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Old 05-09-2016, 02:37 PM   #21
LRL
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Why would I not want to just have the "all outlet" inverter installed and not deal with DC outlets at all? Does boondocking on AC (i.e., using inverter) run through battery storage significantly more rapidly than running DC? If, as planned, we have the solar charger, would we even notice or care if power got used a bit more rapidly? We will NOT be using a microwave or TV. We will want to charge cell phones, tablets, laptops, and may run an outdoor fan at times.
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Old 06-16-2016, 08:54 AM   #22
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Another thing to keep in mind is that depending on your needs you don't necessarily have to have the large inverter (1500W?) installed by Escape to retain some inverting capability. In a previous Scamp we powered a 110V LCD TV with a small portable 100W inverter when off grid. This was in lieu of buying a 12V television. An advantage is that it can be moved to whichever outlet you need. Obviously this is limited to low draw devices: LCD TV, small fan, electric shaver, phone charger, laptop. No coffee makers or toasters! To stay within the limits of the wiring and fusing of a typical 12V outlet the small portable inverters appear to be limited to 150W max.
Just a quick update to my previous post. Some smaller LCD TV's are actually 12V DC input, but sold with a 120V AC to DC power pack adapter because they are marketed for use in homes. If you purchase an adapter to run directly from a 12V outlet you eliminate the need to plug in to 120V. You always have power at your 12V outlets whether on or off grid. Obviously check the specs of your particular TV. I am referring to an Insignia 19" which is 2.3 amps @ 12V DC. I purchased this cord off Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/DC-Cord-Cigar...+tv+power+cord
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Old 06-16-2016, 12:04 PM   #23
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That may or may not work as there is no standard for the 12v plug. I ended up with one of these to find the right mate https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Unive...19FY7KHM36Y6RV
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Old 06-16-2016, 12:19 PM   #24
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That may or may not work as there is no standard for the 12v plug. I ended up with one of these to find the right mate https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Unive...19FY7KHM36Y6RV
I had a set like that. Fried my AM/FM Shortwave radio when I used a tip with the wrong polarity.
Make sure you know the polarity of the device you are plugging in and the tip.
Takes a fraction of a second to blow up a device.
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Old 06-16-2016, 06:28 PM   #25
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I had a set like that. Fried my AM/FM Shortwave radio when I used a tip with the wrong polarity.
Make sure you know the polarity of the device you are plugging in and the tip.
Takes a fraction of a second to blow up a device.


When I saw the post about that adapter I was almost going to say something about tip polarity, but then I thought surely by now that has been standardized. Thanks for the heads up that that is still not the case.


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Old 06-16-2016, 07:47 PM   #26
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This is a pet peeve of mine. A few weeks ago I let the smoke out of a Linksys access point because of reversed polarity. The AP looked identical to the old blue Linksys routers, used the same 12V power connector, but had the center conductor negative. I checked the voltage required but missed the reverse polarity and cooked it.

This is stupid, and sometimes I suspect it is deliberate. I can take a light bulb, even one of those commie LED bulbs made yesterday, screw it into a lamp made in the 1930s, plug it into house wiring made in the 1950s, turn it on, and it will work, because of standards.

Engineers across North America see this compatibility for what it is-- a threat to their jobs. So they've spent the last fifty years making sure everything is incompatible with everything else. I'm only half joking here: how many different USB ("Universal" Serial Bus) connectors are there now? Eight? Ten?
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Old 06-16-2016, 08:31 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
That may or may not work as there is no standard for the 12v plug. I ended up with one of these to find the right mate https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Unive...19FY7KHM36Y6RV
I was worried about the exact plug configuration, but ended up getting lucky. The Insignia TV works perfectly with the cord I purchased with the 2.1mm x 5.5mm end. I knew I had a chance when one of the product review posts on Amazon noted they were using it with the same brand TV without issue. Having a universal set of tips would probably be a good idea if you have various 12V devices, but I agree that you better be aware of the proper polarity.
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Old 06-16-2016, 09:10 PM   #28
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Why would I not want to just have the "all outlet" inverter installed and not deal with DC outlets at all? Does boondocking on AC (i.e., using inverter) run through battery storage significantly more rapidly than running DC? If, as planned, we have the solar charger, would we even notice or care if power got used a bit more rapidly? We will NOT be using a microwave or TV. We will want to charge cell phones, tablets, laptops, and may run an outdoor fan at times.
Hi Lee- we have the 1500W inverter w/transfer switch. Prefer to. charge phones/tablet & run Bose unit on 12V. We use the inverter for Cuisinart 4 cup & Vitamix.

