For the past 11 years, I've been powering my 110v electrical needs using a cheesy 150 watt cigarette lighter inverter plugged into the 12v outlet behind the driver seat. This has worked perfectly for phone chargers, my computer, and baby monitors.



I now have a toy that requires me to upgrade to an inverter closer to 500 watts. While I'm at it, I think it'd be nice to power those 110v electrical outlets in the van, which I've never used for anything.

I assume this shouldn't be difficult. Is it?

I see Sheriffdoug selling his Magnum MS2000 Converter/Inverter. Is there any reason why I would need a $1000+ unit like this? I am thinking I could just buy something like this $170 unit from Harbor Freight.

My van currently has solar, and an Inteli Power 9100 PD9160A power converter.

I don't see a reason for a "true sine wave" inverter for my needs.

I never use shore power (well, except to keep my battery charged up while at home).

-- Geoff

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2004 Ford, SMB 4x4, RB-50
https://octopup.org/sportsmobile

Now that I think about it, further requirements might be:

• quiet (no fan noise except when using lots of power)[/*:m:14lwjdyf]
• efficient (minimal power draw when nothing is happening)[/*:m:14lwjdyf]

-- Geoff

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2004 Ford, SMB 4x4, RB-50
https://octopup.org/sportsmobile

Some battery chargers do not play well with MSW inverters, so I would try to check into that a little more.

Do you already have a charger to plug in while at home? If not the only recommendation I would make is to do an inverter/charger so it is all in one unit and automatically will switch your plugs to shore power when plugged in to charge.

I want a report on the new toy - it looks awesome! Is it as easy to ride as the video makes it out to be?

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Josh
2009 Express AWD, CCV Top & 50-ish home build. Daily driver/camper/kid hauler

The Inteli Power 9100 PD9160A Sportsmobile originally installed on my van charges the house battery from shore power. I'm not sure how the solar panels fit into this system (I'm embarrassed to say that I should learn my system better), but they can also charge the house battery, and the switch-over is automatic.

I was assuming that I could just disconnect the van's 110v outlet system from whatever it's currently wired to (I know I'd then never be able to run them directly off shore power, but I never do that anyway), and just wire it into my inexpensive 12v-to-110vac inverter, replacing the one I currently plug into the house-battery-powered 12v cigarette lighter output. I predict I could just splice into that same house battery cigarette lighter circuit for the 12v input to the inverter, right?

-- Geoff

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2004 Ford, SMB 4x4, RB-50
https://octopup.org/sportsmobile

I can post elsewhere off-topic if you want more details but -- yes -- it's pretty easy to ride. It has Segway-style balance fore-and-aft, and the wide tire makes it easy to balance side-to-side. I am a snowboarder, so that helps. Learning to carve and lean with confidence takes time.

-- Geoff

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2004 Ford, SMB 4x4, RB-50
https://octopup.org/sportsmobile

Geoff I would think the converter is tied to the shore power electrical system so I would be reluctant to mess with that. I mean it would be so easy just to mount a typical 110 ac outlet somewhere easy to access and then wire up a properly rated extension cord to run between the new outlet and the inverter. The inverter should have reasonable air flow for cooling and be placed where it's easy to turn on. Most cheaper costing inverters don't have a remote power switch to power it up. You should also factor in what size wire that needs to ran to the house battery circuit or right off the house side of the separator lug.

As far as needing clean sinewave output I'd be calling the manufacture of the skateboard. The way things are going these days chances are it's a lithium battery and might require clean power to charge.

[edit] Some are fairly cheap and although I can't say about the quality of the product, you can get a pure sinewave inverter for a couple hundred bucks. Maybe that's more than you need or want to pay.
http://www.theinverterstore.com/1200-wa ... -cord.html

My guess is you can find smaller units but you'll have to match it to the board's charger.

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2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures

I believe the Magnum Energy inverter/charger is a good unit, in fact if I had not just pulled the trigger on one two days before he posted I would have gone for the one SheriffDoug is selling.

That said it would not be a simple drop in situation, and most likely would need professional installation unless you feel very competent working on that sort of thing. Also you likely would need to have your battery cables from your current charger to the new MS2000 upgraded (read bigger) and also proper fusing.

Hope this helps

-greg

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-greg
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"Goldilocks" 2020 Ford Transit High Roof Extended 3.5 EcoBoost AWD Homebuilt

I don't mind spending some money on a good inverter if I understand the reason to do so. And it looks like pure sine isn't expensive after all. And a remote could be a good idea.

I think I'm planning on doing similar to what you describe, only I want to use the 110v outlets that Sportsmobile already installed in the van. I'm hoping there's an easy disconnect downstream from the charging system, where I could just disconnect and instead wire the outlets into my new inverter. Ideally I wouldn't otherwise touch the shore power system or charger system. The only change would be that the outlets then wouldn't be able to be powered without the inverter turned on, which is OK with me.

In any case, the first step is to poke around and understand how it's all wired up.

-- Geoff

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2004 Ford, SMB 4x4, RB-50
https://octopup.org/sportsmobile

I bought this and the 1500, brought them home and tested them. The 1500 did a better job so I kept that one. My guess is that the 2000 was more sensitive to voltage drop at the battery. The 1500 powers up the microwave which is the most demanding thing I have.

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1996 Ford EB 2 wheel drive 460

How many watts of Inverter power do you need?

Do you have the charge wizard option for the Intellipower? Why they charge extra for this is beyond me....what a joke.....It's actually a "dumbpower PD9160A" until you shell out another $50 to make it intelligent...anyway, I digress.

I happen to have the same charger and solar; they are both simply connected to the house batteries and play very well together. I don't see any other way to do that.....

Now, the next part.......The intellipower PD9160A came from the neighbor's RV, and the RV is wired the same as an SMB, I'm assuming anyway. We ripped out the converter and replaced it with a 2000W Tripplite MSW inverter/charger.

If you go this way (which is what I would do...however many watts you need..MSW or TSW)...you pitch the converter and you can power all of your 110V receptacles from the inverter or shore power. The inverter switches automatically between them since it has a built in transfer switch. This was a straightforward installation in the neighbors RV.

There are loads of Nice Inverter/chargers around for sub $400 depending on how much horsepower (watts) you need.

I ended up finding a nice TSW 1000W inverter on Craigslist so I installed that and used the removed intellipower charger from the neighbors RV for a charger. I cannot presently power the vans 110V outlets from shore power without a transfer switch but I never need that functionality either........so you can also just get an inverter and wire it to your house batts with appropriate sized cables and connect the 110V van recepticles to the inverter. You'll lose your shore power functionality other than for charging the batts with the Intellipower.

If you don't already own the charge wizard option for your intellipower, I would ditch it and buy an inverter charger.

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2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element