Inverter's-Glass mat batteries

[BillChaffey]

Not having much success in "search" for inverter information. Can any one tell me exactly how they work, would a "Glassmat" battery work as a stand alone for a inverter. Could\would a glass mat run a 12 volt electric blanket? would it help to keep a diesel engine warm over night?.
Thanks in advance.

 

[chefdennis]

Turtle!!!! :d

 

[Turtle]

Not having much success in "search" for inverter information. Can any one tell me exactly how they work,

Well, if you don't already know "exactly" how they work, then a thorough course in electronics would be required to tell you how exactly how they work. The DC power is connected to a transformer through the center tap of the primary winding. A switch is rapidly switched back and forth to allow current to flow back to the DC source following two alternate paths through one end of the primary winding and then the other. The alternation of the direction of current in the primary winding of the transformer produces alternating current (AC) in the secondary circuit.

So, basically, they take direct current (DC) as from batteries or solar panels, and turn it into alternating current (AC), and with the use of the appropriate transformers, switching and control circuits they can provide a specific voltage and frequency, such as 120 volt AC current.

would a "Glassmat" battery work as a stand alone for a inverter.

Sure. Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries, as well as traditional wet and maintenance-free batteries all work with inverters.

Could\would a glass mat run a 12 volt electric blanket?

Any 12-volt battery, AGM or otherwise, can power a 12-volt electric blanket (or any other 12-volt appliance). The only variable is the amount of amp hours of capacity the battery has, and whether or not it has enough to run the electrical appliance(s) that you want to run, and for the amount of time you need to run it between charging cycles of the battery.

would it help to keep a diesel engine warm over night?.

By "it", do you mean the inverter, or an electric blanket? Electric blankets are for people. Unless the truck or van is parked in a garage and out of the weather, the last thing you want is for an electric blanket to melt ice and snow and have the water working its way down under the hood and dripping on the blanket.

Your best bet to keep a diesel engine warm overnight is to use something designed for that purpose, namely an engine block heater. They can be something that attaches directly to the engine block, or something as simple as an electrified dip stick that you insert into the engine. Both are then plugged into a 120-volt source, like shore power or an inverter connected to a battery.

Here's some riveting reading about batteries, inverters and electric blankets. Don't pick and choose, read 'em all, every word.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/22660-batteries-crankinig-amps.html

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/22537-our-batteries.html

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/36982-inverter.html

http://www.expeditersonline.com/for...um/37802-charging-batteries-finer-detail.html

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/38659-12-volt-electric-blanket.html

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/41288-thermo-electric-coolers-amps.html

 

[idtrans]

Not having much success in "search" for inverter information. Can any one tell me exactly how they work, would a "Glassmat" battery work as a stand alone for a inverter. Could\would a glass mat run a 12 volt electric blanket? would it help to keep a diesel engine warm over night?.
Thanks in advance.

You will need a powerful inverter the diesel engine heater on my powerstroke 7.3 is 1500 watt and it can draw the juice trust me my electric bill jumps like $40 a month when the truck is plugged in everyday. but if you keep antingel in the tank your truck will be fine and start unless its super super cold out then you will need juice to keep her warm.

Now I did have a device on my old 99 f250 supedduty diesel 7.3 it was a coolant heater you install inline and it heats and circulates the antifreeze to keep engine warm and that device only was 700 watt and it did a nice job keeping engine warm and best part warm heat when you start in the morning . But make sure defrost isnt on when you start or you can crack the windshield with instant heat hitting it ok.

 

[idtrans]

Here is a used coolant heater on ebay I just saw its smaller looking than the one I had but should do the trick and draw less. They make a couple other models I saw but they are like 2250 watts and that won't help you at all.

NEW ZEROSTART 125C Lower Radiator Hose Coolant Heater : eBay Motors (item 270578256710 end time Oct-09-10 15:48:52 PDT)