Inverter does have some noise so whenever possible we use 12V to answer your question. Not bad, but silence is golden in the boondocks
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Old 06-16-2016, 09:51 PM   #29
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Why would I not want to just have the "all outlet" inverter installed and not deal with DC outlets at all...We will want to charge cell phones, tablets, laptops, and may run an outdoor fan at times.
I'm curious why one would spend $850 dollars when all those appliances could easily be charged via a DC outlet?
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Old 06-16-2016, 09:55 PM   #30
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12V coffee makers aren't good and you cannot run many appliances on 12V - especially a Vitamix which we use for very healthy mixes on the road.
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Old 06-16-2016, 09:59 PM   #31
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But the poster only mentioned cell phones, tablets, laptops, and an outdoor fan, all of which can be charged or can run on DC.
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Old 06-16-2016, 10:04 PM   #32
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Right Karen, it was a roundabout answer to the fact that there is a hum with running an inverter. For those spending weeks or months travelling in a trailer it takes effort to eat right. An inverter gives one more options.
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Old 06-17-2016, 08:48 AM   #33
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I have the 1500W inverter and the only thing I've used it for is to run the microwave. So if you're not going to use a microwave or other high-current 120V appliance like a coffee maker, you might not need the inverter. The inverter does draw power when it's on even when nothing else is running and it makes noise, so there's that as well.

If my trailer were being built now I'd have three 12-volt outlets inside-- one at each end and one in the middle. I'd also have an exterior 12V outlet to run my laptop while sitting outside. That way I wouldn't be using the laptop's battery, and since Apple laptop batteries aren't replaceable, it would prolong the life of the laptop.
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Old 06-17-2016, 09:30 AM   #34
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We have four 12V outlets in the trailer at strategic locations. Sometimes with all of the device charging that we do, it seems that we could use one or two more. We didn't add any 120V outlets when the trailer was constructed, and I don't believe that we have even used any of the standard ones in the three years we have had the trailer, everything we use works off of the 12V outlets or off of propane (we don't even bring any 120V devices with us).
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Old 06-17-2016, 09:30 AM   #35
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Why a USB port rather than an AC plug with USB adaptor? Can USB adapters work with a 12V plug?
The AC plug with a built in USB port is only powered when the AC is powered. So for me I can't charge a cell phone using the usb cable unless my trailer is plugged into 'shore power' at a campsite.
The DC plugs, cigarette lighter things, run from the battery and have 12 volts all of the time. plugging a 12 volt cigarette lighter usb adaptor into it allows me to charge my cell phone any time. Cigarette lighter 12volt usb adapters are cheap $5 to $25.
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Old 06-17-2016, 09:36 AM   #36
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Having an inverter solves the problem of rarely used chargers. For example, I carry a battery powered drill, and an impact drill that I don't often use. Even if I could find a 12V charger for the batteries for them, it wouldn't be worth the cost. I only need to charge the batteries every 4 months or so, but the inverter does the trick. Since I often spend months at a time without hookups, waiting for a campground with a pedestal is not a viable option.

Another use is the rarely used 120V tools - for example, a soldering iron & a heat shrink gun. Both work well on my 1000 watt inverter, and while not often needed, when you do need them it is nice to be able to run them. And, last, but most important, it powers my 600 watt 5 cup drip coffee maker & 900 watt toaster!

I'm comfortable with a separate outlet for the inverter, but the whole house option would be more convent, particularly if I had a microwave.
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Old 06-17-2016, 10:28 AM   #37
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and since Apple laptop batteries aren't replaceable, it would prolong the life of the laptop.
Not sure where you got that information.

MacBook Owners

Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. Apple offers a battery replacement service for all MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks with built-in batteries.
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Old 06-17-2016, 02:10 PM   #38
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... I'd also have an exterior 12V outlet to run my laptop while sitting outside. That way I wouldn't be using the laptop's battery, and since Apple laptop batteries aren't replaceable, it would prolong the life of the laptop.
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Not sure where you got that information.

MacBook Owners

Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles. The one-year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. Apple offers a battery replacement service for all MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks with built-in batteries.
There have been many generations of Apple laptops (we have two), and while all are inconvenient to service, the degree of difficulty of battery replacement varies. Some of those batteries are actually glued in, and many (most? all?) are not considered a user-replaceable part. Paying for Apple service plus the battery costs about one-sixth of a new laptop and may still make more sense than buying a new one; however, it is worth considering a possible effect on battery lifespan.

But it's true that Apple laptop batteries are generally replaceable.
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