I've been reading the User Guide for the Samlex 300 inverter mentioned in post 1 and see it recommends limiting use to no more than 150 watts if installed using the supplied cables (
http://pdf.donrowe.com/pst-300-12-24_owners_guide.pdf , page 32). To get the full capacity of 300 watts, it requires at least 8-gauge wire and mounted within a 3-foot round-trip wire run of the battery. The manual goes on to say:
"- 12V power outlet in a vehicle is normally fused at around 15A. This limits the power draw from this outlet to around 150W.
- When powering PST-300 (rated at 300W) from the 12V power outlet in a vehicle, please ensure the AC load is limited to < 150W. Power draw > 150W will blow the 15A fuse in the vehicle."
I imagine many buyers don't realize that at purchase time and would assume they get the device's capacity with the cables in the box or by using similar-size wires when wiring it in.
Also- That info led to me wondering about the inverter I mentioned in post 12, the Tripp-Lite PV375 I had considered. It doesn't have wiring terminals so the only choice is to plug it in using the cigarette-lighter-style plug. So how does the manual handle the fact that a 15-amp-fused circuit won't handle the inverter's stated capacity?
( the manual is at
http://www.tripplite.com/shared/techdoc/Owners-Manual/932230.pdf )
The 'Operation' section says (1) Plug Inverter into vehicle, (2) Turn on Inverter, and (3) Plug Equipment into the Inverter, then...
"Determine your equipment’s total wattage.* Do not connect more watts than your Inverter’s Output Power (Maximum Continuous Watts) rating..... See back page for typical equipment runtimes. Also see back page for important note concerning the limitations of vehicle electrical systems."
And on the back page, the important note says....
"NOTE: Due to the limitations of certain vehicles’ 12V DC lighter/accessory outlet electrical systems, you may not be able to continuously run a full load (375 watts) from PV375 models. If you regularly blow fuses, it may indicate your vehicle is not adequately wired to support a PV375 as it is designed. In this case, consult vehicle manufacturer recommendations for rewiring from the fuse block or battery with appropriate wiring (10 - 12 gauge) and fusing (at least 40 amp). All standard vehicle accessory outlet electrical systems can support full loads for PV150 models without any modifications."
-OC
PS- I really like the Samlex's detailed manual. Recommended reading. It has everything from C-rates and Peukert Effect to how the GFCI receptacles work to what the thread-pitch is on the set-screws of the DC terminals. Nice!