Compared with going abroad, self-driving or RV travel is relatively freer and more popular with people who want to have a rest after a long time of hard work. Before traveling, you need to prepare for some essential equipment for outdoor activities, and there is one that you must have - the car power inverter, as with other outdoor tours, how to get power is a headache when having a self-driving or RV travel.
Why you need an inverter:
Many activities during a self-driving tour and RV travel are limited by outdoor conditions. If there’s no enough power and plugs, you can't use your home appliances outdoors. When it comes to self-driving or RV travel, the first thing you need to consider is how to cook and get boiled water. Some people may think that it is enough to take a small gas bottle and a gas stove directly, while this is very dangerous and easy to cause threatening danger to devices and even life. Also the gas stove is dirty, and the small generator is too heavy and noisy. While the power inverter can provide you with household AC power that can charge mobile devices such as mobile phones, or household appliances. As for cooking or drinks making, you only need to bring a rice cooker, electric kettle, coffee maker, or blender, etc. Moreover, it probably takes one or two weeks to have an outdoor RV travel, and how to charge devices will become a big problem if traveling in a remote area where there is lack of electricity. However, as long as one power inverter, all problems can be solved. The power inverter can generate power for you and it is designed compact, easy to carry and store. Therefore, a car inverter is a must-have for travelers to meet your basic living needs in outdoors.
What is an inverter:
The inverter is a voltage converter that converts a 12V power supply (or 24V on a large vehicle) into a household 110V power supply and matches a standard power outlet to provide people with the required 110V voltage to charge the device in the car. With a power inverter, you can charge the mobile phone and the computer, and can also use the small-powered electrical appliances like rice cooker, induction cooker, etc.
A good power inverter has its own unique technology on the core device - the circuit board. Each inverter circuit board built with fine workmanship and clear wiring, can not only provide high-quality currently but also extend its lifespan. It also has higher voltage conversion to fast charge devices and effectively saves the car battery. As for security, high-quality inverters are often equipped with multiple protection systems including over-temperature protection, input low-voltage protection, input high-voltage protection, overload protection, short-circuit protection, etc., to protect devices from damages and keep your driving smooth all the way.
Inverter selection:
If it is just a short-time self-driving tour, you only need to charge some small electronic devices in the car. The 200W~300W power inverter is a good selection. Such inverters can meet the charging requirements of mobile phones, tablets, SLR camera, the battery of GoPro at the same time. And they are portable and lightweight, very convenient to take and store.
If you are traveling for a long time, you must use some household appliances, such as rice cookers, TV sets, electric fans, juicers, coffee machines, and even air conditioners. Then try to choose a reliable inverter brand. Generally, an inverter of about 2000 watts is enough to charge these appliances. But some inverters give a virtual high rated power, and in fact, they may not be able to load or even damage your electronic devices that are rated with a close or even higher power than the inverter. In order to avoid such a situation, it is preferable to select an inverter with 10%~20% higher rated power than the actual power of the electric appliance. For example, you brought a 2L rice cooker, the general power is about 350W. Therefore, the actual power of the inverter should be greater than the 500w. So in order to make sure all devices can be used, it is recommended to select an inverter with 1000-2000W.
Here are some examples of some simple devices that make camping just a little more electric:
Radio/CD Player – About 75 watts
Laptop computer – About 75 watts
Crockpot – About 275 watts
Fan – About 300 watts
Blender – About 300 watts
Small TV (20 – 30in) – About 200 watts
Small travel coffee maker – About 750 watts
Small refrigerator - 500 to 1440 watts
However, it is risky to connect the inverter to the car battery no matter via the 12V cigarette or directly via the car power supply system. As long as any problem occurs, nothing you can do on the road. So, you’d better also take a backup battery before going out.
Inverter Usage:
There are also some issues to be aware of when using the inverter.
1. When the car stops, the inverter must be turned off, or unplug the 12V power outlet. Use the power inverter when the vehicle engine is working.
2.When not in use, also cut off its input power of the inverter.
3. The car should be placed in a ventilated and dry environment to keep away from the rain. Keep it 20cm distance away from the surrounding objects, and away from flammable and explosive goods. Don’t place it in an environment with over 40 degrees.
4. The inverter input must be consistent with the inverter dc input voltage. For example, a 12V inverter must be used with a 12V battery.
5. The output of a power inverter must be higher than that an electronic appliance needs, especially for those high power appliances like refrigerator, air conditioner, which may require some extra electricity.
6. The input voltage of an inverter has a positive and a negative electrode. Connect the two properly and the power cord must be thick enough as well as not too long.
Inverter recommendation:
If it is a short-distance self-driving tour, you may only need to charge the commonly used electronic devices such as mobile phones, cameras, iPods, etc., and then a 300W inverter is enough. However, if it is a long-distance RV camping, you need to choose a high-power inverter. BESTEK has always been the most popular inverter brand in the US market to provide inverters from 75W~300W small inverters to high-power inverters of 1000W, 1200W and 2000W. BESTEK inverters can meet your different charging needs and make your outdoor travel happier.
BESTEK 1200W Power Inverter
BESTEK 1200W power inverter is equipped with 2 AC outlets and 2 USB ports, allowing you to charge up to 4 devices at the same time. It supplies 1200W continuous power for various devices like all laptops, digital portables and household appliance under 1200w such as fan, refrigerator, coffee machine, UAV, electric saw, etc. It has a special LCD display that can show you the input and output voltage, output power and protection indication in time, so you can control the charging and protection status. There is a silent cooling fan then can rotate at a different speed according to power load and temperature to help dissipate heat and reduce working noise. Also, it comes with 4 50A fuses and is built-in overload protection, short-circuits protection, overcurrent protection, etc. Feel safe to use.
BESTEK 2000w power inverter provides 2000 Watts continuous DC to AC power, 2300W max(Not continuous output), 4600W peak of surge power to start your gear. Featured with 3 110V AC outlets, it can supply power for large electrical devices on trips, camping or work sites, such as flood light, TV, freezer, Laptop, DVD player, PSP, Camera or recharging mobile phone/iPad, etc. It is also an emergency power supply solution when you are in outdoor & remote work site. The 2000w power inverter is not only perfect for camping, RV travel, it is now also widely used for medical, field working and lifesaver in a natural disaster. It has a LED indicator that can show you the charging status. It is safe to use the inverter with built-in all-around protections and 6 50A external replaceable fuses to keep your battery and devices safe from damages.
Choose a good power inverter for your car and enjoy a happy camping trip anywhere you want to go.
