ender system - more below
Velocity stack:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2211780

Someone spotted it, on the left I have a Raspberry Pi 3B+ running OctoPi (Octoprint):
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07BD3WHCK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and a 3.5" touchscreen TFT LCD:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07KLDKM5D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and a Pi compatible camera:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0759GYR51/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
with longer cables:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07DNYM8KC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The camera needed a mount:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2886101
and an off-brand sleeve:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2994762

The Pi needed a mount too, and I found one I love that just happened to fit the screen I bought:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2530258
** user note - this thing is massive, and tricky to print. Worth it, though.

OH. THIS IS A MUST:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2943218 xD

All metal extruder, conveniently in red, from here: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07JVJWC5B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
** tech note: if nothing else, do this upgrade. This, and the one just above it. Mine was under extruding, and I poured hours into trying to calibrate/test/bla bla bla... it ended up being a broken heat break and crappy plastic extruder.

Filament guide (top rail)
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3003807
At extruder:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3303562

Z-Axis bar cable management:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2761965
** user note: this is one of my favorites!!!!! I covered it in LEDs, white for the bed, and red for the wall/bowden tube!

Ok, so, something that made getting good fans difficult is the Ender 3 uses 24v fans (except the power suppy, it uses a 12v fan. Bonus.)
To get some 12v power, I used a buck converter to step 24v down to 12v from here:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01FQH4M82/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and basically I run all the fun stuff off it.
JST and XT60 connectors are all from www.hobbyking.com. Same with 22AWG three wire servo wire, super handy. I already had this stuff kicking around, but hobbyking is good if you need this stuff.
The PSU has some open ports, I added another XT60 cable with 24v service. I made it the same as the OEM, and they are backwards compatible and nothing will fry. One of them goes to my buck converter, the other to the Ender main board.
** tech note: I used a 3.5A BEC from hobbyking to power the Pi, off the 12v side of the buck converter. I ended up cutting the power supply cable that came with the Pi (and added JST connectors to the whole thing so I could reuse it one day.) The BEC steps the voltage down to 5.1v from 12v. 3.5A has been plenty. I think it might use .8A with my giant RGB keyboard plugged into it.

This is super worth it, a must do. https://photos.app.goo.gl/AEXNqvTXE5ZZhnhi8

Oh, the nice little platform the buck converter and Pi cooling fan is sitting on is this thing:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2539545

more below: (above?)

I think it might better for you to be flexitarian if you are homeless. I don't think many would blame you for the occasional non vegan meal in your situation. But but a portable stove, a rice cooker, and this

Ampeak 100W Car Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC Converter with 2.1A USB Car Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072LM88F9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AZFrDbSGK2B66.

Make sure to have a lot of starches such as rice, bread, sweet potatoes etc. And legumes such as lentils and beans. Rice cooker is very helpful in this situation as you can cook a lot of different things in it

I bought a standard car adaptor (Ampeak 100W Car Power Inverter DC... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072LM88F9?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf). Take a cooler and ice packs to put the milk in and either rinse your parts with water after each pump (and then pop those in the cooler too) or take a set of parts for however many times you’ll be pumping. Park towards the back of the parking lot and you should be in relative privacy.

http://www.diyphotography.net/external-canon-battery-lasts-9-times-longer/

I wound up using an Anker 20000 mAh battery, stepped down the 12v output to 7v and ran it into my camera (Canon 5D/7D) using a modified AC adapter

https://www.pine64.org/?product=rock64-media-board-computer

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-External-Enclosure-Supported-Silver/dp/B019HXSQ6K?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-2-5A-power-adapter/dp/B00DQFGH80

https://www.amazon.com/Converter-DROK-Adjustable-Stabilizer-Protective/dp/B01FQH4M82/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Done.

• Solar Controller
  
• Converter Charger
  
• Inverter
  
• Battery
  
• Grand total so far is us$ 290. I havent included a box, wires as needed, 12v outlet, and fuses (the yeti says it isnt fused) all of which you could source for under $50.00. It would have more than 3 times the battery storage capacity and better charging specs.
  
  Edit: Link here to the Goal Zero Yeti AGM for comparison.

I know your question was about water, but I'd like to rebut that article in general. I'll make sure to focus on water for you though. (TL;DR: I see The_Prepared is already here, and the article you already found is my suggestion.)

