# E:can inverter and slow cooker



## alicksuwd (Aug 12, 2008)

I've just got hold of a Ring E:can inverter rated at 150w to run my small (1.5L) slow cooker, the slow cooker when on it's high setting draws a max of at 120W.

Having just had a play i have established that the inverter/slow cooker set up works OK from the vehicle power socket when the engine is running (for tea to be ready when you get there!)

But when i connect up to my leisure batttery (110Ah, quite new), even when on the low setting on the cooker, i get a power supply that is alternating on and off. A second or so on followed by a couple of seconds off. 

Any ideas?


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

My first feeling its a supply volts problem... might be worth checking when the inverter is under load just check the volts at the power plug socket... you could also just check the charge of the battery, I would also just pop the hook up on as well and check it then, providing your leasure battery charger is working ok.... there's other things to check but that sould be the first things the check is above... hope that helps


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

My best guess would be (assuming you're plugging the inverter into a habitation 12v socket) that the cross section and length of the wiring to your 12v socket is causing sufficient volt drop to reduce the voltage at the socket to less than the inverter cut-off trigger voltage when a load is applied. Try connecting the inverter direct to the battery terminals and the inverter may stay on longer.

Having said that, as I've just posted elsewhere, running any form of heating device from a 12v battery is inappropriate (even more so via an inverter where the efficiency will be reduced). Think of it this way; even with a relatively low power device like your slow cooker you'll be drawing more than 10 amps from the battery. This will be at or near the maximum current tolerated by the M/H wiring. Then consider that 10 amps is similar to the current used if you left your headlights switched on when you parked your car. How long would you expect to park your car with the headlights on and not return to a flat battery?


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## Addie (Aug 5, 2008)

alicksuwd said:


> I've just got hold of a Ring E:can inverter rated at 150w to run my small (1.5L) slow cooker, the slow cooker when on it's high setting draws a max of at 120W.


Firstly the inverter will be a 'soft start" meaning you need to first power the inverter on and give it a minute before plugging in the 240v device.

Howeber I think the E-Can is not suitable for this application, the 'tripping on and off' is usually a sign of overloading.

Ring rates it at 150w MAX and also states that it is on caperable at supplying that for a period of 30 minutes. It also states it is able to supply 120w for 4 hours but in practice (I've had several e-cans) they are only suitable for powering a laptop, I've even struggled with 90w power supplies for much over an hour. In addition a heating element takes a strong inverter.

As a rule of thumb I would always double up - in this case 300w, Ring do a model which I have also which has been fine.


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## The-Cookies (Nov 28, 2010)

wouldnt have thought the wiring supplying the lighter socket would be sufficient to power the inverter when its working to nearly max capacity, we power our slow cooker from 600w inverter connected to battery.


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## Sprinta (Sep 15, 2010)

from personal experience I'd also reckon the startup requirement wattage maybe overpowering the inverter.

But please bear in mind I have a vested interest in suggesting this as I have just advertised my 1100w inverter for sale - but for exactly this reason as it won't start my 1000w microwave as that has a 1200w start point


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## alicksuwd (Aug 12, 2008)

I've looked at the voltage drop and it was negligable, to do this i checked the voltage across the terminals of the battery and then in my floating cigarettte type power socket that is plugged in to the vans 12v system.

The voltage on the battery was only about 12.6v so after putting the van on to the house hold hookup for 3 hours it's now up arround 13v and will power the slow cooker on the low setting which was all l was rearly looking for.

The question this raises is how much charge does my on board system put into the leisure battery when i am driving (Elddis 155)? I expected my leisure battery to be in a good state of charge because allthough i rarely hook up all of my lighting is LED and i do not run a TV (AA batteries on the radio only).


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