Inverter Problem

**Lextacy01** · 01-20-2005, 10:04 AM

I currently have a 350 w constant 700 peak inverter in the trunk run thru a long extension from a power outlet in my console...when I turn on the inverter and kick on my PC..it doesnt quite come on..it just beeps a bunch and sounds like its booting but the screen does not come on. After I hit the switch like 10 times (and 2 minutes later)...sometimes it will come on and the screen will come on.

This may sound like a dumb question but.. do inverters need a warm up time? how much time do I need to give it?

Or rather.. would this be a problem with my power switch ?.. the wires are spliced.. so maybe its making a bad connection? However when I hook it to a house line it boots up fine.

Any suggestions?

**KyferEz** · 01-20-2005, 10:18 AM

They do not need a warmup time. They do need a stabilization period of about a second after they are turned on before they properly generate 120v.

If when you hit the power button, the PC beeps, then the button is fine. You should try to find the manual for the motherboard and figure out the beep codes.

What gauge wire is run to the inverter? If it's less than 8gauge, there may lie your trouble.

KyferEz

**Lextacy01** · 01-20-2005, 11:15 AM

The wire I have running back is a standard RadioShack Socket extender...I then have the inverter plugged into that via the cigarette adapter...

**Blue ZX3** · 01-20-2005, 11:29 AM

The inverter is prob not getting enough current to supply the full current to the psu is looking for... When using an inverter to run anything but light stuff (ie not a computer) it really should be hooked directly to the battery cause the wiring for the cig lighter is NOT heavy enough to carry that kind of current... Don't know what you setup is but I'd say that is what I'd say is the prob...

**Lextacy01** · 01-20-2005, 12:13 PM

I'm running a dell 600 celery w/ 128 ram one hd and one USB... everythin else is disconnected to conserve power...should I just put a seperate batt in the trunk or should I get a lower wattage PSU?

**Defiler** · 01-20-2005, 01:37 PM

Wire it to the battery. It will work then.

**grepzen** · 01-20-2005, 01:46 PM

tuck your motherboard's bios make and version into your nearest google search gizmo for 'beep codes' and see what your mobo is trying to tell you at startup.

**Lextacy01** · 01-20-2005, 01:56 PM

Well i'm obviously quite the newb and this is my first project... this is a full size CPU in the trunk..would I be better off running a second battery in the trunk for just the inverter and then running an inverter switch to the front? It seems like a long way to run from battery to trunk..then run a switch to the front.

**tsb4k** · 01-20-2005, 08:30 PM

Running some thicker wire is a lot less work than hooking up a second battery.

**old_lou** · 01-20-2005, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Defiler

Wire it to the battery. It will work then.

Do this as a test at least, then you will know for sure, if you can move the computer to battery try that. You may even get away with a pair of good jump leads or move the battery to the computer. (not sure if it will also work with a friends car by your boot and jump leads)