Here, I shall make some useful alternate suggestions:

Article Title: Well, I see the lies have already begun. Hey, I know of an article with almost the same name that's actually useful!

• Pedal power fail socket: Dumb. For that price, buy a solar panel, a decent charge controller, and a battery. Find a nerd if you aren't one, hook them up (safely, standard internet advice disclaimer here), and you get power without needing to pedal, and also storage. If you want to charge your phone, use a 12v adapter, and if you need 120v power for something, you can get an inverter. It's pretty easy to hook it all up, there are a lot of resources, search for "DIY solar generator". Here's one I made for a good friend. This will be about a hundred times as useful to you, at only a slightly higher price.
  
  
• Crappy GMRS radios: You can tell this article is BS because they actually think the "23 mile range" claim has some kind of validity. Emergency comms for preppers generally means a Ham radio license, those walkie talkies are only marginally better than toys. All the same, they're cheap, and can't hurt. I have a pair.
  
  
• Cell phone: It amuses me that the article states "we have a strong suspicion", thus confirming they did no actual journalism or research . In the event of a disaster, 2G will be exactly as non existent as it is now. They also chose the Nokia because of a meme! What's their next memetic indestructible suggestion? A Wiimote? Gamecube? At least you could bludgeon an intruder to death with a Gamecube. My suggestion: Use your regular phone, because it works with the existing infrastructure. Text messages tend to work better in disasters, because high call volume stresses the network, and texts are a tiny amount of data. Also, stay off the phone unless you really need to use it, because someone else might be in a life threatening situation and need to call for help.
  
  
• Ultimate survival kit: I disagree with premade survival kits because they use low quality items, most of them won't actually be useful, and if you build your own, you have more familiarity with the equipment and usage. If you want a pre made kit, look at the contents, buy it in pieces, and test every piece before you put it in your kit. At least then you'll know how it all works, and be familiar with exactly whats in there.
  
  
• Glowy keychain thing: I mean, i like glowy things, but the only real use for this is if you want to take a photo and post it on /r/EDC and then get flak from them because it's not even tritium, which incidentally doesn't need charging and would work far better for the purpose the article suggests anyway.
  
  
• Waterbricks: No argument here, but The Prepared has a really awesome article about this and I'm not going to type words that they have already covered in great detail. (I see they've already found this thread, anyway.)
  
  
• Condoms: Pretty fair point there. They expire, so rotate them like any other perishable prep item. I'd say probably stock conventional ones because no one wants a hurricane baby, and some unlubricated ones for assorted other purposes, but don't plan on using them for stuff. If you need something waterproof, do not think "I'll just put a condom on it when I need to!". If you can think of it in advance, figure out a proper solution, and leave the condoms for in a pinch fixes you didn't anticipate.
  
  
• Hand crank radio: Sure I guess? I'd rather have a radio that uses rechargeable batteries, and then use the solar rig from my first bullet point to charge the batteries. Anything with a hand crank will put out a really tiny amount of power and requires you to effort. Once you stop cranking, you're running off of the way-too-tiny battery in the unit, whereas solar is a huge amount of power that requires no effort, which you can then use to charge lots of batteries and then just swap them. Or run the radio off of a 12v adapter directly. For the radio itself, You want AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio at a minimum, and an argument could be made for shortwave, because it can cover huge distances (I'm in central Alberta, Canada, and can easily pick up Radio Havana Cuba on shortwave). Again, a Ham license and some equipment of that sort would also be useful if you want to get into that.
  
  
• MRE's: Sure, though ask a soldier friend what they think of them, and what they do to your guts. I'm personally going to stick with Mountain House or similar. Also, there's an article from The Prepared on this topic, too. (Hey mods, just so you know I'm not paid or coerced in any way to suggest this site. I gain nothing from them, it's just the best information I've found, and it's convenient to link them instead of type a whole lot.)
  
  
• As seen on TV "Tactical" Flashlight: No! Ask nicely in /r/flashlight, or pick something that meets your needs from Here. Thrunite tends to be inexpensive, high quality, nice features, and nice light, if you're looking for a brand suggestion. Fenix and Nitecore are also solid choices.
  
  
• 1911: Limiting this one because too much politics and heated debate. I love 1911s, but .45 is a bit big for an infrequent shooter, but a 9mm clone like an STI Spartan, or perhaps a Jericho (Baby Eagle) in 9mm, or a CZ, would work nicely.
  
