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Hank Montura
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016
Posts: 71
Location: Vancouver WA
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 Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 9:58 am Post subject: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Hello Again,
I am curious about how much for parts and labor would run for the auxiliary battery and inverter installation? If anybody has any recommendations for an installer in the Portland Oregon area, I would very appreciative!
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tates1882
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2012
Posts: 275
Location: Southwest Idaho
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:04 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Lots a variables to consider: battery size, inverter size, locations. I have just under $600 for parts in my setup and 8-10 hours of labor designing, sourcing and installing it.
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17155
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:47 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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If you are considering an invertor to purchase. You'd look for one with a "pure sine wave" vs modified sine wave. They are a little more expensive. These types are better suited for laptop chargers etc.
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atomatom
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2012
Posts: 1867
Location: in an 84 Westy or Bowen Island, BC
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
| If you are considering an invertor to purchase. You'd look for one with a "pure sine wave" vs modified sine wave. They are a little more expensive. These types are better suited for laptop chargers etc. |
but if charging your laptop or phone is the goal, find a 12v laptop or usb adaptor and skip the inverter. it is a simpler and much more efficient approach.
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Paulbeard
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 2604
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:29 pm Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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| atomatom wrote: |
but if charging your laptop or phone is the goal, find a 12v laptop or usb adaptor and skip the inverter. it is a simpler and much more efficient approach. |
+1. Consider why you need an inverter and if a 12v option exists.
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otiswesty
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2006
Posts: 1731
Location: Portland
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Invertors will pull a constant parasitic drain and eventually ruin your aux battery unless you are driving it every day...
After 15 years of dealing with invertors, chargers, aux batteries, 12v refrigerators, I am thinking my years driving around in the 78 bus with a cooler was probably the best and most reliable set up I ever had.
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Hank Montura
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016
Posts: 71
Location: Vancouver WA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Thanks for the all the info. We do have a USB charger set up for phones and the lap top via the cigarette lighter. I am thinking that the auxiliary battery set up may be more than we need. I still have shore power and my cord ready and willing.
Thanks a lot again.
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Paulbeard
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 2604
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 11:59 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Nothing wrong with an aux battery but inverters are almost never useful these days. Most things you need have a 12v equivalent.
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Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16505
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Hank Montura
Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016
Posts: 71
Location: Vancouver WA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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Thanks for the feedback. We decided to not go for the inverter at this point and look at roof racks.
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Oil Phil-M
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2005
Posts: 541
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: Auxiliary battery and inverter installation |
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| I find a converter a much more useful electronic device than an inverter. Converts the 120v shore power to 12v to run all of your purchased 12v devices, lighting and can keep the aux battery topped up. |
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