BajaNomad

An inflator and an inverter

Arthur - 2-3-2005 at 11:02 AM

I want to be able to deflate and inflate the tires on my Prerunner when we head down to Catavina, and I already have a pretty capable Craftsman 120-volt 300 psi inflator -- not a bogus little air-mattress model. An electronics shop told me that a 350 watt inverter would handle this load, so I'm about to send for a 400-watt Vector invertor from JC Whitney. It's got a built-in fan, cig-lighter plug, and battery clamps for HD use.

Any thoughts before I commit fifty bucks?

Check out Costco...

El Camote - 2-3-2005 at 11:30 AM

They have a unit with the same specs for about half the price. I've gotten so much inferior quality junk from JCW I've stopped ordering from them.

oops, I was refering to the inverter only. I don't own one but was tipped off about it from this board so another nomad has one and likes it. I know it has a built in meter and overdischarge protection.

[Edited on 2-3-2005 by El Camote]

Arthur - 2-3-2005 at 11:38 AM

I know it's kind of a crapshoot, but the range of inverters that Vector offers, and the fan and the alternate plugs, made me feel that they were a bit more invested in the process than, say, Coleman or the ones that Harbor Freight sells. None of those offer fans.

The Sears near me doesn't have a powerful enough one -- and although Costco might be cheaper, their stuf's not necessarily that reliable, is it? Ultimately, that's what I should be looking for. I'll try to check Costco out, though.

El Camote - 2-3-2005 at 11:49 AM

I just went looking for the unit on the Costco website but they don't have it listed there. I remember it's a Xantrex which is a well known name in inverters. I've had really good luck with Costco product quality plus they have a very liberal return policy. Like a friend of mine says, "they'll take back a pair of pants with a turd in them". Now that's liberal. :wow:

Plus, you can buy it at Costco, check it out and return it if you don't like, before JCW even ships.

David A. - 2-3-2005 at 01:10 PM

I picked up a 700 watt inverter from Harbor Freight for 58 dollars. It has a fan, auto shutoff and alarm when voltage drops below 10.5 volts. It worked great for me when I connected a large submersable pump to transfer water.

Arthur - 2-3-2005 at 01:15 PM

Was that one of their house brands (like General Pneumatic, etc)? None of the ones that I saw in the current catalog mention fans, but they do have the alarms, which seem like a good thing. .

#1 - 2-3-2005 at 01:29 PM

If you buy a 400W inverter from Toyota they throw in a '05 Tacoma w/tow package. :biggrin:

Arthur - 2-3-2005 at 01:46 PM

Sounds good. Does JC Whitney carry it?

I've always wished that they would take advantage of the fact that there's already an air-conditioning compressor on board, and give me two tasty options:

* A refrigerated glove compartment (somebody already offers that)

* Compressed air for reinflating tires.

-- I rarely use the air conditioner. I'm waiting for wind wings to make a comeback.

bajaandy - 2-3-2005 at 01:56 PM

Wind wings.... poor mans A/C. I LOVE 'em on my '89 F250. Wish they still made trucks with wind wings.

inverter

comitan - 2-3-2005 at 03:03 PM

Bought onefrom ebay 1200 watt for$100 its been reliable so far./

Arthur - 2-3-2005 at 03:05 PM

What brand, and what are you asking it to run?

Bob and Susan - 2-3-2005 at 03:27 PM

Arthur

We bought one last summer at Harbor Freight 700watt $50.00

We use it for our blender on the boat....:cool::cool:

and a electric coffee pot....it has a fan....