  
• Casper Mattress: Wait, that's an ad, never mind. I couldn't really tell the difference.

Look into a Yamaha EF2400ISHC . I had it converted to tri fuel (gas, propane, cng). You can choose to carry gas or propane with you. I chose propane because there is virtually no maintenance and a 20 pound tank will run it for well over 12 hours. I change the oil once a year whether I use it or not.
I have run my 15,000 btu AC Unit with it after installing a soft start capacitor. It runs my 13,500 btu unit on its own.

For our electrical distribution needs, we installed a Progressive Dynamics PD4045 converter. It is a 3 stage, smart battery charger, provides circuits for the air conditioner, fridge and anything else we want to plug in, and also distributes the 12v power. We have a 30A main breaker, a 15A breaker for the A/C and another 15A breaker for another 110v circuit. Each 12v run is individually fused (USB chargers, lights, etc).

You can see the details of how I did it on this page.

Tesla Model 3 roof rack: https://shop.tesla.com/us/en/product/vehicle-accessories/model-3-roof-rack.html

It may seem unnecessary to mention this since it's in the Tesla store and it seems like there is a post every time it goes back on sale but I can't count how many times I've been asked by Tesla owners where I got it from and who makes it.

​

Tesla Model 3 console organizer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P6DMBWB

The center console is a big deep storage area. It's like a toy box, nothing you put in it has its own place. There isn't a good solution for keys, garage cards, coins, sunglasses without this. I like this one better than the Basenor since it is covered in the same felt material that the rest of the console interior has. It feels like an OEM part.

​

200W power inverter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079HPZ9JY

Charge and run your 110V AC things! Nice to have for road trips.

​

Lanyard and badge holder: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HLFZWBD

I put the key card in the badge holder and put it around my neck and under my wet suit. Highly recommended solution for all surfers!

I've got both inverters. The pure sine wave is clean AC and electronic equipment works well - no humming of overheating. I started with an inverter that I had that was modified sine wave and the electronics made a humming noise. I'd recommend the pure sine wave inverters.

​

I'm using a 2000 watt inverter, but some things like an induction stove don't run. I'd consider a 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter. Also, make sure you size the cables correctly - fatter wire is best.

If that’s an inverter I would recommend a pure sine wave model. I have this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SLPWBK3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share and so far no issues.

Thanks for the info. So the $169 EVExtend kit is only a wiring kit and requires in inverter to be connected to it, correct? It looks like a very clean solution, but for $140 you can buy a 1500W inverter with wiring kit off Amazon. Are there other features to the EVExtend or other things I should consider?

They sell pure sine wave inverters.
Like GoWISE Power PS1001 Pure SINE Wave Inverter 600W https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0131GJ5X2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6wB6CbY03339E

I think 600 watts should be enough for a single amp and pedals.

This should do the trick. It's borderline so if the money isn't as much an issue I'd go for the 1000W model just to be on the safe side. Best of luck.

Dryers are 240. Many a/c systems are also 240. You may have other 240 outlets near your garage. Here is one for $220 or so: https://amzn.to/2IewHsz. With this one, you can change the plug and use the same one for 110 and 240 charging! Get one with multiple tips and you can keep it in the car for flexible charging everywhere. If you do this, sell the charger that came with your car on eBay. Don't need it.

Also, get at least a 1000 watt inverter like this one https://amzn.to/2rFVPNB. With this your car becomes your backup power. A fridge uses 75 watts or so an hour. Your car most likely stores 24,000 watt hours or running that fridge for 320 hours. Plus it makes for an awesome camping source of electricity.

I am amazed no one really mentions these two items as core to EV ownership that actually adds a ton of value.

I once sold an EVSE charger that came with my car for less than it cost for one that had dual charging and came with three different 240V AC plugs! Crazy to think people hire electricians to have a Level 2 charger installed for over a grand.

I just bought, and installed an exhaust fan in the back of my pickup. It works great, and I'm stoked to have power in the back now. It wasn't very difficult to figure out.

I bought this, this, this, this, and this fan. It set me back about $350, but I went with a larger, more powerful solar panel. You'll need some 10 gage wire and crimp connections. Home depot has all those parts.

Here's what it looks like.

