Can I plug my inverter into my cigarette lighter socket?
The cigarette lighter plug (400W Inverter only) is suitable for operating the inverter at power outputs up to 150 Watts as most vehicle cigarette lighter circuits are only rated at 15 to 20 Amps.

To operate at full power, either use the battery cable supplied or directly wire to the power source with user supplied wire and fuse.

Will it run my equipment?
Most electrical tools, appliances and audio/video equipment have labels that indicate the power consumption in amps or watts. Be sure that the power consumption of the item you wish to operate is rated at the specified watts or less (if the power consumption is rated in amps AC, simply multiply by the AC volts to determine the wattage). All our inverters have overload protection, so it is safe to operate equipment rated at the specified watts or less. The inverter will shut down if it is overloaded and the overload must be removed before the inverter will restart; resistive loads are the easiest for the inverter to run. However, larger resistive loads, such as electric stoves or heaters, usually require more wattage than the inverter can deliver on a continuous basis.

Inductive loads, such as TVs and stereos, require more current to operate than do resistive loads of the same wattage rating. Induction motors, as well as some televisions may require 2 to 6 times their wattage rating to start up. The most demanding in this category are those that start under load, such as compressors and pumps. Testing is the only way to determine whether a specific load can be started and how long it can run. The unit will simply shut down if it is overloaded. To restart the unit after a shutdown due to overloading, remove the overload and if necessary turn the power switch Off then On.

CAUTION: This inverter will not operate high wattage appliances or equipment that produce heat, such as hair dryers, microwave ovens and toasters.

How big a battery do I need?
The power source must provide between 11 and 15 volts DC and must be able to supply the necessary current to operate the load. The power source may be a battery or well regulated DC power supply. To obtain a rough estimate of the current (in Amps) the power source must deliver, simply divide the power consumption of the load (in watts AC) by 10.

Example: if a load is rated at 250 Watts AC, the power source must be able to deliver:
     250 divided by 10 = 25 Amps

Caution: The inverter must be connected only to batteries with a nominal output voltage of 12 volts. The unit will not operate from a 6 volt battery and will sustain permanent damage if connected to a 24 volt battery.

How long will it run for?
Operating time is dependent on the capacity and condition of the vehicles battery and the load being run. Battery capacity is measured in Amp/hours or Ah, eg 100Ah.

To give a rough estimate of the running time divide the Ah rating of the battery by the current (in Amps) that the inverter will draw for your specific load (see "Power source requirements" above).

Example: if a load requires the battery to deliver 25 Amps and the battery is rated at 100Ah:
     100 divided by 25 = 4 hours

Therefore a 100Ah battery in good condition should be able to run a 250W load for approx 4 hours.

Note: The inverter may be used whether or not the vehicles engine is running. However the inverter may not operate while the engine is starting since the battery voltage can drop substantially during cranking.