Easy inverter replacement

I too would like to upgrade my inverter to a PSW inverter. I wouldn't mind upgrading the wiring too.

From the last time I took apart my interior, the OE inverter is pretty tiny. Smaller than my 16x16" folded towel.

 

Got any closer pictures?

Ive been planning this for a long time. The stock one is like 400w peak surge. More like 200-300w continuous power. Ive had a hard time finding a 400-500w pure sine that has a size that will work. And that actually is capable of the stated wattage values. Lots of crappy inverters out there that dont deliver what they say they do. Ive already bought a few that said 400w and 500w that crapped out with just 100-200 watts applied. Sticker claims are not too reliable and most buyers wont test apparently.

Id be happy with an actual 400w pure sine continuous power inverter. Just havent found one that fits the bill yet to install. If I do Ill post the info.

BTW there are other posts on this if you dig a bit more. Admittedly the search engine is not great.

Funny how everyone is strict on the wire gauges, but the towing power has a 30 or 40 amp fuse and its on like 16 awg wire. Never heard of someone burning up their trailer wiring. Those awg guide numbers have to be pretty overrated for a very safe margin.

 

Be careful here. This doesn't account for wire length. Take 4awg for example. Yes, it is capable of 150A... for about 7 ft. That distance is the whole circuit distance as well, so it includes grounding wire too. That distance also assumes 13.8V with less than 2% voltage drop. If you allow for 5% drop, your good up to 18 ft or so. But keep in mind also that for watts to remain constant, that voltage drop has to be made up in Amps, so 5% can add up. But generally wire is relatively cheap, so go one size up if in doubt is what I recommend. I also like to use a 10% safety factor personally, so if the stated draw is say, 54 amps, I calculate based on 54A + 5.4A (10%) just to be safe. Helps adjust for factors like heat and stuff. But I also have a tendency to over-build, so take that for what it's worth.

Also, don't forget the wire going from the inverter to the plug in the bed has an amperage limitation as well.

 

yep, that graph really just shows fusing vs. wire sizing. it was in direct response to the trailer +12v having an OEM 30A fuse. i believe that is a 12gauge wire.

this would be a more suitable chart for wire size vs. length

 

But the trailer plug wiring should be more like an 8awg. Its got to be about 10-16ft of wire to the trailer plug. Hard to believe that Toyota would skimp on this, or is real world application different than whats suggested for primarily home construction applications?

 

I'm pretty sure it is larger than 16 gauge at the trailer socket for the legs requiring higher current. Even aftermarket kits come with 8 or 10 gauge wire.

 

Dang! We need the service manual, wiring section.

If this were and Audi, I'ld have it in a heartbeat ;-)

 

Home construction is AC, which given the same amperage rating, is usually one wire size smaller, and not nearly as prone to voltage drop as DC. Part of the reason Tesla won and we don't have Edison Generators every 2 blocks in the city. Also, AC ratings follow the 10% rule built into the rating. A 15A breaker is only good for 13.5A constant current by code.

The ground is 12, trailer brake and battery charger are 14, parking light is 16, and reverse, brake/turns are 18. Other trucks have larger wires (basically one size up from that). That is why aftermarket is usually larger, to be universal. The standard 7 pin has a metripack 630 for ground, which I think max out at 10 awg? I've never seen bigger, though I've never had need to look too hard. The rest are metripack 280, which can also go up to 10 awg, but I don't think anyone does that.

 

Ground 10 awg is almost 3.5' to chassis ground bolt. All other towing circuit wires make it to the engine bay relay/fuse box (EB1) then some to cab from there.

 

Who needs that when you have @Puppypunter and @caribe makaira? Lol

 

Well.... I still don't KNOW what gauge wire feeds the present inverter nor the wire size that goes back to the trailer plug.

Any wire will carry big current for a limited time.....;-)

 

More important is the requirements/specs of the substitute inverter...

 

Chicken and egg sort of thing. It's always good to know where one is starting from.

 

Bumping this thread up since I have the same issue.

Has anyone had any luck upgrading the OEM Tacoma inverter to one that generates a pure sine wave?

 

The factory wires are likely WAY too small to carry any more current. Plus, your alternator can only put out so much so you'd need to upgrade your alternator also. I don't know if that would affect any data in the ECU or not, others with more experience can address that one...battery charging voltages comes to mind...

 

After a bit of digging, I think I found a solution.

I am going to get a 24V 400W DC power supply and then plug my Ecoflow in using DC power.

$66 LightingWill LED Driver 400 Watts Waterproof IP67 Power Supply Transformer, 90-140V AC to 24V DC Low Voltage Output, Adapter with 3-Prong Plug 3.3 Feet Cable for Outdoor Use, Computer Project

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0912VL5T9/r

This way I can still use the AC port in the bed (including the built in on-off switch), and my power bank should charge

 

SOLUTION FOUND: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQK6141y1e0

 

Did you try this? I have a Pecron unit (smaller than the one in the video) and it won't charge off my truck, I'm reading threads like this to figure out which way I want to go to get at least 300w of pure sine wave AC power to the Pecron.