Need a power inverter for tomorrow - cigarette plug to 120v outlet. I've been looking around online but not sure what's good/bad. Some are a small package, that just looks like an adapter, while others look like an amp....

help?

5/29/2009 4:41:11 PM

I have a Vector model vec1043 that i have had great service from. I think it was purchased from Advance.

[Edited on May 29, 2009 at 4:59 PM. Reason : vec]

5/29/2009 4:58:10 PM

well, the pertinent question is what are you trying to power? if it's just for a laptop ac adapter, digital camera charger, or other such junk any little inverter will do fine. walmart has them cheap. if you're trying to power bigger stuff like a tv, microwave, power tools, or whatever obviously you'll need one of the ones that looks like an amp. harbor freight sells those pretty cheap.

basically, just tell us what you're trying to do and we can tell you what wattage model you'll need (that's how most are rated).

5/29/2009 8:54:00 PM

Quote :

"if it's just for a laptop ac adapter, digital camera charger, or other such junk any little inverter will do fine. "

i still find it funny about the statement joel made a while back about stuff like that in a car. i remember it was along the lines of "you need a power inverter to convert dc to ac and back to dc?".

5/29/2009 9:20:54 PM

Quote :

"any little inverter will do fine. walmart has them cheap. "

I have a cheapo inverter and the biggest problem is that it doesn't like to stay in the cigarette lighter too well. It's very touchy and needs to be fiddled with constantly to stay working.

5/29/2009 9:47:32 PM

We had one of those walmart power inverters when I worked my last job. It was supposed to keep the laptops we used running (they used a 90 watt power supply, this was a 100 watt inverter). It didn't work half the time, constantly set off its overload alarm, and was generally a pain in the ass and a waste of money.

Figure out how much power you're going to need and then find an inverter that is much more powerful than that.

If you're powering a laptop or something from it, just find a power supply that will plug directly into a cigarette lighter without the inverter and leave it in the car. You'll probably spend less money trying to find something that isn't junk.

5/29/2009 11:23:54 PM

If it's a larger item you're gonna power I'd suggest hardwiring an alternate port under the dash or somewhere easily accessible to plug it in. Pulling apart the dash of my truck to get at my fuckin clogged heater core, I was amazed at the size of the wires in the back of my cigarette and power ports. Something like 18 or 20 gauge or around that. Not sure how many other vehicles use that small but I'd check it regardless.

5/30/2009 12:41:53 AM

^any of the larger inverters you definitely want to wire directly into the power system, much like you would a stereo amp. depending on what you're running, they'll bring down batteries in a hurry and cripple alternators as well.

^^the last one i got from walmart was a black & decker that plugged directly in. it went all over the country/world with me for 3-4 years and didn't have an easy life. the cooling fan finally went out and it would trip the internal circuit after 30-45 minutes. i think i got it on sale for like $10.99 or something at a walmart in salt lake city.

the one i replaced it with came from radio shack is supposed to be a "nice" brand/model among the small units. it is really thin/lightweight and it uses a cord, but it's a piece of junk otherwise. the fan sounds like a jet taking off, you have to hold your mouth just right to get a good connection, and it overheats really easily.

5/30/2009 4:37:59 AM

http://www.outsidesupply.com/browseproducts/3000-Watt-Pure-Sine-Wave-Inverter-12-Volt.HTML

5/30/2009 8:06:49 AM

^lol.

thanks for the responses guys. for now I just need to power a stereo, but I can definitely see me using it to power some tools, charge batteries, run a vacuum, etc. May also use it to run a ~30" TV, receiver box, & satellite for tailgating.

5/30/2009 8:43:46 AM

Quote :

"run a vacuum"

5/30/2009 12:39:08 PM

for audio applications you probably do not want one of the cheap ones, like the Vector described in the first post

those output modified sine and make for noisier output in my experience

5/31/2009 3:42:14 AM

i got the $40 dollar Black and Decker at Wal Mart (forgot the power rating) and it powers my 20" TV fine for tailgating (when I hook it to the battery) plug stays in the cig lighter socket very well. It's prob. cheaper now.

5/31/2009 5:57:20 PM

theres a reason they're called blackened peckers, they'll burn your shit down

6/28/2009 5:53:01 PM

^^ so do you have to keep your engine running while you watch tv?

6/28/2009 8:57:33 PM

not if you have a decent battery

6/30/2009 7:36:32 AM

i need the opposite of the OP. i need to plug into a 120v outlet and have a cigarette plug socket

6/30/2009 8:34:57 AM

^^ my battery is fairly old and small, but it ran the TV for 20-30 mins before i felt the need to crank up the truck and charge the battery. who knows how long it would run.

6/30/2009 3:35:12 PM

^^ harbor freight has had those, too...i got mine there a few years back and it was only a couple of bucks, though i don't see it on their site

http://www.amazon.com/SEM-AC-DC-Wall-Plug-Adapter/dp/B000EG8RIM

http://cgi.ebay.com/WALL-AC-TO-DC-CAR-VOLTAGE-INVERTER-CONVERTER-ADAPTER_W0QQitemZ120439839647QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0ac61b9f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

[Edited on June 30, 2009 at 3:54 PM. Reason : ebay link]

6/30/2009 3:53:23 PM

^^^
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10826&cs_id=1082602&p_id=3526&seq=1&format=2

$1.44

6/30/2009 6:43:17 PM

radio shack mang

7/4/2009 9:20:40 PM