Size of Inverter

[Fred Mc]

This is not directly bus related but it is bus applicable.

I'm helping a friend design his farrier truck He wants to run a small drill press and electric grinder off battery power. Tool use would be somewhat intermittant (i.e. drill 2 or 3 holes and shut it off).Same with the grinder.

It would be charged in transit during the day and plugged in to shore power each night.

Roughly speaking, what battery capaicty would be needed and what size inverter would we need.

Thanks

Fred Mc.

[JackConrad]

Look at the ID tags on the drill press and grinder to see how many amps they draw (if plates list watts, watts divided by volts equals amps). Amps X hours used before batteries are recharged will determine battery size. Remember to only use 1/2 total battery capacity for maximum battery life. Since only one tool will be used at a time, the tool with the largest amp draw will determine inverter size necessary.  Jack

[jjrbus]

I had a knowledgeable friend size an inverter for me to run a fridge. He did the math (including locked rotor amps) and decided I needed a 700 watt inverter. Unfortunately the small import inverters are over rated ( lie ) about their output. So either oversize or test it before the return/refund time is up!!

[TomC]

I have a Trace 2512 that is a 2500 watt with a 4000 watt surge.  I have a 2 hp compressor and the inverter will start that.  With the small loads, I would consider a 1500 watt with two 6v deep cycle batteries (Lifeline makes a 300 amp hour 6v AGM battery that would be perfect).  Good Luck, TomC