Roberto - 2-3-2005 at 04:01 PM

A 350W inverter sounds light. I have a similar setup, but I use a Husky (Home Depot) compressor, and I use a 1000W inverter I bought at costco, for about $70. The compressor needs 800W continuous. One thing to check when using one of these is that the wiring is heavy enough to handle the required amperage without a significant voltage drop.

west marine

fishinrich - 2-3-2005 at 04:09 PM

So far all the inverters mentioned in my opinon are junk, I would never own. Remember you get what you pay for!!!!! If you want to purchase a 400watt inverter that can actually handle 400watts for an extended period of time and will continue doing for many years to come then check out west marine. They do not sell cheap junk like the others mentioned. fishin rich

inverter

comitan - 2-3-2005 at 04:48 PM

Ok if you really want a good expensive inverter get a Heart or trace then have less voltage loss and have the best sign wave for electronic equipment. Seems like you want something to run the compressor sometimes, just about anything will work but give yourself room on the wattage. If you were asking about mine its not available, good luck.

Inverters

MrBillM - 2-3-2005 at 05:31 PM

I've got numerous inverters: Trace, Statpower, Coleman, Vector.
The Vectors work just fine for something like an inflator. I've got one I've been using for casual, intermittent things like that for awhile now. No problem. I haven't tried it on Electronics because I have others for that purpose.
By the way, I bought a Coleman 800 Watt and a Vector 800 Watt and they appear to be the same unit with different Logos.

Diver - 2-3-2005 at 07:54 PM

Aurthur,

If you can find the plate on the side or bottom that states either the wattage you are all set. If not, any electrician can tell you the approximate wattage based on the horsepower, if that is listed.

Buy an inverter that supplies at least 1 1/2 times the wattage you think your inflator will use and you should be ok.

The first few I bought were never big enough for very long.

I use the scuba tank method for inflation.

Roberto - 2-3-2005 at 08:05 PM

By the way - the inverters sold at Costco are made by Xantrex. Hardly junk. Just for reference, there ARE NO Heart, ProSine or Trace inverters any more. They are all Xantrex now.

The ones sold at Costo USED to be the Heart Prowatt and Portawatt brands. Not the top of the line, but certainly not junk. I have had some of these in service in a marine environment for 5+ years, and they hold up.

[Edited on 2-4-2005 by Roberto]

bajalou - 2-3-2005 at 08:11 PM

I run my home (trailer etc) on a 1500W Zantrex from Costco - $84 I think at the El Centro store. Handles everything very nicely and has about #1 lead cables.

:biggrin:

4baja - 2-4-2005 at 06:58 AM

at least a 1000 watter, you never know when youll want to run the microwave in the most remote places. got mine at boaters world and has never failed,allways use large cable to the batteries.:coolup:

Inverters

meme - 2-4-2005 at 08:57 AM

My daughter just bought two Xantrax inverters 1500's at Costco. it's a really good buy we think! about $90 each I think it was?
Yes, the return policy at Costco is REALLY good! Not to worry if you don't like it just return it they don't much care WHY?

[Edited on 2-4-2005 by meme]

BajaNomad - 2-4-2005 at 09:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by meme
Yes, the return policy at Costco is REALLY good! Not to worry if you don't like it just return it they don't much care WHY?
I believe they force their suppliers to agree to such broad terms for returns as a part of doing business with them.

--
Doug

David K - 2-4-2005 at 09:06 AM

Why? Because a happy customer is a repeat customer! If you have no fear about purchsing items, then you will purchase more as well. Marketing 101... Capitalism works!

Bruce R Leech - 2-4-2005 at 09:08 AM

why don't you get a 12 volt inflater. I have one I have been using for 20 years.

El Camote - 2-4-2005 at 11:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David A.
I picked up a 700 watt inverter from Harbor Freight for 58 dollars. It has a fan, auto shutoff and alarm when voltage drops below 10.5 volts. It worked great for me when I connected a large submersable pump to transfer water.


Do you know how large your submersible pump is, David? Reason I ask is we're running a 1/6 h.p.- 5 amp submersible for a backyard waterfall and was toying with the idea of doing a solar panel setup to power it. Just curious how big an inverter I'd need or if it's even feasible. Isn't wattage figured by multiplying amperage by 115? Thanks.