I would just grab a power inverter for the car (that's what I did). That way when I want to use my laptop as a passenger I just hook up and get 100% of the charger power from the Apple charger. Not as small and elegant as a USB PD option, but none were reasonable and able to power the MBP fully.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DW1PSRH/

Thanks for your help!So I was actually looking at getting this:http://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Outlets-Power-Inverter-Battery/dp/B004NZI4K6/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1450203602&sr=8-13&keywords=power+inverter

and then hooking it up to a very cheap car battery's + -.I was wondering what type/size of battery I would need,I have never purchased a car battery so I assume I could just get a recommended size from you and run on down to Walmart.That would work right?

My truck does have power to the cigarette outlet when its off but I don't want to risk killing the battery,I would much rather have peace of mind and blow some extra cash on a separate battery.

I got a Nutri Ninja 1000w blender with the 48oz pitcher accessory so I can make big frozen smoothies. It was the least power with still a capacity of at least 40oz.

I use it with a 1500w/3000 peak inverter that only cost me $150. It’s modified sine wave. I tried to ask the Nutri Ninja company first if it required a pure sine wave but the tech support lady has no idea what I was talking about. It seems to work fine but I did notice a slight hum when the blender is plugged in with the inverter running. I do turn the inverter off and store the blender after use. The blender was $70 new so honestly not that worried as long as it lasts a while and doesn’t catch fire or something.

KRIËGER KR1500 1500 Watt 12V Dual Power Inverter with Installation kit. MET approved to UL and CSA standards. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DNL05GW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Z55QAbW8DX5E9

The read out on the inverter shows the blender pulling about 350w continuous.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714B231X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rdZOAbEPPQH80 ?

> I can most likely get a switching regulator to take it to 9V but then I need to take it down to 7.5V. The switching regulators that I have seen are not adjustable.

So get one that does!

Hey so my setup is a bit cheaper than the one below, but same concept:

I have an inverter with alligator clips on it that has at least 300 watts (you can gather things you think you would use and add up the watts to see your needs):
https://www.amazon.com/POTEK-Inverter-Adapter-Charging-Smartphone/dp/B01FEUD9OO/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504464365&sr=1-9&refinements=p_72%3A1248861011


Then I have a marine deep cycle battery (I actually have two because I use them for other stuff also):
I can't find the exact one, but it is just Deep Cycle marine battery 12 volts and about 100 amp hours rated, they are about $75-100 at Costco or Walmart.

If you search for 24DC or the larger 27DC Marine battery you will find them.


Then of course you need a charger, I love this one, but there are others:
https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-BC15BD-Battery-Charger/dp/B00KNMKRU8/ref=pd_bxgy_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00KNMKRU8&pd_rd_r=KVPBC0ZVG9ZQGWAPD6HS&pd_rd_w=4Xk7X&pd_rd_wg=SRKI5&psc=1&refRID=KVPBC0ZVG9ZQGWAPD6HS


You just clamp on the inverter and you are all set, instant power supply :)


Edit: you could also get one of these and use your car charger with it, it might extend the life of the big deep cycle battery since you don't have to run the inverter

Aux batteries are nice because you can feel confident to run them down, and when charged they allow you to jump start yourself with jumper cables if you accidentally run your car battery down.

Yes, the aux batteries need to wire into something to charge them. Either solar, grid/generator power, or the car. Mine can be charged through all 3. Charging from the car is the most practical.

You want the aux to be charged while your car is running. If you're feeling mechanical you'd want a battery isolator like this, but that install is a pain.

Instead, I use an inverter plus a charger; very safe and non-technical. I hook my inverter up to my starter battery, and simply wedge it next to the starter battery under the hood. Then I run a normal "3-prong" home extension cord from under the hood into my SUV cab. In the cab I plug into a battery charger which is connected to the aux batteries to charge them. These links aren't the actual ones I use, just to show you examples.

In my setup, I have to pop the hood and switch on the inverter after I start the car, and before I stop the car, pop the hood again and turn it off. So it doesn't drain the stater battery while the car is off. Some people might agree with my build but in my opinion it's the simplest and cheapest way.

As far as sizing. For simple, just get one battery. Look at the Amp Hours (Ah) rating. IMO get an AGM battery (a type of SLA), other types are finicky. Watts is Amps Volts. Batteries are 12 volts so a 12 volt battery with 100 Amp Hours (Ah) can provide 12100=1200 watts. Divide by 2 since you only want to drain it to 50%. So a 100 Ah battery gives you 600 watts. If you run a 25 watt blanket, that means the battery can run it for 24 hours. It's best to underestimate here since the battery will rarely be fully charged except after a long drive.

