Chit Chat in VOLTVILLE Thread #2 :)

[Renolizzie]

Good morning, Voltmaniacs.

I'm trying to get the house straightened up before company comes.

I found something called a an inverter that charges your phones and the vape battery charger using you cigarette lighter. It is 300 watts and has 2 USB ports and 2 110 sockets. I'm thinking about buying one for our camping trip. You can also get a car cigarette lighter extension cord that you can make the unit go to your backseat.

 

[Uncle]

 

[awsum140]

Lizzie, I've used inverters and have an 1800 watts hanging around. While they do produce AC power it isn't, usually, a true sine wave but more of a sawtooth shape. While that doesn't bother things like chargers and motor driven items, things that have power supplies, like a radio or TV, can have problems with that waveform. It usually produces a loud buzz in audio which is annoying to say the least.

If you want to do USB charging, a charger like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VH84L5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is a lot less expensive and pretty capable. If you want the availability of AC the combination unit should work, just keep in mind it is quite limited.

 

[Tritium]

Lizzie, I've used inverters and have an 1800 watts hanging around. While they do produce AC power it isn't, usually, a true sine wave but more of a sawtooth shape. While that doesn't bother things like chargers and motor driven items, things that have power supplies, like a radio or TV, can have problems with that waveform. It usually produces a loud buzz in audio which is annoying to say the least.

Not to mention more sensitive devices, if you want to work with your laptop forget it. The noise from the inverter will even annoy your mouse and it won't work correctly.

Simple 5V USB car adaptors work better (more efficient) and you consume a lot less energy from the car battery (you don't have to up convert and then downconvert plus feeding the inverter with it's own needed power)


You can get a pure sinewave inverter but they consume a lot of power and they cost much much more.

 

[awsum140]

Tritium, I ran my laptop on an inverter when I was doing bumper repair work, all day, every day. I suspect that the type/quality of the particular power supply for the laptop is a big variable. One with a transformer and large filter caps might do better than a switching supply.

On a little brighter note, all three puppies with "our boy" on the left -

 

[Tritium]

Oh those puppies!!!

 

[Renolizzie]

Puppies sell themselves!!!!! So darn cute.

I have a three plug one like the one you are showing so you lug in the one plug and it makes three plugs which you then plug in the inverter for the charger to plug into which you can plug the vape battery charger into We have so many cords and a charger thingeys that converts to plug in so that we can charge batteries, cell phones and tablets that we call it the octopus. I think the new one I am looking at would eliminate one extra inverter cube hanging off the octopus, for sure. Also, you could put it in the back by using the longer cord instead of having it sit under you feet.

We don't have laptops. I like my tablet because it has dozens of books to read.

 

[awsum140]

If you do put it in the back, make sure you use a heavy gauge wire between it and the cigarette lighter. Even a 300 watt inverter will draw more current than you might expect. Since I'm Mr. Overkill, I'd use 14 or even 12 gauge silicon wire. I say silicon because it is ultra flexible. HobbyStar 14AWG Red Silicone Wire RC hobby lipo motor US SHIP 1ft 14 gauge ga Plus silicon wire is rated at higher current than non-silicon wire of the same size.

 

[Renolizzie]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018EOVB56/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A172C5V9FUPXG3






thinking about this

or this one is 16 guage but is only 5' long


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018EOVB56/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A172C5V9FUPXG3

I meant this but I am afraid to take off my boo boo.

1.5m 4.9 Feet 12V Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Extension Cord Plug Fused BI418

 

[awsum140]

The first one should work OK, Lizzie. Just be sure it's the only thing plugged into the lighter unless you have a splitter that will handle 10 or 15 amps to each outlet.

 

[Renolizzie]

The first one should work OK, Lizzie. Just be sure it's the only thing plugged into the lighter unless you have a splitter that will handle 10 or 15 amps to each outlet.

what I would do is plug that cord into the lighter and then the inverter into that cord and then use the inverter to charge phones and do the battery charger to charge two batteries for the Provari [while we are driving around].

I would probably settle for just the inverter since it has a 2 foot length but it won't quite sit in the back, I think. Still, I would settle for just the inverter with the 2 foot cord, I suppose.

 

[celticluvr]

 

[Renolizzie]

Good morning, Voltpeeps.

We are off to the famous Black Rock desert.

 

[Semiretired]

Good morning, Voltpeeps.

We are off to the famous Black Rock desert.

Wishing you safe travels...

 

[awsum140]

'moanin, Voltizens.

Hope your trip goes well and you have a good time, Lizzie.

We're having some spectacular weather after that last heat wave. Warm, sunny, days and cool nights. The AC is getting a rest, finally.

I hope I don't bore everyone with doggie pictures, but here's the whole family -



We are getting excited anticipating a new pup.

 

[Renolizzie]

That's a good looking family of dogs, awsum.

We had a great trip. I need to download some photos and see if I can put a couple of them up on the thread

 

[CatLady007]

Quick advice, please: Is it safe to buy from eBay with your CC or debit card? (I have never purchased anything from eBay). And does anyone have any advice for a first-timer? And, Lord, if I'm not supposed to ask this here--many apologies--it's just that the hurricane Hermine locked me away from the internet for 8 days, and I'm behind schedule for purchasing some needed items.

 

[Tritium]

Yes it's safe, just create an account with your details. I prefer to use paypal for my transactions on ebay.
Would you like to buy from overseas or USA?

 

[awsum140]

'moanin, Volties.

CL, I've been buying off FleaBay almost since it started and have yet to have a problem. Like Tritium said, I use PayPal for all transactions on it. I've bought stuff from all over the world and never had a problem or had to open a "ticket" for a refund. My experience has been that the sellers on FleaBay are actually pretty reputable, even the private sellers with just one item for sale. Of course, YMMV.

 

[Renolizzie]

Catlady - Don't feel bad about asking here. You can see the rating of the seller and if it is above 99% happy, you should have no problems. You can read the negative feedback if they are going below 99% positive and see why customers are unhappy. I've bought lots of things from ebay. I use paypal connected to my credit card