Inverter

Osprey - 2-4-2005 at 12:49 PM

meme
The Xantrex 1500 Inverter at Costco (Costco.com) and at any Xantrex online store is $300 bucks. If your daughter bought em for $80 I would like to buy 5,000 of em and start my own store. Check with her again for me will ya.

bajalou - 2-4-2005 at 05:20 PM

Osprey - Meme's right so head down to costco and buy them out. I bought one in Costco in San Diego for $89 plus tax. It's called XPower by Xantrex. They had them in Costco El Centro for $84 last week when I was there.

:biggrin:

COSTCO return policy

Roberto - 2-5-2005 at 08:14 AM

Yes, really good. And, though not everyone is aware of it, it's a LIFETIME return policy. Keep your receipt, and you can return the item if it EVER fails or you have problems, for a full credit.

How's THAT for a return policy?

P.S. Yes, watts = amps * volts.
or amps = watts / volts. Following that, 6 amps at 120 volts = 720 watts. To produce that from an inverter, you will be drawing about 69 amps from your battery: (720 / 12) = 60 + 15% inefficiency in the coversion from DC to AC.

Costco return

bajalou - 2-5-2005 at 08:25 AM

I've found that Costco receipts fade out in about a year so nothing can be read. But they have the sales record in the computer so they can still honor the warranty. - This Xantax I have says only 10% loss in changing DC to AC.??
Which is one reason I got it. Stuff like this becomes more efficient each year or so as improvemts are made.

:biggrin:

Bajadtodebone - 2-5-2005 at 09:34 PM

OK. I just gotta ask.....why do you need to change air pressure to drive to Catavina? Is there is an alternate route to Highway 1?:?::smug:

Arthur - 2-6-2005 at 08:29 AM

There's some arcane law left over from before the Transpeninular Highway was completed that says you can't pass the Las Pintas checkpoint with more than 25 lbs in your tires, so you have to either reinflate just south of there or drive the rest of the way on half-inflated tires.

Just kidding. The desert is really beautiful around there and people have suggested several interesting destinations not far from the road, so -- with only a 2WD Prerunner -- we want flexibility to get across soft sand if necessary.

I wanted to ask Bruce, though: What kind of 12V inflator do you have? I thought most of them were light-duty ones for blowing up inflatables, etc. That's the main use that I would have for an inverter, althought DC power would be nice to have on board.

4baja - 2-6-2005 at 08:52 AM

you mean AC.:coolup:

DC conpressor

bajalou - 2-6-2005 at 09:16 AM

I've had (and still use) several 12V air compressors for pumping the tires back up after deflating for sand or noticing a slight leak while out in the back woods. Also for reinflating flats after plugging them. I've only used the cheap ones, Costco, Kragen,etc and have 2 I've been using for years. Not as fast as a 110V job but much cheaper and convenient. Will pump auto tires up to 100 lbs if you want them that hard. Just takes a little time (probably a Tecate minute) and you needed the break anyway.

:biggrin:

Inverters!

meme - 2-6-2005 at 09:23 AM

YES!!!! My daughter bought two! At Costco! Maybe her price was a bit less as she does not pay tax in Oregon.
So if you like, go check it out for yourself?
We could not find them listed on Costco online or even when she called the store? But we had seen them in Costco in Ca. So she went to Costco in Ore. & Wa. and they were right there on the shelf. Seems those people on the phone often do not KNOW what is in thier store??

Inverter

jgoofylizzard - 2-6-2005 at 10:32 AM

Meme is right!!
Xantrex XPower 1500
$84 Costco Oregon NO tax
I have bought 2.
:lol: Meme's daughter

xantrex at costco=cheap

fishinrich - 2-6-2005 at 12:37 PM

The xantrex 1500 inverter that costco sells is the bottom of the barrel, cheapest thing that they can make just so costco can have a low cost inverter on there shelves. Xantrex makes many different quality inverters including a 1500 that sells for $850.00. Now which one would you want down in baja when you really need it to work????????? fishin rich

Arthur - 2-6-2005 at 02:41 PM

I agree. What Electronic Plus in San Rafael (a pretty together place) tells me, though, is that the expensive inverters are corrected (Sine-wave-wise?) so that a TV or computer display isn't screwed up.