If you had a 100 Ah AGM battery, you'd want probably a 10-amp charger (for reasons) and a 400+ watt inverter.

I know it's a lot :p Hope it makes sense.

1. The output voltage depends on the transformer's primary:secondary ratio. They are unidirectional, so a transformer wound to supply 6V from a 120V source can be used to supply 120V from a 6V source.
   
   
2. The transformer design depends on your power requirements and voltages. The output has a centre tap to easily reverse the polarity through the windings (and thus create a basic AC input) without the use of an H-Bridge.
   
3. If you're looking to keep total costs down to under $15 per unit, something like this or this may be helpful.
   
   
   To answer your final question, it may prove safer, more efficient, and less expensive to use a commercially available inverter and inexpensive car battery to power all 20-30 bulbs from a common source.
   
   The linked inverter circuit is not terribly efficient, and the lower your input voltage, the more current drawn due to the conservation of energy. 3W at 6V means a 500mA draw from your cells, under ideal conditions. Increasing the input voltage decreases the current consumption, and extends the life of the batteries.
   
   If you like doing this kind of thing, making one to test would be fun! That being said, if you're planning to host an event, there may be plenty of other things on your mind that day, and taking 'home made high voltage supply' off that list might help.

I bought a power inverter from Amazon. My husband has a couple of spare batteries that he uses on his boat's trolling motor but you could use it on a spare car battery as well. We haven't used it yet but we only plan on charging phones and running a box fan. I know the battery will run the trolling motor for a long time before it dies though. If you happen to have a large battery like that laying around it can be a less-expensive alternative to a full power supply.

If anyone else has done this before I'd love to hear about it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NZI4K6/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It'll require a little bit of custom work but you can definitely power it off of a battery.

A pre-packaged battery will give you the easiest installation / charging options. Make sure it offers 12v DC outputs like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M3S00H0/

Then you'll want to convert the 12v DC to 24v DC (the lightstrip plus runs on 24v) using a regulator like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085T97PW/

Aside from that, all you'll need are a couple of barrel plugs to connect the regulator between the battery and Hue controller. I'm not 100% sure of the barrel plug sizes, I expect the 12v side (battery output) to use a 5.5mm X 2.1mm barrel plug but I'm not sure which size the Hue controller requires as input.

I'd be wary of the inverter. 16% one-star reviews is a red flag. And, most of them are reporting complete, early failures. Yeah, I wouldn't touch that.

Most inverters are cheap-ass made in China crap for the lowest price. You have to pay real money. Don't search on amazon (even if you ultimately buy it there). Look on RV or boating specific stores to see what brands/models actually work.

Xantrex is a good brand. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. $168 for 600W: http://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-806-1206-PROwatt-600-Inverter/dp/B002O5P8BA/

Also, the cheap ones absolutely won't put out their claimed output on a continuous basis no matter what their advertising claims. Get as much rated output as you're willing to pay for. Running an inverter at its max capable output means more heat and shorter lifetime.

Don't forget a fuse between battery and inverter. And, a fuse coming from your starting battery to protect your vehicle's electrical system from this stuff you're adding on.

Fuse holder (will have links to fuses, too): http://www.amazon.com/Scoshe-EWFH-Single-Fuse-Holder/dp/B000KIR8M0/

you could always use a inverter hooked straight up to your car's battery. You'd have to leave your car running to not drain the battery though.

here is one : $100 on amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Power-TechOn-Inverter-Outlets-PS1001/dp/B0131GJ5X2/ref=sr_1_14?crid=33YKUH6TPOH1W&keywords=pure+sine+wave+inverter&qid=1558705946&s=gateway&sprefix=pure+sine+wa%2Caps%2C361&sr=8-14

I looked at something like this. But I'm not sure yet.https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Dynamics-PD4045KV-Mighty-Distribution/dp/B002XRU6FM?ie=UTF8&keywords=mighty%20mini&qid=1409800732&ref_=sr_1_6&sr=8-6

This is basically what I have. I bought a different battery and inverter because I have an account at batteries Plus but this is a widely accepted quality battery and a decent inverter. I would recommend buying at least the battery local as shipping them is expensive.

