# 1500 watt inverter



## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

I have bought a 1500 watt inverter so my wife can use her hair drier on sites that do not have electrical hook up. Does anyone know how much current will be drawn from the batts? I have twin 110 amp hr batts fitted.


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

read the power consumption (in watts) from the hair dryer, divide the value by 12 (volts), and you have the current (in amps). Multiply that with 1.1 to take the inverter's losses into account, then you know the current that the inverter draws from the battery. 

Now multiply this current with the time (in hours) that your wife uses the hair dryer, and you know the ampere hours.

Best Regards,
Gerhard

P.S: After having done the maths, you might want to convince your wife not to use the hair dryer while not on hookup... :wink:


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Hi sysinfo, If it takes abot 10 minutes to dry your wife's hair you will be taking about 20 amps out of your batteries, which is quite a lot, how are you going to put them back in, have you solar panels!. Also, you will be drawing the current at about 125 a/h so make sure you have very substantial cabling connecting the inverter to the batteries. 
Someone with auto sparks qualifications would advise on the soec. of the wire as it depends on the distance between the two.
Colin


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Thanks for that. She only uses it for around 5 mins. The output of the drier is 1500 watts ( inverter can peak at 3000 ).
I made it 15.1 amp hrs. Am I right?


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Thanks Guys, I have the answer, Shave her head like mine. She won't need a drier. Ho hum, back to the drawing board.


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Jean-Luc said:


> Hi sysinfo, If it takes abot 10 minutes to dry your wife's hair you will be taking about 20 amps out of your batteries, which is quite a lot, how are you going to put them back in, have you solar panels!. Also, you will be drawing the current at about 125 a/h so make sure you have very substantial cabling connecting the inverter to the batteries.
> Someone with auto sparks qualifications would advise on the soec. of the wire as it depends on the distance between the two.
> Colin


Hi Colin, no solar panels, just the odd one night camp like France passion. etc.

Bob


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

sysinfo said:


> I made it 15.1 amp hrs. Am I right?


It's about 11.5 Ah, perhaps you have twisted the figures.

And consider that the cables between the two batteries, and from there to the alternator, need to be really heavy-duty and as short as possible. They have to carry up to about 140 amps!

It might also happen that the battery voltage collapses (temporarily) under the load. Do you have wet batteries or gel?

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

sysinfo said:


> Thanks Guys, I have the answer, Shave her head like mine. She won't need a drier. Ho hum, back to the drawing board.


Could work.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00140X944?smid=A29Z57G4IDV1PM&tag=dealtime-kitchen-20&linkCode=asn


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Bob, Gerhard,

The Ah is worse than that due to Peukert, though the battery will recover somewhat afterwards.

When my wife does her hair I'm torn between being there and nagging, having one eye on the battery manager (Ah meter & calculates Peukert at the time), or leaving the van so as not to nag, and if the battery runs out, it runs out!

Dave


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Thanks Dave, I think I will go with another option. Anyone want to buy a 1500watt inverter?
I will advertise in the correct forum.

Bob


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Your inverter would easily run one of these:

LINK HERE

Unisex, so you could both have the same hairdrier-free style.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

If you have blown air heating what about taking something like a vacuum cleaner hose off one of the outlets? You would need top make an adapter of some sort but it should workable.


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## 100127 (Jul 20, 2006)

Nice try, but who would want the heating on in the summer. Har har

Bob


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

The hairdryer might have a half-heat setting - worth a try.

 
Keith


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

my wife uses a gas cartridge hair brush / dryer concoction.
I just put my head out of the window

Dave P


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