I am borrowing an Apache 700 auto-trail for a festival next month and want to buy a 12v 3000w inverter to run some devices during the few days. The camper van has a 90Ah 12v battery. My question is can the camper van battery handle this size inverter and will it do the job to run hairdryers, straighteners, phone chargers etc…
Someone will be along shortly with all the figures and calculations but the short answer is that running an inverter off a battery for heating appliances will flatten it in about half an hour.
The phone charger would be OK but much better to use an existing 12volt socket for them.
DaveS1
Quote: Originally posted by RoryOG on 28/7/2024
Hi Dave, thanks for the reply. Would running the engine while using appliances not stop battery from going flat?
It would certainly help, but might make you unpopular. That is a huge capacity inverter to run off a 90ah battery in any case. The usual advise is to only use appliances containing heating elements when you have a good mains (EHU) supply and avoid them when running off battery.
the answer to your problem is not to buy an invertor but to buy a gas powered straightener and leave the hairdryer at home. lets face it in this heat hair wont take long to dry and iv used the straighteners in the past and they do a half decent job for around £35