What did you use your cargo bed inverter for today? (Now with Poll)

3rd gen 400W inverter?
Is it just me, or is this feature both totally cool, and mostly useless?

Truthfully, I'd rather have a 12V DC cigarette lighter style outlet in the bed, and the AC Power in the cab. I think Toyota was maybe five years behind the times with this feature. Less and less stuff seems to be AC powered when it comes to portable items you might take in your truck. Even some cordless tools (Milwaukee for example) give you the option of running their battery chargers off a cigarette lighter socket.

What do you guys use your inverter for? What's the everyday benefit of the inverter? I am strangely looking forward to the day I actually need it.

 

Four years ago a friend of mine used it to blow up an air mattress...

 

for me it comes in really handy when I'm on long road trips and want to charge my camera batteries while driving to the next location. My 12v is usually occupied by my go pro and dash cam when on a trip, so having an outlet at the back is quite useful.

 

Last camping trip I almost used mine for a crock pot dinner while I drove 3 hours to camp. That's as close as I've gotten.

 

Fair enough. Wouldn't it serve you better if it was in the cab? Just wondering.

 

Which reminds me.......correct me if I'm wrong, but it's only 400W when the engine is running, and 100W when parked. What is the target purpose of this dang inverter?

Run an AC beer fridge, only when you're driving?

 

there is a Mod on here somewhere that lets you let it run 400W all the time.. 2nd gen tacos have done it for years and nobody has complained about it causing problems..


Also, it would be nice to have one inside but I understand the pickup truck design so, I'm fine with it..

 

Exactly. I just hardwired a fridge. The outlet seems pretty worthless.

 

Does it have enough power for a small AC fridge (when at 100W)? Is that what they were thinking?

 

I don't know. But it seems stupid to have an outlet for a fridge that shuts off when the truck is off.

 

Absolutely nothing, but hey it was there

 

Im beginning think if I had $5 for every Tacoma owner who has never used their cargo bed inverter, I might be a rich man.

 

Never used mine on my 2nd gen 2006 OR and present 2016 Sport but as an electrician this is what it can do .. @400 watts running will provide 3.3 amps with a 120v device connected and @100 watts will give you .08 amps.

That said, check the full amperage rating of a device before using it....

 

I run my coffee pot off of it pretty regularly. Other than that nothing but I do wish there was a plug in the cab as well.

 

I've used mine quite a bit. Ive run a circular saw, sawzall, hammer drill, charged dewalt cordless batteries (and my camera batteries as well). Ran a croc pot on low to keep it warm and a igloo cooler taking it to a picnic.

 

I keep meaning to top off drill batteries or a signal meter on a longer trip but always forget. The one time I have used it was to run a soldering station. The fun part was the wiring I was soldering was under the hood with the engine running so I could utilize the 400 watt inverter.

Protip: the truck battery makes for a good table for the soldering station.

 

Vacuumed the driveway.

 

This would be me if I had a 120volt outlet in the cab

 

Ha! That's gotta be a pretty wimpy vacuum to run on 400W. Don't let the smoke out of the inverter!

I figure the best use for the inverter is so you can have Christmas lights on your truck. I'll try to remember to do that in December.

 

I haven't used mine yet but thinking about it for an electric pole saw to get rid of some branches on the property. I'll post pics when I do. (I've had a 2nd/3rd Gen now for 4 years and yet to use it)