NOTE I did not include fuses/breakers in this list but you definitely should build these into your design.

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Polycrystalline-Starter/dp/B00DCEKKQ0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487256044&sr=8-2&keywords=renogy+100w+starter+kit

https://www.amazon.com/Trojan-T27-AGM-Group-Purpose-Battery/dp/B00NY0RAW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487256242&sr=8-1&keywords=trojan+12volt

https://www.amazon.com/34-97-2-15-17-ENERGIZER-Inverter-charging/dp/B01N5LUMDF/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1487256346&sr=8-16&keywords=500w+inverter

Depending on what you really want to power this may be way more than you need. You really should start by figuring out the load you want to power and then design your system around that number. This is a great little tool for figuring out how much power the devices you want to power will use and it's certainly cheaper than buying too much system and finding out you could have done what you wanted with half as much as you bought.

https://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Usage-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487256555&sr=8-1&keywords=killawatt

I'm certainly not an expert at solar but am learning so feel free to PM any other questions.

Buy a dummy battery, wire it to a 12v to 7.5v-9v step down converter and a cigarette lighter plug on the other end. For my D5300 I use this, this & this

You need to find a matching battery type for your model.

Why not get a 120v car adapter and use any computer you want? Seems restrictive to build a computer around a very specific power delivery when you can transform the power to a universal standard.

Something like this might be useful too:

BMK 200W Car Power Inverter DC 12V to 110V AC DC Adapter 4 USB Ports Charger Adapter Car Plug Converter with Switch and Current LCD Screen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079HPZ9JY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qtu6CbW7JC9RE

https://canadacpapsupply.com/medistrom-cpap-battery-pilot-24.html

I use one of those. Works good for 1-2 nights depending how many hours I sleep.

I charge it on my motorcycle using a 12v-24v step up converter. https://www.amazon.ca/Converter-Regulator-12V-Step-24V/dp/B0085T97PW

I built it all into a waterproof Pelican Case that I strap onto the bike and use a Battery Tender style plug to connect to the bike for charging.

Not the cheapest solution, but if you don't have a 4 wheeled vehicle for hauling a deep cycle, its the next best option.

I know the "advisable" path, but I think you can see that I'm looking for a workaround. Imagine if it were as simple to avoid inrush current as giving a few whirls to a handcrank flywheel. I know most equipment users aren't into that sort of thing, but for me it would be great.

I've got 1kW of monocrystaline solar cells (so, major overkill for a 1kWh/day user like myself). I'm going to start with two of these batteries: Trojan T-105-RE. I may splurge and buy a 1.7kWh Aquion S10 for $1200. I'm planning to get the Xantrex 2000 and probably a Morningstar TS-45 to start. The Trojans I would add up to 12V, the Aquion runs at 48V unless you break it into cells and rewire.

https://smile.amazon.com/BESTEK-150W-Power-Inverter-Car/dp/B07DW1PSRH there's tons of them meant to plug into cars, converts 12V DC to 110V AC

If you look on your power adapter, it should tell you the watts, if not, to calculate watts, multiply volts x amps. So, for my laptop, it was 65 watts, and the Samsung fast charger is 10 watts for a total of 75 watts, so I could have gotten away with like a 100 watt inverter, but I was looking into getting a portable printer and wanted extra capacity.


I bought one like this off of amazon, worked good, but after a while, the USB port died (probably an internal fuse). But since it had "household" 110v outlets as well, it was just as easy to use the standard plugs that came with my laptop and Samsung wall charger.

https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-300W-Power-Inverter-Adapter/dp/B004MDXS0U?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1

This one is the same price (29.99), but 400W (400 watts):

https://www.amazon.com/Ampeak-400W-Power-Inverter-Converter/dp/B0714B231X?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_4

At the time, I didn't have much money, but I would have liked to have bought a higher wattage one, like 2000 watts, so that I could use a hot pot to heat water for tea/coffee/soup, etc. The hot pot that I currently have draws 1500 watts, for example.

Good point - Xantrex has a 600W inverter that realistically should be plenty if you understand what you should and shouldn't run off a battery.

Basically any appliance that uses over 100w is too much unless used for only a couple minutes a day, and in no case should you try to run a 1800w hairdryer or blender unless you're on shore power or have a good generator.

