Schumacher inverter

[jahoward1]

Hey fellas, good news! My family and I are going to be in a decorated boat parade Saturday. As part of our decorations, we wanted to hang some Christmas lights. I bought a Schmacher 410 watt inverter that I planned use in the cigarette lighter. I hooked it up but an alarm activated after I plugged in the lights. The lights also blinked in the same cadence as the alarm. I plugged in a lamp and the same thing happened. It started drizzling so I didn't have time for more tests at this time.   Anybody familiar?  It'll be dusk during the parade so lights aren't necessary but I'd like to have them for the fireworks. Any help will be as always appreciated.

James H

[flounderpounder225]

Hey fellas, good news! My family and I are going to be in a decorated boat parade Saturday. As part of our decorations, we wanted to hang some Christmas lights. I bought a Schmacher 410 watt inverter that I planned use in the cigarette lighter. I hooked it up but an alarm activated after I plugged in the lights. The lights also blinked in the same cadence as the alarm. I plugged in a lamp and the same thing happened. It started drizzling so I didn't have time for more tests at this time.   Anybody familiar?  It'll be dusk during the parade so lights aren't necessary but I'd like to have them for the fireworks. Any help will be as always appreciated.

James H

James
Need a little more info, 400 watt inverter isn't much capacity, what kind of lights were you trying to plug in, you may have been exceeding the output of the inverter and it was an overload alarm.  If I was going to be plugging in AC lights they would be LED, less draw on the inverter.  Also go online and try and research your inverter and maybe find whatbthe alarm means?

[louiefl]

410 watts / 12 volts = 34.2 amps. Not sure what fuse is in your cigarette socket, but a 10A would pop with 120 watts and 20A would be good for 240 watts.

Converting to AC, 410 watts / 120 volts = 3.4 amps - not a lot of juice, but regular incandescent Christmas lights are atound 1/3 amp per 100 bulb strand. In theory, you could handle up to 10 strands, but wouldn't go more than 80% of the 410 watts for a continuous load like lighting, let's say 8 strands.

If you want to run the inverter, don't use the socket, but instead connect it directly to your battery with large enough wires. #10 wire (assuming 75C insulation, short runs, and marine rated wire) is good for 28A, so I would suggest at least #8 (46A). I would think a 40A fuse in line with the positive lead would work (should be lower than the capacity of the wire).

If the wire was too small to carry the load (but fused high enough to handle the current), you could have had a voltage drop well below some internal threshhold (maybe 10 volts or so?) and the alarm you heard was an under-voltage alarm. The right size wire, direct connection to the battery (with an in-line fuse, of course) and limiting the load to around 2.7 amps x 120 volts AC should get you back in the game.

[jahoward1]

Thanks fellas. I was told that I might have exceeded the inverters capacity. Unfortunately due to other stuff I had to do to the boat, I'm running a little late. Saw some LEDs today. Might go with them.

James H

[GoneFission]

The search function is your friend: 

http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=8133.0

As Bob says, the first one's free!

[jahoward1]

The search function is your friend:  

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8133&p=64508&hilit=christmas#p64508  

As Bob says, the first one's free!

I wish I would have seen this one--a generator would work great.  Anyway, we did score some LED lights.  So we should be good.  The weather's threatening so I hope we still have a decorated boat show to attend.  And thanks for that free one--C ya


James H

[Fletch170]

Night in Venice Parade??????

[jahoward1]

Thanks everybody for all your help and suggestions.  My wife found battery operated led Christmas lights that could not be seen during the parade bu looked cool as hell when it got dark.  My wife and daughter did most of the decorations and Sally May placed 2nd overall for Best Theme.  All participants were given $30 gifts certificates to use at Curtain Marina's club/restaurant.  Overall, we had a really good time.  Once again, thanks everybody for your help.  Here's a couple pics from the weekend.

   

 

 

 

 

 



Oh yeah, and this car/boat really drives on the roadway and also on the water--Coolest boat I ever saw.  Anyway C ya

James H :afro: