question about inverter

**Magsino** · 08-12-2004, 02:34 PM

just bought my 350w inverter and i would like to connect it directly to my car battery.i opened the cigarette lighter plug that came with inverter and i noticed they only used 15amp fuse,someone says here before if you want to know the right fuse u need u have to do 350/12=29amp,how come they only use 15amp? sorry i'm just confused here

bytheway i have power plug accessories but when also open inside the wire very small

**nl4jy** · 08-12-2004, 02:37 PM

if you're planning to just use 140w out of the inverter... Cigarette lighter is fine. Anything more and you'll have to mount it directly to the battey.

The inverter should have another power input with a fuse elsewhere. That 1 should be 30amp.

**mykolJay** · 08-12-2004, 02:55 PM

I would connect it straight to your battery. YOu can add an on/off switch. For testing purposes, I had my 160w inverter and lilliput plugged into my cigarette lighter (w/ a radioshack splitter) and used it on a road trip. At the end of the trip, I had some smoke coming out of the apater and the fuse had blown. Fortunately, no real damage. I now have it hardwired to the battery and have a fused distribution blockl.

**Batmanatthenewb** · 08-12-2004, 05:16 PM

Magsino,

Best bet is to wire directly to the battery. You will have a lot less frustration, and you will know the fuse / gauge of wire / and connections are fine.

Batman

**Shayughul** · 08-12-2004, 05:35 PM

Agreed with everybody else about going directly to the battery.

thou if you don't wanna have to wire a switch to turn the inverter on and off....do a quick

for inverters and relays.

that is how I wired mine up and it is pretty darn slick.

**Magsino** · 08-12-2004, 07:06 PM

thanks guys for all the input,how did u guys connect it to car battery? is it -/+ to car battery or + to battery/- ground to car, i have 8 gauge wire and 30amp fuse is that enought? thanks again

**Magsino** · 08-12-2004, 09:04 PM

*******The inverter should have another power input with a fuse elsewhere. That 1 should be 30amp.*********

the fuse that came with the inverter only 15amp,its located inside the plug that goes to cigarette lighter

**Shayughul** · 08-12-2004, 09:08 PM

I personally have a battery + about 3 inches away from a 100 Amp fuse. From that fuse it goes to a fused distro block in my trunk...one wire goes to the AMP and one goes into the 30 amp relay. Then from the 30 amp relay to the Inverter which has 2 20amp fuses in it.

Not sure what size the fuses are in the distro block....and too tired to pull out my sub box to find out.

Anyways...hope that helps.

Edit: oh and the relay the Sub and the inverter are all grounded to separate places in the trunk. Seems to help with speaker noise in my case.

**nl4jy** · 08-13-2004, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Magsino

*******The inverter should have another power input with a fuse elsewhere. That 1 should be 30amp.*********

the fuse that came with the inverter only 15amp,its located inside the plug that goes to cigarette lighter

you sure it's a 350watt inverter? Any inverter that is higher than 140 always have another set of input, be it with alligator clips, screw in, or changing the cord.

I know what you mean with the 15amp fuse. It's located inside the cigerette plug. But if you're going directly to the battery, you wouldn't use that plug, hence that fuse would be useless. Check in inverter, see if the inverter has another fuse inside, or check your other cords, they should have another fuse there.