[inverter](ampeak 1000w power inverter 12v dc to 110v ac dual ac outlets 2.1a usb car inverter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NZ8DSB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NbC6Ab814KH3Z)
[solar controller](allpowers 20a solar charger controller solar panel battery intelligent regulator with usb port display 12v/24v https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU0WMGT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_adC6Ab4DAFH9X)
And ill add some sort of solar panel

Not sure what your power requirements are, but you can get one of these. http://www.amazon.com/Converter-Regulator-12v-Step-24v/dp/B0085T97PW

3A at 24V is decent. According to the reviews it seems to work well.

$100 panels https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HHDC6NQ/

$20 charge controller https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MU0WMGT/

$100 marine battery https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008974VFG/

$150 ac inverter 2000watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0716WT8D5/

I'd go with a little bigger inverter, the morningstar one will need to be wired to a plug. this whole line from 600-2000watts has been serving me well. Also has USB and a voltage display 1000watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I04A74/ 600watt https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O5P8BA/r

Whistler pro


KrIeger2000 watt

Power bright 200 watt pure sine

I'd stay away from the truck stop invertors I've heard plenty of bad stuff about them and have had issues with the ones I've bought.

I bought the whistler pro a few years back, never had any issues with it. Still have it and it's been sitting in a tote in my shed for the last year or so.

http://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-PROWatt-Inverter-Model-806-1220/dp/B002LGEMOQ

Sorry, don't mean to rub it in.

are there any problems with just plugging something like this http://www.amazon.com/KRIËGER®-2000-Power-Inverter-KR2000/dp/B00UXM6F22/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1464042271&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=power+inverter&psc=1 into the battery directly and leaving my car running? will it damage my car's battery?

Okay I'll try that for the noise.

I'm also having problems with keeping my devices powered. And audio dropping from my dac.

I got the same power setup running my hub and the otg cable as before removing the battery.

Seems like when power runs through the the otg the amps drop on my converter. When i turny car off I can see the amps raise to between 0.50 amps and 1.00 amps.

If I keep my powermate volume knob connected to the hub audio seems to drop from my dac. If I disconnect the powermate then it seems to not happen.


The tablet cycles on and off properly.
It seems to me that the power coming in from the USB OTG connector is causing the converter to drop amps.


This is the converter
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01FQH4M82/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1506543766&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=dc+converter

It seems to detect battery full and charge. And this might be what's causing the amps to drop. It's got settings for voltage regulations and current regulations. Although current regulation doesn't seem to work manually. Do you think I should try using a more basic converter ?

A post was deleted that mentioned a really good variable power converter:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FQH4M82

I didn't plug anything into the inverter, I just hooked up the battery to the inverter (see this diagram:http://bestsale2u.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/100W-12V-Solar-Panel-Installation.jpg)

When I turned the inverter on with nothing plugged in, the display on the inverter had 11.4V for the input voltage. This is my inverter for reference --> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0716WT8D5/

The inverter displays the voltage itself and has an alarm for low voltage as well.

Get a tape player with an A/C adapter. Something like this.

Get a 12v inverter. Something like this.

Using the headphone jack on the tape player, they can connect a 3.5mm AUX cable in their car (assuming they have an AUX input?) and a 3.5mm RCA cable to connect to the home stereo.

*Also, if I may make a suggestion, using the car inverter > a/c adapter > AUX input in the car will undoubtedly create a bit of engine noise through your speakers. Using one of these will eliminate most of that noice.

I hadn't said that someone else did. Here is what I currently have...
https://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8016-103-BlueTop-Starting/dp/B00075OSCO/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B8L6EFA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UXM6F22/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I agree, deep cycle bettery and PowerPole plugs are the best. I have a 75Ah I selected based on it being 50lbs which is all I want to carry.

A simple easy way to go, for the less handy types, is the battery with a 12V to AC inverter, and just run all devices using the 110V wall-warts they came with.Get an inverter with terminals on the back, they make a better connection than the cigar lighter style. This is less efficient that going full DC, but quite handy if you have a Canon 8.4v DSLR camera with the Canon AC adapter. Because 12V going into the DSLR might get expensive.

>use a Rig Runner

Seems like overkill to fuse every 12V device. I use one of these.

Power inverter, but for the Dot I use USB which my truck does have. Not a super fancy truck, but it works for me.

The Hondas are always a choice, but pricey.

