Power Inverter FAQ

How big of an inverter will you need?
First you will have to determine the total wattage of the devices you want to operate. Check the nameplate or manual of your device. Once you know that, find an inverter that supplies at least that wattage constantly. An inverter has two ratings, a constant and peak rating. For example a 400 watt inverter will supply a constant supply of up to 400 watts but will deliver a peak of 800 watts. The peak voltage can't be sustained very long but it will allow extra power to start an electric motor or compressor.

If you know the amps of a device and need to convert that to watts, use this formula: Amps x Volts = Watts. For example, a 3 amp motor running on 110 volts AC would convert to 330 watts. You would need an inverter that supplies at least 330 watts constantly. Be sure to add 15% to the total watts to insure you will have enough power to meet your requirements.

If you only know the amps, multiply the AMPS X 120 = WATTS. Be sure to add 15% to the total watts to insure you will have enough power to meet your requirements.

WATTS DIVIDED BY 120 = AMPS

How long will my battery power supply last before it goes dead?
That depends on a lot of variables such as the state of your battery and the amount of power you use. The heavier the demand, the quicker it will drain your battery. Experimenting with your setup is the best way to determine what you will need to do.

If your battery goes dead too soon for your desired application, you can take one of the following actions to extend your operating time:

· Start you car engine for about 10 minutes to recharge the battery or just keep it running while you are using the inverter. Use your voltmeter to keep an eye on the battery level.

· Attach several batteries together in parallel.

· Attach a solar charger to your battery source.

Will it switch automatically from AC to DC when the power goes off?
No, our inverters do not switch automatically however if you have an unreliable AC source, you can run your devices from the inverter all the time. The inverter would be connected to your battery and a charger would also be connected to keep the battery fully charged. If the power goes off, you will be operating from the battery alone and it will slowly use its power and begin to drain down. Once the power comes back on, the charger starts to bring the battery up to its fully charged state. The trick is to have enough battery power to sustain your expected outage time. You can connect two or more batteries together in parallel to extend the run time. A solar panel can also be used to charge the battery bank. All the details are covered in the manual.

The other way to handle it would be to manually switch to DC if your AC power goes off unexpectedly.

Will the inverter interfere with my TV or radio?
Vector Power Maxx SST Inverters use a filtered modified sine wave that eliminates interference.

What is the warranty?
Vector Power Maxx SST Inverters come with a Two Year Warranty. We do not carry any rebuilt or returned models.

A Few inverter Tips:

• Never leave an inverter connected to a line where other power (Vac) may feed into inverter.  It doesn’t matter if inverter is on or off
• Using inverters in moist areas is a common cause for their drivers to burn out.  Even an outdoor extension cord that was laying in a puddle a day previously, may have enough moisture to burn out the drivers of the inverter.  Tip: if using inverter in rain one day, allow cords that may have gotten wet to dry a few days before using in inverter again
• Always prevent foreign objects from entering inverter through the vent or fan openings
• Keep cables between inverter and batteries as short as possible.  This will help your batteries perform their best
• Don’t over tighten nuts to battery or inverter, but do check them occasionally.
• If the cables between your battery and inverter get hot while under heavy load, then you should consider using heavier cables
• Both “hot” and “neutral” lines are hot on inverters.  Do not ground the neutral line.  Do not connect neutral to panels that may have neutral grounded.
• Using a 12Vdc inverter, your input Voltage should never exceed 15Vdc or the inverter may shut down with Over Temp and you should hear an audible beep
• When selecting an inverter, try to buy one that will stay in the continuous operating range and do not rely on advertised surges
• Standard 110Vac outlets are typically rated at 1500W or 15Amps.  This is for heat dissipation through the outlet and is not a limitation of the inverter
• If cables need to be run, it is best to keep inverter as close as possible to batteries.  Use extension cords on the output side (Vac output) rather than extending the Vdc cables.  Tip:  Contractors often need to mount the inverter in the back of their trucks.  In a case like this it would be best to mount a secondary battery near the inverter and wire it to the primary truck battery
• Ac plug testers do not work with inverters.  You would see an open ground
• Be aware of lighting storms.  If struck, inverter would go to a permanent Over load state and may even smoke
• Vac extension cords should not exceed 200 feet or you will have signal loss
• Inverters emit RF and may cause interference.  This is noticeable in AM radio and often monitors and computer mice

Reference Table of Approximate Watts used by various devices:

· Stackable Washer/Dryer: 2500 Watts· Heavy Duty 7 1/4" Circular Saw: 1800 Watts
· 12" Compound Miter Saw: 1800 Watts· Electric Chain Saw: 1700 Watts· 10" Bench Saw: 1560 Watts
· Full Size Microwave: 1400-1750 Watts· 42" Fan: 1235 Watts· Chest Freezer: 1200 Watts
· Mini Microwave: 1000 Watts· 1/3 HP Submersible Pump: 920 Watts· Reciprocating Saw: 720 Watts
· 1/2" Reversible Drill: 620 Watts· Coffee Maker: 600 Watts· Portable Vacuum: 525 Watts
· Computer and Monitor: 450 Watts· Blender: 450 Watts· Orbital Sander: 420 Watts
· Refrigerator: 360 Watts· Home Stereo: 350 Watts· 3/8" Drill - 320 Watts
· 20" TV-VRC Combo: 300 Watts· Quartz Halogen Spotlight: 250 Watts
· 12" Three-Speed Fan: 130 Watts· Computer/Printer/Fax - 150 Watts· Laptop Computer - 90 Watts

Wattage shown is approximate. Check your devices to be sure.

Common Tools

Pumps and Air Conditioners