Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumbo
3000 watts / 12 volts = 250 amps
Estimated wire size = 1/0 AWG
That’s a lot of inverter to have on a 12v system… and none of that takes into account surge or peak loads.
Laptop, camera and equipment charging can often times be taken care of with a much smaller inverter. Larger the inverter, higher the idle load consumption, and generally inefficient with smaller loads.
Having done setups like this many times, I would start by identifying how much power you actually NEED so you can size the inverter correctly.
3000 watts is a lot of demand for a 12 volts system… if you want to run something that large, it makes a lot more sense moving up to a 24v or 48v system. Its more efficient, smaller wire sizes, and charging can be taken care of using a DC-DC. For example 3000 watts / 48 volts = 62.5 amps. You can use a very manageable 8 AWG size cable to wire the entire thing. Not to mention, you will probably find more options and better pricing on 24, 36, and 48v 3k watt inverters when compared to 12v.
Inverting to AC is my last resort... waste of energy going from DC to AC and the back to DC to charge your portable devices. You might as well just get a DC-DC step down converter and charge your gear directly off a DC source.
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Maybe my numbers were wrong running up the totals. What's your estimate of the maximum constant power needed from an inverter for the following --- noting that I don't want to run the system always at the limits. I'd like some "breathing room" in the power supply.
(Note I already have a full-time hardwired power line for driver's cell phone. It taps into the cig lighter line, and has the constant power mod. I have excluded that device from the following)
These are the kinds of devices I was thinking of.
1. Up to two 17" laptops (90 watts each) plus 4 tablets and/or phones, all plugged in for simultaneous use by passengers
2. Winch (don't have one yet - but need to plan for adding one soonish)
3. On-board ARB air compressor
4. Four Canon LC-E6 chargers (each one spec'd to 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz at 115 to 210 mA). These will need to run even with the car off.
5. Canon 1D or 5D camera, plugged in for constant power supply while shooting in cold, arctic, or long-exposure conditions where battery use would deplete rapidly. * I have both AC and DC options for the camera. Must be powered at all times.
4. Portable heater (1500 watts).
5. Exterior lighting -- all OEM lighting replaced with LED, plus an LED light bar, four spot & accessory LED lights, and LED fog lights front and rear.
6. Iridium 9555 satellite phone vehicle docking station/charger (10-32 Volt DC / 12 VDC). Must be powered at all times.
One other question -- I need to replace my primary battery. It's a POS aftermarket battery I bought in an emergency outside Tahoe when the OEM battery finally went out. 3 years later it's already failing. It's gotta go.
Can I simplify this whole setup by replacing the primary battery with a single large, heavy duty, probably marine-grade battery? Or is a dual battery with isolator still the preferred option here?
At what point do I need to worry about overtaxing my alternator?