This thing is fantastic (also pricey)
https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-EF2400iSHC-Starting-Portable-Inverter/dp/B00AYUWDZG

[direct u/mnluxury11 spam-bypassing link](https://www.amazon.com/300Watt-Inverter-120volt-Converter-Smartphones/dp/B07SLPWBK3/
)

Please report this post and user u/mnluxury11 to the mods for breaking the rules for personal profit.

https://www.amazon.com/Ampeak-Power-Inverter-Converter-Adapter/dp/B072LM88F9/ref=asc_df_B072LM88F9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312174136943&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8223257547995429541&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007582&hvtargid=pla-568038601160&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63790029762&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312174136943&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8223257547995429541&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007582&hvtargid=pla-568038601160

Oof, that's a really long URL so I hope it works. If not, then google "cigarette lighter power converter" and make sure the wattage for your heating pad matches. For example, this one says it can handle 100 watts.

It would be pretty easy to build something similar for a lot cheaper. Pick up a used suitcase at the thrift shop, mount a 50w panel on the outside (much better than the 10W panel in the case you linked to.) Inside the case, mount a charge controller with USB, this 20Ah battery (again, better than the 16Ah in the other one), and this 500W inverter (not sure how big the one in the expensive case it, but 500W should be enough.) So for less than $250 and a little bit of build work, you can have a much more functional system (500% larger solar capacity and 25% more battery capacity).

I got the Krieger 1100 watt inverter from Amazon. Looks like they only have 1500 watt version now. The 1100 was only $20 cheaper I think. I thought It was a good deal because it came with the cables and fuses. And if you read some reviews, there are plenty of people running TVs and laptops with it.

I like that it had a small LCD screen showing how many watts you're drawing and how many volts on the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DNL05GW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ILDszbQ8TZCV0

When I moved with my fish in buckets, I used something like this ac adapter to power some heaters to keep the temps up. Seemed to work really well.

Thanks everyone for replying to my vague questions.
Basic AC is fine for now, I really don't know what I will do about DC yet but I want that in the future and once the spray foam is in, that's pretty much it. Hate the stuff but I gotta have it, especially in MN.
My biggest question was about the panels, looks like I should use a basic AC panel and leave room in a cabinet for more.
Should I get this or add later? (leaning toward the latter)
I'll take a walk and think about the layout.
Slightly off topic: Anyone recommend a decent affordable 4g antenna/amp?

Thanks for the replies. Any idea if it would be possible to step up the 12v input from the battery bank to 24v for the webasto?

Maybe using something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Vorcool-Converter-Regulator-12v-Step/dp/B0085T97PW

> a: Will the AC unit run off off just the batteries?

No, but the heat will.

> b: What size of generator would be best for the above scenario? I see a lot of conflicting info on this?
The description for the Yamaha 2400 says it will run a 13500 AC however other info I found said you need at least 3000W of starting power (vs the 2400 starting of the Yamaha linked) https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-EF2400iSHC-Starting-Portable-Inverter/dp/B00AYUWDZG

I have a 4000W Powerhouse Inverter generator, and it would stall out starting the generator, until I installed an Easy Start from MicroAir. Now, it never does. I would recommend getting the Easy Start and then you should have no problem with that Yamaha.

> c: The Nash 25c has a generator enclosure that's vented and plumbed for propane, would it be dumb to not get a propane genny (or even gas) that fits in the enclosure as that sounds nice and it's locked up when in use (may go skiing or dirtbiking and leave the trailer while the generator runs and fills up the batteries).

I have no experience with this, so I will have to let others answer.

> d: Any idea how long it would take to fill the batteries (sorry don't have specifics no the "RV" batteries that are being included but) a general idea would great. Like 5-8 hours or just a hour or two?

Depending on size, it will probably take a couple of hours to charge. TBH though, my batteries last a long time (I have two deep cycle batteries) when just using them for lighting and incidental other things.

Or less work- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DW1PSRH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_ueyADb099ZZM3

No, it's a made up bullshit number.

https://www.my12voltstore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=15028&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqfegm5mF5AIVjK_ICh0xtQRPEAkYASABEgK4ufD_BwE

And a 2kW inverter, which might not be necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/Ampeak-2000W-Inverter-Converter-Outlets/dp/B0716WT8D5

Even if you tripled these 5 minute prices for "quality" industrial grade stuff and billed a full 8 hour day per bus at $160/hr you'd still be less than $4,000 a bus.