Few quick questions regarding inverter overloading/wiring.

dagnasty · 02-07-2006, 03:57 PM

I just wanna check in to make sure I've got it all right and that the battery power output is at fault, and not my wiring.

Ok, running from my solenoid/starter relay to my inverter is 8 gauge wire at about 8 foot with a 40 amp fuse 1 foot from the solenoid. On the solenoid and inverter terminals I have ring connectors made for smaller than 8 gauge wiring. (I had to rig them to fit the wire) When sitting in park after about 3 minutes my inverter overloads, (obviously due to low voltage from battery) but when driving it works fine and I have no problems whatsoever. When measuring the voltage of the wiring at the inverter to the ground (car chassis) while the car is sitting still I get 12.65 Volts steady. When driving with voltmeter plugged into the inverter it reports around 110 volts.

My questions are:

Should I be getting 13.8 volts at the inverter?
Should I be getting 120 volts output from the inverter?
Is it safe to be running smaller terminal connectors, or should I go out and buy the high priced gold plated rings from Radio-Shack that are made for 8 gauge wire?

If anyone here has an inverter and has any useful info, please throw it in. I need as much as I can get.

I'd answer some of these questions myself, but my multimeter died.

Thanks in advance!

numbers · 02-07-2006, 05:02 PM

3. You get what you pay for. We're talking a few dollars difference here, yeah?

2. No. 110 is good.

1. You should be getting at the inverter whatever you are getting at the battery, with only slight loss. If you're getting 12.65 at the inverter and 13.5 at the battery, then the wiring going to your inverter needs work. If you're getting 12.65 at the battery with the engine running, then your charging system needs work. If you're getting 12.65 at the battery and ~12.50 at the inverter with the engine off, then everything sounds good.

Wiredwrx · 02-07-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by dagnasty

I just wanna check in to make sure I've got it all right and that the battery power output is at fault, and not my wiring.

Ok, running from my solenoid/starter relay to my inverter is 8 gauge wire at about 8 foot with a 40 amp fuse 1 foot from the solenoid. On the solenoid and inverter terminals I have ring connectors made for smaller than 8 gauge wiring. (I had to rig them to fit the wire) When sitting in park after about 3 minutes my inverter overloads, (obviously due to low voltage from battery) but when driving it works fine and I have no problems whatsoever. When measuring the voltage of the wiring at the inverter to the ground (car chassis) while the car is sitting still I get 12.65 Volts steady. When driving with voltmeter plugged into the inverter it reports around 110 volts.

My questions are:

Should I be getting 13.8 volts at the inverter?
Should I be getting 120 volts output from the inverter?
Is it safe to be running smaller terminal connectors, or should I go out and buy the high priced gold plated rings from Radio-Shack that are made for 8 gauge wire?

If anyone here has an inverter and has any useful info, please throw it in. I need as much as I can get.

I'd answer some of these questions myself, but my multimeter died.

Thanks in advance!

Why are you connected to the solenoid/starter relay, and not the battery?

Michael

dagnasty · 02-07-2006, 10:44 PM

because it has terminals that aren't 1 inch across(the battery), and it looks like there's 8 gauge running to the solenoid.

Rocky388 · 02-07-2006, 11:05 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by dagnasty

I just wanna check in to make sure I've got it all right and that the battery power output is at fault, and not my wiring.

Ok, running from my solenoid/starter relay to my inverter is 8 gauge wire at about 8 foot with a 40 amp fuse 1 foot from the solenoid. On the solenoid and inverter terminals I have ring connectors made for smaller than 8 gauge wiring. (I had to rig them to fit the wire) When sitting in park after about 3 minutes my inverter overloads, (obviously due to low voltage from battery) but when driving it works fine and I have no problems whatsoever. When measuring the voltage of the wiring at the inverter to the ground (car chassis) while the car is sitting still I get 12.65 Volts steady. When driving with voltmeter plugged into the inverter it reports around 110 volts.

My questions are:

Should I be getting 13.8 volts at the inverter?
Should I be getting 120 volts output from the inverter?
Is it safe to be running smaller terminal connectors, or should I go out and buy the high priced gold plated rings from Radio-Shack that are made for 8 gauge wire?

If anyone here has an inverter and has any useful info, please throw it in. I need as much as I can get.

I'd answer some of these questions myself, but my multimeter died.

Thanks in advance!

1) see numbers' reply
2) anywhere from 110 - 120 is fine
3) Get the crimp connectors for 8 gauge wire. They don't have to be gold plated or anything fancy, but they should be for 8 gauge (or sligltly larger) wire. Copper would also be good to use, as opposed to gold plated.

SMOKINV8 · 02-11-2006, 09:51 AM

I'm wondering if you're overheating your solenoid by constantly running that much power through it.

Your best bet is to run your power wire to the battery.

dagnasty · 02-11-2006, 02:11 PM

power isn't going through it. the wire from battery and wre to inverter are on same terminal