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battery question. help asap please.


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ChristopherMisery
New User

Nov 16, 2014, 12:14 AM

Post #1 of 4 (1373 views)
battery question. help asap please. Sign In

would it be ok to run a 200 watt space heater with a 500 watt inverter? of course while the car is running only. are there any drawbacks?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 16, 2014, 1:55 AM

Post #2 of 4 (1360 views)
Re: battery question. help asap please. Sign In

One thread please for the same topic. Others removed with no replies already.


#1 issue with me is I don't trust the specs of such gadgets.


#1 Using a motor vehicle to make inverted power should be well thought out, totally known conditions and for a limited time only. Any continuous use needs more thought again.


#1 I don't think it's good for about any vehicle to sit running too long for much of any reason. An average car at idle the alternator is not putting out it's full rated power ability so you may be running a deficit on the car's battery which is no good.


All listed as #1 reasons on purpose. I don't like using a vehicle for powering things nor too impressed by inverters not engineered into a vehicle.


How much heat do you need for what? 200 watts of heat doesn't equate to very many BTUs of heat or space at all.


If heat needed for some reason I'd seek some other way totally,


T



ChristopherMisery
New User

Nov 16, 2014, 2:11 AM

Post #3 of 4 (1352 views)
Re: battery question. help asap please. Sign In

wanted a cheaper alternative to repairing jeeps built in heater. a power inverter to run a lasko my heat space heater thats only 200 watts. same wattage as some 12v car heaters that dont work very well.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 16, 2014, 2:58 AM

Post #4 of 4 (1344 views)
Re: battery question. help asap please. Sign In

Trouble is making heat from electricity isn't efficient AND requires a LOT more power than using what is wasted heated coolant the engine is making anyway but if you are serious about having proper heat just fix the OE heater.


Where I am and many never mind wanting heat and plenty of it I must have very effective defrost/de-ice/defog ability or plain couldn't drive a vehicle to see crap in certain conditions.


Watts to BTUs? I don't have a conversion chart but do some math. I think a home electric space heater intended for that is commonly 1,500 watt with option to 1,250 is common. That's about a max of 5,000 BTU of heat which just happens to be about what a blow dryer for hair can do on the mark and have done that only while plugged into "house" power if you will to just de-ice a vehicle to fricken move it to where I could clear it off and work on it!


The dash work for about anything for a heater and the ducts all working properly plus no coolant leaks stinks most of the time. Dinky cheap junk that breaks to just get at what you need to do makes most quite labor intensive but it totally works the best and never heard of anyone satisfied with any other creation.


I'll add that leaving a heater (electric) on in a vehicle is asking for trouble left unattended if powerful enough to do squat. Not so thrilled with any of them for non automotive heat as portable things either. I dare say the #1 reason for a home fire usually found to be placed too close to something that was flammable after the fact. No fun way out.


Other and just a guess as it's not really well published. The BTU power/ability of a vehicle's OE set up is incredibly higher than you might think - maybe 20,000 BTUs or much more at full blast and needed especially when weather is both cold with snow, ice, freezing rains while moving you are sucking heat out of a vehicle like nuts.


Best bet - fix the heater system back the way it was intended,


T







 
 
 






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