Ok so i ran across a power inverter today at a bargain store, its a Coleman Powermate Power Inverter.

I know nothing about these, so here are the specs:

350 Watt Continuous, 700 Watt High Surge
Short Circuit Protection - automatically shuts down until short is removed.
Over Voltage Protection - automatically shuts down when input exceeds 15V DC
Low Voltage Alarm - audible when battery discharges to 10.5 DC
Under Voltage Protection - automatically shuts down when unit input is less than 10V DC
Overload Protection - automatically shuts down unit when continuous draw exceeds 350W
Thermal Protection - automatically shuts down when circuit temp exceeds 150 degrees

Dimensions: 7.25" x 5" x 2"
Weight: 1lbs 4oz
No load current draw: less than 0.4A
Input voltage range: 11-15 VDC
Waveform: modified sine wave
Outlet on inverter: 120V AC, grounded

Ok so how does this one look? It appears that it will shut down if theres too much input, not enough input, if it draws too much, or if it gets too hot...all of this is good, right?

I will be using this to run small things like the Dremel, battery pack chargers, laptop, charging lantern/lights, running small fans, etc.

 

That is perfect.
I run a 400 watt one as seen in the Tech section.

I use it to charge the cell phone, power drill batteries, ect.
350 watts should be enough for that.

Mine too has the shut down feature so it will not discharge the battery.

Are you going to hard wire it like I did mine?
Much easier that way if you hard mount it like I did mine.

 

of course i checked out your write-up before posting, however i just wanted to ask about the electrical specs b/c physics just aint my thing.

nope. mine will only see occasional use so i will keep it stored under the seat or under the rear seat.

Thanks Corey (for both threads!)

 

I noticed these two, one is 400/800 and the other is 700/1400, both on sale at the Sportsman's Guide.

 

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/dotcoms/colpow800wat.html
The 800/1600 watt model for $44.99!

Hard to beat!

 

those are "reconditioned"

 

thats a little too much for me. i want mine compact for easy storage.

 

I think I'm going to get this. Its actually 5% off that $44.99 price. Thanks Brian!

 

Costco has a 400w inverter for $30 and a 1000w for $60-70 (I think). Both are pretty good prices.

The 350w should be good for your purposes Ryan. I've got both a 350 and a 400 for my cars and I use them for dremel, laptop, and this little 400w vacuum cleaner from shark. To use the full output you'll want to connect directly to your battery rather than the cig plug.

 

Is that big enugh to run a small fridge?
Doesnt matter anyway, too good to beat.

 

nm, i got the 1200 version. everywhere else ive looked they have been really expensive. Time for duel optimas

 

hardwire it, and leave it right here..... mine is a 300 watt continuous and it works great and leaves tons of space for other stuff

heres a pic

 

The low voltage feature can be obnoxious (on mine). When I start the car the inverter trips off. Keep that in mind.

 

Wow. That 800W Coleman is sweet and for $44, you can't beat it. What size power wire would I need to run to it? 4 AWG or 8 AWG?

Matt

 

Great Deal!!! I just ordered mine.

Scott

 

Unbeatable deal! THIS IS A GREAT PRICE, they have the same exact unit on sale at Kragen for $69... This is only $40ish!

 

The 400W model is also on sale. It's only $24.99. What are some items that the 800W could run that the 400W couldn't? I plan on using it to run a laptop, so I think the 400W would probably be enough. Would the 800W be used for a small fridge, portable stereo, etc? Later.

Matt

 

Here's a link to tell you how big a PI you need to run what you want for the Coleman Powermates.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=28119

Compare the prices too! OUCH!

 

Thanks man. That's awesome. I'd love to be able to run a small microwave while tailgating at a football game, but no way am I going to get the 1200W inverter. Too freakin big.

Matt

 

Father's Day only special. I just got a 800/1600 for less than $50 shipped. AWESOME!