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 400w 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 allow a slight
variance just to be sure.
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 volt meter 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 it's power and
begin to drain down. Once the power comes back on, the
charger starts to bring the battery up to it's 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.
Does the inverter come
with it's own cables?
The smaller ones come with cables and the larger ones
don't but are available separately. In some cases it's
more economical to pick up the wiring locally from an
auto parts store. Each inverter states the size of the
supply wiring and fuse needed.
Will the inverter
interfere with my TV or radio?
Vector Power Maxx Inverters use a filtered modified sine
wave which eliminates interference.
What is the warranty?
Vector Power Maxx Inverters come with a Two Year
Warranty. All our inverters are brand new with full
warranties. We don't carry any rebuilt or returned
models.
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.