Bed outlet

i tried running a shop vac on this but it tripped. Button says 120v (have 27f battery) wondering why it tripped and how it can even run 120v.

 

It only runs up to 400 watts I believe

 

Ah okay that’s probably what it is. Thanks.

 

^ This. 400 W at 120 VAC is roughly 3.3 amps. Anything over that and it will trip off

To put that in perspective, 400 W at 13.6 VDC is 29.4 amps from the battery to the inverter

 

I tried running a halogen shop light on mine once and it was a no go. Glad I brought my generator along with me that night , lol

 

29.4amps is a lot more than 3.3, so not sure I understand. But I get the first part!

 

Yep, a shop vac draws a lot more than 400 watts.

 

I’ve done this before and mine tripped too.

Also tripped with a hair dryer when I was removing the decals.

But other than that I love it

 

I dont use mine all that much. Figured I would use it more with camping but just dont have the need.

 

Mine runs my 52 Quart fridge

 

Volts x amps = watts. Lower the voltage, you increase the amperage, which is why stoves, water heaters and electric driers don't run on 120v.

 

So then the outlet doesn’t actually run at 120v, but 13.6? It just uses 29.4amps to make up the difference?

 

All I have ever done with mine is brag to my friends that I have one...

 

i used an angle grinder off mine to cut some 1/2 steel plate at the end of my driveway. It seemed to be maxing it out, but surprisingly worked.

 

The outlet can put out up to 400w. At 120V, it's only able to put out 3.3A or so. But since it's converting nominal 12v to get it (really more like 13.6V since the alternator is charging) it's drawing 30+ amps, since it's not 100% efficient.

 

This thread reminds me why I hate electrical $hit. May as well be speaking Mandarin Chinese...

 

Inverters take DC and make it AC. 120 Vac is what you get out of a standard wall outlet in America. 13.6 Vdc is what a battery in a car would read (roughly) when the car is running and the alternator is charging.
Volts x Amps = Watts for DC, and the same equation is a close approximation for AC (we dont need to go into those details haha)