Read the fine print ... Inverter install

[Scot]

I was looking through some posts about inverters and decided I wanted to charge my 18V Milwaukee 3 pack on the fly between jobs. Power requirements for this are 450V so I went bigger to compensate for future needs and bought this one. TheInverterStore.com - AIMS 1250 Watt Power Inverter 12 Volt with 15' cables. First thing I did wrong was not look at the dimensions on this thing! It's Huge. My plan was to mount behind the rear seat. Well, 15 feet of cable doesn't quite cut it and there really isn't room on that irregular rear liner anyway. So I pulled my center seat thinking I could stuff it under there. NOT!!!! It hits the seat mounts & the seat would need to be lifted 2" to make it work. Next option, under one of the rear seats. Cables should work, space is there, adequate ventilation - sweet! this will work. All I need to do is lose the platform under the smaller seat section. Damn! that's all one piece under there, you can't lose half of it without cutting it. I did get a welder this year so future replacement of the platform would be possible if needed. Although I most likely never would.

So don't assume all 1250 inverters are the same size as Member (Brodie)

More to come

 

[Boadie]

I realized that the other day when I went to go help a buddy do an Inverter on his truck. Went online to find one that would look good inside the cab of his truck. I found a gray one at checkers. Looked at the pic online and all available info. 1100 watt etc... Went there to buy it and it was fricken huge. Almost four times the size of mine. They had another that was there and it was just slightly bigger. Anyway did the install and he is very happy with it.

 

[kbud14]

Not to get off subject, but have you gotten a letter from Milwaukee? They recalled some 18 volt NiCd batteries. Might want to check about it.

 

[Scot]

Not to get off subject, but have you gotten a letter from Milwaukee? They recalled some 18 volt NiCd batteries. Might want to check about it.

Thanks for the info. I just looked it up & mine are not included. Kinda blows, 6 new batteries would have been nice.

Here's what I ended up doing. I had to cut the rear under seat platform in 2 so there is only a platform under the double seat. The single seat on the passenger side is where the inverter ended up.
http://www.cj-servicesinc.com/inverter1.jpg
http://www.cj-servicesinc.com/inverter2.jpg
http://www.cj-servicesinc.com/inverter3.jpg
http://www.cj-servicesinc.com/inverter4.jpg

 

[Scot]

ooooopps! Blew up the first one.

New one is on the way. Over the weekend I was running a compressor with a variable speed motor. On low the inverter had no trouble running it. I started the truck, ran high idle, turned on the inverter, turned on the compressor & walked away. Came back later and the compressor had kicked into high while I was gone. The inverter had no output. When I came home I took it apart and saw 2 of 10 or 12 15A fuses had blown. When I replaced them, they just blew again. So something fried and the fuses didn't react before something else cooked.