Me, I don't need a TV. I can read Ed Abbey or Jon Krakauer without an inverter, and it doesn't get any better than that for me.

Inverters!

meme - 2-6-2005 at 03:30 PM

To Each his Own! Maybe you should consider the "Fact" that not Everyone has $850 to spend at one Crack!! Seems like the cheaper one is doing the job here for Many people SOOO WHY spend (especially if you don;t have a lot) so many $$$ if you don't have to? You just might need to buy a few other things for your trip to Baja?? RIGHT?

inverter madness

Sharksbaja - 2-6-2005 at 04:10 PM

i had to check out this popular thread.....lets see ??? power up washing machines, dishwashers, garbage disposals, big screens air compressors. If u need to do a wash at the same time the Super Bowl is on your big screen u may have to get a bigger inverter and a bigger vehicle to haul all that amperage gobbling luxuries Good lord, us Americans are spoiled

Dave - 2-7-2005 at 10:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by fishinrich
The xantrex 1500 inverter that costco sells is the bottom of the barrel, cheapest thing that they can make just so costco can have a low cost inverter on there shelves. Xantrex makes many different quality inverters including a 1500 that sells for $850.00. Now which one would you want down in baja when you really need it to work????????? fishin rich


If I were going to spend some serious money I would buy a portable genset. I like the Honda 'EU 2000'.

Cheap Inverters

MrBillM - 2-7-2005 at 10:48 AM

I've used and owned all but the true sinewave
Inverters. I wouldn't know what the life expectancy of any of them would be because I've NEVER had one go bad. I've got a couple of Statpower 150W that I bought over 15 years ago.
As far as electronics go, MOST Electronics will run fine on ANY Inverter. Some of the filtering in the cheaper inverters will give you some lines in your display, but that's about it. I have yet to know anyone among my friends who can justify the true sinewave. One neighbor says it makes his overhead fans run quieter. True, but I can
tolerate the hum.
The thing about Electronics is that they ALL run on DC, mostly 5vdc. Displays use higher voltages for the CRT. When discussing the need for true sinewave and electronics, you might consider that the inverters in UPS units are NOT true sinewave.
When I bought my first C Band Satellite antenna back in 1985, I was running that off of a TrippLite Square wave inverter.
Very inefficient, but the Receiver worked fine.

Generators

meme - 2-7-2005 at 04:21 PM

We also have a Honda EU 2000 and my daughter has two of them!She also has the connectionto enable two of them to be hooked toghter. We like these just fine too!!

Inverters/generators

meme - 2-7-2005 at 04:27 PM

Yes, you are right Sharksbaja! We Americans are somewhat spoiled! Tho, I do not have any of the items you listed other than Air Compressor(not very big one) but we do have other electronics we do run,yes TV but did not watch the Super Bowl either!

David A. - 2-8-2005 at 06:57 AM

El Camote,
The pump is a 1/5 hp motor. It pushes water about 10 inches out of the end of a garden hose.

thekookbuster - 2-8-2005 at 12:36 PM

http://www.powertank.com


Plastic mounting tabs??

Arthur - 2-8-2005 at 04:47 PM

I just checked out a Vector 700W inverter for $80 at Target, and it looked real slick, with an optional handle and a digital readout (+ fan and alarm), but the mounting tabs appear to be plastic.

Since I was thinking of mounting the thing under the hood on its side inside my fender, near the battery, I don't like the idea of plastic maybe cracking somewhere down the line.

Harbor Freight seems to have more or less the same one right now for $50, BTW, but it's back-ordered.